Creationists lose in Texas

I think there were other contests today, but the important thing is that creationist challengers for two Texas Board of Education seats failed:

Veteran State Board of Education member Pat Hardy of Fort Worth [has] defeat[ed] a challenger in the GOP primary Tuesday night, holding off an effort by social conservatives to gain a working majority on the politically divided board. …

The Fort Worth Republican had been targeted by some social conservative groups for her independent voting ways and her frequent opposition to a bloc of seven social conservatives on the 15-member board.

Social conservatives threw their support behind Cleburne urologist Barney Maddox, known for his strong support of creation science and calls to revamp textbooks used in classrooms across Texas.

Education groups and other GOP leaders backed the incumbent. …

The board currently has 10 Republicans – including seven social conservatives who frequently vote together – and five Democrats. Seven members are up for election this year, but the only primary races are in District 11 (Ms. Hardy's seat) and District 2 in South Texas.

In the latter contest, incumbent Mary Helen Berlanga, D-Corpus Christi, easily defeated a challenger in the Democratic primary who also supported creation science as a better explanation of the origin of man than Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

HT PZ.

Oh, and something good happened in Vermont. Otherwise, the presidential race is basically where it was yesterday. Obama is ahead on delegates, McCain is the Republican nominee, Huckabee is a loser, and Gravel is poised to step in as the consensus candidate if the Democratic race goes to a brokered convention.

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I'm assuming the good thing in Vermont was the declaration of Bush and Cheney as criminals? I didn't see it mentioned elsewhere on ScienceBlogs though I may have just missed it. Sadly the only discussion of it I've seen was from Michelle Malkin and her bunch so if there's a bit more informed take on it, I'd be obliged if someone could point me in the right direction. If I missed it in my search...well I'll sit over here in the dumb chair.

That does make sense given the context. Thanks Josh.

By Patrick respon… (not verified) on 06 Mar 2008 #permalink

I don't think it is entirely accurate to say that the presidential race is the same after last Tuesday as it was before. It should be recalled that, before the vote, the mainstream media was writing off Senator Clinton and speculating as to when she would withdraw from the race. Given the results of last Tuesday, there is no way she will withdraw before the Pennsylvania primary in April. Once again, the mainstream media, which hats the Clintons like poison, is frustrated by the fact that they are not quitters.