History Lesson: How Stockman won in 2012

Last year, immediately following his surprise victory in the CD-36 race, Steve Stockman sat down with Human Events to share best practices and lessons learned:

“Well, you’ll hear a lot of ‘Stockman was lucky’ and similar stuff — just don’t believe it,” the Republican nominee in Texas’ 36th District told us. “I could not have done it without all the hard-working, grass-roots volunteers. Believe me, we had them — young conservatives who came into an old motorcycle shop, worked the precincts and made phone calls, slept on the floor, and ate MREs [Army rations] for their three meals. There’s nothing like volunteers who believe in a candidate and a cause.”

But, he insisted, “the candidate has to believe in something to attract and motivate those kind of supporters.” Recalling his good-as-Goldwater voting record (American Conservative Union rating: 100 percent) while serving in the House from 1994-96, Stockman said “we talked about our support for the right to keep and bear arms. Our yard signs said I was ‘NRA-endorsed’ We embraced social issues such as abortion and talked a lot about my pro-life record and support for traditional marriage. We were conservatives and proud of it.”

When we pointed out that Stockman’s run-off opponent, financial planner Stephen Takach, also embraced those positions and agreed with him on the immediate repeal of Obamacare, the former congressman interrupted and said: “Excuse me. Those positions went up on his website after May 28, when he was facing me in the run-off. Up to that point — and we photographed it — his website never mentioned issues like that and he spoke primarily that he was a businessman who could create jobs.”

Did the support of national conservative organizations pack a punch in the primary? Stockman shot back: “You bet. And we sought them and used them. The NRA, Gun Owners of America, Citizens United, all were for us. And, while we couldn’t afford television, their support allowed us to do mailings, and reach the conservative base.” He also cited entertainer Pat Boone, the spokesman for the 60 Plus Seniors Association, cutting a robocall for him that went out to voters on the day of the run-off July 31. Stockman, like Boone and 60 Plus President James L. Martin, has long supported outright repeal of the death tax.

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Steve Stockman stayed in politics, persisted, and finally got that “second chance” so many who were defeated yearn for. In so doing, he spelled out a simple formula for doing this: working hard and having principles to believe in.Steve Stockman stayed in politics, persisted, and finally got that “second chance” so many who were defeated yearn for. In so doing, he spelled out a simple formula for doing this: working hard and having principles to believe in.

 Read the whole thing here.