The 2018 Republican primary showed the growing divide between the establishment political system and the conservative reform movement throughout the state.
In Montgomery County, the contrast between candidates could not have been clearer than in the county judge race, where incumbent Craig Doyal was challenged by conservative reformer Mark Keough. The bloody campaign ended with a conservative victory. It was assumed that Republicans would vote for whoever the Republican nominee was. However, this assumption is turning out to be false in the case of some establishment Republicans.
Just as in Harris County, with County Judge Ed Emmett announcing he will vote for Democrat Mike Collier against Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, some establishment Republicans in Montgomery County have decided they would rather vote for a Democrat than a true conservative.
For example, Jackie Waters—who ran against Steve Toth for House District 15—is supporting the Democrat candidate for Justice of the Peace in Precinct 3. Several other Republicans who lost their primaries are suspected of supporting Democrats, but have not stated it publicly.
A major revelation happened on October 16, when the Magnolia High School Republicans refused to endorse the Republican nominee for county judge, Keough. What came as an even bigger shock to most people was the fact that the president and vice president openly admitted that they were supporting Keough’s Democratic opponent.
The Montgomery County Republican Women’s group, which is a sponsor for the high school Republicans, should immediately withdraw their support from the club and refuse to finance or fund any event hosted by them until the president and vice president either step down or recant their endorsement of Stittleburg and campaign for Keough instead.
On a personal note, while I do support their right to free speech, I do not believe in any capacity that a Republican should endorse a Democrat. With these two gentlemen leading the Republican club, they should have never made the statement that they support a Democrat for county judge. Their resignation should be the consequence of their words and actions.
This is an outside commentary submitted and published with the author’s permission. If you wish to submit a commentary to Texas Scorecard, please submit your article to submission@empowertexans.com.
