Good morning – 

Here is today’s Texas Minute for Tuesday, February 15, 2022.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Statewide Ad Exhorts Abbott To Protect Kids

• Despite a years-long fight to protect children in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott and top Republican state lawmakers continue to allow medical practitioners to perform disfiguring gender operations on minors—but Texas’ new pro-family organization is stepping into the fight with a statewide ad-buy.
   
• Jacob Asmussen reports on the American Principles Project ad challenging Greg Abbott to protect Texas’ kids from gender transition surgeries.
     
• “Right now, corrupt doctors and Big Pharma are sexually transitioning our kids right here in Texas, and Greg Abbott’s political appointees are helping them,” says the announcer in the digital ad. “Tell Greg Abbott to protect children.”

Eagle Forum Endorses Both Huffines And West

• With early voting underway in the statewide March primary election, conservative grassroots group Texas Eagle Forum released its preferred picks in a variety of important contests. Most notably, reports Sydnie Henry, Eagle Forum endorsed both former State Sen. Don Huffines and former Texas GOP Chairman Allen West for the Republican gubernatorial race.
     
• Trayce Bradford, Texas Eagle Forum’s former president, is the group’s pick for lieutenant governor. 

3 Opponents Target Liberal Republican Ernest Bailes

• Since entering the Texas House in 2017, State Rep. Ernest Bailes of Shepherd has amassed a voting record as one of the most liberal Republicans in the House. Now, reports Brandon Waltens, the three-term lawmaker finds himself with three challengers in the Republican primary election.
      
• During the most recent session, Bailes earned a 38 on the Fiscal Responsibility Index, one of the lowest scores of any Republican. On the ratings published by the Young Conservatives of Texas, Bailes scored a 60, and has a failing grade from Texas Right to Life.
   
• In just the most recent legislative session, Bailes voted to give key committee chairmanships to Democrats, worked to protect corporate welfare payouts, and was among six “Republicans” who joined with Democrats to author legislation to expand Medicaid in Texas under the terms of “ObamaCare.”
     
• You don’t actually need Democrats when you have “Republicans” like Ernest Bailes… He does their work for them.

Pressure Builds On Landgraf

• Revelations last week of a sex scandal involving multiple women, including a Capitol staff member, have cost State Rep. Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) a key endorsement ahead of the March 1 GOP primary. Get the details from Brandon Waltens.
       
• Winkler County Sheriff Darin Mitchell has withdrawn his endorsement of Landgraf.
      
• The highly explicit exchanges, first reported by Current Revolt, were sent as text messages as well as private messages on one of Landgraf’s social media accounts. They also contain pictures of Landgraf—a married father—and a voice recording the lawmaker sent as part of a lengthy iMessage thread.
       
• Landgraf has not responded to media inquiries and has canceled public appearances in the wake of the allegations.

Texas House: In Their Own Words

• Texas Scorecard asked Texas House candidates in some of the biggest matchups across the state a series of questions to help voters make up their minds before heading to the polls. You can read their unedited responses on our website.
   
• Also… Don’t miss the Uncut Conversations in the gubernatorial race.

ONE CLICK SURVEY

Early voting is underway for the March 1 primary election. 

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Once you’ve clicked an answer, reply to this email with any thoughts you’d like to share!