March 03, 2010
Prominent conservative ousted from Texas ed board
The Associated PressA prominent Christian conservative has lost his seat on the state education board in Texas less than a year after he was ousted as chairman.
Republican Don McLeroy fell in Tuesday's Republican primary to Thomas Ratliff on the board that shapes what millions of students read in textbooks. No Democrats filed to run in November.
The loss weakens the social conservative bloc of the 15-member board, which has unusual clout because textbook publishers have few clients bigger than Texas.
McLeroy had held the seat since 1998 but faced mounting criticisms that he was too far right. The state Senate narrowly blocked his reappointment as chairman last year.
Ratliff is the son of former Texas Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff.