U.S. Republican Party

"Eat My Bush" and Other Likely Signs

Pauken Says New Leadership And Strategy Needed For GOP Progress In Dallas County

In last week's paper version of Unfair Park, we took a look at the local GOP through the eyes of Dallas County Republican Party chair Jonathan Neerman. One of Neerman's critics, Texas Workforce Commission chair (and my former boss) Tom Pauken, says Barack Obama was an important reason why the Democ ... More >>

So close, yet so far away

Americans don't understand why Quebec wants to secede

Letters

Americans don't understand why Quebec wants to secede

Letters

Americans don't understand why Quebec wants to secede

Letters

Americans don't understand why Quebec wants to secede

Holy handouts

How taxpayers -- including you, if you hit the flea market in Canton -- are subsidizing the Christian right

Keynote Speaker at GOP Fund-Raiser Says Party is Facing "Gut-Check Point." Ya Think?

Sam MertenU.S. Congressmen Jeb Hensarling (left) and Kenny Marchant (right) and State Senator John Carona (top right corner)The Dallas County Republican Party continued to pick up the pieces from another rough election cycle as it celebrated its largest annual fund-raiser last night at the Westin P ... More >>

Go Home, GOP|Money For Nothing|Corrections

Sam MertenU.S. Congressmen Jeb Hensarling (left) and Kenny Marchant (right) and State Senator John Carona (top right corner)The Dallas County Republican Party continued to pick up the pieces from another rough election cycle as it celebrated its largest annual fund-raiser last night at the Westin P ... More >>

With Dallas Republicans in Pain, One Local Leader Believes He Has the Cure

How County Chair Jonathan Neerman Plans to Ease the Dallas GOP's Woes

Crystal Ball

Buzz's predictions for newly elected Dems

Mr. Crunchy Con Speaks|You Cheap Bastards

Buzz's predictions for newly elected Dems

Following up

Singing the blues at the courthouse

Groundswell, Sort Of

Richardson stylist mixes politics and hair

Over the Line

A GOP state redistricting plan targets a longtime Democrat and others

Dallas County GOP Chair Jonathan Neerman Says Selection of Cathie Adams as New State Chair "Set the Party Back Five Years"

Searching for a link between President Obama and Hitler? No worries. New state GOP chair Cathie Adams has you covered.If you didn't notice when Texas Republican Party chair Tina Benkiser stepped down last month to join Governor Rick Perry's re-election campaign as a senior adviser, you're forgiven. ... More >>

Texas GOP Shifts Even Further Right With New Chair Cathie Adams

Searching for a link between President Obama and Hitler? No worries. New state GOP chair Cathie Adams has you covered.If you didn't notice when Texas Republican Party chair Tina Benkiser stepped down last month to join Governor Rick Perry's re-election campaign as a senior adviser, you're forgiven. ... More >>

Rick Perry and Kay Bailey Hutchison Are Locked In A Pitched Battle Over The Soul Of The GOP. They Are Also Running For Governor.

Searching for a link between President Obama and Hitler? No worries. New state GOP chair Cathie Adams has you covered.If you didn't notice when Texas Republican Party chair Tina Benkiser stepped down last month to join Governor Rick Perry's re-election campaign as a senior adviser, you're forgiven. ... More >>

Former Council Member Donna Blumer Defends Cathie Adams; County GOP Chair Neerman Says He's Done Criticizing Her

One month into her tenure as state Republican Party chair, Cathie Adams has caused the party's executive director to resign and took sides in yet another GOP primary race.​Despite the length of our cover story on the GOP gubernatorial primary, my discussion with former city council member Donn ... More >>

So That's Why Governor Rick Perry Jumped On the Tea Party Bandwagon

Danny FulgencioGovernor Rick Perry​For polling purposes, Rasmussen Reports pretended the Tea Party movement organized as a political party and then tossed it into a ménage with the GOP and Dems. On a generic congressional ballot test using the three parties, 23 percent of respondents to a nationa ... More >>

Challenger Eric Johnson Takes the High Road Against State Representative Terri Hodge, But Where Will It Lead Him?

Danny FulgencioGovernor Rick Perry​For polling purposes, Rasmussen Reports pretended the Tea Party movement organized as a political party and then tossed it into a ménage with the GOP and Dems. On a generic congressional ballot test using the three parties, 23 percent of respondents to a nationa ... More >>

The County GOP Goes After Dems for Behaving Like Dems

Danny FulgencioGovernor Rick Perry​For polling purposes, Rasmussen Reports pretended the Tea Party movement organized as a political party and then tossed it into a ménage with the GOP and Dems. On a generic congressional ballot test using the three parties, 23 percent of respondents to a nationa ... More >>

Debra Medina Delivers Potential "Early Shocker" to Guv Rick and Kay Bailey? Yowza!

