Can GOP lawmakers survive voucher vote?
San Antonio donor James Leininger trying to unseat 5 who said no to plan.
By Jason Embry

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Monday, February 20, 2006

Five Republicans in the Texas are about to find out whether they can square off against one of the party's most powerful, persistent donors and live to tell about it.

The five voted last year against an unsuccessful voucher plan that would have sent some students to private schools with public dollars. In the March 7 Republican primary, they will face challengers who are heavily funded by San Antonio businessman James Leininger, who for years has bankrolled his own scholarship program for private schools and repeatedly backed pro-voucher candidates.

The outcome next month could speak volumes about whether Republican lawmakers can oppose major legislation backed by House leaders and conservative activists without digging their own political graves.

"If those people survive, others will be emboldened," said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University. "If they don't, others will be intimidated."

Leininger has made at least $25,000 in contributions to Republicans challenging GOP incumbents who voted against vouchers last spring, as well as $812,000 in contributions and pledges to political committees supporting those challengers.

He had given $550,000 and pledged an additional $250,000 to the Texas Republican Legislative Campaign Committee through Jan. 26, the last day of the most recent campaign-finance reporting period. That nascent committee has helped the challengers who are trying to take out incumbent Republicans Carter Casteel of New Braunfels, Delwin Jones of Lubbock, Charlie Geren of Fort Worth, Roy Blake of Nacogdoches and Tommy Merritt of Longview.

Some of the challengers, at least in their early fundraising, relied almost exclusively on Leininger's money. Nathan Macias, who is running against Casteel, received about $183,000 of his $198,000 from the committee or Leininger directly. Wayne Christian received almost $161,000 of his $185,000 from the committee or directly from Leininger in his race against Blake.

In a written statement, Leininger said every citizen has a right and a duty to "pitch in and make their government and their community work better."

"I support candidates for the Texas Legislature who share the concerns of me and many Texans that property taxes are too high, our borders need to be more secure and that Texas has the opportunity to do a better job educating our children," he said.

Some of the incumbents he is targeting have made Leininger's support of their opponents key issues.

"Not many folks have millions of dollars, but one wealthy businessman in San Antonio does. And he's spending it to buy Wayne Christian," Blake says in a new radio commercial.

Christian, who held Blake's seat before running unsuccessfully for Congress in 2004, said he does not support voucher programs in his East Texas school districts but would consider supporting one for other parts of the state. Many voucher proponents have called for a pilot program targeting urban and low-performing schools.

Christian said vouchers are among several issues that Leininger cares about. "His major primary statement is he's supporting Christian conservative Republicans," Christian said. "He identifies me as one who has fought for those issues."

Leininger also has given $100,000 to the new Future of Texas Alliance, a political committee that is helping Republican incumbents.

Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick of Midland is a voucher proponent, but spokeswoman Alexis DeLee said he "does not get involved" in campaigns against House incumbents. In fact, he has campaigned with Casteel and Blake in recent weeks. Republicans who opposed vouchers are not the only ones having to sweat through their primaries.

A group called Texas Parent PAC, which opposes school vouchers and says House leaders have proposed inadequate plans for school financing, is helping candidates it considers pro-education. The nonpartisan group is backing challengers to Republican incumbents Kent Grusendorf of Arlington, David Swinford of Dumas and Betty Brown of Athens.

The group, which raised almost $62,000 through Jan. 26, is supporting Republicans in Leininger's line of fire and some candidates for open seats.

"It's quite daunting when you look at one man with huge checks, hundreds of thousands of dollars," said Carolyn Boyle, chairwoman of Texas Parent PAC. "We're concentrating on people power, trying to involve parents in the campaigns. They're calling their friends and block-walking, setting up the e-mail groups with their friends from church and the neighborhood and the PTA."

Conservatives now dominate the Republican ranks in the House. But if the Leininger candidates come up short, Republican lawmakers could be more willing to take moderate positions on other issues as well, even if it means opposing House leaders, SMU's Jillson said.

"You could see that division between moderates and conservatives become more clear," he said.

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Help from Leininger

These Republican challengers for seats in the state House have received heavy financial help from San Antonio businessman James Leininger, a proponent of private school vouchers, or the Texas Republican Legislative Campaign Committee, which Leininger funds almost exclusively.

Challenger money Incumbent
Chris Hatley $50,384 Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth
Van Wilson $130,156 Rep. Delwin Jones, R-Lubbock
Wayne Christian $160,669 Rep. Roy Blake, R-Nacogdoches
Mark Williams $166,527 Rep. Tommy Merritt, R-Longview
Nathan Macias $182,911 Rep. Carter Casteel, R-New Braunfels

Source: Texas Ethics Commission