THE GAME HAS CHANGED FOR LOCAL REPUBLICANS

Any knowledgeable observer of Liberty County politics is aware of the total reversal of fortune Republicans began to experience in the 2008 election cycle. Running as a Republican in Liberty County in 2004 was a burden that only Bobby Rader had been able to carry victoriously through the gauntlet of a November election. In a brief four year period the roles are now reversed. Political observers and potential candidates now have to wonder if anyone can carry the burden that being associated with the Democratic Party carries. Liberty County voters will undoubtedly flock to vote in the Republican primary. With that in mind Liberty Dispatch, the only local media that have openly informed their readers that everyone who writes on this website is a conservative, will periodically critique those who claim the Republican banner as their own.

Because of his recent admission of where he intends the County Attorney’s office to focus its attention on in the Harrelson case, our critique of the first two years of Wes Hinch will be today’s assignment. Hinch is a perfect example of how the effects of party affiliation have changed so much in such a short period of time. A new face to those who have worked with the local Republicans, Hinch and his supporters watched with great anticipation as he defeated Assistant County Attorney Tommy Chambers in 2008. Riding the tide of an election that saw a relatively unknown sheriff candidate beat a two term incumbent; Hinch received enough votes from people reading about the corruption in the courthouse and those angry about liberals and others to gain the edge over Chambers.

Two years later the outcome of Tommy Chambers' race for an even higher office is interesting to consider when analyzing recent political results. Chambers, much like Hinch, had never really affiliated himself with a political party. Before his run in 2008, Chambers struggled with what party to run in. A Catholic with pro-life and other conservative values in tow, Chambers was advised by many he could never help build a better Liberty County if he didn’t win. Knowing in 2008 Liberty County hadn’t had a Republican Judge since the 1800’s, Chambers decided he would run as a Democrat. Looking back at Liberty County history those running as Republicans in the 2008 election were the beneficiaries of over a decade of local volunteers re-vitalizing the Local Republican Party and the emergence of citizens becoming very verbal and very aggressive in expressing their displeasure with all of the wrongdoing by public officials. Coupled with the usual liberal garbage coming out of Washington, the weight of the Donkey Party was more than some of the local candidates could carry. Chambers was left in the losers column that election night and Wes Hinch, a relatively unknown attorney with his strongest base of support coming from a very equally divided (Democrats and Republicans) First Baptist Church of Liberty.

But to evaluate that 2008 race properly, any political consultant would tell us to review the 2010 races. Chambers to his credit never became bitter and never gave up his dream of public service. In fact, in 2009 Chambers began to talk about running for a higher office. Again he was told he should run as a Democrat. But local Republicans had had enough success in the 2008 races that Chambers decided to win or lose on the ticket he felt most reflected his values. The rest is history. Chambers won in the most lopsided victory on record for a Republican running for an open seat. He didn’t just defeat Zack Zbranek, in political numbers, he totally crushed the Democrat despite his high name I.D. and his pedigree from a well known family steeped in law degrees and political connections.

What does all of this mean – or some might be more direct and say “what is your point”? The point is Liberty County Republicans have now entered a new phase. Local races used to have either one or sometimes no Republican candidates. During the century of Democrats dominating every elective office in Liberty County, voters – even conservatives – usually had choices created by the choices in the Democratic primary. Those primary contests, unlike Republican primaries, were lively and were everything we see and experience in politics. Local Republicans, especially the party workers, need to realize that is what comes with winning. Now the Hinches and the Chambers of future races can look for their political fight to come in March as well as November. Maybe, as in Chambers case, the last election will show so much support that there is no opposition. But there are other people with a desire to serve and a dream to help lead this to county.

Those who want the Republican Party to just be one big homogenous lovefest need to realize this country became the most powerful and successful nation in history not in spite of vigorous political contests every two to four years, but because of those contests. And any student of history knows our contests here in Liberty County are nothing unusual in tone or in substance.

Local Republicans, like the subject of our upcoming first critique, County Attorney Wes Hinch, will have to learn the way they get elected or re-elected is not by silencing their critics, but by answering them. Not everyone may agree with the answers, but Liberty County should never go back to a time when we do not take a close look at job performance. KSHN and party officials should not have an unchallenged influence in choosing our leaders.

Stay tuned for a critique of County Attorney and what he has done and not done in his 25 months in office.