Good morning! 

Yesterday’s One Click Survey generated a digital ton of replies. You’ll find a sampling of those responses at the conclusion of today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Wednesday, November 10, 2021
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Gohmert Preparing Bid For Attorney General

• U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert (R–TX) announced yesterday he is "exploring" a candidacy for Texas Attorney General, joining three others in challenging incumbent Ken Paxton for the Republican nomination. Jeramy Kitchen has the story.
      
• Gohmert wasted no time in directly attacking Paxton. “We need a Texas Attorney General whose top attorneys working for him have not found it necessary to send a letter to the FBI urging an investigation into corruption of their boss.” This is in reference to a scandal that broke more than a year ago but has churned under the radar ever since.
     
• Gohmert has served in the U.S. Congress since 2005 and is a member of the Congressional House Freedom Caucus. He is consistently rated as one of the most conservative congressmen by groups like Heritage Action, Club for Growth, FreedomWorks, and the American Conservative Union.
      
• The other GOP challengers include Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman, and current State Rep. Matt Krause (R–Haslet).

Texas School District Allows Boys in Girls’ Private Rooms

• In the safe and suburban Central Texas city of Round Rock, a group of parents, staff, and students are raising red flags over the potentially dangerous environment at their local schools. But as Jacob Asmussen reports, district officials have so far only disregarded the concerns of parents and students.
      
• Now, at least one biological male is being allowed to room with biological females on an upcoming school trip because he allegedly identifies as a female. (Note: throughout the article, pseudonyms are used to protect minors and whistleblowing teachers.)
      
• “I remember I was going in [to the locker room] and I was getting changed when, out in the open, I saw an individual walk in who I know is a biological male,” Lauren told Texas Scorecard. “It just kind of really caught me by surprise; it caught me off guard. So, I just quickly got dressed and just got out really quickly.”
      
• Parents confronted school officials, seeking the district’s written policy – but only received a run-around from the campus staff and the superintendent’s office.
     
• “No there’s no policy in place,” a high school principal in Round Rock told the parents. “The policy is this: Every one student at a time, every situation one at a time. And if the student chooses to use the restroom [of their choice], they’re going to be allowed to use that restroom.”
     
• Not all the teachers in the district are comfortable with Round Rock’s unofficial policy: “I just don’t think that parents realize there is not a rule; there are no protections in place,” said one teacher. “Fathers of daughters, are you okay with this?”

• Is this happening in your school district? Are you sure? Have you asked? 

Religious Institutions Can Adhere To Religious Beliefs

• Federal law does not require churches and religious employers to hire employees who violate the organization’s religious beliefs concerning sexual conduct. That was the ruling of a federal judge in north Texas, reports Kim Roberts at The Texan.
   
• “This is a monumental victory for religious liberty rights for religious employers across the country, not just churches. Employers with strongly held beliefs are not forced to sacrifice those beliefs to conduct business,” said Gene Hamilton, who represents the plaintiffs, in an interview with The Texan.

Speaking Around The State

• I enjoyed spending my Tuesday evening with the amazing patriots of the Frisco Lakes Conservative Coalition, while Brandon Waltens was out addressing the True Texas Project’s Amarillo chapter. If you’d one of us or another member of the Texas Scorecard team to visit with your group, club, or organization, we’d love to make it happen. Learn more on the website.

Y’All Answered

With Texas Gov. Greg Abbott having thus far refused to call a special session of the Legislature for the purpose of addressing employer COVID vaccine mandates, we asked if it made readers more or less likely to vote for him in the 2022 Republican primary.

Just 4.48 percent of readers said Abbott’s actions (or lack thereof) on the issue made them more likely to vote for him; 95.52 percent said they were less likely to support him.

• “Every time grassroots pressure forces Governor Abbott to do the right thing, it comes too late, only when his reelection is in jeopardy.  That's not leadership.” – Fran Rhodes
   
• “I am not only “less likely” to support Gov. Abbott, I will NEVER support Gov. Abbott again.  His true colors have been showing for a long time on many issues during his governorship.  He always has to be pushed and pushed hard to do the right thing for Texans.  I am tired of his bullheadedness and obvious reluctance to stand for freedom and everyone’s rights under the Constitution.” – Nancy Wood
   
• “Protecting us from the outrageous, unlawful, unconstitutional violation of our own bodies by forcing us to take human trial experimental shots or lose our jobs should be JOB ONE for our Governor.” – Van Smith
   
• “ I have been "less likely" to support  Gov. Abbott for a loooooong time.” – Sharon Loveall
      
• “I will NOT vote for Abbott for a whole list of reasons.  He is a deep state puppet.” – Katherine Kelton
      
• “I just sent an email to the Governor to call another session to protect the people of Texas from this Unconstitutional mandate. It is his duty & responsibility per his Oath of Office. If he does not, he is as complicit, as culpable, and as responsible as Joe Biden in taking our state and our country the next step toward dissolving our sacred Republic.” – John Erwin
     
• “I chose less likely however, I will not support Abbott at all in the Primary. He has proven himself to be a do-nothing RINO with no interest in Texan’s daily lives, but rather his own political/financial gain. I am fed up!” – Zack Dunnam
   
• “I answered Less Likely, but that's not really accurate. My actual likelihood has been, and will remain, zero.” – Dave Mason
   
• “Sadly, Governor Abbot has shown how two-faced he is, and how he seeks to be a people pleaser above actively using his authority to preserve freedom and liberty in Texas. ” – Jodi Heard
   
• “We must FIRE ABBOTT. He doesn't work for the people, he works for himself. We need to fire most of Legislature, too.” – Dawn Martin
   

• “It's really tough to support a politician who ignores his constituency.” – Arthur Potter
   

• “I have been praying that real Republicans would run for Governor, so I would have a choice. Abbott lost my support in any primary election since he turned hard left ruling by fiat during COVID trying to appease the left for his presidential bid.” – Greg Reinhart
   
• “Texans have a far more independent spirit than the current leadership has shown. Disappointed with Abbott since all this started.  In the words of Bill Maher the pandemic is over!” – Debra Davis
   
• “Abbott lost my support a long time ago, but yes, this is just one more reason for supporting one of Abbott’s challengers. Abbott will probably deal with the vaccine mandates in Texas, but only after he’s tested the winds and the heat on him gets too hot to handle.” – Michael Kinzie
   
• “I’d vote for a frog before I would vote for Abbott. Between the border crisis and Covid mandates – not law!! – he doesn’t care about we the people!” – Kim Moore
      
• “Unless he is able to cheat, Abbott will never win another election.” – Jeffrey Bane

     

• “I wasn’t going to support Abbott anyway. All 3 of his contenders on the Rep primary ballot are preferable to him.  I like West, Huffines, Prather in that order so far.” – Mary Matthews

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