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Monday, May 14, 2012

'He loves me, he loves me not' – split opens between Conley-Brannon and local GOP leadership


 

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Note: The two letters below from two former Hays County Republican Party chairs and current (and outgoing) chair Kent "Bud" Wymore attest to a widening crack in the local GOP leadership. The loud cracking sound you hear is the race for Precinct 3 County Commissioner between
Brannon
Conley
incumbent Will Conley and challenger Sam Brannon. Republicans, in an unusual display of disunity, are showing signs of a major split – with some factions staying faithful to Conley's pro-roads, pro-business positions, and others moving to Brannon and his repeated promises of fiscal conservatism and transparency. As early voting begins this week in the Republican (and Democratic) primary election, it is no surprise that the big guns are coming out. Conley leads Brannon in fundraising by more than 3 to 1, but recent polling by the Conley camp may have revealed some bad news for Conley. Anecdotal stories are popping up from old time conservatives that Conley has overspent his welcome after two long terms (eight years) in office. This race will be going down to the wire. It is definitely drawing attention and participation from outside the usual rings of power and influence, which can only be a good thing for the party and Democracy. Please remember to vote.

Letter: "Cheap shot from a Chairman not seeking reelection"

May 11, 2012

Dear Republicans,

We are writing you today regarding a recent political flyer issued by the Will Conley Campaign. The May 9th mailer purports to be an “urgent message” from current Hays Republican Chairman Bud Wymore warning voters about Mr. Conley’s opponent, Sam Brannon.

While Mr. Wymore is free to endorse whomever he chooses, Wymore should not seek to imply that local Republican Party has endorsed Commissioner Conley. The local Party should try to avoid being seen as the incumbent protection team and Wymore’s views should not be seen as anything more than an outgoing “cheap shot” from a Chairman not seeking reelection.

The fact remains that, according to the Texas Bond Review Board, Hays County’s debt has increased 810% under Will Conley, and he voted for every dollar of it. There are no “smoke and mirrors” here, as Wymore claims.

We are very disappointed in Chairman Wymore’s decision and suggest this will do nothing to rally Republicans around the nominees in November. Wymore has failed in his duty to promote fairness in the process. Wymore’s letter reeks of desperation on behalf of the Conley camp and it is blatant attempt to mislead potential voters. This appears to be part of the deliberate and contrived smear campaign against Brannon, whom we both know to be an honest candidate dedicated to Fiscal Responsibility, Transparency and Local Decision Making.

Sam Brannon has our vote, and we urge you to give him yours as well.

Sincerely,

Craig Young Wimberley, Texas 
Former Hays County Republican Chairman 
(Current Pct. 337 Chair)

Lee Schroeder San Marcos, Texas 
Former Hays County Republican Chairman

Letter: "Mr. Brannon is trying to scare Republicans"

(Mr. Wymore's letter is two pages long. It has been edited for length)
 
May 9, 2012

Dear Republicans,

As Chairman of the Hays County Republican Party, I write with an urgent message about our upcoming Republican Primary election. Very seldom do I weigh in on a primary campaign, but the stakes for Hays County and our party could not be higher than they are in this election.

Less than two years ago, a man named Sam Brannon moved to Hays County after concluding a failed campaign for U.S. Congress as an independent candidate with a campaign committee registered in a Dallas suburb.

Now, he is running for Precinct Three County Commissioner in Hays County against Commissioner Will Conley. Unfortunately, Mr. Brannon is trying to scare Republicans into voting for him by spreading purposefully misleading information about Commissioner Conley and many of our local Republican elected leaders.

I will not stand idly by as a political opportunist and outsider to our community falsely attacks and tries to divide our party for nefarious purposes.

Central to Mr. Brannon’s message is Hays County’s debt. He manipulates percentages and statistics to create the appearance that the county’s debt is very high. However, Mr. Brannon’s message is just smoke and mirrors.

[snip]

On several occasions, Mr. Brannon has been caught lying about Commissioner Conley. It is imperative that we not allow this to stand. Join me in rejecting Sam Brannon’s dishonest message about Commissioner Conley and our Republican county leaders, and also Mr. Brannon’s dangerous position that Hays County should stop improving our roads and preparing for the future.

Now is the time for Hays County Republicans to celebrate strong conservative leadership. I endorse the efforts of our hardworking Republican leaders in Hays County and ask you to join me in moving our community forward with proven conservatives like Commissioner Will Conley.

