Texas Supreme Court Justice Dale Wainwright

Dear Friend,

Much has been said about the anticipated surge of new voters in this historic presidential election, but many political pundits are overlooking its potential effect on the re-election of our judiciary -- and specifically, one of the most respected members of the Texas Supreme Court, Justice Dale Wainwright.

Past judicial elections have been known to turn on name identification alone, and in this race Justice Wainwright's opponent happens to share the name of a famous Texan -- Sam Houston.

Because qualifications are so important for those we entrust with the decisions of our High Court, it is crucial that our fellow Texans take a close look at Justice Wainwright's:

• experience and temperament,
• judicial philosophy and integrity,
• leadership on the Court,
• personal background and education.

We have taken a look at Justice Wainwright's record in each of these areas, and listed side by side with those of his opponent, our choice is clear. There really is no comparison.

Justice Dale Wainwright has earned our trust and we enthusiastically support his re-election to the High Court.

Sam Houston has no judicial experience, and has stated openly that he believes the Texas Supreme Court should not be able to overturn jury verdicts, regardless of the specific facts of the case -- a judicial philosophy that would seriously impair the right to appeal.

Justice Wainwright, however, believes it is his duty to "interpret and apply the laws as written, fairly and consistently" -- in other words, ensure justice. And having been appointed to the district court bench in 1999 and elected to the Supreme Court in 2002, his judicial experience is second to none.

Our opponents have claimed -- and many in the mainstream media have repeated -- that the Supreme Court is hopelessly backlogged and "tilted toward business." But the facts show otherwise.

The Court's opinion output for each of the last two fiscal years was the highest in a decade, and the number of cases carried over to the next fiscal year has declined significantly. And while the Court is generally conservative, many decisions are split 5-4, with vigorous dissent. The Court doesn't favor business -- it favors facts, merits, and legal principles.

The current Court's degree of fairness is evident in the tremendous respect Justice Wainwright receives as a judge who believes politics has no place in the courts. His record is lauded by Texans on both sides of the aisle, and by attorneys on both sides of the courtroom. Republicans, Democrats, Plaintiffs' and Defense attorneys all agree!

In every 2008 judicial poll, Texas attorneys have chosen Justice Wainwright as the most qualified person to serve on the Court by a margin of nearly two to one. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison articulated the views of many when she called Justice Wainwright "one of the outstanding stars on the Supreme Court in Texas."

For those of us who have worn the red blazer and worked so hard to build our Party by recruiting and supporting qualified leaders, we cannot afford to leave the re-election of an exemplary jurist to chance.

Please consider the experience of Justice Dale Wainwright, his remarkable background and
integrity, and help us re-elect him to the Texas Supreme Court on November 4th.

Sincerely,

P.S. Please consider forwarding this letter to your friends. This is such a historic election and every vote is important. Thank you!