Railing against the GOP establishment more prevalent than at past conventions.

Voters consider government a ‘broken system’

DALLAS — DeDe Fuller says she got involved in Texas Republican politics more than a decade ago because she was fed up with career politicians who were saying one thing and doing another.

“The political establishment was the problem, the elected officials and the special interests who get together to protect their interests first over what the people want,” the North Dallas retiree remembers thinking.

In a year when political outsiders railing against entrenched politicos have a strong cachet with voters, especially Republican voters as was underscored by the surprise ascension of Donald Trump to be the likely GOP presidential nominee, the so-called establishment is again a favorite punching bag.

At the biennial Texas Republican Party convention that concluded here on Saturday, the theme was everywhere — from the “Overthrow The Establishment” and “Secede Now” bumper stickers available in trade show booths, to the fiery rhetoric as delegates debated the state party’s platform on Friday, to the campaign buttons and comments from delegates and guests who crowded the convention floor.

It was more intense, perhaps, than at some recent Texas conventions, since the party faithful feels more pressure to win the presidency after two terms of what they believe is an utter disaster of Democrat rule. ‘Not a Texan’

For all that railing and sniping, however, interview after interview on the convention floor during the three-day confab at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center produced a curious fact: The Red Staters cannot agree on exactly who is the Political Establishment that is such a big problem.

Is it just politicians in Washington, the political hub that Texans both elected and grass roots love to hate? Or does it include some in the pink-domed statehouse in Austin?

And what about Donald Trump? Even the billionaire non-politician gets hit with the label by some conventioneers because of the way they say he has played America’s political system for years through contributions and perks to curry favor with both Republicans and Democrats in Washington.

“It basically comes down to this: Everyone will tell you they want to throw the bums out, just not their bums,” said Kurt Condant of Houston. “To most Texas Republicans, it’s the Washington political establishment, the political elite.”

Does that include U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, Texas’ senior lawmaker in Washington who addressed the convention on Friday to generous applause?

“No, not John. I like John. He’s done a good job for us,” said Condant, echoing other delegates at the convention. “I would say it’s everyone in Washington who’s not a Texan, or who agrees with what Texans think.”

To Julie Iris Oldham, 81, a longtime GOP San Antonio activist, Washington is the problem, “has been forever.” ‘Quit listening’

And the politicians in Austin, starting with Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick?

“I like Abbott and Patrick. (Attorney General Ken) Paxton? He’s got that criminal indictment. He’s a problem,” she said. “People who listen to the grass roots, the people, are what we need in politics. Establishment politicians quit listening to the grass roots.”

State Rep. Jason Villalba, R-Dallas, said when most people complain about the political establishment, they are venting a general frustration with the political process, not so much with individual office-holders.

“But there’s tremendous frustration in the grass roots this year with politics, both Democrats and Republicans, and people are ready for change,” he said. “People are tired of what they see as a broken system. And that’s why bashing the political establishment has such appeal.”

In Texas, that appeal, perhaps, has an ingrained focus on Washington among the state’s Republican base — the voters who turn out to cast ballots in primary elections — because the state’s top leaders, including Abbott and Patrick, have made a career of criticizing Washington politicians.

“People feel that not enough progress has been made on several important issues — repealing Obamacare, border security, plus a lot of others, and so they blame the political establishment,” said Steve Munisteri, a retired Houston lawyer and longtime political activist who served as state GOP chairman from 2010 until last year. “It’s actually more a disappointment in leadership. Even if they’re losing on some issues, they’d rather have the people they elect to be trying rather than not doing anything. Texans like people who speak their mind on issues.” ‘Smoke and mirrors’

Once elected, the trick is not to become part of that establishment, in the eyes of voters.

“That’s why a lot of politics is smoke and mirrors: They tell you one thing and do another in Washington or Austin,” said Andee Mendez, a San Antonio Republican. “We expect the people we elect to get involved in the political establishment so they can get things done. We just don’t want them to get too much a part of that establishment, and the longer they’re in office the more they’re part of it.”

William Davis, a Houston tea party Republican, said that is why the term “political establishment” is a misnomer..

“The anger this election — and it’s anger, for sure — is with the system of selfprotection for politicians that’s more than about just those politicians,” he said. “It’s why those of us who wanted Ted Cruz are willing to take a deep breath and vote for Trump, because, in the most basic sense, they’re both outsiders.

“And we need to elect someone as president who is not part of the awful system.”