votes. The affront by Empower Texans and other anti-medi- cine camps with deep pockets also contributed to losses for TEXPAC candidates in key statewide races for lieutenant governor and attorney general, among other contests. “There are organizations in our state that are putting TMA and TEXPAC in the crosshairs. Those groups have millions of dollars behind them, and for us to be able to compete on a statewide level, we need more help, we need more members, and we need more dollars,” Dr. Holland said.
In some of the Senate and statewide races, for example — including Senator Deuell’s — medicine’s opponents out- spent TEXPAC 10 to 1, PAC Director Clayton Stewart adds. TEXPAC did well in the House races and still has six physician and alliance friends in the Texas Legislature, in- cluding veterans Sen. Charles Schwertner, MD (R-George- town), Rep. John Zerwas, MD (R-Simonton), and second- term Rep. Greg Bonnen, MD (R-Friendswood). Their seats are uncontested. The organization also helped score some key primary
wins for nonphysician candidates who, with local physi- cian backing, prevailed over some of medicine’s opponents, Mr. Stewart notes. For example, TEXPAC helped carry a new friend of medicine, businessman Will Metcalf, to vic- tory over Empower Texans and Texas Right to Life attacks in the Republican primary runoff for House District 16 in Montgomery County.
But losses in the Senate in particular show “the battle has gone from trench warfare to guerilla warfare,” Mr. Stewart said, adding that even despite their victories, Rep- resentatives Sheffield and King faced tough sledding from well-financed anti-medicine forces. The political cycle “lays the groundwork for the legislative session, and when we lose our friends, physicians are putting their practices at risk,” Mr. Stewart added. Dr. Hunsaker adds that in addition to the usual, well- defined anti-medicine suspects like trial lawyers looking to tear down tort reform and allied health professionals seeking scope-of-practice expansions, some of medicine’s latest foes are more subtle. That makes local physician in- volvement all the more crucial to dispelling myths about medicine’s agenda, he says. Vaccines, for example, are known cost-effective, disease-
preventing treatments. “But right now we are in a unique situation in that we have some groups that ardently op- pose anything medicine wants to do if it involves spending, even if it’s spending wisely for the benefit of Texans,” Dr. Hunsaker said.
A BIGGER, BETTER PAC To counterattack, TEXPAC leaders are revamping the orga- nization to go out and battle on behalf of physicians. That boost includes changes that open up more avenues for phy- sicians to get involved politically, locally, and financially. The plan starts with enlarging TEXPAC’s voting board and ramping up overall membership to include more phy-
101 TEXPAC H CANDIDATE ENDORSEMENT H STEP 1 COUNTY MEDICAL PHYSICIAN/PHYSICIAN GROUP SOCIETY/INDIVIDUAL
Interviews candidate based on his or her position on medicine’s issues; votes to send recommendation to TEXPAC Candidate Evaluation Committee
STEP 2 TEXPAC CANDIDATE EVALUATION COMMITTEE
Evaluates candidate recommendations; votes on whether to send recommenda- tion to the full TEXPAC Board for final approval
STEP 3 TEXPAC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Votes on how much funding should go to a recommended candidate should the TEXPAC Board support him or her
STEP 4 TEXPAC BOARD
Votes on whether to endorse candidate recommendation
September 2014 TEXAS MEDICINE 21
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