Here in Texas, social conservatives and evangelicals dominate the Republican Party infrastructure. While affirming religious freedom, the state party platform goes so far as to declare the United States is a Christian nation. The platform calls on the party to deny assistance to any Republican candidate that does not completely and uniformly subscribe to their two pages of prohibitions on abortion and scientific research using fetal tissue or stem cells.

That's all fine. Whatever encourages citizens to engage in the political process is worthwhile.

But how important is all of that in electing public officials in Texas?

Last week, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison cast her first vote against a Bush nomination to the federal bench. Leon Holmes is an evangelical and the former head of an Arkansas right to life group.

Hutchison has long said she supports abortion until viability.

In the overheated rhetoric that usually accompanies controversial judicial nominations, one Texas social conservative labeled Hutchison a "religious bigot". Two former Republican Party chairmen castigated Hutchison for being a Republican in name only and said conservatives would work to defeat her should she run for governor in 2006.

But Hutchison's objections to Holmes were bigger than just one issue. She questioned his belief in the equality of women. He once said abortion exceptions in the case of rape were a red herring because conception was as likely as snow in Miami. He has also written that the Bible instructs wives to be subservient to their husbands.

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	Comptroller rocks the boat Last week, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison stirred controversy among some Republicans when she voted against one of President Bush's judicial nominees.

Religious conservatives are a key part of the Republican coalition in general elections. But the truth is that they are rarely successful in dominating the Republican primary above the level of state rep or State Board of Education.

The congressional primary last spring makes my point. Houston's Ben Streusand outspent Austin's Michael McCaul, pouring millions into messages targeting social conservatives. But as is typical, McCaul beat Streusand by a factor of almost two to one. Don't get me wrong. There are exceptions.

But if history is any guide, the storm and fury over Hutchison's vote last week will have little significance if she chooses to run for governor in 2006.