Texas House Reps: A Look at Image v. Ideology
New Report Further Confirms Shine, Buckley Voting Patterns
With the notoriously dysfunctional nature of the most recent Texas legislative sessions (one regular and four specials), it’s not surprising that a close look at representatives’ records is occurring. Even less surprising is that as data-based patterns emerge, a Texas Tribune report is only the latest to document how voting records can conflict with the ideological images candidates put forward to voters. And Bell County is no exception.
Posted today at The Texas Tribune is an article entitled We ranked Texas House members along the ideological spectrum based on their 2023 votes. Tribune writer Mark P. Jones characterizes the article as “a look at House members, ranked from most conservative to most liberal, based on their votes cast during the 2023 regular session and four special sessions.”
The 150-member House has 84 Republican members who were scored. Notably, Speaker Dade Phelan was not included as his position customarily does not vote. Former Rep. Byran Slaton is also excluded from the analysis.
Within the 84 scored Republican members, the most conservative officials were:
Steve Toth, HD 15
Briscoe Cain, HD 128
Tony Tinderholt, HD 94
Matt Schaefer, HD 6
Cody Vasut, HD 25
The most liberal Republican members were:
Morgan Meyer, HD 108
Charlie Geren, HD 99
J.M. Lozano, HD 43
Steve Allison, HD 121
Ryan Guillen, HD 31
As for Bell County, Rep. Brad Buckley came in at #57 while Rep. Hugh Shine came in as #74.
The Tribune provides a full listing and notes how the data breaks down into “three distinct blocs of representatives”:
At the most conservative end of the House GOP ideological spectrum is a group of 16 representatives ranging from Toth and Cain to Jared Patterson of Frisco and Matt Shaheen of Plano. As a group, these 16 representatives are significantly more conservative than more than two-thirds of their fellow Republican legislators. Toth is significantly more conservative than 82 of his 83 fellow Republicans (99%) and Cain than 80 of 83 (96%) while Shaheen and Patterson are both significantly more conservative than 59 of their 83 (71%) GOP colleagues.
At the least conservative end of the House GOP ideological spectrum is a group of 15 representatives ranging from Guillen and Allison to Drew Darby of San Angelo and Ken King of Canadian. As a group, these 15 representatives are significantly less conservative than more than three-fourths of their fellow Republican legislators. Guillen (a former Democrat) is significantly less conservative than 71 of his 83 (86%) fellow Republicans and Allison than 69 of 83 (83%), while Darby and King are significantly less conservative than 66 of their 83 (80%) fellow Republican legislators. While Guillen is the least conservative Republican, he still has a voting record that is significantly more conservative than that of the most conservative Democrat.
The majority of House Republicans (53 of 84, or 63%) occupy a middle ground between these two ideological poles. Kronda Thimesch of Lewisville and Tom Craddick of Midland (a former House speaker) are at the absolute center of the Texas House Republican Caucus, with one-half of the GOP representatives more conservative, and one-half less conservative, than each of them.
Similar analysis of Texas House Democrats is also featured in the article.
Shine and Buckley’s records have also been evaluated in prior articles. “House of Bad Cards” Highlights Texas Legislator Performance detailed how Shine was designated as the Jack of Spenders while Buckley earned the Eight of Betrayers on the House of Bad Cards website.
Using data from the another Grassroots America We The People website, Grassroots Priorities, Shine and Buckley’s records were also reviewed in Might Bell County House Reps’ Purple Votes Help Turn Texas Blue?
The school choice issue will undoubtedly help define both representatives in the upcoming March primary. Their opposing stances was discussed in School Choice Debate Shows Texas Public Ed More “For the System” than “For the Children”.
Lou Ann Anderson is a writer, former radio producer and current podcaster at Political Pursuits. Her tenure as Watchdog Wire–Texas editor involved covering state news and coordinating the site’s citizen journalist network. As a past Policy Analyst with Americans for Prosperity–Texas, Lou Ann wrote and spoke on a variety of issues including the growing issue of probate abuse in which wills, trusts, guardianships and powers of attorney are used to loot assets from intended heirs or beneficiaries. She holds a degree from the University of North Texas in Denton.