Free Republic

Tom Pauken, former chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission and former head of the state Republican Party, withdrew from the Texas gubernatorial race. Pauken had struggled to raise money against a well-financed Greg Abbott. The following statement is excerpted from a letter the Pauken campaign sent today to donors and supporters: Thanksgiving is a time to count our blessings, and I have much to be thankful for with such a great family and so many wonderful friends. The past month has made that even clearer and more dear to me. I want to thank you personally for your gracious and...

If Greg Abbott is the Republican nominee for governor next year, GOP challenger Tom Pauken says Democrat Wendy Davis could win. Pauken, the former chairman of the state Republican Party, is a long-shot candidate against Abbott. He says Abbott might look unassailable at the moment, but he’s beatable – especially if Davis decides to run for governor on the other side. At a recent tea party event in Bedford, Pauken told the crowd: “If it’s Wendy Davis vs. Greg Abbott, then she has a 40 percent chance of winning.” Pauken’s uphill fight underscores a larger tension within the GOP, pitting...

“Today, two Texans were arrested near the state Capitol grounds for possessing firearms. “It is my understanding that they both were carrying antique black-powder pistol replicas, which are legal to carry under Texas law.

The great Brian Sweany of Texas Monthly (still, after all these years, it hurts to say that) offers GOP gubernatorial candidate and Dallas native Tom Pauken the chance to lay out his case, which opportunity Pauken seizes with both hands. On the American Airlines merger, crony capitalism, education — this would make a helluva debate. My impression: Abbott is weaker than he looks, which is why he scurry in every which direction to avoid sharing a stage or a camera. That’s understandable now, but as the primary draws closer Abbott is going to find himself boxed in. The idea of...

AUSTIN — What do Donald Trump and former President George W. Bush have in common? They both want Greg Abbott to be the next governor of Texas. Both men are among the contributors listed in Abbott’s latest campaign finance report to the state, which covers fundraising over six weeks in June and July that the Legislature was in special session. Trump, the millionaire developer, gave the Republican candidate for governor $25,000 last month. Bush contributed $5,000 in July. Abbott, the state attorney general, raised $1 million, while Republican rival Tom Pauken, the former state GOP chairman, raised $44,395. During the...

It's okay to laugh about Texas politics sometimes. So without engaging in ideological discussions over border fences, Rovism and the UN. Let's ask ourselves the all important question that really should matter to Texas voters. There's a debate going on that Tom Pauken looks like Newt Gingrich's brother? While others argue he more closely resemble the Late Night comedian, Jay Leno. What do FReepers say? Leno or Gingrich?

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is still sitting on the fence about exactly which state office he is raising money to run for in 2014. But he had 18 million at the end of 2012. The man with the itchy trigger finger on the Voter I.D. law is already on Twitter crowing about the prospect of his 28th lawsuit. Yeah, he calls it “my 28th lawsuit”. Abbott is taking another brave stand against the United Nations. See? My 28th lawsuit against #Obama if he signs UN Gun Treaty & Senate Ratifies it. http://t.co/aU98FFHANS #txlege #tcot #txgop #nra #guns #UN —...

Tom Pauken, candidate for Texas Governor spoke to the Downtown Houston Pachyderms Thursday, 6-6-2013. Interest was high with nearly sixty in attendance to hear Mr. Pauken. It was one of the largest crowds seen recently. Political club attendees like to hear political speakers that interest them. Tom Pauken fits that bill. Learn more about Tom here. Anyone running for Governor of the greatest state is something we all have a stake in. Tom has been speaking at several clubs in the area. Harris County is a big deal in winning Texas. We have over two million registered voters. In the...

I received an astute e-mail message from my good friend, Tom Pauken, a former Chairman of the Texas Republican Party and the Director of the ACTION federal agency during the Reagan Administration. He wrote: “We are paying a heavy price for the systematic suppression of independent conservative political leadership that began with the presidency of George H. W. Bush and continued through the presidency of his son. “The rise of the Tea Party and return of the independent conservatives to battle in 2010 has resulted in a lot of new leaders emerging on the scene. We have a good farm...

WASHINGTON - They've been an unlikely pair since the day they met - the nerdish bookworm and the cocky backslapper - but Karl Rove and George W. Bush have been partners and political allies for more than 30 years. Now their friendship is being tested by Rove's involvement in the unauthorized outing of an undercover CIA officer. Depending on the outcome of a grand jury investigation, the president soon could face a painful choice between protecting his trusted aide or forcing his resignation to limit political damage. ''It's going to be an interesting test of his loyalty if this goes...