Bryan Eppstein’s Liberal Crew

Last week we wrote about the sneaky tactics employed by consulting outfit Murphy Turner Associates to win races for liberal Republicans. Despite it’s work in 2012 Murphy Turner is not the premiere consulting firm for liberals in the Republican party. That honor belongs to Bryan Eppstein and his firm the Eppstein Group.

Unlike Murphy Turner’s recent left turn to the lobby and RINOs for their daily bread, Eppstein has annually had a corral full of liberal Republican clients. Readers may recall Eppstein through one of his minions unsuccessfully tried to have AgendaWise shut down when we broke that his client Byron Cook was breaking Texas law.

Attempting to shut down AgendaWise wasn’t Eppstein’s only misguided activity during the 2012 primary. Eppstein clients and The Texas Tribune teamed up to run a smear campaign against Empower Texans and Michael Quinn Sullivan. The play backfired on the Tribune when Ross Ramsey published false claims made by Eppstein client Vicki Truitt.

Of the 16 candidates who have made payments to Eppstein in 2012 only 4 of them have the backing of established conservative groups.

In the last two election cycles the tactics of the liberal consultants have been uninspiring and ineffective and as conservatives become more informed these consultants are becoming barriers, not indispensable aides, to winning elections.

*Conservatives groups referenced in the chart include Young Conservatives of Texas and Empower Texans. YCT and Empower Texans base endorsements on past legislative experience, candidate interviews, and questionnaires.