Outspoken legislator Stickland draws challenge from pastor

Local firebrand state Rep. Jonathan Stickland on Tuesday became the latest lawmaker to draw a challenger — the Rev. Scott W. Fisher — in next year’s Republican primary.

In a race some say could create a sharp divide between local Republicans, Fisher said he finally decided to throw his hat in the ring for House District 92 after considering it for a decade.

“If I was ever going to do it, now is the time,” said Fisher, senior pastor of Metroplex Chapel of Euless who has served on a variety of state and local boards through the years.

Stickland said he wasn’t surprised to draw a challenger.

“We’ve been gearing up for that,” he said. “I’m a little surprised it’s him. He hasn’t been active in Republican politics in a long time.”

This is the latest local Republican legislative battle to crop up, joining already declared challenges for House District 99, pitting Rep. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth against newcomer Bo French, and House District 94, pitting Rep. Tony Tinderholt of Arlington against newcomer Andrew Piel.

But political observers say the battle for HD 92 has the potential to do something the other races don’t: divide two key groups of local Republicans — social conservatives and fiscal-focused Tea Party conservatives.

“While the two groups have a great deal in common, Tea Party conservatives tend to prioritize lower taxes and reducing the size and influence of government, while social conservatives tend to prioritize values related issues,” said Mark P. Jones, a political science professor at Rice University in Houston.

Social conservatives, compared with Tea Party conservatives “often support an active role for the state in select areas, especially in providing for the poor, disabled and others with great needs,” he said.

Filing for spots on next year’s ballot begins Nov. 14. The Texas primary election is on March 1.

The challenger

Fisher, 57, said he has had a number of people ask him through the years to run for the local state House district seat. “It was a community groundswell,” he said.

But the Bedford man said it never seemed to be the right time — until now.

On Sunday, he talked to the congregation he has led since 2000 and told them he planned to jump into the race. “The response within the church and within the community has been pretty positive,” he said.

He cites a few top issues, primarily protecting the family and de-funding Planned Parenthood, and said he and Stickland likely won’t have dramatically different priorities.

“I think what really will set us apart is the ability to implement those ideas,” he said. “Jonathan has not proven successful in trying to do that.”

Fisher has served on a slate of state and local boards and commissions through the years, appointed in 2008 by then-Gov. Rick Perry to serve on the Texas Youth Commission. Two years later, when the agency became the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, Fisher stayed on and served as chair.

He served on the Board of Managers of the John Peter Smith Network for years, as well as on the state GOP executive committee, as a three-time national delegate, a precinct chair an election judge and more.

Fisher, who served as director of communications for Texas Christian Coalition from 1992-1996, has made one other bid for office: he unsuccessful ran for Bedford mayor in 1994.

Fisher called Stickland Monday to let him know he’s getting in the race.

“It was cordial,” he said. “I told him we wanted to run a very competitive and aggressive campaign. He said he looked forward to it.”

The incumbent

Stickland, an opinionated Tea Party conservative from Bedford, was elected to office in 2012 and re-elected in 2014.

Described as a political bomb-thrower by some, the 32-year-old has served in two legislative sessions drawing headlines for everything from wearing his concealed handgun nearly every day at the Texas Capitol to being the focus of an investigation into whether witness cards were falsified.

“You don’t get any flack unless you are over the target,” Stickland said. “My political opponents know I’m very effective in many, many ways. But we expect to have a challenge every two years.”

While some conservatives at home fiercely defend him, “many House GOP leaders would be ecstatic if Stickland did not return to Austin in January of 2017,” Jones said.

A months-long Texas Rangers investigation this year over the witness cards issue wrapped up recently showing that no one committed prosecutable offenses. But Travis County’s District Attorney said there was evidence of falsification.

“I look forward to facing the voters yet again and asking for their vote,” said Stickland, an oil and gas consultant. “I’ve done exactly what I’ve campaigned on in the last two sessions and I’m proud of my conservative voting record.”

Stickland said his priorities include protecting life, liberty and property rights; ending the magnets attracting illegal immigration to Texas; and improving education for Texas children.

“This race is going to come down to grassroots versus establishment,” Stickland said. “Voters are very familiar with me. It’s going to take a very compelling message for that to change.”

This story was originally published September 29, 2015 at 10:44 AM with the headline "Outspoken legislator Stickland draws challenge from pastor."