Washington, D.C. – The Club for Growth Foundation has released its 2023 Texas state economic scorecard, providing Texans with an in-depth analysis of where each representative in Austin stands on policies pertaining to free-markets and economic growth.
The mission of the Club for Growth Foundation is to educate the public on the virtues of economic freedom and limited government. By widely distributing the results of its state level economic scorecard, the Club for Growth Foundation creates a better-informed population in the Lone Star State and across the country.
The Foundation conducted a thorough examination of each legislator’s record on votes related to policies that either promote or undermine economic growth and calculated an Economic Growth Score on a scale of 0 to 100. A score of 100 indicates the highest support for economic freedom. This year, the Club for Growth Foundation evaluated over 4,700 floor votes and, in the end, included 20 Texas House votes and 19 Texas Senate votes. These votes included opposition policies such as the 21.3% spending increase in the Texas biennial budget and a massive corporate welfare deal, as well as support for legislation that would protect Texans from property tax increases and provide universal education savings accounts (ESA) for the benefit of all Texas K-12 students.
“The mission of the Club for Growth Foundation is to provide the general public with the resources necessary to generate an informed opinion on the policies that have a direct impact on their everyday lives and to educate them on the benefits of free-market, limited government principles,” said Club for Growth Foundation President David McIntosh. “From the outside-looking-in, many people assume that Texas is one of the most conservative states in the Union – however our analysis proves there is still work to be done in Austin to promote fiscal responsibility and ensure that tax dollars are working for the taxpayers instead of special interests. By making the information in its scorecard regularly available, Club for Growth Foundation offers a detailed look into where each lawmaker stands on key pieces of legislation.”
Club for Growth Foundation plans to release similar scorecards for state legislatures across the country.
Key Takeaways from Texas 2023 Scorecard:
Texas Senate:
- Senate Members: 31
- Republicans: 19
- Democrats: 12
- Vacancies: 0
- Average Republican Score: 58% (Down from 76% in 2021)
- Average Democrat Score: 10% (Down from 21% in 2021)
- Highest Rated Republican(s): Sen. Mayes Middleton (SD-11): 87%
- Highest Rated Democrat(s): Sen. Ronald Gutierrez (SD-19): 21%
- Lowest Rated Republican(s): Sen. Robert Nichols (SD-03): 26%
- Lowest Rated Democrat(s): Sen. Sarah Eckhardt (SD-14) 3%
Texas House:
- House Members: 150
- Republicans: 83
- Democrats: 67
- Vacancies: 0
- Average Republican Score: 48% (Down from 64% in 2021)
- Average Democrat Score: 14% (No change from 14% in 2021)
- Highest Rated Republican(s): Rep. Brian Harrison (HD-10), Rep. Matt Schaefer (HD-06), and Rep. Tony Tinderholt (HD-94): 100%
- Highest Rated Democrat(s): Rep. Jarvis Johnson (HD-139) and Rep. Ray Lopez (HD-125): 25%
- Lowest Rated Republican(s): Rep. Steve Allison (HD-121) and Rep. Drew Darby (HD-72): 17%
- Lowest Rated Democrat(s): Rep. Chris Turner (HD-101): 3%
Click here to view the full 2023 Texas State Economic Scorecard from Club for Growth Foundation.
This scorecard is based on selected votes of importance to the Foundation and does not include the complete voting record of any legislator. There are inherent limitations in judging the overall qualifications of any legislator.