Sincerely,
Bud Wymore
Kent E. “Bud” Wymore, IV, esq.
Chairman, Hays County Republican Party*

_________________

Related news: Early voting begins, turnout critical in races
Read the complete story
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) By Chris Tomlinson  (Sunday May 13, 2012) — With municipal elections complete, early voting kicked off Monday for Texas' key primary races. Voters can now pick their party's nominees after a four-month delay caused by an extended legal fight over the redrawing of political districts. But the delay could spell trouble for some Republican candidates facing opposition from hard-core conservative activists . . .

34 comments:

Jasper, come in here right now! said...

Kent E. "Bud" Wymore, IV, esq

ESQUIRE!?!?!

You have GOT to be kidding me, who in the hell signs his name, "esq"?

I tell you who: Insecure teenage boys.

And furthermore, did Will Conley write that letter for you or did he just edit it?

sam isham said...

Just get ready. If SB is elected he will revert back his untidy long haired unclean appearance just as he reverted back after his top level corporate gig. Oh but wait a minute maybe he didnt revert. Maybe he COULD dress as a homeless hippy at GE Capital and American Express as he worked the phone bank fixing creditcard problems for card holders. Have we ever seen him in any top level corporate photos being awarded any kind of recognition for a job well done. No, all we have is his word, but no proof. He says he worked in supply chain management. Well, was it automotive parts, was it agriculture related, was it medical supplies/components----just what industry was he involved in? Look up the websites for the obscure companies he was an officer in. What a joke!----Get real people---who is this guy, what has he done to merit favor, what is his platform.

tanks for the memories said...

I would like to remind you that Will Conley was a 27 year old car wash owner just a couple of years out of college when he decided (was recruited and coached) to run.

Stop listening to Will Conley's version of Sam Brannon's life.

Will is just jealous that Sam has seen the world, had interesting jobs....and still has hair.

Jasper, come in here right now! said...

I thought that whole length of a guy's hair debate went out with high school in the 1960's. Guess not.

Anonymous said...

As I have been quoted on many occasions:

Enough is enough.

Vote for Sam Brannon.

Anonymous said...

Conley, the Kinneys and the goobers that follow them should have learned to handle the boomerang before throwing it.

Whack to the back of the head.

Anonymous said...

Sam Brannon has so much more intelligence that Conley looks like a bald, hot-headed, rude DUMMY trying to debate him. Could it be that his record stinks to conservatives, too?
Conley has gotten too big for his britches (and his jacket). He needs to retire and work off some fat-catness washing cars.
FOR BETTER GOVERNMENT VOTE SAM BRANNON!!!

Anonymous said...

tanks,
you make my point well. Conley has verifiable background.

Anonymous said...

Ask Conley what is discussed in his frequent private joint meetings with Aqua Texas and WVWA.

You can ask -- but you won't get an answer. He'll talk all around the subject and never say anything.

In fact, that is what he does 98% of the time when he opens his mouth.

Anonymous said...

A Texas Tribune poll of insiders predicts that Lloyd Doggett will win the Democratic primary for the new U.S. Congressional District 35.

Lloyd Doggett 73%
Sylvia Romo 24%
Maria Luisa Alvarado 3%.

-www.texastribune.org May 15

Amused said...

Conley has switched to a new way to use up time before he has to begin speaking. He doesn't as often thank everyone interminably first. Now he re-positions the chair he was sitting in and then re-buttons his coat. Anything to cut down on the time in which he must pretend to actually answer a question.

Anonymous said...

Conley is way past his expiration date and he stinks and getting stinkier by the minute.

Nightingale said...

I can vote for Brannon for his promise for transparency alone. But how do I know he will deliver? Mr. Brannon, hellooo?

Anonymous said...

"The fact remains that, according to the Texas Bond Review Board, Hays County’s debt has increased 810% under Will Conley, and he voted for every dollar of it. There are no “smoke and mirrors” here."

Truth be Told.

Yes debt has increased, but Conley was savvy enough to push for items than be wanted than voted NO against them. He may have championed the debt but always voted against it, a trick he has used time and time again. Knowing that enough votes would pass the measure he simply voted no.

Is Conley honest and True? No, but the truth is he never voted to raise one penny of debt. If anything he's slick and well versed in the game. Looks like the game is finally up for Conley.

That is all

Anonymous said...

