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TexasTowelie

(111,279 posts)
Wed Jul 24, 2013, 12:03 AM Jul 2013

State Rep. Dan Branch (R) Announces for Attorney General

Earlier today, State Representative Dan Branch of Dallas announced he would not seek re-election to the Texas House and would instead seek the office of Texas Attorney General. This office is currently held by Greg Abbott who himself is leaving his present office to pursue a bid for Governor of Texas. Rep. Branch has served in the Texas House since 2003 and currently serves as chair of the Committee on Higher Education. This, of course, means District 108, just north of downtown Dallas and one of the twenty most vulnerable republican seats in the Texas House based on Obama's 2012 results, will be an open seat and a serious contest should be expected.

In announcing his entrance into the race, Rep. Branch said

"I'm running for Attorney General to fight against an overreaching federal government, to fight for open and accountable government, and to preserve limited government in Texas ... And I will fight for our state's right to protect the unborn and our right to define marriage as between one man and one woman."


In other words: More of the same. As Attorney General, Branch will continue to fight the Obama Administration's attempts to reign in pollution and create fair labor standards while also working to enforce discriminatory marriage laws and work to uphold the special session's extreme HB2 abortion bill.

Rep. Branch starts with just over $4 million in his campaign bank account which he has transferred over from his state house account. In the Republican primary, he presently faces Railroad Commissioner Barry Smitherman whom currently has just over $1 million in his campaign account. Republican State Senator Ken Paxton of Collin County may join the field next week after tweeting this afternoon:

Texas' next AG must have a proven conservative record. With the encouragement of many fellow Texans, next week I will announce future plans.
— Senator Ken Paxton (@SenKenPaxton) July 23, 2013


More at http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/13823/rep-dan-branch-r-announces-for-attorney-general .

[font color=green]The Dallas Morning News article about this story states that Rep. Branch intends to follow the path of his predecessor, Greg Abbott, and continue suing the Obama administration (which it has already done 27 times).[/font]
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