As the 2026 primary season starts to heat up I’m starting to see some things that disturb me. I know there are factions to every party, and when it comes to Republicans we have ours as well, and that’s fine. I always advocate that if you want someone to vote for you, especially if it’s GOP, it is better they persuade others, instead of posting comments of seething hatred against them calling their opponents Tea Party Trash, or whatever. It’s childish. It’s vile. And makes me wonder if that person actually gets the position they aim for, will the vile attitude continue? Besides, as far as I am concerned, if you start calling people names, or hurling insults, you’ve lost the argument. We still need to be a GOP party after the primaries. And even if you feel slighted, take the high road. Forgive, and set out your plan why you differ with your opponent, and without the evil step-child rhetoric. As long as the issue or candidate is held right of center, it’s fair to criticize, but do it with kindness. It makes you look a lot better, mainly not the fool, in trying to prove your point. I loath a raised voice, in speech or in print. I loath arrogance, and personally revere people who have raised themselves by their own character and bootstraps, and not by the reputation or name that preceded them.
We tend to forget before Donald Trump, the Republican spine was pretty much linguine. There wasn’t much there. We caved. Rush Limbaugh was about the only voice that was battling the Democrat mind, weak minded GOPers and he won. His legacy won. Trump built off the Limbaugh Doctrine. So did Charlie Kirk. One of Decisive Victory giving way to Peace, and when it comes to dealing with the cancel culture of the left, they took the cue from Admiral David G. Farragut’s, ‘Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!’ and just stuffed it down the Democrats throat. That’s why you have Republicans at House and Senate hearings, yelling at the Democrats. Yes its raised voice, but it counters them, taking them off their gameplan, and using their own medicine against them. That is the ‘not being kind’ that I’m in favor of. It’s like Dalton in the movie ‘Road House,’ ‘Be Nice, until its time, not be be Nice.’ Always be nice to the same people who wear the uniform you wear. And not so nice to the people who want to stab you in the back.
We Republicans need to exhibit some decorum of rhetoric about what we say to our fellow party members. And from what I’ve seen, the posts and comments out there against certain GOP individuals look like they’ve been approved by some Democratic committee. It’s not right.
The No-Kings (which will be back on the 18th), the Blue Haired, and the unwashed Democrats, have gone so far left that the previous moderates are now Right of Center, if not full on Republican. But there is a faction of Republicans that worries me? Of course you have the Republican Establishment vs the Conservative Establishment, and each has their own points, good and not so good, but to find the common ground of each side I think makes for a ‘Common Sense Conservative,’ which is what Trump has advocated for, and it made him successful. I don’t like to compromise on issues that should benefit true Americans. We’ve got actual Americans believing that they finally have power over illegal aliens. You can’t compromise with that on Dems. And the differences that Republicans have with each other could possibly derail all the good that has been done. Trump’s stance over the government shutdown, well that is a Conservative Establishment position, and its marketing as the ‘Schumer Shutdown,’ and the antics with the sombreros; well compromising GOP Establishment types would have never thought of that. It’s funny! And the GOP Establishment needs more laughter. Did Mitch ‘The Turtle’ McConnell ever laugh? Hell no. And ‘Turtle Man’ needs to be put him back in the same water pond he crawled out of. Just think of how far ahead we would be if McConnell had just crawled away with his linguine-spined compromising self.
The nation looks to the Texas governor and statehouse for leadership, and right now, our impotence is growing. The embarrassment of the Democrats fleeing to all points gerrymandered, projected onto the Republican Establishment with an unflattering color. It’s a problem that should have been solved years ago. Democrats fled in the 1870s, 2003, 2021, 2025, and it goes along with my little joke about helicopter pilots that were shot down in Vietnam in their scout helos. Ah, you’d think that you’d learn after the first or second time. lol.
Yes, the kindness afforded by our GOP compromisers have forced heavy handed tactics to be laid down this year, but knowing them, some loopholes may remain. I just can’t fathom voting with Democrats. During the Cold War and crossing into East Germany to ferry American civilians to West Berlin, that taught me that Communism is Democrat Heavy, and anything Left of Center will deteriorate into madness. They are like drug dealers using too much of their product. They are the ones that are killing their own city and state economies, on purpose, and it’s quite likely that New York City might possibly elect Zohran Mamdani, a verified Democratic Socialists of America member, as its next mayor. Just think of him as a mayor of Houston or Dallas, or even a state representative or senator. You EstRep guys want to actually compromise with that?
The recent censure attempt of ten Republicans by the Texas State Republican Executive Committee, which is the party’s governing entity, met recently in Austin to discuss the sanctioning of 10 Republican house members for voting with Democrats, and giving them power while Democrat approvals in the polls are in the toilet. That doesn’t make sense. It’s like the Nazis giving Jews influence over National Socialist policy. It doesn’t make sense. And I’m not comparing the GOP to Nazis, or implying anything nefarious, I’m just making a point. What was the motivation behind it, that’s what I wanna know? Of course it’s money, and power. There were over 30 Republican state representatives who voted for Dustin Burrows in 2025, two of which were in our county, and they paid for it with censures. Dem-GOP candidate Burrows won with 85 votes to the GOP candidates 55. If the GOP had stuck together with their 90 plus votes. Well, we would never have had the drama that presented itself in 2025. Or 2023, or 2021. Yes, the Democrats would have still ran away, but without leaving GOP friends in Austin. I like to squeeze the hell out of hands when I shake ‘em, which is the complete opposite of the timid and lady-like pledges that are endured behind the scenes when Dems and left of center (on the right) Republicans deal.
If Limbaugh and Trump have taught us anything, it’s pound your point, don’t give your opponent an edge, and continue to fight and fight and fight. But this relaxing of policy, I don’t like it. Working with Democrats is bad policy in my mind. All you have to do is look at any Democrat sanctuary city across the country or sanctuary-like cities in Texas, and see the craps holes they’ve become. Then you see Governor Greg Abbott, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, and Speaker Dustin Burrows, at a fundraiser for Burrows in Lubbock back in September, which saved him from censure last week, and 2027 looks to be a repeat of Republican-Lite and Democrat votes for Burrows as speaker. We are still a more Conservative than Republican-Lite county at the grassroots level in MC, or else local censures wouldn’t have been issued in the light of the last regular session. But if it equalizes, the chances of a fracture in the party can be forthcoming in just a few years, as with Trump being betrayed by the EstGOP in his first term, before some started finding their backbones in his second run. The chances for continued ‘party unification,’ following Trump’s return to Florida? Well, it could be in peril.
I like the team that Trump has put together in D.C., but the Texas team I feel is not as strong. The engine appears to be faltering, leaving themselves out there for a sucker punch. The check-engine light has been on way too long, with a great need for an engine service. If there is any compromise that needs to be done, it should be done between the GOP and Conservative Establishments. Fix it.
Austin, and Montgomery County; come on man! Heck, New Jersey can wind up redder than we are, if we are not careful. Figure it out before you turn Texas into a swing state.
Ruben can be reached at: ruben@montgomerycountynews.net