Free Republic

AUSTIN — State Rep. Chuck Hopson says he's leaving the Democratic Party and becoming a Republican. Hopson says President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress don't reflect the conservative values of his East Texas district. Hopson, in a phone interview from Jacksonville, said Friday that more than 70 percent of voters in his district voted for Republican John McCain in the 2008 presidential election. The decision is tough blow for the Texas Democratic Party. The split in the Texas House of Representatives was a narrow 76-74 in favor of the GOP. State Democratic Party chairman Boyd Richie said he's disappointed...

Three associations endorse Henry Cuellar Times Staff Reports Laredo attorney Henry Cuellar, Democratic candidate for U.S. Congressional District 28, has been endorsed by several organizations in recent weeks. The Texas Farm Bureau, Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas and the National Rifle Association have announced their support for the former Texas secretary of state and former state representative. "The farmers and ranchers of District 28 Congressional District stand behind Mr. Cuellar in his bid for the District 28 seat," said Kenneth Dierschke, president of the Texas Farm Bureau's Friends of Agriculture Fund Inc. Dierschke praised Cuellar for his "excellent leadership...