Who Really Is Taking Care of Business?

The Texas Association of Business released its 2009 scorecard of the Texas Legislature. The report, called For the Record, tracks eleven key votes to score Representatives and twelve for Texas Senators.

As is common, Republicans generally fared better than Democrats, but overall, the increase in Democratic numbers in the Texas House did not significantly hurt business, according to TAB President Bill Hammond.

“Despite an altered partisan composition in the House and Senate, the 81st Legislative Session was a true victory for the Texas business community,” Hammond said. Hammond noted the economic climate as a key reason why the legislature voted pro-business.

“In the midst of unprecedented economic turmoil, Texas made the tough decisions necessary to lower taxes for small businesses, to improve and innovate the way we educate our students, to stop increases in health insurance premiums, to shut the door on lawsuit abuse, and stop a $75 million dollar tax on Texas employers,” Hammond said. “This was a banner session for those employers who are helping to keep so many families afloat during these tough economic times.”

But not everyone is willing to let Democrats off the hook. Texans for Fiscal Responsibility’s Michael Quinn Sullivan looked at one key group of Democrats and found their voting record lacking.  

“There are five freshmen Democrats who beat Republicans – or who won in what are considered "Republican" leaning seats – in the 2008 election,” Sullivan said. “Many could well be considered accidental victories, riding a wave of Obama-mania coupled with a unique set of voter circumstances. One might expect them to have voted more carefully to reflect the entrepreneurial spirit of their districts.”

But Sullivan said that was not the case. Those five Democrats in GOP-leaning districts, along with four more sophomore Democrats in similar districts, had average scores on the TAB rankings in the mid 30 percent range.

“It's readily apparent that while each of these lawmakers, to varying degrees, tried to campaign as moderates or even fiscal conservatives, they have legislated like nothing of the sort,” Sullivan said.

On TAB’s scorecard, legislators with a percentage in the 80-89 range are recognized as “Fighters for Free Enterprise.” Those legislators receiving an A rating are further recognized as “Champions of Free Enterprise.” 

Texas Senate

The highest ranking in the Texas Senate went to Sen. Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay) with a perfect 100 percent, followed by Sen. Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock), with 93 percent. In all, nine GOP members scored over 90 percent for 2009. 

The highest-scoring Democrats, tied at 50 percent, were Senators Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo), Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-McAllen) and Eddie Lucio (D-Brownsville). No Democrat scored above the lowest Republicans. That score was 67 percent and was a tie between Sen. Kip Averitt (R-Waco), Sen. John Carona (R-Dallas), Sen. Bob Deuell (R-Greenville), Sen. Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler) and Sen. Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio).

For comparison purposes, every one of those Republicans has an overall rating for their career in the 70s or 80s.

Back on the Democratic side, the lowest scores were Mario Gallegos (D-Houston), Eliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso) and Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth), with 33 percent. Only Davis, a freshman, is in a competitive district where a vote against TAB’s priorities could likely hurt her; however Davis has five years until she next faces the voters and three more sessions to bring her scores up.

Texas House

The much larger Texas House of Representatives has a wider range of scores. A number of GOP members scored a perfect 100 percent, including Leo Berman (R-Tyler), Betty Brown (R-Terrell), Fred Brown (R-College Station), Warren Chisum (R-Pampa), Wayne Christian (R-Center), John Davis (R-Houston), Dan Flynn (R-Van), Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) and Ken Legler (R-Pasadena).

Unlike in the Senate, three Democratic House members scored above the lowest-scoring Republicans. The lowest scores among the GOP were Reps. Bryan McCall (R-Plano) and Burt Solomons (R-Carrollton) at 60 percent. Among Democrats, Reps. Chuck Hopson (D-Jacksonville) Mark Homer (D-Paris) and Patrick Rose (R-Dripping Springs), scored a 64 on TAB’s scale, making them the top pro-business Democrats. 

The next in line among Democrats was Rep. Joe Heflin (D-Crosbyton) at 56 percent. Heflin’s rural district is often considered among the most conservative Democratic seats, and he frequently sides with conservatives for that reason. About a dozen Democrats are tied at 55 on the TAB scale. Half are conservative, rural D’s. Some are Hispanic Democrats who previously were aligned with conservative Republican Speaker Tom Craddick. One who doesn’t fit that category is Rep. Mark Strama (D-Austin). Strama, sitting in one of the few swing districts in Travis County, is ideologically liberal, but generally votes moderate, a reflection of his district.

A number of Democrats are clearly out of step with their moderate districts, as Sullivan noted. One member, Rep. Kirk England (D-Grand Prairie), who recently shifted from the GOP to the Democrats, saw his ranking drop. England went from a 54 percent pro-business ranking over his career to a 40 percent ranking in 2009.

While TAB’s rankings may be a concern for members in moderate districts, Democrats on the very low end of the TAB scale, however, are in fairly safe seats. The lowest Democratic score was 27, shared by Yvonne Davis (D-Dallas), Roberto Alonzo (D-Dallas), Harold Dutton (D-Houston), Jessica Farrar (D-Houston), Ruth Jones McClendon (D-San Antonio) and Kino Flores (D-Laredo). None of those districts is likely to flip to the GOP in any foreseeable situation. 

The full scorecard can be found here.