@ May 15, 2012 4:31 PM

Are you saying Conley didn't vote to issue debt? The roads we borrowed the money to build? The government center? Which part of the debt did he NOT vote for? Did he even ever claim not to have authorized every penny of it? Not that I've heard.

But I do agree with you that time is up for Conley. Enough already.

To Nightengale... You don't know about anyone until they're in office. I've met him, and he's been approachable and seems sincere, but its up to us to surround him and keep him honest and on task. I think he'd appreciate the help.

He Giveth and He Taketh Away said...

WVWA probably isn't going to be very happy with Commissioner Conley pretty soon. Conley is avoiding letting the JWNA master plan come before the Comm Court before the May 29 primaries because he doesn't ever want to face public questions about the whole JWNA deal, and certainly not right before primary elections.

WVWA may be upset because it is very likely that Conley will propose that WVWA no longer manage the JWNA for a pretty penny each year. That probably will come to pass because

that money will go to support HTGCD instead. And that's because

the 6% LCRA tax has been used by the Comm Court to help support HTGCD in the past, but in this next budget period (coming up soon) that 6% LCRA money won't go
to HTGCD, but to

help West Travis County Public Utility Agency keep water rates from rising above 3% for the coming year. See, Commissioner Whisenant told all of Hays County that only the actual users of the LCRA water piped to north Hays County would pay the cost of buying the water and wastewater plants from LCRA. Whisenant indicated that there might be a 3% rise in water rates for now-WTCPUA customers, but he can't keep to that percent increase without finding another source of revenue. Keeping the 6% tax, instead of giving it to HTGCD, is how Mr. W intends to stick to an artificially low 3% rate rise.

So, we'll have unhappy WVWA and HTGCD. And WTCPUA water rates will rise every year because the w/ww plants were so expensive and because there aren't enough WTCPUA water users in north Hays County to pay for both the facilities themselves and the cost of the water which WTCPUA will be buying from LCRA.

And Comm Whisenant will want a massive increase in development in the DS area so he'll have more bodies paying water bills to WTCPUA.

Anonymous said...

Brannon's story stinks to high heaven and he's not even in office yet. If he can't say where he worked, who he worked for, what he actually did, and when he did it when he's running for office how could you expect a straight answer from him if he's elected? Just doesn't seem trustworthy to me.

Anonymous said...

Brannon's resume has been vetted, you moron. Look it up (if you know how to read)

Anonymous said...

one of my friends told me she was polled through a phone call. She was asked if she was voting for Brannon or Conley, she told them she wasn't going to vote because the new polling place was out of her way, when pressed if she was to vote who would it be for, she answered Conley.

Five minutes passed and she got a call from an organization that she thinks called itself Hays County Votes that offered to pick her up and take her back home so she could vote.

This lady tells some tales so I'm not sure if I believe her or not.

Has anyone else gotten calls like this?

Anonymous said...

Conley's crew is doing lot of telephone polling. He's really worried.

A friend got a call, and the caller asked whether she was going to vote for Brannon or Conley for commissioner. When my friend answered "Brannon," the caller hung up. I guess my friend would have been offered a ride to the voting site if she had answered "Conley."

Anonymous said...

The 'vetting' process on Brannon's resume is as suspect as the resume. No specifics just bold statements meant to give the impression of vetting but actually proving nothing.

Anonymous said...

Good grief. Brad Rollins of the sm mercury rag blog is deleting all positive comments about Brannon. Leaving some really crazy rants by Conley supporters up. He's deleted Sam's bio and background and contact info repeatedly. Sweet! Tells us volumes about how worried they are that their shady candidate will lose his job to the worthy candidate Brannon.

Please Vote said...

EARLY VOTING TODAY (Thursday, May 17): IN WIMBERLEY ONLY.

At Wimberley Community Center, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

On Saturday, May 19, early voting will be held 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in these cities:

Wimberley -at Wimberley Community Center

Dripping Springs - at DSISD office
at 510 W. Mercer St.

Buda- City Hall, 121 N. Main

Kyle - City Hall, 100 W. Center

San Marcos - County Elections Office in Meeting Rooms 1 and 2 of the new Government Center (721 S. Stagecoach Trail).

These locations are for both Democrat and Republican primaries.

Texas is an open primary state -- meaning you can vote in the primary for a certain political party, but then vote for a different party in the general election in November.

He Giveth and He Taketh Away said...

