Texas GOP convention needs vigorous debate and hotly contested races

The Republican Party of Texas is about to host what is the largest political convention in the free world in Left-heading San Antonio. Despite media propaganda to the contrary, delegates will be present representing most every conceivable standard of living, way of life, income and expenditure level, religious denomination as well as the non-religious, and yes, race and ethnicity.

The Texas GOP is healthy and vibrant in-part because even raucous debate is still possible. A party that does not have serious, hard-fought primary races down to the local level across the state is not a growing party and is not healthy. A political party that does not appreciate strong debate, even raucous at times, when in convention is a party withering on the vine.

I mention debate and tough primary challenges because my strongest memories of GOP work is how much the old-hands did not want either strong debate at conventions or heavily contested primaries. They resented, often hatefully, all the new people showing up to take part all the while forgetting that such was precisely what they had worked a lifetime to achieve.

Once a party moves to competitive, or dominant, status, the old idea of keep a unified front to look strong and don’t waste resources on primary fights because we need it all for November, go away.

So much enmity between hard working, strong party builders could have been avoided if more of those who had previously been working to build the GOP nearly alone had understood that all those new folks pouring in to convention was the blessing for all their decades of hard work.

When people stop caring enough to fight hard is when you’ll know the party is in decay.

So here is hope for vigorous, strong debate and hotly contested races at the Texas Republican Party convention in San Antonio. Have fun and do what is right.