Perry Appointee Loses Election to TLR-Backed Candidate

Galveston County voters chose Patricia Grady over Bret Griffin for 212th District Court Judge, a race notable for being a rare instance in which tort reform group Texans for Lawsuit Reform split with Gov. Rick Perry.

The governor appointed Griffin to the bench in January. That riled TLR, which criticized Griffin for his ties to Tony Buzbee, the trial lawyer who also is a Perry appointee to the Texas A&M System Board of Regents.

Grady won by just 383 votes out of more than 13,500 votes cast. And it appeared that TLR wasn't in a conciliatory mood, even in victory. In an email congratulating Grady on her win, the tort reform group didn't mention Griffin's name at all, calling it a "Victory Over Tony Buzbee."

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National and state chapters of the Log Cabin Republicans, which represents gay conservatives, on Thursday protested being denied a booth at the upcoming Republican Party of Texas state convention in Fort Worth.

"We deserve to occupy a booth just like anyone else, and it’s time that the Texas GOP’s hypocritical policies and procedures are replaced by new ones that match the general opinion of Texan Republican voters," LCR of Texas Chairman Jeffrey Davis said in a statement sent out in advance of Thursday's press conference.

Texas Republicans meet June 5-7 to formally nominate their slate of candidates for the November general election. There could also be some controversy. It's thought that some conservatives will push to remove a platform plank calling for a guest worker program that was added two years ago.

Log Cabin Republicans noted that Thursday's press conference came 16 years after the group was denied the ability to participate in a previous state convention.

Texas Democrats offered the group space to set up a booth at their state convention in Dallas at the end of June. KUT's Ben Philpott reported that the Log Cabin Republicans politely declined the Democrats' invitation. "Thanks but no thanks," said Gregory Angelo, the group's executive director.

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Scott Turner, who is challenging Joe Straus for House speaker next session, will join conservative stalwarts Ted Cruz, Tom DeLay and David Barton as guests of the Texas Eagle Forum's patriotic banquet on the first evening of the GOP state convention.

Meanwhile, the RPT's gala reception on Friday evening honors "Courageous GOP Women," including New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer and Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch.