July 18, 2014 5:57 PM

Updated - Rottinghaus: Which conservative groups endorsed best?

University of Houston political scientist ranks the success rates of Empower Texans, Texas Right to Life, and others in the primaries

With the 2014 primaries and runoffs in the books, the refrain nationally and internationally is that the Tea Party ran the table in Texas. The New York Times reported that the “Tea Party Holds Sway,” the Wall Street Journal wrote that the election showed the “Tea Party’s Muscle,” while the Daily Mail in the United Kingdom proclaimed a “Tea Party Takeover.”

Does the Tea Party wing of the Republican Party control the Republican nomination politics in Texas? Texas is undoubtedly conservative but there is variation in which groups have the most sway. One way to look at which groups are most influential is to examine the successful percentage of endorsed candidates in the primary and runoffs. An endorsement from a political group signals to voters that the endorsed candidate’s views are seminal to those of the organization and gives us a window into their influence on the Republican electorate. The voter guides produced by each political organization is a shorthand way for voters to understand the views of the groups.

The complete column from Brandon Rottinghaus can be found in today's R&D Department.