Local Republicans were exuberant in the aftermath of Tuesday’s elections, after nearly pulling off a clean sweep in McLennan County races, unseating senior Democrat U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards and powerful state Rep. Jim Dunnam.

But with the gains of Congressman-elect Bill Flores of Bryan and rancher and state Rep.-elect Marva Beck of Centerville come a loss of experience that for some on the right has tempered their celebrations somewhat.

Edwards had clout on the House Appropriations Committee, where he chaired the subcommittee on veterans affairs and military construction.

In addition to being the Democratic leader in the House and a senior member of the chamber, Dunnam is a master of parliamentary rules.

Magnifying the trend, Granbury Republican Brian Birdwell replaced veteran state Sen. Kip Averitt, R-Waco, after defeating former state Sen. David Sibley, R-Waco, in a June special election.

“We’ve swapped about 70 years of legislative experience with six years,” said Sibley, who made seniority, local ties and redistricting know-how central themes of his recent campaign.

Republican state Rep. Charles “Doc” Anderson, who won re-election, has served in the House since 2005. He was elected in 2004..

“I’m happy, but a little bit moderated in my emotions,” said Waco Republican Chris DeCluitt.

“I’m happy Marva (Beck) was able to put it on Jim (Dunnam),” DeCluitt said.

But given Beck’s rookie status, he said Anderson “is going to have to step up for Waco.”

Anderson said “it puts some more pressure on me and it’s a challenge . . . but I’m excited about it and looking forward to it.”

He stressed the importance of holding regular meetings with Beck and Birdwell to make sure the trio are on the same page on issues of local importance.

Brad Holland, president of the McLennan County Republican Club said he’d encountered no second-guessing about sending Flores to Washington. “Voting should be based not on how much money should be brought back to the district, but on beliefs,” he said.

“People are excited about the freshman class,” Holland said, adding that if term limits are established, concerns about losing seniority would dissipate.

As for the situation in Austin, Holland acknowledged there are redistricting maps being discussed where McLennan County gets split into multiple State Senate districts.

“I appreciate trying to keep Waco and McLennan County whole, Senate district-wise, and I’ll tell you that Sen. Birdwell and Doc Anderson have spoken to our group and that’s been their priority,” Holland said.

“So we just hope and pray that it goes well.”

Redistricting experts have said that, aside from the House Speaker and chair of the Committee on Calendars, House members have little or no influence over the Senate maps.

Waco’s civic leaders have expressed more concern about the diminishment of power.

Former Waco Mayor Virginia DuPuy said, “It’s a sobering time for the community,” particularly with the upcoming redistricting, when some regions will gain power and others will lose out.

Baylor University political science professor Thomas Myers was more blunt.

“McLennan County took a beating Tuesday,” he said.

DuPuy said she remains optimistic even though area residents have their work cut out for them.

“Our relationships in Austin and Washington are so important for us to maintain, develop and build on, and we’re blessed with many, many people in this community who understand that and do great work,” she said.

Farm Bureau’s take

The Waco-based Texas Farm Bureau is like many groups adapting to the sea change in Congress and at the State House, according to its spokesman.

The group endorsed Anderson, Dunnam, Edwards and Sibley in June. Only Anderson prevailed.

“The fact that the House has turned over now and there are different people in leadership roles will kind of minimize the loss of Chet Edwards,” said spokesman Gene Hall, referring to Edwards’ position as the only Texan on an Appropriations subcommittee with influence over agricultural spending.

There will in all likelihood be three Texas representatives on the House Agriculture Committee and two of them, Randy Neugebauer and Mike Conaway, are members of the new majority party.

The nation’s farm bill, and within that America’s crop subsidy levels, will be revamped in 2012. That process typically breaks down along regional lines, Hall said.

In the Senate, Arkansas’ Blanche Lincoln, the current Agriculture Committee chairwoman, was defeated.

Lawmakers from southern states, including Lincoln, have in the past pitched for rice and cotton subsidies, whereas Midwestern legislators most likely to take over Lincoln’s committee prize corn and soybean subsidies.

“Sen. Lincoln was a conservative Democrat,” Hall said, “and her position gave the southern region a lot of clout.”

On the Republican resurgence, Hall said it will have various impacts on the Farm Bureau’s legislative goals.

On the one hand, the Farm Bureau shares the GOP’s philosophical concerns with federal spending levels and Republicans may be more willing to enter into trade agreements, he said.

On the other hand, efforts supported by the group to end the Cuban trade embargo, which is adamantly opposed by Cuban Republicans, are now all but dead.

On subsidies, Hall said, “We’ve got a lot of education to do. Agriculture’s subsidized so heavily throughout the world — especially in the European Union and Brazil — so without our farm program we’re playing against a stacked deck.

“You can’t leave American farmers to compete against the treasury of a foreign government.”

mshapiro@wacotrib.com

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