On Monday, Legeland mused about how Texas Republicans have started to resemble the bit in Monty Python and the Life of Brian, where each Judean faction was more ideologically pure than the last. Today's latest conservative attempts to dislodge Speaker Joe Straus more resemble a Three Stooges routine. Eye pokes for everyone!

This morning, the Texas Republican Assembly's board of directors announced it was backing Rep. Ken Paxton, R-McKinney, as their speaker of preference. And how splitter-tastic are they? This is an organization that refers to itself as "The Republican Wing of the Republican Party," and quotes Pres. Ronald Reagan's famous speech opposing a wide tent party. Right on the front page of their website, they repeat Grandpa Caligula's 'my way or the highway' line that "if there are those that cannot subscribe to these principles, then let them go their way." Splitters!

Huh. Wonder whether they've ever considered that Reagan was a Hollyweird union activist from the stinking pit of liberalism, California. Oh, and he lied about his military service. Splitter!

The assembly is part of the same faction that has attacked one-time conservative darling Rep. Beverly Woolley, R-Dallas, for endorsing Straus. In a statement, they savage the Tea Party Caucus co-chair for having "proven that she can't be trusted and doesn't deserve to be a part of anything with 'tea party' in the name." Splitter!

This came after the Texas Alliance for Life announced that it was backing Paxton because "incumbent Joe Straus cannot be considered pro-life." Dig down, and this really seems to be revenge for two bills – Sen. Dan Patrick's intrusive mandatory sonogram bill, and Sen. John Carona's "Choose Life" license plate bill – that failed to get out of the House.

The press release came via Michele Samuelson (who cut her GOP teeth as the senior vice-chair of the Young Conservatives of Texas.) This is the same Samuelson that went after arch-tort reformers Texans For Lawsuit Reform because they endorsed "affable socialist" Rep. Mark Strama, D-Austin.

Splitters!