Affirmative action critic challenged(Texas)

San Antonio Express-News ^ | 02/23/2004 | John Tedesco

[SwinneySwitch]

The race for Place 5 on the Texas Supreme Court includes an unusual twist: the incumbent is playing the role of the outsider.

Justice Steven Wayne Smith is facing Paul Green, a well-funded challenger from San Antonio, in the Republican primary.

Smith, 42, won a seat on the state's highest court in November 2002 without any prior judicial experience or hefty campaign contributions from major law firms.

In the process, he irked Gov. Rick Perry by defeating the governor's Republican appointee to the bench, Xavier Rodriguez.

History seems to be repeating itself this year as Smith takes on Green, 51, a justice on the Fourth Court of Appeals in San Antonio who raised $280,000 from July to January — about seven times more than the incumbent.

Green said Smith, a staunch opponent of affirmative action, would allow his ideals to creep into his legal opinions.

"He's got some agendas related to social issues," said Green, who has the backing of the governor and members of his political team.

Smith is perhaps best known for his role as a plaintiff's lawyer in the 1996 Hopwood civil case that effectively ended affirmative action practices at Texas universities.

Smith insisted he's no right-wing radical out to change society. Judges don't make laws, they interpret them, he said.

"Green has traditionally been hinting that I'm somehow out of the mainstream," Smith said. He pointed out that in almost every opinion the Supreme Court has issued, he has sided with the majority.

--------jtedesco@express-news.net

[politic]

Affirmative Action is a blatantly racist policy. The collapse of communism has disintegrated the marxist idea and fragmented the culture of the international left. The result of the proliferation post- maxian theories and identity politics that no longer base themselves on the universalist category of economic class but on particularist identities of gender ethnicity, and race. The class struggle has been replaced by status conflict. So in essentially the left has created a new proletariat, in an effort to push their socialist agenda.

[Bommer]

Green has traditionally been hinting that I'm somehow out of the mainstream," Smith said. He pointed out that in almost every opinion the Supreme Court has issued, he has sided with the majority.

Great then he is for affermative action, campain finance reform and sodomy. Yep going to vote for this @sshole!

[SwinneySwitch]

He was referring to the TEXAS Supreme Court, Bommer.

[PAR35]

Great then he is for affermative action,

Suggestion: Read, then post.

Smith, a staunch opponent of affirmative action,

[PAR35]

He was referring to the TEXAS Supreme Court, Bommer.

Bommer knows that - he's flying the Texas flag on his page.

[WOSG]

Uh, the TEXAS Supreme Court is a Conservative court.

Steven Wayne Smith is a good Justice.
He is the man, who for a time, got racial preferences outlawed on the 5th circuit.

[KC_for_Freedom]

So in essentially the left has created a new proletariat, in an effort to push their socialist agenda.

This in a nutshell is the reason for standing up to gay marriage. It is part of this fabric the left wants to wrap us in. Good post.

[hocndoc]

The phrase to remember is "No Greens to the Court."

I'm voting for Smith (because he's done a good job according to people I trust such as both of my own local SREC) and for Ernest Garcia in the 3rd Court of appeals.

The guy running for Garcia can only give liberals when he name-drops, has evidently always voted as a Democrat in the past, and the only job he's ever had is as a clerk in other judges' courts. (He actually posts a link to a decision he helped a judge write.)

On the other hand, Judge Garcia was appointed to a judgeship by then-Governor Bush (in a largely Democratic district, so he lost when he ran for re-election). I'm really impressed with him.

[Gracey]

Here's my recommendation;

Railroad Commissioner - VICTOR CARRILLO (Incumbent)

Justice, Supreme Court - STEVEN WAYNE SMITH (BEST choice by far - check his proven conservative record including famous Affirmative Action - Hopwood decision - Incumbent)

Judge, Court of Criminal. P2 - LARRY MEYERS (Incumbent)

Judge, Court of Criminal, P5 - PATRICIA NOBLE (kick out the Democrat Cheryl Johnson who ran as an R 6 years ago and won - a conservative man was in the runoff with her and stupid R's voted for her)

Judge, Court of Criminal, P6 - MICHAEL KEASLER (Incumbent)

Justice, 3rd Ct of Appeals, P4 - ERNEST GARCIA (His opponent Green is a Democrat)

Justice, 3rd Ct of Appeals, P6 - BOB PEMBERTON (Incumbent)

TRAVIS COUNTY

Sheriff - JOE MARTINEZ (He's a good man and well qualified. Also, an Hispanic can win easier in the general election in this Democrat county. There are other good choices also, but don't stand a chance to win for stated reason.

[hocndoc]

Thanks Gracey! I just copied and emailed your list to my family members. A good, quick guide.