1. Interest Groups and Lobbying in Texas
CHAPTER 10
Interest Groups and Lobbying in Texas

2. Texas Learning Outcomes
Evaluate the role of interest groups in Texas

3. Chapter Learning Objectives
Describe interest group typology
Discuss the various techniques interest groups use, including lobbying
Explain how interest groups are regulated
Describe the factors that influence interest groups’ strength

4. Interest Group Typology
Interest groups may be formed for any reason and may represent any interest
Many groups have both national and state organizations
The characteristics of interest groups vary
Some are permanent; others temporary
Private membership organizations have individuals or businesses as members
Nonmembership organizations represent individuals or single businesses and are not open to the general public
Government organizations (or state and local interest groups) represent local government

5. TABLE 10.1 Interest Group Typology
Membership organizations
Organized Labor Unions
Business/Agriculture
Such as the Texas AFL-CIO
Noneconomic Membership Organizations
Peak business organizations, such as the Texas Association of Business and State Chamber of Commerce
Racial and ethnic groups, such as the NAACP and League of United Latin American Citizens
Trade associations, such as the Texas Oil and Gas Association and Good Roads Transportation Association
Religious groups, such as the Christian Coalition of America and Interfaith Alliance
Agricultural trade groups, such as the Texas Farm Bureau and Corn Producers Association of Texas
Public interest groups, such as MADD, the American Civil Liberties Union, AARP, and the National Rifle Association
Retail trade associations, such as the Texas Apartment Association and Texas Automobile Dealers Association
Nonmembership organizations
Representing individuals or single businesses, such as Halliburton Company and American Airlines and United Airlines
Professional Associations
Private sector organizations, such as the Texas Medical Association and Texas Trial Lawyers Association
Government organizations
State and local interest groups (SLIGs), such as the Texas Municipal League and Texas Police Chiefs Association
Public sector organizations, such as the Texas State Teachers Association and Association of Texas Professional Educators
Source: Charles Wiggins, professor emeritus of political science at Texas A&M University, class handout, 1999.

6. CORE OBJECTIVE
Thinking Critically …
Review Table Are you a participant in a membership organization?
If so, how does the organization represent your interests?
If not, how are your interests represented at the state and federal levels of government?

7. Membership Organizations
These groups represent a wide range of economic and noneconomic interests within the state
Peak business organizations present a united front against policies harmful to businesses
Trade associations—such as the Texas Oil and Gas Association—represent more specific business interests
Multiple types of agricultural interests operate in Texas, including those that represent general farming interests, commodity groups, and suppliers
Retail trade associations—such as the Texas Automobile Dealers Association—protect their trades from unfavorable regulations and policies

8. Membership Organizations 2
In professional associations, members typically hold a professional license, and the state regulates their scope of practice
Some of the best-known of these groups represent physicians and attorneys
Public school educators are represented by multiple interest groups

9. Membership Organizations: Right-to-Work
Public-sector employee organizations are another type of professional organization in Texas
In other states, these groups would be classified as public-sector labor unions; but Texas does not allow collective bargaining for public employees
Private sector labor unions do exist in Texas, but their influence has been on the decline
Texas is one of 26 states with right-to-work laws, meaning a person cannot be denied employment based on membership or nonmembership in a labor organization

10. MAP 10.1 States with Right-to-Work or Anti-union Laws

11. Other Types of Membership Organizations
Some groups address social issues, such as the special interests of minorities or ethnic groups
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the oldest such group in Texas
Religious groups have a long history in Texas
Fundamentalist Christian groups have been quite visible on the national stage as well
The Catholic Church has become active in Texas state politics over the past several decades
Finally, public interest groups—such as the ACLU—represent causes or ideas rather than other interests

12. Demonstrators gather outside the Capitol building to protest the passage of President Barack Obama’s health care reform bill. With the Democratic Party in control after the 2008 election, conservatives became more outspoken in exercising their right to protest.
© Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images

13. Nonmembership Organizations
Nonmembership organizations form the largest category of interest groups
Nearly 2,000 are registered in Texas
They do not have active members; rather, they represent a single company, organization, corporation, or individual
Example: Bank of America and Valero Energy Corporation are both registered as active political committees (PACs) with the Texas Ethics Commission

14. Government Organizations
Some government organizations have active members, but they are considered separately from membership groups
Also known as state and local interest groups (SLIGs), they represent the organization rather than the interests of individual members
Their goal is to protect local government interests from actions of the state legislature, the governor, and state agencies
Examples: the Texas Association of Fire Fighters and the Texas Association of School Boards

