Michael Williams, Republican
Current Job: Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission
Office Seeking:The Senate position being vacated by Kay Baily Hutchison
Election Date: 2010 *
Official Website: Williams for United States Senate
Donate: Directly to Michael Williams’ Campaign
Volunteer: Assist the campaign

Michael Williams

The Situation:  An interesting battle is taking shape in Texas, long a stronghold for conservatives.  Changing demographics and popular Democrats with deep pockets are going to make holding the seat of departing Kay Bailey Hutchison difficult.  Losing another vote in the Senate, particularly from red state Texas, could be disastrous.

Republican Opponents:  Other Republicans who are eying the position include; former Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams, Texas State Senator Florence Shapiro, and Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones.  Williams has held state-wide elective office for over a decade and is a popular figure in Texas.  While the specific differences between these candidates have yet to be held to the careful scrutiny of an election amongst them, Williams combines his popularity and speaking skills with a clear vision of America and conservatism that should resonate loudly with Texans and most Americans.

Democrat Opponents:  The Democrats are way ahead of the game.  Whether Hutchison was going to withdraw from the Senate or not, Democrats were preparing to throw their best at her in 2012.  John Sharp, a former politician who is now in private business, already lists over $2 million in campaign funds.  But the biggest threat will likely come from Houston Mayor Bill White, who also has received more than $2 million in donations (no GOP candidate has more than about $300,000).

Mayor Bill White, serving his third term in Houston, is incredibly popular there.  While he sometimes plays as a Blue Dog Democrat, and will certainly shoot for a middle-of-the-road approach when campaigning for the Senate, Mr. White has numerous proposals on his website for following the typical liberal line and can be counted upon to be another vote for most, if not all, the liberal proposals swirling around Congress.  His website is a testament to the current, underlying, liberal pathology, with large sections devoted to environmental issues, health care, and the subtle, yet all-too-obvious, wealth redistribution plans for raising taxes to supplement “middle America” being able to transition to a green economy.

The Positions: On the “Issues” page of Williams’ website, he begins,

We are made in the image of God and endowed with rights inherited from Him. Government’s primary responsibility is to advance the cause of freedom and promote, protect and secure the inalienable rights that were endowed to us by God. As such, the proper role of government is both limited and subordinate to man. In its proper role, the federal government would refrain from usurping the proper functions that should be performed by state and local governments—who are closer to the people. The federal government would assist individuals and institutions more immediate to the people only when the latter cannot fulfill their proper functions.

He then goes on to address a few of the issues that are of greatest importance to himself and to Texans.  He takes strong stands on illegal immigration and the need for immigrants to learn English.  He takes a stewardship, pro-growth energy and environmental position.  He is strong on defense, pro-life, and a life-time member of the NRA committed to preserving our Second Amendment rights, while he favors a flat tax regarding income taxes.

On “Faith in the Public Square,” Mr. Williams has this to say:

The separation of church and state does not mean that there can be no reference to God in government-sanctioned activities or on public grounds. Our children should be allowed a moment of silence to pray if they desire. Crosses or other religious symbols should be able to remain on public property and the phrase “One Nation Under God” should remain in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Bottom Line:  Some may accuse, wrongfully in my opinion, Williams of not being fiscally conservative enough, but his views on that tend to match my own.  There is a role, when all else fails, for the government to step in in select situations.  The difficulty is that the current government is willing to step into any situation with no regard to its rightful role under the constitution.  We hope to clarify Mr. Williams’ positions in this area in an interview we are attempting to arrange.

In all other issues we were able to get information on, Williams’ “gets it.”  He does not want to sacrifice the core values of the American conservative in order to run a centrist campaign and endear himself to all the wrong folks.  His stances on abortion, taxes, the environment, and wealth redistribution are spot on, and we conservatives, no matter where we may reside, need to get on the Michael Williams train.

* The exact date of this election could be anywhere from six months from now (if Hutchison announced she were resigning today), to 2012, but all current indications seem to be that she will resign in a manner that places this election around the time of the mid-terms in 2010.