In Battle For Texas House Speaker, Religion Becomes An Issue

In the Texas state legislature, Joe Straus, the current speaker of the House of Representatives, is being challenged by two other Republicans who are more conservative. Yesterday's Dallas Morning News reports that  supporters of challengers Rep. Warren Chisum and Rep. Ken Paxton are stressing their candidates' Christian values and in e-mails are alluding to the fact that Straus is Jewish. A Houston Chronicle opinion piece carries a detailed examination of what it calls the "religious campaign against Straus."  Some of the opposition pieces claim Straus favors abortion and points out that his rabbi is on the board of Planned Parenthood. A Dallas Morning News report analyzes the claim that Straus received a 100% National Abortion Rights League rating for 2007.  It reports:

In 2007, Straus voted 100 percent of the time with NARAL Pro-Choice Texas. However, he only voted on one of nine votes the group considered crucial that session. Straus voted "aye" on an unsuccessful amendment to the state budget that would have shifted to child-abuse prevention efforts $5 million previously allotted to "pregnancy crisis centers," which advise women and girls about alternatives to abortions.

The ADL yesterday issued a release calling appeals based on a candidate's religion "offensive and inappropriate."