Texas: Republican Judges Leaving Party

We all know that Texas will likely go red on election night and deliver her electoral votes to John McCain. Many of us also know that Dallas County was, for many years, the heart of the Republican takeover of the Lone Star State. Things began changing two years ago when Democrats swept county office races with the help of voter dissatisfaction and a kickass GOTV operation. Now, you might think that, in a presiential year, Dallas Democrats might be on defense, but not so. According to the Dallas Morning News, no less that four Republican judges have either leaft the Republican Party, or are preparing to leave.

As Texas Republicans gather for their national convention, GOP members back in Dallas are preparing to bolt the party.

Monday, Dallas County Court at Law Judge Mark Greenberg plans to announce at a Democratic Party Labor Day picnic that he’s leaving the Republican Party, said people from both parties familiar with his decision. The judge, who next faces re-election in 2010, could not be reached.

At least two other judges are expected to leave the GOP before November.

“They are looking at the numbers and the demographics and realizing that they can’t win by running as Republicans,” said Darlene Ewing, chairwoman of the Dallas County Democratic Party.

Last week, Dallas County Republicans lost another when county Criminal Court Judge Elizabeth Crowder said she’s switching to the Democrats.

It’s the latest political shift since the 2004 elections, when Democrats started to make inroads in county offices held firmly by Republicans since the Reagan years.

Since last year, five Republicans have defected, including state District Judge John Creuzot, who presides over the county’s felony courts, and state Rep. Kirk England of Grand Prairie. Judge Creuzot and Mr. England face Republican opposition in November.

There is a debate in political circles as to whether partisan change begins at the top or the bottom. Some argue that people first start voting for a particular party at the top of the ticket and eventually work their way down. Others contend that it begins on the local level and works its way up as lower-tier recruits run for office.

In the South, people started voting Republican for president, but still elected Democrats to Congress and local office. At the same time, local politicians started chaging their affiliation from Democrat to Republican before climbing their way to the top. In Texas, it’s beginning at the local level. County Republicans in Dallas and Harris Counties are reading the hadwriting on the wall and understand that voters are losing faith in their ability to govern. As a matter of fact, Barack Obama’s ativities in Texas are not about winning the state, but helping Democrats build on the gains they made in the State House and perhaps even take it over.

It’s slow, painstaking work. Winning judgeships is not as exciting as winning a senate seat, but this is exactly how Karl Rove started the party takeover, and perhaps this is where we begin the long march back. My eyes are upon you, Texas.