Following through on his promise to make a list of legislators who thwarted his agenda, Gov. Greg Abbott announced his first endorsement of a legislative primary challenger today.
In a one-minute video, Abbott announced his endorsement for Susanna Dokupil who is running in the Republican primary in House District 134 to oust a liberal Republican State Rep. Sarah Davis (West University Place).
“We need leaders in Austin who will join me to build an even better future for Texas,” says Abbott in the video. “That’s why I’m so proud to support Susanna Dokpuil for state representative of House District 134 in Houston, Texas.”
The four-term incumbent has been a blockade against conservative legislation in the Texas House and has voted against the best interests of Texans on every issue from property tax relief to limiting the size of government.
In the most recent legislative session Davis scored a failing grade of 34 on the Fiscal Responsibility Index.
The reason? Because Davis voted against taxpayers far more often than she voted with them.
Indeed, despite her claims to “limited government” and “personal responsibility” –all claims to justify her pro-abortion position– Davis’ record shows that those are little more than lip service. In the most recent legislative session, Davis sided with Democrats to fast-track a minimum wage measure, voted for increased corporate handouts, and voted to allow school districts to raise taxes without voter approval.
Davis even voted to cut off debate on a property tax reform bill that would have provided relief to all Texans.
Often, Davis’ allies claim that she is the only Republican that can win her moderate-leaning slice of Houston which includes West University Place, Rice Village, and Montrose, but those claims lack basis in fact. In repeated elections, conservatives like Abbott, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick win her district by significant margins.
“Well, at least she’s better than a Democrat,” her supporters claim. But even that isn’t true.
Firstly, Davis is no better than a Democrat when it comes to her voting record–two Democrat lawmakers earned her score or better on the Fiscal Responsibility Index this year. And in practice Davis is even worse than a Democrat. Because of her “Republican” branding, liberal Texas House Speaker Joe Straus has been able to appoint her to committees and give liberals the edge, a trick intended to fool unassuming Texans.
Republican voters in HD 134 finally have a viable, conservative challenger to Davis in Susanna Dokupil and they will have a chance to stand up for their party in the primary election on March 6th.