Sam MertenDebra Medina in Dallas two weeks ago, after the final GOP debate​Hard to say how seriously to take the results of today's Public Policy Polling press release that says Debra Medina's becoming quite the player in the GOP gubernatorial race; after all, this is the same company that asked A ... More >>

Grading on a Curve, or: How Old Do Those State Board of Education Candidates Think the Earth Is, Anyway? Let's Ask!

State Board of Education candidate Thomas Ratliff (and family), who thinks the earth is plenty old​Well, who knew? The eyes of Texas have been focused on the GOP primary race between Governor Rick Perry and challenger Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison as the ultimate throwdown between far right and ... More >>

Do Primary Voting Numbers Spell a GOP Trend?

State Board of Education candidate Thomas Ratliff (and family), who thinks the earth is plenty old​Well, who knew? The eyes of Texas have been focused on the GOP primary race between Governor Rick Perry and challenger Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison as the ultimate throwdown between far right and ... More >>

Well, If Rick Perry Says Texas Wants Glenn Beck to Be an Honorary Texan ...

... it must be true. Via Burnt Orange Report, here's some video of Gov. Hairspray and the noted stand-up comic at a town-hall rally in Tyler over the weekend, where Beck and Perry were married by state Rep. Leo Berman. The AP suggests the title of Texan was just, ya know, payback for Beck's intervie ... More >>

The GOP dredges up some local Dems awful pasts

... it must be true. Via Burnt Orange Report, here's some video of Gov. Hairspray and the noted stand-up comic at a town-hall rally in Tyler over the weekend, where Beck and Perry were married by state Rep. Leo Berman. The AP suggests the title of Texan was just, ya know, payback for Beck's intervie ... More >>

Next Week at the Dallas Convention Center, a Sneak Peek at the Future of the Texas GOP

​If you weren't aware that we're but a week away from the Republican Party of Texas's 2010 convention at the Dallas Convention Center, you'll find Harvey Kronberg's preview at Quorum Report, part one of which was posted yesterday evening, awfully helpful. (If, that is, you're a subscriber -- the r ... More >>

Craig Watkins Just Can't Seem to Please Anybody.

​If you weren't aware that we're but a week away from the Republican Party of Texas's 2010 convention at the Dallas Convention Center, you'll find Harvey Kronberg's preview at Quorum Report, part one of which was posted yesterday evening, awfully helpful. (If, that is, you're a subscriber -- the r ... More >>

Catching Up With Our Favorite George W. Bush Soundalike at the GOP Convention

Sam MertenWe tried to grab Senator Cornyn after this radio interview, but he scampered off to the VIP area before we could snag him.​As Representative Dan Branch told us yesterday afternoon shortly after addressing the delegation from John Carona's senate district, what a difference two years ... More >>

A Few Do's and Don'ts Learned During the 2010 Republican Party of Texas Convention

Photos by Patrick Michels​Happy Sunday, Friends! While you were out having a nice, relaxing weekend full of neighbors and sun and beers and loveliness, I was at the 2010 Texas Republican Party Convention having a blast talking about 'Murka and stuff. It was a fun- and camo-filled two days, but I'v ... More >>

Tea Partiers and Dallas County GOP Unite Around President Obama's Visit

Photos by Patrick MichelsThere wasn't much silence at all from the crowd at Franklin Stadium last night. Check out more photos here in our slide show.​As Sam noted yesterday, the local Republican party shelled out three grand for a proper venue to accommodate the mammoth crowd they expected at the ... More >>

From the Right and Left, the "Texas Influencers"

Carol Reed​Many thanks to the several Friends of Unfair Park who've forwarded along Austin American-Statesman PolitiFact Texas's editor W. Gardner Selby's list of Texas Influencers -- which consists of the 50 most-powerful Democrats and Republicans in the state.Not all are presently working in Tex ... More >>

Ain't No Party Like an Election Night Watching Party, So Here's Where to Find Your Peeps

Sam MertenDespite lots of enthusiasm from Dallas County Commissioner Maurine Dickey, the Republicans didn't do so hot two years ago. Could they turn the tables this year? Find out at Hotel Palomar. Or Victory Park.​If you've spent the last few nights out and about watching Your Texas Rangers g ... More >>

Take a Sip of the Early Election Results

​I'm about to head over to the Palomar for the Republicans' cash-bar shindig, while Sam's pulling pay-as-you-go drinking duty at the AAC with the Dallas County Dems, and Ex-Intern Elliot's eating free pizza with Stephen Broden in Uptown. But before the short pour on this long night (at least, for ... More >>

Jonathan Neerman Says "It's Very Unlikely" He'll Return as Dallas County GOP Chair, Leaving His Political Future Uncertain

Hal SamplesJonathan Neerman​After losing yet again to the Democrats, Dallas County Republican Party chair Jonathan Neerman is prepared to let someone else attempt to turn the blue county back to red, telling us that he doesn't expect to run for a third term in 2012. "I don't want to say I'm d ... More >>

Riddle in an Enigma: Puzzled by Austin's Odd Priorities

Hal SamplesJonathan Neerman​After losing yet again to the Democrats, Dallas County Republican Party chair Jonathan Neerman is prepared to let someone else attempt to turn the blue county back to red, telling us that he doesn't expect to run for a third term in 2012. "I don't want to say I'm d ... More >>

Mass deportation, strict border enforcement, amnesty. What will comprehensive immigration reform look like if the feds take action--or if they don't?

