Where Does YOUR Incumbent Stand? YCT Releases Ratings of the 81st Legislative Session
AUSTIN, TX—Since 1975, Young Conservatives of Texas have provided Texans with reviews of the voting records of legislators as a public service. YCT strives to measure each representative and senator’s fidelity to conservative principles. YCT is proud to release the 18th installment of our Legislative Ratings, the longest running and most respected legislative ratings in the state of Texas.
“Now is the chance for citizens to see where their incumbents stand and how they really voted,” said Laura Elizabeth Morales, Senior Vice Chairman.
Legislators are scored on a scale from 0 to 100, with points being awarded for each correct vote.
“YCT strives to choose votes that offer a clear choice between conservatism and liberalism,” explained Tony McDonald, Vice Chairman for Legislative Affairs.
The 81st Legislative Ratings also include a comparison of scores between House committee chairs from the 80th and 81st Sessions, a feature added to the ratings to assist voters in comparing the change in House leadership.
“Now that the candidate filing deadline has passed, we hope voters will take a look at how their incumbents performed and decide whether they need to be replaced in the primary or general election,” remarked McDonald.
YCT congratulates the members of the Historic Honor Roll, whose career ratings rank above 90%: Rep. Ken Paxton, Rep. Wayne Christian, Rep. Tan Parker, Rep. Jodie Laubenberg, Rep. Charlie Howard, Rep. Carl Isett, Rep. Joe Crabb and Sen. Jane Nelson.
YCT also congratulates the 81st Session Rookies of the Year: Rep. Randy Weber and Sen. Joan Huffman. Representative Weber tied for the highest score in the House, with a 97.
“We would like voters to be aware of who the Certified RINO’s, or ‘Republicans in Name Only’, are,” adds McDonald, “Rep. Charlie Geren, Rep. Delwin Jones, Rep. Tommy Merritt, Sen. Kip Averitt, and Sen. Kevin Eltife, all scored below 60% in the House and 50% in the Senate, respectively. Texans can also add Rep. Chuck Hopson to that list, who, while classified as one of the “Highest Scoring Democrats” for the session, recently switched to the Republican Party. Voters should keep this in mind as these candidates campaign as ‘Republicans’.”