15. Techniques Used by Interest Groups
Interest groups strive to influence government and public policy decisions using a variety of techniques
The technique depends on the type of group and the resources available to that group
Primary techniques:
Lobbying
Electioneering
Public education and grassroots lobbying
Litigation
Other tactics include petitions, protests, marches, and demonstrations

16. Lobbying
Lobbying is the practice of trying to influence members of the legislature
The term may have grown out of the practice of waiting in the lobby of the legislative chamber
Lobbying is regulated by state and federal laws and therefore involves a strictly defined set of activities, all aimed at convincing legislators to promote an interest group’s agenda
Note that the executive branch and regulatory agencies can also be lobbied

17. Lobbying 2 Lobbying activities of interest groups may include:
Contacting legislators to express support for or opposition to legislature
Convincing legislators to propose legislation (file a bill) favorable to the group
Working with legislators to draft legislation
Testifying about the effect of proposed legislation
Encouraging members of an interest group to contact legislators regarding legislation
Issuing press releases and buying ad space
Providing written material to legislators

18. An ACLU worker distributes literature.
© Brad Doherty/The Brownsville Herald/AP Images

19. Lobbying: Providing Written Material
Interest groups often provide research findings to members of the legislature and their staffs
It is often accurate and can be an important resource for state legislators and can have a positive impact on public policy
Several business-sponsored groups in Texas have developed a reputation for providing quality research and information
Such a reputation can be critically important

20. TABLE 10.2 Grace and Ledbetter’s Rules and Tricks of the Lobbying Trade
NEVER lie to a member of the legislature.
Be prepared to forge strange alliances.
Compromise when you can; hold firm when you must.
Preparation. Preparation. Preparation.
Know what you don’t know and be willing to admit it.
Never ask members for a vote you know they can’t take back to the district.
There are some things you can’t control.
Be ever-present at the Capitol during session.
Information is the currency of the realm.
Know the calendar roles better than anyone else.
“Only speak when it improves the silence.”
Money will never buy you a vote.
Don’t write it down (and especially don’t put it in an ) unless you are comfortable waking up and seeing it as the headline on the front page of the Houston Chronicle.
Treat everyone with respect.
Legislation (like water) takes the path of least resistance: do everything possible to make a staffer’s life easier.
And finally, remember that “[n]o man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.”
The “Reply to All” button is not your friend.
Source: Jim Grace and Luke Ledbetter, “The Lobbyist,” Houston Lawyer (September/October 2009), 10. Available online at

21. Lobbying: Types of Lobbyists
Professional lobbyists are hired to represent a client (an individual, group, or organization)
In-house lobbyists engage in lobbying as part of their job with a particular business or association
Governmental lobbyists and legislative liaisons also lobby as part of their job
Citizen or volunteer lobbyists are nonpaid workers representing citizen groups and organization
Private individuals, sometimes called “hobbyists,” act on their own behalf

22. Taking Personal Responsibility …
CORE OBJECTIVE
Taking Personal Responsibility …
Socrates suggested “know thyself,” and Shakespeare’s Hamlet admonished “to thine own self be true.” It is important to know what your interests are and how they are represented in government.
Consider what you have read in this chapter and determine how interest group efforts align with your personal interests.
If they do not, what can you do to ensure that government addresses your interests or the interests of those who share similar values?

23. Electioneering
Electioneering encompasses various activities of interest groups in helping candidates sympathetic to their cause win public office
A group’s most important resource in this pursuit is money, usually contributed to campaigns and funneled to candidates through PACs
At the national level, PACs must register with the Federal Election Commission
Note that money doesn’t guarantee outcomes in elections or in public policy debates

24. TABLE 10.3 PAC Spending in Texas from 1998 to 2014
Election Cycle
No. of Active PACs
PAC Spending
Spending Increase from Previous Cycle
Percent Spending Increase
1998
893
$51,543,820
$8,461,274
20%
2000
865
$53,996,975
$2,453,155 5%
2002
964
$85,320,226
$31,323,251
58%
2004
850
$68,904,524
($16,415,702)
(19%)
2006
1,132
$99,167,646
$30,263,122
44%
2008
1,209
$119,561,861
$20,394,215
21%
2010
1,302
$133,466,187
$13,904,326
12%
2012
1,364
$126,367,460
($7,098,727)
(5%)
2014
1,421
$159,314,633
$32,947,173
26%
Source: Texans for Public Justice, “Texas PACs: 2008 Cycle Spending,” April 2009 ( “Texas PACs: 2010 Election Cycle Spending,” August 2011 ( “Texas PACs: 2012 Election Cycle Spending,” October 2013 ( “Texas PACs: 2014 Election Cycle Spending,” February 2016 (

