Hard Hitting Conservative Commentary by Gary M. Polland
Volume XXIV Number 6 – July 15, 2025
Thoughts This Fortnight
By Gary Polland
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
KEN PAXTON’S BAD DAY-WHAT DOES IT MEAN
FOR HOLDING THE SENATE
Ken Paxton’s campaign for the GOP nomination for United States Senate challenging incumbent Senator John Cornyn has been off to an ok start, but the recent news of his divorce on “Biblical grounds” has awful optics. Will it impact the primary and more importantly President Trump’s endorsement? Pundits speculate that the Trump endorsement will go to the strongest candidate in November versus whomever the Democrats run. The news this week is not helpful to Paxton or GOP hopes. We need to nominate the candidate with the best chance of holding the seat.
GOLD THE REAL STOREHOUSE OF VALUE
Your editor recently ran across this revelation in Bonner Private Research ([email protected]). “In 1950 it took 33 ounces of gold to buy the F-100 pickup in 1950. Today, it takes only 13 ounces…the real economy-measured in gold cut the price of a pickup truck in half. But our real economy made them twice as expensive.”
WHEN NOBODY VOTES YOU GET COMMUNIST-SOCIALISTS
Of course, are referring to the N.Y.C. democratic nomination for Mayor won by radical leftist, anti-American Zohran Mamdani. Did you know what per cent of the registered voters showed up and voted for this lunatic who wants to socialize most aspects of life there? 5% and less than 30% bothered to vote period. Voters in New York better get motivated and turn out to save the city from this anti-police, pro-rent freeze, pro-socialized grocery stores candidate, free buses and child care, protection for gender-affirming care, and finally raise taxes on the rich. The voters in NYC better wake up or the city will be circling the urinal post flush.
THE LEFT’S INSANITY OF IRAN & BORDER CONTROL
& ALMOST EVERY ISSUE
Does it seem to you that the left in America opposes whatever President Trump is doing regardless of merit? They are like the boy who cried wolf every time.
Do you recall all the fear mongering about bombing the Iranian nuclear program. Histrionics like World War 3, thousands of dead U.S. soldiers, the attack will fail, and we didn’t exhaust diplomacy. Of course there are more. The naysayers have forgotten the success we enjoyed in our history thanks to peace through strength. They are wrong.
One interesting comment was the Democrats said we shouldn’t bomb the nuclear weapons program and in the next breath told us the attack wasn’t strong enough. By the way, we have tried diplomacy with Iran for around 20 years and failed. They will talk forever but never agree to dismantle their nuclear weapons program. And to be clear, once they (Iran) get them they will use them.
HARRIS COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMISIONER’S
LATEST OUTRAGEOUS VOTE
It seems weekly we hear more outrageous actions by the four Democratic Commissioners-Hidalgo, Briones, Garcia and Ellis voted to send someone selected by Harris County Flood Control leader Tina Patterson on a trip to San Francisco for $1500 in airfare and a $1200 a night hotel room with the total approved cost of $8,120. This is after her department finally admitted they would be unable to fund over $1.3 billion in priority flood control projects. Patterson also got a nice raise recently. In the private sector the reward for failure is a pink slip i.e. termination.
If you are tired of the present Commissioner’s Court you need to vote for the Republican candidates up in 2026 and “Save Harris County”.
CARTOON OF THE WEEK
Political and Campaign Newswire
By Marc Cowart
Managing Editor
CONGRESSMAN DAN CRENSHAW DRAWS PRIMARY OPPONENT
Woodlands area State Representative Steve Toth (SRD-15) today announced that he will challenge Congressman Dan Crenshaw in the upcoming March 3, 2026 Republican Primary for the CD-2 seat that Crenshaw has held since 2019. Toth will have to relinquish the seat in the Texas House he has held for five terms to challenge Crenshaw.
GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT CALLS
SPECIAL SESSION TO BEGIN ON JULY 21
Governor Greg Abbott has called a Special Session of the Texas Legislature to begin at 12:00 PM on Monday, July 21.
The Special Session 18-item agenda items include:
- FLOOD WARNING SYSTEMS: Legislation to improve early warning systems and other preparedness infrastructure in flood-prone areas throughout Texas.
- FLOOD EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS: Legislation to strengthen emergency communications and other response infrastructure in flood-prone areas throughout Texas.
- RELIEF FUNDING FOR HILL COUNTRY FLOODS: Legislation to provide relief funding for response to and recovery from the storms which began in early July 2025, including local match funding for jurisdictions eligible for FEMA public assistance.
- NATURAL DISASTER PREPARATION & RECOVERY: Legislation to evaluate and streamline rules and regulations to speed preparedness for and recovery from natural disasters.
- ELIMINATE STAAR TEST: Legislation to eliminate the STAAR test and replace it with effective tools to assess student progress and ensure school district accountability.
- CUT PROPERTY TAXES: Legislation reducing the property tax burden on Texans and legislation imposing spending limits on entities authorized to impose property taxes.
- PROTECT CHILDREN FROM THC: Legislation making it a crime to provide hemp-derived products to children under 21 years of age.
- REGULATE HEMP-DERIVED PRODUCTS : Legislation to comprehensively regulate hemp-derived products, including limiting potency, restricting synthetically modified compounds, and establishing enforcement mechanisms, all without banning a lawful agricultural commodity.
- PROTECT UNBORN CHILDREN: Legislation further protecting unborn children and their mothers from the harm of abortion.
- BAN TAXPAYER-FUNDED LOBBYING: Legislation prohibiting taxpayer-funded lobbying, including the use of tax dollars to hire lobbyists and payment of tax dollars to associations that lobby the Legislature.
- PROTECT HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS: Legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 1278 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, that protects victims of human trafficking from criminal liability for non-violent acts closely tied to their own victimization.