Hal SamplesJonathan Neerman​After losing yet again to the Democrats, Dallas County Republican Party chair Jonathan Neerman is prepared to let someone else attempt to turn the blue county back to red, telling us that he doesn't expect to run for a third term in 2012. "I don't want to say I'm d ... More >>

It's a diary of a mad year as Buzz recalls a P.O.'d 2010.

Hal SamplesJonathan Neerman​After losing yet again to the Democrats, Dallas County Republican Party chair Jonathan Neerman is prepared to let someone else attempt to turn the blue county back to red, telling us that he doesn't expect to run for a third term in 2012. "I don't want to say I'm d ... More >>

Despite District Attorney Craig Watkins getting re-elected in 2010, he had a really bad year.

Hal SamplesJonathan Neerman​After losing yet again to the Democrats, Dallas County Republican Party chair Jonathan Neerman is prepared to let someone else attempt to turn the blue county back to red, telling us that he doesn't expect to run for a third term in 2012. "I don't want to say I'm d ... More >>

Before Mayoral Candidates Make Issue Out of Political Affiliations, a Look at Who's What

During the 2007 mayoral campaign, former city council member Ed Oakley sent out mailers depicting himself and convicted felon Don Hill as Democrats and Tom Leppert and former Mayor Pro Tem Max Wells as Republicans. Oakley also accepted the endorsement of the Dallas County Democratic Party and printe ... More >>

Don't Shoot! We Know You're Conservative, Tom.

During the 2007 mayoral campaign, former city council member Ed Oakley sent out mailers depicting himself and convicted felon Don Hill as Democrats and Tom Leppert and former Mayor Pro Tem Max Wells as Republicans. Oakley also accepted the endorsement of the Dallas County Democratic Party and printe ... More >>

The 'Loser Pays Bill': Yes, You're the Loser

You can probably guess who wins.

Running Perry, Leppert Up UT/Texas Trib's Poll

Photo by Sam Merten​If anything, the results of an already outdated University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll posted this morning -- outdated in that it features three would-be GOP presidential candidates who've said they aren't running -- more than likely reveal that at least 800 registered-to-vote ... More >>

State GOP Legislators' Revenge Won't Be on Democrats, But on the Old, Poor and Sick

​People all over America should watch the special session of the Texas Legislature, just now beginning, if they want to see what Republicans are really up to. Among other things, they're out to kill Medicare and Medicaid. The regular session was stymied at the last minute when Democratic sta ... More >>

Media Political Pundits Quit Surfing TMZ Long Enough to Sculpt Narrative, Declare Rick Perry Campaign Sunk.

​People all over America should watch the special session of the Texas Legislature, just now beginning, if they want to see what Republicans are really up to. Among other things, they're out to kill Medicare and Medicaid. The regular session was stymied at the last minute when Democratic sta ... More >>

State Rep. Rafael Anchia: Republicans Vulnerable as the Face of Texas Changes

​Unfair Park dropped by the Democratic New Leaders Texas PAC meeting at The Kessler last night. The group is billed as a statewide network of Dems "nurturing and promoting the next generation of principled, capable Texas leaders" -- like, for example, the affable and polished state Rep. Rafael ... More >>

Wiping the Sheen off Conservative Rich Guys' Morality

​Today, a commenter on a previous blog item of mine about GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain suggested it was mighty mysterious that President Obama doesn't have any sexual peccadilloes in his closet when so many Republican presidential contenders seem to. "Joshua," the commenter, suggest ... More >>

Hispanics Not Thrilled With Obama, But They Still Won't Vote For Rick Perry, Study Says

​These days it seems as though both political parties are doing everything they can to disenfranchise one of the fastest-growing demographics in the country: Hispanics. While the GOP ratchets up anti-immigrant rhetoric and champions Arizona-style immigration legislation, the Obama administrat ... More >>

Perry Thinks Loving Tea Party Means You Can Go Home Again. Oh, He'll Go Home, All Right.

​If Rick Perry still considers himself a candidate for president, then I get to consider him one too. I think I'm justified in remarking on the 180-degree turnabout Gov. Perry has made in his basic worldview since beginning this quest. You remember the original Perry line when it started, right? I ... More >>