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Nov. 1, 2003, 1:54PM

Houston attorney becomes state GOP leader
By ARMANDO VILLAFRANCA
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau
AUSTIN - The Texas Republican Executive Committee elected Houston attorney Tina Benkiser as next party chairwoman.
Benkiser defeated Waco attorney Gina Parker in a 36-27 vote today to serve out the term of former chairwoman Susan Weddington.
Weddington resigned the post two weeks ago to become director of the OneStar Foundation, a state office created to coordinate charitable efforts.
Benkiser will serve as interim chairwoman until the 2004 state party convention. Parker said she will challenge Benkiser for the post at the convention.
"Now, this is not a training ground its a battle ground and we need a battle-tested warrior," Benkiser told committee members. "I've been in the trenches and I know the terrain."
Benkiser said one of her first priorities will be how the Legislature handles the school finance reform issue, which is expected to come up at a called special session next spring.
She offered no proposals, however, on how the school finance should be addressed, adding that it would be premature to announce any solutions now.
The candidates, both conservative activists, cited their grassroots work with the party and their commitment to party platform issues such as pro-life and pro-family.
In her speech before the committee, Parker cited her support for the Republican vision for the state.
"That vision is pro life, it's pro family, it's based on strong conservative values, on less government, lower taxes, all these things we are united on and we stand in agreement on," Parker said.
Parker was the state party treasurer from 1998 to 2001 and a state delegate since 1984. Benkiser has served on the SREC since 1998.
Benkiser outlined a four-point plan to build on the party's gains and strengths.
She said the party needs to improve its infrastructure by improving the party's depth at the local level. She said Republicans hold only about 1,900 of the 5,000 public offices in the state and hold or control only 36 percent of the county judges and 29 percent of the commissioners courts in Texas.
She said the party can improve those numbers by providing resources and training at the local, especially in reaching out to minorities.
She said the party needs to reach Hispanics and African Americans "one person by one person" to maintain its current successes.
"We can't go ask for their votes at election time and then disappear until we ask for their votes again at election time. We've got to build relationships by spending more time in those communities," she said.
And finally, she said party needs to step up fund-raising efforts to pay for these initiatives.