In the wake of the Nov. 2 election, leaders of the McLennan County Democratic and Republican parties talked about what’s next, given big GOP gains locally.

Republican chairman Joe Hinton said the election outcome could lead to lifelong Democrats changing their party affiliation, and Democratic chairwoman Karen Petree said retaining Democratic officeholders will be something she has to concentrate on.

McLennan County Republican Party officials had nearly as good a night Nov. 2 as you’ll see in politics.

Apart from a few justice of the peace races in heavily Democratic areas, GOP candidates mopped up and will be replacing four senior Democratic officials, most notably U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards.

The party now controls 20 of 33 local elected offices and all three spots on the Waco-based state appellate court.

McLennan County Republican chairman Joe Hinton said he’s heard some area Democratic officials want to switch parties.
Tribune-Herald file photos

And local State Senate and House districts, the Texas Board of Education district and Congressional District 17 all will be represented by Republicans next year.

So what’s next? What do you do for the party that’s got (almost) everything?

“Right now, everyone’s still just trying to come down from the high — not just from the fact that we won, but that we won by such a large margin,” McLennan County Republican chairman Joe Hinton said.

But the work of the party continues, he said.

In addition to administrative work related to winding down elections activities, he said, “I’ve been writing a lot of ‘thank yous’ to people who helped us win, and calling people like (Bryan Republican and Congressman-elect) Bill Flores and (Centerville rancher and incoming State Rep.) Marva Beck.”

“And now we can start operating more civilly” with election season in the rearview mirror, he said.

He said the party’s success will make candidate recruitment easier — which, decades ago, was a harrowing task in the Waco area, given Democratic dominance.

Hinton said he’s heard rumors of Democratic officeholders considering coming over to the Republican camp, though he didn’t name any names.

“I’ve been hearing some rumbling about that,” he said. “There are some folks I know who have been Democrats forever and are pretty upset about how things are going in the country.”

Hinton said that the party’s doors are wide open, as they have been in the past when County Judge Jim Lewis changed his party affiliation.

“It’s very simple: You just vote Republican and cross over, and we’ll usher you into the party with a big welcome,” Hinton said.

mshapiro@wacotrib.com

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