Republicans seek party unity
By DAVID LOWE Staff Writer

Republican party

Lampasas County Republicans returned from their party's recent state convention determined to unify GOP voters around presidential candidate John McCain.

"We know we've got some work to do to bring the voters of the state of Texas on to the McCain campaign," Lampasas County Republican Party Chairman Skipper Wallace said after the Houston convention. "We've got to contrast [Democratic Party nominee Barack] Obama's positions with McCain's."

Wallace said McCain will promote fiscal conservatism and low taxes. Obama, the county chairman said, has proposed raising taxes about $1.8 billion to fund new government programs.

Keith Fontaine, a first-time con- vention delegate, said McCain, who recently has stated support for oil drilling off America's coasts -- and possibly in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge -- would address rising gas prices and Middle East influence better than Obama would.

"I do not want my national security or my economy sacrificed to the whims of an environmental movement," Fontaine said.

The Lampasas County delegate said former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich's speech about energy solutions shows the GOP is better prepared than the Democratic Party to counteract high fuel prices.

"We are becoming the party of 'we can,' not 'we cannot,'" Fontaine said.

Along with their interest in the presidential race, Republicans will invest significant time and resources into U.S. Senator John Cornyn's re-election campaign, Wallace said.

"He is a must," the county chairman said of Cornyn. "We must keep him in office in order to keep some reasonableness in Washington."

Wallace estimated the incumbent senator has a 60 percent chance of defeating challenger Rick Noriega, but he said Cornyn will face a strong challenge competing with Noriega for advertising.

"When you consider that Noriega has the money of George Soros behind him, that puts a whole new dynamic on it," Wallace said of the billionaire who often contributes to Democratic candidates.

In the presidential race, while Wallace compared Obama to former president John F. Kennedy in oratorical ability, he said Americans have not realized yet how liberal many of Obama's positions are.

Once Republicans begin showing the contrasts between McCain's proposals and Obama's, however, Wallace believes Americans will lose some of their enthusiasm for the Democratic candidate.

"Obama is a great orator," Wallace said. "I'll give him that. That's our challenge -- to debate the issues."