- POLICE PERSONNEL RECORDS: Legislation that protects law enforcement officers from public disclosure of unsubstantiated complaints in personnel files.
- PROTECT WOMEN’S SPACES: Legislation protecting women’s privacy in sex-segregated spaces.
- ATTORNEY GENERAL ELECTION POWERS: Legislation proposing a constitutional amendment allowing the Attorney General to prosecute state election crimes.
- REDISTRICTING: Legislation that provides a revised congressional redistricting plan in light of constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice.
- TITLE THEFT & DEED FRAUD: Legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 648 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, that provides strengthened protections against title theft and deed fraud.
- WATER PROJECT INCENTIVES: Legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 1253 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, that authorizes political subdivisions to reduce impact fees for builders who include water conservation and efficiency measures.
- STATE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT: Legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 2878 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, relating to the operation and administration of the Judicial Department of state government.
Source: https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-announces-special-session-agenda-
HOUSTON AREA SAFER THANKS TO
PRESIDENT TRUMP AND I.C.E.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) announced that it apprehended 1361 criminal aliens in June 2025 in the Houston area. Among those arrested were child predators, murderers, gang or cartel members, and one airplane hijacker. If Democrats and liberals had their way, these dangerous criminals would still walk among us. Thank you, President Trump, and I.C.E. for making Harris County safer from dangerous criminal aliens.
To report criminal alien activity, call the toll-free ICE Tip Line at (866) 347-2423 or file online at https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form. Reports may be filed anonymously.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-arrests-1361-criminal-aliens-houston-area-june
TCR TO BEGIN INTERVIEWING CANDIDATES
The Texas Conservative Review will soon begin interviewing prospective candidates for the March 3, 2026 Republican Primary Election for potential endorsement. Candidates who wish to be considered for endorsement by TCR should schedule an interview by contacting Marc Cowart by phone at 832-282-2175 or by emailing [email protected].
EVENTS CALENDAR
Click link for full details
July 15, 2025: Candidate/Officeholder Campaign Finance Reports Due
July 16, 2025 Carolyn Bryant Meet-and-Greet
July 19, 2025 Judicial Petition Signing Event
July 19, 2025 Saturday Menudo Club
July 22, 2025 Truth Movement Meeting
August 11, 2025 CPAC Houston
August 12, 2025 Pachyderm Club of Northwest Houston
August 12, 2025 Texas Tea Party Republican Women August 14, 2025 Cypress Republicans Luncheon with Congressman Morgan Luttrell
November 4,2025 General Election (CD 18 and SD 9 for example)
January 1, 2025: First day to apply for a ballot by mail for any 2025 election
July 19, 2025: First day to file for a place on the November 4, 2025 General Election
August 18, 2025: Last day to file for a place on the November 4, 2025 General Election
October 6, 2025: Last day to register to vote in the November 4, 2025 General Election
October 20, 2025: First day of Early Voting for the November 4, 2025 General Election
October 31, 2025: Last day of Early Voting for the November 4, 2025 General Election
November 4, 2025: Election Day
March 3, 2026 Primary Election
January 1, 2026: First day to apply for a ballot by mail for any 2026 election
September 9, 2025: First day to file for Precinct Chairman for the March 3, 2026 Primary Election
November 8, 2025: First day to file for all other offices for the March 3, 2026 Primary Election
December 8, 2025: Last day to file for a place on the ballot for the March 3, 2026 Primary Election
February 2, 2025: Last day to register to vote in the March 3, 2026 Primary Election
February 17, 2026: First day of Early Voting for the March 3, 2026 Primary Election
February 20, 2026: Last day to apply for a ballot by mail for the March 3, 2026 Primary Election
February 27, 2026: Last day of Early Voting for the March 3, 2026 Primary Election
March 3, 2026: Election Day
May 26, 2026 Primary Runoff Election
April 27, 2026: Last day to register to vote in the May 2, 2026 Primary Runoff Election
May 15, 2026: Last day to apply for a ballot by mail for the May 26, 2026 Primary Runoff Election
May 18, 2026: First day of Early Voting for the May 26, 2026 Primary Runoff Election
May 22, 2026: Last day of Early Voting for the May 26, 2026 Primary Runoff Election
May 26, 2026 Election Day for the 2026 Primary Runoff Election
For information on becoming a candidate on the Republican Primary Election Ballot, visit https://www.harriscountygop.com/run-for-office/
ADVERTISE HERE!
To advertise online or in a printed edition of the Texas Conservative Review, please contact Marc Cowart at 832-282-2175 or email [email protected]
About Your Editor
Gary Polland is a long-time conservative and Republican spokesman, fund-raiser, and leader who served three terms as the Harris County Republican Chairman. During his three terms, Gary was described as “the most successful county Chairman in America” by Human Events – The National Conservative Weekly. He is in his twenty-eighth year of editing a newsletter dealing with key conservative and Republican issues. For the last twenty-three years, he has edited the Texas Conservative Review. As a public service for the previous 20 years, Gary has published election guides for the GOP primary, general elections, and city elections, all to assist conservative candidates. Gary also for 20 years cohosted Red, White and Blue on Houston Public Media TV 8 PBS Houston, longest running political talk show in Texas history and for the last four-plus years Gary has been a regular commentator on Fox 26-Houston’s “What’s Your Point” airing Sunday’s at 7 a.m. Gary serves on the Board of Directors of American Values, a national pro-family, pro-faith, conservative organization supporting the unity of the American people around the vision of our founding fathers and dedicated to reminding the public of the conservative principles fundamental to the survival of our nation. Gary is a practicing attorney and strategic consultant. He can be reached at (713) 621-6335.
