On Scott Turner

On Wednesday, Texas State Rep Scott Turner (R - Rockwall) gave a last minute speech at the Texas Public Policy Foundation's Policy orientation conference.  Today, he filed to run for speaker in 2015.  It's been a whirlwind few days for the former NFL player.

I am excited to announce I have just filed to run for Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives for the 84th... http://t.co/roTDbnUn2W
— Scott Turner (@ScottTurnerTX) January 10, 2014

Cahnman's Musings first met Scott Turner a reception in late-2012.  We began to follow his career at the urging of Michelle Smith of Concerned Women for America, who lives in Turner's district.  We're impressed by his record.

Regarding the Speaker's race itself, we concur with PJ Tattler:

The conservative Republican former NFL star, who is a freshman in the Texas House, will be taking on an entrenched and powerful speaker who has beaten back several past challenges. Straus maintains his seat, ironically given the Republicans’ overwhelming majority in the House, by blending a unified Democrat caucus plus enough Republicans voting together to keep him as speaker.

Turner will be facing an uphill fight, but his entire life story is about taking on one uphill fight after another.

Obviously, our own sentiments towards Joe Straus are known.

For conservative Texans who want to replace Joe Straus, we encourage you to start by supporting Matt Beebe at the ballot box.  If Beebe wins in March, Turner will be the last man standing.  Even if Beebe falls short, then giving Straus a run for his money strengthens Turner immeasurably.

Here's Turner's speech from Wednesday:



Highlights:

• Told his mom at 10: "Mom, one day I'm going to play in the NFL."

• As a teenager, his Dad took him to work as a dishwasher.
• "You will not quit; not today, not ever."

• To get to the NFL: "I ran and kept running."
• "13 years of preparation for 4.2 seconds...changed my life."
• "I was not willing to throw in the towel."
• Drafted by the Redskins in the seventh round in 1995.

• "As you and I go, so goes Texas; as Texas goes, so goes America."
• "In order for Texas to be the best it can be, we have to be the best people we can be."
• Lip service does not cut it.
• Put your feet on the ground; do it.

• Super charging the Texas economy:  "I don't want to just be good enough to win; I want to be the best we can be."

• "The external affairs of Texas will be directly effected by conditions of the hearts of its people; where is your heart today?!?"