With conservatives leading, Austin-insiders would do well to work with them, not bash them

During last week’s Republican Party of Texas convention, the Austin American Statesman began a story in its coverage with:

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told Texas Republicans Friday that those who resist their conservative agenda are the true “radicals” and there is no “civil war ” in the Republican Party, just a few folks who haven’t gotten the message that it’s over.

While not mentioning Republican House Speaker Joe Straus by name in his hometown, Patrick said, “I wish him well in retirement and thank him for his service but the winds of change are coming to the House.”

Patrick said he remains, as he declared four years ago, “a Christian first, a conservative second, and a Republican third,” and that he had fulfilled his commitment to transform the Texas Senate into an effective instrument of conservative policy-making.

These words from the Austin press are accurate as well as deeply disturbing to their Austin-insider friends no matter whether Republicans-in-name, Democrats, or the lobby and consultancy.

Patrick is right. At this moment in Texas politics the base of the GOP is very conservative and the electorate-at-large also leans heavily conservative with conservatives making up at least a very large plurality of Texas voters.

If the moderate, Democrat-like, power-positions-at-any-cost Austin insiders want to be effective, they would find working with conservatives far more productive than bashing them in the press and in the Legislature.