Wednesday, June 26, 2024
The United Republicans of Hood County gathered on Tuesday evening, June 11, with Dr. Glenn Rogers, State Representative for House District 60, as the keynote speaker. The meeting opened with an invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Texas Pledge, setting a patriotic tone for the evening.
Dr. Rogers, a sixth-generation Texan with roots in Palo Pinto County since the 1890s, graduated from Texas A&M University and returned home to run the family ranch and establish a veterinary practice. Known for his strong support of rural conservative values and Second Amendment rights, Rogers emphasized his dedication to his constituents.
“I’m a Christian, I’m a husband, I’m a father, I’m a veterinarian, I’m a rancher, I’m a conservative Republican,” Rogers declared. “I consider my district my first responsibility, and I’m a state representative.”
Rogers highlighted the achievements of the last two legislative sessions, describing them as the most conservative in Texas history. “We passed constitutional carry, enacted the largest property tax decrease in Texas history, and passed the strongest border legislation ever,” he stated. “We banned drag show performances in front of children, prohibited child gender modification, and removed sexually explicit materials from public school libraries. We also required athletes to compete according to their birth sex, ended COVID-19 vaccine mandates, and DEI offices at universities.”
Addressing the difficulties of running for office, Rogers spoke about facing opposition from well-funded adversaries like Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks. “These men hide behind their money and religion, causing more damage to Texas than anyone I know. They spread lies in the name of God,” Rogers asserted.
Rogers refuted several accusations from his opponents, including claims that he voted for Sharia law and granted himself a pension. “I voted with the majority of Republicans 99% of the time. Claims that I supported Sharia law or voted for a pension are absolute lies,” he explained. “You don’t even get a pension until you’ve served for eight years.”
The representative criticized the influence of wealthy donors in politics. “Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks want you to get all your information from their sources. They want to eliminate public education and enforce a hardline theocracy and oligarchy,” Rogers warned. He referred to their influence network as a “cartel,” highlighting its complexity and constant rebranding.
Rogers mentioned Cary Cheshire and Tony McDonald, referencing a 2020 runoff incident involving a leaked audio recording that mocked Governor Abbott for being in a wheelchair. The crude language in the recording led to the rebranding of “Empower Texas” to “Defend Texas Liberty,” and has since rebranded a third time into “Texans for a Conservative Majority.” The change came after the Texas Tribune revealed a meeting that took place between Empower Texans leader Jonathan Strickland and well-known Neo-Nazi sympathizer and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes. They met for over six hours at their offices in Ft. Worth. Rogers noted that the individuals involved remain active. “These guys never get rid of their cult leaders,” he said.
“I worry about the voting public losing critical thinking skills,” Rogers said, “but I know everybody in this room is a critical thinker. That’s why we’re here.” He elaborated on Tim Dunn’s intentions: “Dunn is a multi-billionaire with significant influence in various sectors, including religion and education. He aims to destroy public education entirely. He stated a few months ago that he wasn’t really concerned about vouchers because they are just one step towards completely dismantling public schools.”
Rogers also addressed the broader state of the Republican Party, questioning whether it is growing or dividing. “Extremists on the left are trying to destroy America, and extremists on the right are destroying the Republican Party,” he said. “Common sense Republicans turned Texas red. Extremist Republicans will turn Texas blue.”
During the meeting, Rogers presented highlights from the 2024 RPT state convention, including the new chair, Abraham George, hand-picked by Matt Rinaldi; the keynote speaker was Matt Gaetz. Rogers stressed the importance of integrity in political funding, stating, “Never take money from people you can’t say no to.”
Rogers outlined his perspective on contentious topics such as vouchers, taxpayer-funded lobbying, Democrat chairs, and closed primaries. He expressed concerns about the divisive tactics used by hardliners within the republican party, which he believes aim to enforce conformity or face destruction.
The meeting concluded with a review of conservative victories from the 87th and 88th legislative sessions. Rogers highlighted significant achievements, including the passing of constitutional carry, the most significant property tax decrease in Texas history, and bans on abortion, child gender modification, and drag show performances in front of children.
Overall, the meeting, sponsored by John Henry and Marilyn Luton, was polite and upbeat. The group also discussed changing the meeting night, and specific days were mentioned, but something still needs to be confirmed.
