Parent PAC is a save-the-status-quo-in-education special interest group who played heavily in the past primary. A recently published Liberty Institute voter guide shows just how hollow supposed PPAC victories in the primary were, despite considerable bluster to the contrary.
This year, Liberty Institute asked candidates if they supported competition for K-12 education dollars. Competition for education dollars is what Parent PAC exists to protect against. Thirty-five GOP candidates indicated they agree to strongly agree with the statement.
Embarrassingly, several of them were endorsed by Parent PAC. They are Bennett Ratliff of HD-112, Ed Thompson of HD-29, Greg Bonnen of HD-24, and JD Sheffield of HD-59. Bonnen’s position was previously unclear, having been backed by groups on both sides of the issue. Parent PAC has thus far counted him among their victories.
We previously discussed how Parent PAC’s results have been overhyped. This is more evidence in that vein.
Even worse, none of Parent PAC’s supposed candidates voiced strong opposition, or any opposition at all, to systemic reform in education. It seems the best Parent PAC’s could do in primaries was to help elect a few candidates willing to straddle the issue in public.
The group’s activities were hyped by Austin based publications including Mike Hailey, writing for Capitol Inside.
Parent PAC GOP primary endorsees who straddled the fence on the Liberty Institute K-12 reform question include Chris Paddie, Ken King, Trent Ashby, Jason Villalba and Cecil Bell, Jr.