In keeping with our effort to provide Texans with the information they need to be informed voters, Texas Scorecard distributed a questionnaire to those running for the lead the Republican Party of Texas as chairman: incumbent James Dickey and challenger Cindy Asche.
We also decided for the first time ever to make a number of the same questions available to those running for the State Republican Executive Committee as well. While we won’t be issuing an endorsement in any of these races, we hope that the responses to these questions will help you decide which man and which woman will best represent your interest on the SREC.
Here are the answers from the Senate District 12 candidates who responded without edits:
David Wylie
Why should Republicans choose you for the SREC?
David Wylie: I have worked with the Party in Tarrant and Denton for the past thirty years. I have worked closely with the state party for the past ten years. I understand what the SREC must do to bring the ideas of the party activists to the forefront. I will work to have the state party be a force to have elected officials accomplish the things that are important to those they represent.
We do not elect people to represent us so that they can simply go and attend parties and quietly listen to the issues that come before them. We should elect people who will go and voice our opinions, our desires. I will be a voice for the issues that are important to those that elect me.
Texas Republicans control every statewide office and the Texas Legislature by impressive margins. What measures must pass this upcoming session for it to be declared a success?
David Wylie: Every State Rep will tell you it was a success regardless of if anything is accomplished. How many sessions have we been the majority party? In each of these we have been told that it was the most conservative session ever, the problem is with the other guys not doing anything.
We are promised Property Tax relief but nothing happens. Real REDUCTION in how much Texans pay in Property Tax, as a growing economy raises property values, is what must happen now. This will require a restructuring of how Education is funded and addressing how much we allow the federal government to dictate what we do. Generally a third of our budget goes to each of those two items.
Current party rules allow for the SREC to censure a Republican officeholder that violates the party’s core principles. Do you think we should have this rule? Why or why not?
David Wylie: We must have a method to have our voices heard by those who represent us. Foremost of these are regular and fair elections. This is where we should resolve things.
The Party is structured in that there are voters and activists.
The activists have a responsibility to inform the voters of how the people they elect perform. Censure is one way that this can be accomplished.
Last year, efforts to censure House Speaker Joe Straus were successful, but efforts to censure State Rep. Byron Cook and other lawmakers were not. What are some examples of actions you believe violate the party’s core principles?
David Wylie: The denial of allowing people to participate and have their voices heard were the primary issues in both of those cases. Republicans should not simply attempt to maintain power while compromising with the other side. Limiting open discussion on issues and violating the rules to maintain your own power is a path to destruction of the Party.
Should you be elected, what tangible metrics should Republicans use to determine if you have been successful?
David Wylie: The position of a SREC member is that of a representative to have a District’s voice influence the direction of the state party and communicate these actions back to the District. If the delegates to the state convention have not been made aware of the actions of their SERC rep then they need to replace them.
Communication of things with which you agree is the measure of success.
