Kathrine Frich
The guest list sent a clear message.
Loyalty used to mean backing whoever wore your party colours.
That simple rule is fading fast.
A quiet rebellion is brewing behind closed doors, involving some of the biggest names in politics.
Old guard steps out
Former President George W. Bush just made a rare return to the political stage, appearing at a Texas fundraising event on Monday.
Senator John Cornyn hosted the gathering. The event raised money for Republican candidates, but the guest list sent a clear local message.
According to The New York Times cited by Mirror, the room was filled with traditional Republicans who are quietly refusing to support Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Paxton recently defeated Cornyn in a primary election. Now, he faces a fierce challenge from Democrat James Talarico for a crucial Senate seat.
A hunger for change
Recent polls show Talarico gaining ground. One betting site highlighted his rise, noting Democrats hope to flip a seat that has stayed red for decades.
“I get the sense that there is a deep hunger across the political spectrum for a fundamentally different kind of politics,” Talarico said.
He says voters want a break from aggressive tactics. “It’s been 10 years now of Trumpian politics, politics as a blood sport… and there is a hunger 10 years later for a return to more timeless values of sincerity and honesty and compassion and respect,” he told reporters.
Drawing a hard line
Bush is not the only Texas heavyweight pushing back. Veteran strategist Karl Rove declared he will vote for a Democrat over Republican Bo French.
Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Rove explained the choice. He rejected French after the candidate posted a xenophobic comment about non-white university students.
Rove warned the party faces a larger issue. “The GOP has a growing number of Bo Frenches, and not only in Texas,” he wrote.
He sharply criticised the rise of extreme voices. Rove called out “misogynists who worship hypermasculinity, conspiracy nuts seeking clicks for profit, and religious bigots who won’t differentiate between Muslim terrorists and Muslim American patriots.”
Leaders reject intolerance
Other top officials joined the chorus of condemnation. Cornyn challenged his colleagues to speak out rather than let racism become normal.
“This is how great political parties self-destruct,” Cornyn said.
Governor Greg Abbott rejected the comments in a statement to Politico. He noted that the students were simply celebrating a major football victory.
“The way we win the state is the same way we win football games,” Abbott said. “We unite under the brand of Texas.”
Sources: Mirror, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Politico