25. TABLE 10.4 2014 PACs by Interest Category
No. of Active PACs
2014 PAC Spending
Share of 2014 PAC Spending
2012–2014 Change
Agriculture 27
$2,820,091 2%
18%
Communications/Electronics 25
$2,455,506
−2%
Construction 99
$8,350,849 5%
Energy/Natural Resources 76
$12,199,625 8% 3%
Finance 39
$7,302,181
25%
Health 80
$10,467,095 7%
Ideological/Single Issue
650
$65,225,862
41%
38%
Insurance 20
$3,472,351
−6%
Labor
153
$12,085,061
48%
Lawyers & Lobbyists 56
$10,207,560 6%
−9%
Miscellaneous Business 72
$4,842,111
Other/Unknown 54
$868,218 1%
73%
Real Estate
$15,602,970
10%
69%
Transportation 31
$3,415,154
32%
TOTALS
1,421
$159,314,634
100%
26%
Source: Texans For Public Justice, “Texas PACs: 2014 Election Cycle Spending,” February 2016, (

26. Communicating Effectively …
CORE OBJECTIVE
Communicating Effectively …
Review the data presented in Table 10.4 on the previous slide.
Identify the interest group category that spent the most money in 2014.
Discuss the impact that PAC spending has on government.

27. What point does this cartoon make about the nature of 2008 political campaign contributions?
Reprinted with permission of Joe Heller

28. Electioneering: Other Tools
The process of electioneering begins with recruiting candidates many months before an election
Some interest groups encourage both Democratic and Republican candidates to seek nomination in their respective parties
Interest groups may also:
Make a public endorsement of a candidate
Run television and newspaper ads
Undertake voter registration drives and get-out-the-vote campaigns
Help organize rallies and fundraisers

29. Public Relations: Public Education and Grassroots Lobbying
Through public relations, interest groups aim to influence public opinion regarding a particular issue and to create a favorable public image for the group
They might sponsor an educational program, publish educational literature, or counter the information provided by a competing group
Using grassroots lobbying, groups try to mobilize supporters to advocate on their behalf
Groups also try to curry favor with public officials
They might invite officials to address meetings or give awards thanking them for their service

30. Litigation
The court system provides another means of advancing a group’s cause and influencing policy
Groups file lawsuits against individuals, organizations, or government entities
They may sponsor litigation themselves, orchestrating and filing a lawsuit on behalf of their members
When not a party to litigation, they may file amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) briefs to try to influence court decisions

31. Hispanic Groups Lobbying the Courts
FOCUS ON
Hispanic Groups Lobbying the Courts
Hispanic interest groups have used Texas courts to advance the interests of their members
In 1948, Delgado v. Bastrop ISD, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) filed suit on behalf of a parent of a Hispanic student against the segregation of Hispanic children based on their national origin
In 1984, Edgewood ISD v. Kirby, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) filed a lawsuit on behalf of a school district alleging the state’s method of educational funding violated the Texas Constitution and was discriminatory

32. Regulation of Interest Groups
Most states have laws regulating lobbying and campaign finance
The Texas Ethics Commission enforces laws related to lobbying, political fundraising and spending, and financial disclosure by state officials
For example, lobbyists are required to register if they receive more than $1,000 per quarter for their efforts or spend more than $500 on a state official or employee or their families
There are many exemptions to the registration requirement

33. Regulation of Interest Groups: PACs
In Texas, PACs must also register, designate a treasurer, and file periodic reports on contributions and expenditures
They must provide the name and occupation of those who donate more than $50 in a given reporting period
They are prohibited from contributions to legislators from 30 days before to 20 days after a regular session
State law does not limit the amount they can contribute
The 2010 Citizens United decision allows a greatly expanded role for PACs in “electioneering communications”

34. Factors Influencing the Strength of Interest Groups
The resources available to an interest group vary according to the type of group, the number of members, and who those members are
Examples: the Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) and the Texas Municipal League (TML)
Some groups have difficulty recruiting members and money due to the “free-rider problem”—the ability to derive benefits from a group’s efforts without participating
The status and size of a group are important determinants of power

35. Dallas teachers protest against an extended school day
Dallas teachers protest against an extended school day. Several associations represent Texas teachers, but according to state law, they lack the right to collective bargaining.