Oh, yes, and I forgot to mention that the WTCPUA wastewater treatment plant near Bee Cave must be expanded or replaced at once. WTCPUA knew that LCRA had said that needed to happen, and now is the time.

More millions of dollars for the relatively-few users of the WTCPUA facilities to cough up.

Poor Commissioner Whisenant knew this expense would be forthcoming, but he surely hoped it wouldn't be so soon.

Anonymous said...

Re: Conley polling

This is great news! Every time the Conley camp polls, they initiate a new round of coordinated personal smears on Sam Brannon. Anything to divert voters' attention from Conley's record.

The Conley camp must be doing poorly in the polling. Who is really surprised?

Re: the Mercury

Rollins=Barton=Conley. Yes, JEFF Barton, the DEMOCRAT even the Democrats helped vote out of office in '10.

Conley=Barton.

Thank Sam Brannon for his stand against the political machine. Thank him with your vote.

Ranch Roader said...

Conley SHOULD be worried. He has turned into his own worst enemy and doesn't even get the joke.

Little Will has let his own bs go to his enormous head and thinks he is a public servant that deserves to keep serving up roads, favors and that awful stream of platitudes.

Let's have some fresh air, how about?

lo and beholden said...

Vote Conley out of office. Please?

fat cracker said...

Anyone who reads the Barton/Rollins tripe of a website gets what they deserve: Skewed views, not news.

That website is little more than a mouthpiece for the Hays County political machine, Democrats and Republicans working together to make a buck off Hays County's land and water.

Those of you who want vast stretches of boring houses and chain retail stores, my advice is to get on I-35 and head north or south. Plenty of them already there, and no need to raise our debt or dry up our aquifer to acquire your dream.

I've Had Enough of Mr. Conley said...

Commissioner Will Conley is guilty of:

1. filling out untruthfully his financial statement for the Texas Ethics Commission;

2. hiring felons for Commissioners Court boards;

3. causing the budget for the Grand Parkway from the Junction to San Marcos to be increased by 4 1/2 times the original amount (from $24.1 million to $111 million);

4. using County labor and money to have an impressive stone entryway built for Saddleridge, where he owns property. No other subdivision along RR 12 was thus improved;

5. claiming that Hays County's budget is "balanced" (which means merely that we have enough money to make the minimum monthly payments on what we owe), but not mentioning that the budget is balanced only because the County has been borrowing money hand over fist. Hays County now ranks number 6 among all 254 Texas counties in debt per person, and the county ranks number 1 when outstanding debt is compared to the value of all property in the county;

6. refusing to let the Commissioners Court address, and citizens question, the master plan for JWNA before the May 29 primary elections;

7. talking about "pass through" road financing as if it were a free gift from TxDOT to the county, when in fact that sort of financing adds greatly to our county debt (and interest payments);

8. aranging to be on the committee which designed the new county precinct maps. Conley and Ingalsbe -- both incumbents -- managed to be on that committee, when NO commissioner at all should have served on a committee which determined (gerrymandered) the constituency s/he would have;

9. being, in general, a back room, smoke and mirrors kind of guy.

Good grief said...

Well, that Will Conley sounds like a real asset to Hays County.

Willy, your time's up. We cannot afford your version of "good government" any longer. I am sure any number of those you funneled taxpayer money to will offer you a job wasting their money. Or not.

In business, the guy who lies to his bosses and co-workers, spends money recklessly and re-writes history to make himself look better isn't usually the most productive worker on the line.

Some of these bad habits you learned in government work may not translate all that well into the private sector.

Anonymous said...

Adios Senior Willy ! Your days are numbered !!!

Disgusted said...

Once again, the master plan for JWNA will not be brought up at the May 22 meeting of Commissioners Court.

This was the last opportunity for the public to ask questions about the project before the May 29 primaries.

Conley has prevailed, as usual, to keep information from the public before an election. But, once more, we will kick out of office a man who is only in it for the power and the money, and to further enrich his cronies.

shaking my head said...

Why would the GOP Chairman endorse a candidate in a primary?

That is just rude. Hope the guy you endorsed wins, cause otherwise you have just made a shambles of any semblance of party unity. Oops.

We Democrats don't officially endorse until the primary is over and the people have chosen their candidate.

Anonymous said...

Are you kidding, unity within the GOP? Whether or not the endorsed candidate wins, the unity of the party has already been compromised.

The inner circle does not like dissention and will do whatever it takes to keep their power, even if it means "dividing and conquering within the party".