Texas State Rifle Association Update on Status of Primary Elections
Saturday, January 14th, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Texas State Rifle Association
Houston, Tx --(Ammoland.com)- Texas is still twiddling its collective political thumbs while waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court to make some kind of decision on how to proceed with Redistricting and the Texas Primary Elections.
You’ll recall that a primary election is needed when several candidates representing one political party file for the same office.
For the purposes of the primary election only, a Texas voter will identify himself as a Democrat, Republican, or other will vote in that Political Party’s Primary only. That’s not the case for the Fall General Election where it’s open season for crossing party lines.
For the time being, we have at least one Texas House member who hopes to be a candidate for the Texas Senate but isn’t certain that he’s eligible based on where he lives and the outcome of the line-drawing chaos. If he can’t run for the Texas Senate, he will likely run for his “old” House seat where he will likely be paired with another pro-gun incumbent.
How do we make endorsements, how do candidates contact constituents and set up campaign headquarters and print materials, etc?
No, not every Congressional, Texas House, and Texas Senate district has this problem only the ones where people live. Seriously, if you live in a growth area, count on not knowing who’s running for what.
At this writing the Supremes may make a temporary decision to again push the primary election out to a still later date. It is generally held in March, now moved to April 3rd, and one scenario moves it to June. By the way, June is when the major political parties in Texas hold their state conventions and select delegates for their national conventions. That won’t work!
Gathering Info for the Voters’ Guide
For now, TSRA-PAC is grading candidate questionnaires for state races returned by non-incumbent candidates and issuing candidate rating letters. Incumbent candidates are also returning questionnaires and many are receiving endorsement letters.
Grading state candidates is a long-shared process between the NRA and TSRA and based on an up to date, confidential
questionnaire tailored to Second Amendment, gun ownership, self defense, concealed carry, and hunting issues only. A letter grade is published for the major party candidates several weeks before either the primary election or the general election. All we consider are the answers to the questions for new candidates but we take pro-gun legislative history into consideration for all incumbents. Heroics earn an A+, simple as that.
The Legislator must successfully “carry our water” or deliver a crucial committee vote, etc. to earn the coveted and rare A+ rating.
Give to the PAC and Come to Annual Meeting
Give generously to TSRA-PAC. These funds are reported to the Texas Ethics Commission and can only be used for campaign and candidate purposes. It’s time!
Finally, it’s TSRA Annual Members’ Meeting time and it’s being held again in Mesquite at the Hampton Inn and Suites, 1700 Rodeo, Mesquite. Below is a live link which allows you to make a hotel reservation at the negotiated convention rate.
Texas State Rifle Association 2012 Convention Hotel Reservations
Think about buying a ticket and arriving Friday night for the TSRA Foundation Banquet and Auction. Then on Saturday, you’ll want to reserve your place at the Key-Note Speaker’s Luncheon. We are honored to have Texas Lt. Governor David Dewhurst as our guest speaker. A decade of pro-gun bills could not have passed without this powerful and tireless friend.
Also, on Saturday, you’ll want to reserve your place at the Annual Awards Banquet. TSRA-PAC always presents an award, called the Doc Brown Legislator of the Year Award. For the first time in TSRA history, we need two Doc Brown Awards.
Among the honorees will be Senator Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls) for his patience and work in passing what may be the gold-standard in range protection legislation bar-none; and this is not Senator Estes’ first help to gun owners. Estes passed past efforts include hunting rights for the handicapped and removing a long-standing barrier that prevented Texas from purchasing a rifle or shotgun beyond the states contiguous to Texas. Thank you, Senator Eses.
Then my State Representative Tim Kleinschmidt contributed the final push to SB 321; and the Employer Parking Lot finally passed. You might recall that the author of SB 321, Senator Glenn Hegar received his Doc Brown Award at past meetings. The Texas Senate passed this issue three times before the House could get’er done. Kleinschmidt brought the bill to the House floor, finally.
There will be many other award winners including many youth competitive shooting awards, our future is linked as always to theirs.
So the Awards Banquet is a party for jobs well done by a great many people and worth your time to buy a ticket and stay over.
Of course, there’s the gun show to keep you from being too board in between.
Upgrade, renew, or sign-up for TSRA membership at www.tsra.com and check www.tsrapac.com occasionally for up dated Texas campaign information.
Keep the Faith,
Sincerely, Alice TrippTexas State Rifle Association
About:
The Mission of the Texas State Rifle Association is to protect and defend the inalienable rights of the individual Texan to acquire, possess, transport, carry, transfer ownership and enjoy the right to lawful use of firearms for self preservation, for the defense of family and property and the common defense of the Republic and the individual liberties of the people. Visit: www.TSRA.com
