Beginning today, Texans can exercise their vote in the Republican and Democratic primaries — voting early in person in advance of the March 2 election. While the headlines have been consumed by the important gubernatorial election, let us not neglect the equally important races further down our ballots.

Those seeking to impose higher gas taxes and fees have been dealt another blow. The Fort Worth Star Telegram and four other Texas dailies asked voters how the state should pay for more highway construction. TLOTA and raising the the gas tax, measures championed by Sen. John Carona and Rep. Vicki Truitt, received the lowest support.

On February 15, 1876, the people of Texas ratified our state constitution by a three to one margin. While considered cumbersome and over-amended, it has well-served the people of Texas.

An interesting story line some have tried to create in Texas’ gubernatorial race has been that Debra Medina is the “tea party” candidate, while Governor Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. Kay Hutchison are not, or worse. Certainly many have wanted that line to be true, and shouted it loudly.

You have to give State Rep. Todd Smith credit for saying what too many incumbents believe: some voters are just “too stupid to realize it” when doing what he knows is best for them. In this case, Smith was delaying to death legislation dealing with Voter ID. Worse, he refused to sign on to stronger legislation supported by 71 of 76 Republican House members. And his voters weren’t happy about it.

Throughout the last session, State Rep. Vicki Truitt kept repeating the same line when confronted about her fiscally irresponsible bill to hike gas taxes and impose new fees, “I will fall on my sword over this.” Well that must have been a blunt sword or she has recovered quickly from her wound because Truitt is backing away from her own legislation.

You know an election must be close when politicians start telling voters not to look at their records. Some incumbents hate it when voters get uppity and start getting educated and acting empowered. Earlier this week, the campaign consultant of choice for moderates and RINOs, called Empower Texans and Texans for Fiscal Responsibility “demonic” in an interview with the Fort Worth Star Telegram.

Before you get carried away, I am not talking about the 2011 event that will determine how our state’s electoral lines are drawn, though I am glad to have hooked some readers. No, I am issuing a cheer for the actions of the University Interscholastic League (UIL).

The UIL has just redrawn school district competition lines and the changes made will affect the most important line, the bottom line.

Proponents of higher taxes, less government accountability and no transparency gathered in Austin yesterday at the behest of their ally State Sen. John Carona. The cheerleading for bad policy and reckless economics lasted all day.