Whomever Republican voters back in the runoff for U.S. Rep. Kay Granger’s seat could signal the direction of their party.
Republicans Craig Goldman and John O’Shea are locked in a May 28 runoff for the GOP nomination for the 12th Congressional District of Texas. Both men tout their conservative bonafides, but each is rooted in a different wing of the Republican Party.
Goldman, a six-term state legislator, is a top lieutenant for Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan. The Fort Worth Republican has garnered the endorsements of Granger, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
O’Shea, an investor, is a close friend of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. O’Shea has the backing of Paxton, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and former Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who acted as a national security adviser to President Donald Trump.
The district covers west Tarrant County and most of Parker County. This election marks the first open race for the seat since Granger, R-Fort Worth, was elected in 1996. She is retiring after nearly three decades of service in Congress.
The race went to a runoff after no one in the field of five candidates secured more than 50% of the vote. One former candidate, Aledo Republican Clint Dorris, previously told the Fort Worth Report that he saw the crowded race as a way to force Goldman into a runoff.
Goldman won 44.4% of the vote in the March 5 primary. O’Shea secured 24.2% — a 20 percentage point difference.
Republican runoff voters likely will be more conservative than those in the first round of voting, said Thomas Marshall, a retired political science professor.
During an April debate, Goldman contrasted himself and his opponent. He said he has a proven public conservative voting record, and that O’Shea doesn’t.
“That’s the difference between John and I,” Goldman said.
O’Shea describes himself as a political outsider. He has served as a Republican Party precinct chair.
Votes Goldman pointed to as proof of his conservatism include ones in support of banning abortion in Texas, protecting Second Amendment rights to own a gun, conservative fiscal management and cutting property taxes.
That was not enough for O’Shea, who said Republicans in the state House should have addressed all of their party’s key issues.
“Mr. Goldman is running on his record, and I am running on his record as well,” O’Shea said.
Paxton looms large
Paxton, the state’s attorney general, is a central figure in the runoff.
Goldman, chair of the GOP caucus, joined 60 state House Republicans to impeach Paxton over allegations of misconduct. The vote was 121-23 for impeachment.
“The articles of impeachment did not say innocent or guilty. There’s not one member of the Texas House that voted innocent or guilty on that occasion,” Goldman said. “They said, as members of the grand jury, is there enough evidence for there to be a trial? So, that is what the Senate did.”
The state Senate later acquitted Paxton on all 16 articles of impeachment.
O’Shea is an ally of Paxton, who has campaigned in the district alongside his pick to replace Granger.
The impeachment is part of a larger issue within the GOP, O’Shea said.
“There is a war in our Republican Party. One side has to win and the other side has to lose,” he said. “I’m the America First candidate who’s going to support President Trump’s agenda, endorsed by our attorney general, Ken Paxton, who is fighting for our America First values. The choice is clear.”
Who endorsed whom?
Republicans Craig Goldman and John O’Shea have racked up their share of endorsements as they seek to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Kay Granger in Congress. Here’s a look at who’s backing each candidate:
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
- Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick
- U.S. Rep. Kay Granger
- Former Gov. Rick Perry
- Former U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm
- Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker
- State Sen. Kelly Hancock
- State. Sen Phil King
- State Sen. Drew Springer
- State Sen. Brian Birdwell
- State Sen. Tan Parker
- State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione
- State Rep. David Cook
- State Rep. Charlie Geren
- State Rep. Stephanie Klick
- Tarrant County Commissioner Manny Ramirez
- Former state Rep. Matt Krause
- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton
- Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn
- Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller
- Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul E. Vallely
- Political consultant and lobbyist Roger Stone
- Arizona state Rep. Quan Nguyen
- Seth Keshel, Army intelligence veteran
- Terry Schilling, president of American Principles Project
- Conservative Political Action Conference
Differences in issues
Experience and varying opinions on the attorney general aren’t the only wedges between O’Shea and Goldman. Their policy stances are, too.
The U.S. has been too much of an interventionist in world politics, O’Shea said. Instead of spending billions on the conflict in Ukraine, O’Shea wants the federal government to be more focused on the U.S.-Mexico border, which he said should be shut down as a way to hinder drug cartels and illegal immigration.
As for the Ukraine conflict, O’Shea described the U.S. as pushing Russia into the arms of China. Russia is stronger than ever, he said.
“They are showing that they are out producing the entire NATO with military equipment, material. Their army is far from demoralized,” O’Shea said.
The nation can both support Ukraine and secure the U.S.-Mexico border, Goldman said. He blamed President Joe Biden for the lack of funds and attention at the border, and said that’s why the Legislature agreed to funding for border security. The federal government should send federal troops to the border, he said.
Financially supporting Ukraine is necessary to ensure American troops are not sent to eastern Europe, Goldman said. Without sufficient support, Goldman expects Russia President Vladimir Putin to take more land and possibly attack U.S. allies.
“He wants to take Ukraine and he’s not going to stop there because the very next border that he takes will be Poland,” Goldman said. “And guess what: Poland is a member of NATO. Then we have to respond.”
Runoff winner?
Despite their differences, O’Shea described himself and Goldman as the best candidates currently running for the 12th Congressional District.
“Regardless of who wins in this primary runoff, unequivocally, whoever wins is far better than the Democratic alternative,” O’Shea said.
Whomever wins faces Democratic nominee Trey Hunt, who Granger defeated in 2022.
“I am a mental health worker and a homeless housing coordinator, and I am running as a Democrat for the open Congressional seat in the purple district of Texas’s 12th District. We can win, but I need your help to raise awareness,” Hunt tweeted in April.
The district has not sent a Democrat to Congress since 1994.
Granger’s successor will join a short list of five people who have represented the 12th Congressional District since 1919.
Voters now decide the sixth.
Jacob Sanchez is an enterprise journalist for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at jacob.sanchez@fortworthreport.org or @_jacob_sanchez. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
