The Takeover of the Republican Party of Wichita County
By John Mark Galloway

A takeover of the Republican Party of Wichita County during the 1996 primary election was confirmed at the Republican County Convention on March 30, 1996. The takeover group were extremely well-informed on political procedures, held a number of meetings prior to the convention, and did an outstanding job on political power. Written instructions were used for the participants. There were several deliberate lies made, presumably to incite their people to action (and so admitted by one woman afterward). She said they did not know they were lies.

As chairman of the Credentials Committee, all delegate lists had to go through this committee. There were many Southern Baptists on those lists who had never previously attended a county convention. Since the Republican Party is a political group, there were many unbelievers participating. Our Creator and God gave one man wisdom beyond that of any other man who has ever lived, and that man said: “A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city, and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.” The unbelievers present at that convention were offended by the actions and words of those who professed to be acting in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The two main leaders, who did a superb political job, are Southern Baptist. Having seen some of their written statements, I tried to talk to each and could only get a shrug of the shoulders and comments: “That was not for general distribution” and “What’s wrong with that?” When asked who was behind the well-organized movement, each of them said this was strictly a local group, but it turns out to be pretty much state wide. Just like the fundamentalist takeover of the Southern Baptist convention, “The end justifies the means” and “It is all right to lie when you are doing the Lord’s work.” I could not help but see similar tactics in the Republican Convention, especially a “GO FOR THE JUGULAR” attitude.

The Republican Party of Texas has a very strong pro-life/family stance. At the convention, though they had a number of resolutions to be presented, the only one they did present was one to recommend that the 1994 platform be adopted for 1996. But their talk was that the pro-choice people were going to take over the convention and put abortion in the platform. They were unwilling to admit that the vast majority of people who have been working in the Republican Party for years were pro-life.

Actually, it appears this was not really their main agenda. Control, at any costs, was the main issue. Just like the takeover of the Southern Baptist convention cost bold Mission Thrust, this takeover will eliminate the possibility of evangelizing those offended Republicans. The media has long opposed the Religious right for their “religious” actions. Having personally experienced such actions by the Religious right, I can well understand why the bias. Their actions are religious, not Christian, and they have brought reproach on the Name of Christ, and will make it much more difficult for Baptist churches to carry out their God-assigned mission to win the lost. I just hope and pray that the Baptist churches of Texas will take a strong stand for Biblical evangelism and activities and not the Religions Right activities.

One of the leaders said: “I do not separate my religion from my politics.” Along with many of the unbelievers who were offended by their political and religious actions, I, too, can say that I do not want any part of their religion.

John Mark Galloway is a deacon in Colonial Baptist Church in Wichita Falls.

August 1996