Posted on 08/30/2012 2:31:29 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
TAMPA, Fla. — The Texas delegation at the Republican National Convention is, for the most part, backing the candidacy of Mitt Romney.
But that doesn't mean everyone here is enthusiastic about the former Massachusetts governor.
Romney, who is expected to accept the nomination tonight, was not the first choice for many members of the Texas delegation, several delegates said this week.
Gov. Rick Perry, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum each sent their backers to Romney after they dropped out of the race.
And like good party soldiers, the converted supporters see Team Romney as the best option to oust President Barack Obama.
"I think we're seeing the delegation coming together. ... It's the way the system is supposed to work," U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold of Corpus Christi said Wednesday.
Still, not every Texan attending the convention is sporting a Romney pin on his or her white cowboy hat. Many are suspicious of his conservative bona fides because he enacted a health insurance mandated when he was governor of Massachusetts.
The civil liberty-loving, government waste-hating supporters of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul tend to feel the same way as their leader, who hasn't endorsed Romney. And Paul is popular with a good chunk of Texas' 155 delegates, 20 of whom voted to nominate Paul on Tuesday.
In Texas, it doesn't matter much that there is fractured support for Romney, said University of Texas professor James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project. There's plenty of animosity toward Obama for Romney to win the state.
"Nationally, it becomes more important," Henson said. "A big part of both campaigns is mobilizing the base."
The fact that Romney is not enthusiastically supported by core voters in his own party is a problem, especially in battleground states, where the winner will be decided by a narrow margin, Henson said. The danger for Romney is that Republican voters simply won't show up to cast ballots, he added.
Don Zimmerman, a delegate from Bee Cave and Paul fan, joked about Romney's support among the Texans. "There's evidence that the Romney team is going to return manufacturing to America because they are manufacturing unity at the national convention," Zimmerman said. Come November, Zimmerman said he will probably vote for Romney, though he won't like it.
"I'm going to vote against Obama," said Zimmerman, a self-described anti-establishment voter and cynic. "Obama is a powerful motivator to drive you to Romney."
Jeff Milburn, a 46-year-old alternate from Dallas and another subscriber to Paul's philosophies, said there is dissension in the delegation over Romney.
The liberty-minded Milburn said he's still not sure if he will vote for Romney in November.
"He would not be my first choice," Milburn said. "I have been hearing the words ‘vote for lesser of two evils' since the mid-'80s. ... It's very disheartening."
Milburn said he and other Paul supporters remain suspicious of Romney and his pledges of small government and reform. "You don't know much about what he really stands for," Milburn said. "Is he going to make cuts that are going to piss people off? I don't think so."
One encouraging component of the Romney campaign is his running mate, Milburn said. U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan brings credibility to the ticket because of his fiscal conservatism, he said.
Mark Boldger, an alternate delegate from a small town near College Station, says he's a Romney supporter now. He agreed that Ryan satisfies the need for fiscal conservatism called for by both Paul backers and fiscal conservatives. Boldger didn't back the Massachusetts governor originally. He supported Gingrich in the early days of the race and had worries about Romney's Massachusetts health care plan. Boldger has since come around, and these days he focuses on Romney's positive traits. "I believe it's going to take a businessman to balance this budget," said Boldger, a retired financial adviser. "I think it is going to take running this country like a business."
Most factions of the Texas party seem to have dutifully jumped on the Romney wagon.
Following the lead of Santorum, perhaps the most socially conservative candidate in the presidential primary, Texas' religious conservatives are generally behind Romney. Santorum, who addressed the Texas delegation Wednesday, said that he is sometimes asked why he threw his support to Romney after such a bitter campaign. Shrugging, he told the crowd that he always answers by saying: It's easy. Obama is on the ticket, and he must be defeated.
For tea party-affiliated members of the Texas delegation, the reasoning is similar. Rosemary Graber, 20, a delegate from Yoakum, said she cannot cast a ballot that could lead to Obama's return to the White House. "If I vote for a third party, my vote is lost," she said.
It reflects the conversion to Romney by many. Hit piece? Hell, it's the Austin paper. This is about as good as it's going to get for Romney coverage. You should see a real hit piece running today in the Houston Chronicle for comparison.
The Texas delegation at the Republican National Convention is, for the most part, backing the candidacy of President Obama.
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Are you totally out of your mind???? Put the blunt in an ashtray and put the screw on cap back on the beer or wine bottle!!
Agree, 100%. We Texans have had enough of Obama. If he is re-elected we should start secession procedure the next day.
All you Romney bashers here on FR: she's talkin' to you!
Your vote is precious. Don't waste it.
On November 7th I start scoping out his replacement in 2016.
2016? I must have missed Willard's promise to be a one-term president if elected. Try 2020. And eight years is a long time to suffer with the King Of All RINOs in office.
I see where the misunderstanding is. If I restate your position as "If the commander is leading you over the cliff, you don't leave him in charge." it is much clearer to me. If you imagine a leader leading a cavalry charge over a cliff then your original comment can be seen in a different light.
Of course we all’d like to vote for George Washington this year but he ain’t on the ballot.
Well said.
Party of Stupid vs the Party of Evil . . you decide!
I will support Romney until November 6th, then I will be on his butt like a hip pocket to make him into the Conservative he claims to be.
We all know Romney is no Conservative , and that the Republicans we elect to the Congress are all in it for themselves, It is up to us to force them to act for us.
Conservatives need to appear in Washington. Letters and emails are useless, Phone calls worse than useless. Sho up on the grounds in numbers and FORCE them to do what is right.
As I see it, the only reason to vote for Romney is to get Obama outa office; then Texans can concentrate on getting Texas outa the U.S.!
If he follows through with the Ryan reforms, I will happily admit my error. What is more likely, is that Ryan will be told to STFU after the inauguration. To foul up reform, all the rats need to do is whisper "boo" in Boehner's ear.
That's a good way of looking at it. The alternative is to let Obama undermine the economy and hope someone can save it in 2016. But how many people voted against the New Deal? The new New Deal will be lines for soup and cheap chinese ipad knockoffs.
Second, how will get a worthy candidate through the GOP/MSM gauntlet? If Romney loses the official reason will be because he was too right wing. The MSM battle won't be won by the likes of Palin.
Well, that very well might bring a presidency to Perry for what its worth...Dewhurst as VP...and so on, and so on, and so on...;-)
“If he steals the election, hope the next vote cast is for Texas secession.”
Texas tried that 150 years ago and it didn’t work out too well. I would advocate the opposite strategy this time. Join up with the other free states in the Union to liberate the slave states.
We could even get a South Illinois and a East California out of it, which would dilute the strength of the Blue States.
Ain't gonna happen. Especially after the rule changes that Romney wanted.
/johnny
There will be more than two candidates on my ballot in November. I certainly won't be voting for any anti-gun, pro-abortion, socialized medicine, big government liberal.
/johnny
“Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.” -- John Quincy Adams.
/johnny
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