36. Leadership and Organization
Leadership quality and organizational ability can be important factors in the power of interest groups
Many hire former legislators
Some groups are decentralized, making mobilization difficult; others are highly organized, monitor legislative proposals, and can easily contact members to influence bills

37. Geographic Distribution
Some groups have more influence because they have members in all geographic areas of the state
They can command the attention of many more legislators
Example: the Texas Municipal League
Legislators are more likely to listen to citizens and local elected officials from their own district
Some groups by their nature cannot have geographic distribution, such as groups representing commercial shrimp fisherman in the Gulf Coast region

38. Being Socially Responsible …
CORE OBJECTIVE
Being Socially Responsible …
How can geographic distribution of interest groups improve political awareness between culturally diverse populations?

39. Money
Interest groups need money to fund lobbying, electioneering, and public relations efforts
Money is also necessary if groups are to be able to hire full-time staff and travel to meet with legislators —tools that give them more potential influence
With enough money, groups without dues-paying members can nevertheless motivate large numbers to their cause
One writer has referred to such nonmembership groups as “astroturf organizations”

40. Economic Diversity
Highly industrialized states with a variety of industries generally have many interest groups, and no single industry or group can dominate
The many interests cancel each other out, as Madison predicted in Federalist No. 10
In the past, the Texas economy was dominated by cotton, cattle, banking, and oil; but today the state is more diversified, and the number of interest groups has grown
The traditional industries nevertheless still wield a lot of power

41. Political Party Competition
States with two strong, competitive parties that recruit and support candidates for office can offset the influence of interest groups
Legislators might owe their election more to their political party than to organized interests
Texas’s weak party structure has contributed to the power of interest groups in the state

42. Professionalism of the State Legislature
In theory, well-paid legislators with professional staffs are less dependent upon information supplied by interest groups
The Texas legislature has become more professional in recent years
Most members have full-time staff
Committee staff has increased
The Texas Legislative Council provides staff assistance in research and information

43. Fragmented Government Structure
When a government is centralized under a governor, interest groups must lobby the governor directly
Texas has a fragmented government structure, with the governor making few significant appointments
This moves the focus of to state agencies, many of which were created to regulate the industry the group represents
In rent seeking, groups attempt to influence rule making in ways that benefit them directly, rather than society
When the relationship between a state agency and an interest group becomes very close, it is called capture

44. Jump to long image description
FIGURE 10.1 Iron Triangle
Often, a close relationship exists between the state agency created to regulate an industry, the legislative oversight committee, and interest groups. This relationship, sometimes called the “Iron Triangle,” is seen at both the state level and the national level.
Jump to long image description

45. Conclusion
Interest groups are a necessary part of the political process, and government efforts to control such groups are and should be limited
The influence of interest groups in Texas, especially PACs, is likely to grow in the years ahead—especially given low levels of political participation and the decentralized structure of the state’s government

46. Summary Describe interest group typology
There are three basic types of interest groups: membership organizations, nonmembership organizations, and government organizations.
Discuss the various techniques interest groups use, including lobbying
Interest group techniques include lobbying, electioneering, public relations, and litigation. Lobbying involves direct communication with a member of the legislature or the executive branch in an effort to influence legislation or administrative action.

47. Summary 2 Explain how interest groups are regulated
Most states have laws regulating interest group activity. The Texas Ethics Commission administers and enforces laws related to lobbying and campaign finance. Lobbyists are generally required to register, as are political action committees (or PACs).
Describe the factors that influence interest groups’ strength
Factors include each group’s status, number of members, quality of leadership, degree or organization, geographic distribution, access and access to money; along with the state’s economic diversity, the presence of competitive political parties, the professionalism of the legislature, and the government structure.

48. Long Image Descriptions
Appendix A

49. Figure 10.1 Iron Triangle Appendix
The interest group provides electoral support to members of the legislature; fosters bureaucratic support for legislators by lobbying the bureaucracy; and benefits from friendly legislation and oversight and favorable enforcement.
Members of the legislature provide legislation and oversight that is favored by the interest group; provides funding and political support to the bureaucracy; and benefits from electoral support and cooperative policy execution.
The bureaucracy provides cooperative policy execution; provides favorable enforcement and special favors to the interest group; and benefits from funding and political support from the legislature.
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