Noth Texas leaders look at impact of Paxton’s acquittal on voters

COLLIN COUNTY (CBSNewsTexas.com) – As senators in Austin voted to acquit Attorney General Ken Paxton on all articles of impeachment Saturday, the Republican and Democratic parties in Collin County were looking at what that vote means at home.

“I’m pleased to hear that our party is not as fractured as that he is acquitted and we are moving forward,” said Abraham George, the chairman of the Collin County Republican Party. “It’s a good day for the Texas Republican Party.”

“It may be a good day for their party, but it’s a bad day for our government,” Michael Tijerina said. “Our constitution, it was built with impeachment as a mechanism to root out corruption and abuses of power but the only problem is you need people with a backbone to stand up against that corruption.”

George says Saturday’s vote will have an impact on the primaries for several Collins County Republican house members.

“I don’t want to single out Jeff or Candy or Frazier, but they’re all gonna have primary opponents,” said George. “if the opponents are someone we can get behind as a party I believe the Collin County Republican Party will be getting behind their opponents.”

“They’re gonna be facing some challenges in the coming months and most of the time the party doesn’t get involved in primaries but I think in Collin County, this will be one year we will get involved in the primary, make sure this kind of acts don’t happen in Texas.”

The Democratic Party is also hoping Saturday’s impeachment vote will energize voters.

“Register to vote, make sure you get out there, make sure your voice is heard because the only way to get these people to listen is through the ballot box.”

The Collin County GOP says they plan on holding a rally to celebrate Paxton’s acquittal sometime in the days ahead. They expect Paxton to join them at that rally.