Party loyalties questioned in House race

State Rep. Paul Workman’s opponents say he is too liberal.

State Rep. Paul Workman, R-Austin, has more than $143,000 in his campaign coffers and the endorsement of major conservative organizations from Texas Alliance for Life to the National Rifle Association.

And in yet another leg-up for the District 47 lawmaker, Gov. Greg Abbott cast his early voting ballot on Tuesday alongside Workman, praising him as someone who would help keep “Texas on the right track.”

But his opponents in the March 6 primary say all the hype doesn’t jibe with his voting record, one they say is too liberal. Early voting runs until Friday. District 47 encompasses western Travis County, including parts of West Austin, Bee Cave, Lakeway and Lago Vista.

“Paul Workman voted against property tax relief last session. I would not have. Taxes are the No. 1 problem for homeowners, for everyone in Travis County. We don’t need a pale imitation of what the Democrats are doing in Travis,” said Jay Wiley, a Republican small-business owner.

Wiley, who had $73,000 in cash on hand as of Jan. 25, added that if elected, he would join the House’s Freedom Caucus, tea party-aligned members who sometimes defy the Republican majority. He said he wants to change the way the Legislature develops the state’s budget every two years by first zeroing out all agency budgets and adding what agencies need.

Wiley said that Workman has supported an increase on local hotel occupancy tax and increasing taxes on nursing home patients. He also pointed to Workman’s initial vote against an amendment that bans third-trimester abortions during the last regular legislative session. Workman later changed his vote.

Workman defends his record, saying the hotel industry in Austin supported the occupancy tax increase because it would create more visitors to the city. He