State Sen. Dawn Buckingham (R–Lakeway), the Republican nominee for Texas land commissioner, promised “no reimagining the Alamo” in an interview with Texas Scorecard during the 2022 Republican Party of Texas Convention.
Under current Land Commissioner George P. Bush, the famous Texas landmark is currently being restored and remodeled under a plan that calls for the restoration of the Alamo battlefield and preservation of the church. The plan came under fire, however, when San Antonio city officials wanted to move the Cenotaph—a monument commemorating all those who fought for Texas—to a nearby plaza.
There was great concern about this proposal, with many saying that moving the Cenotaph minimized the events of 1836 and de-emphasized the honor Texans give to those who died protecting Texas. After great pushback, the Texas Historical Commission voted in 2020 to reject the controversial portion of the renovation plan, deciding to restore the monument in its current location.
Going forward, Buckingham says transparency is key.
“I was speaking to the Alamo folks the other day. They’re going to get ready to start restoring the Cenotaph in its current location, not moving it an inch. But the way they do that is they are going to have to lift the roof off of it.”
Buckingham says since the restoration of the Cenotaph requires significant temporary modifications to the monument, it is imperative that citizens are able to see what is happening.
“I have asked for an elevated observation platform where people can come watch everything that is going on, and a webcam trained in there so we are watching every second of every day. [So we can see] exactly what is happening at the Cenotaph, being sure that it is in line with our principles and priorities.”
Buckingham will face Democrat candidate Jay Kleburg in the November general election.
