Changes

==Political activities==

==Political activities==

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In 1990, Zaeske ran unsuccessfully as a [[Republican Party|Republican]] for the Texas State Senate because the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] incumbent in Senate District 5, Kent Caperton, refused to support Official English.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hI7kG1x237kC&pg=PA160&lpg=PA160&dq=Kae+T+Patrick&source=bl&ots=cLtrlly_L-&sig=XL6IyQMTXsqjNGO0clpb7M0fsaI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HWbmVIGABYefgwTfuoCYBQ&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Kae%20T%20Patrick&f=false|title=Nativism Reborn?: The Official English Language Movement and the American States|author=Raymond Tatalovich|publisher=[[University of Kentucky]] Press|location=[[Lexington, Kentucky]]|page=166|accessdate=February 19, 2015}}</ref>Caperton, however, decided not seek reelection,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberdisplay.cfm?memberID=319|title=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberdisplay.cfm?memberID=319|title=Legislative Reference Library of Texas: Kent A. Caperton|publisher=lrl.state.tx.us|accessdate=March 20, 2020}}</ref> and the Democrat James W. "Jim" Turner, subsequently elected in 1996 as a [[U.S. Representative]], defeated Zaeske for the seat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=57&searchparams=chamber=S~city=~countyID=0~district=5~first=~gender=~last=~leaderNote=~leg=72~party=Democrat~roleDesc=~Committee=|title=Jim Turner|publisher=Legislative Reference Library of Texas: Jim Turner|accessdate=September 5, 2011}}</ref>​The American Ethnic Coalition claimed that twenty-three members of the state legislature and four U.S. Representatives from Texas, all of whom  were elected with coalition backing and took office in 1989, were committed to Officlal English. Zaeske's organization called for abolition of the printing of literature in [[Spain|Spanish]] by the Texas Workforce Commission and allowing public school districts to reject [[bilingual education]] programs. Zaeske also urged that Texas Comptroller Robert Douglas "Bob" Bullock, Sr. (1929-1999)  be required to report to the legislature on taxpayer costs of bilingual programs and that [state Attorney General James Albon "Jim" Mattox (1943-2008) rule on the constitutionality of such measures. Zaeske's coalition proposed that foreign instructors in Texas public colleges. many of whom teach basic courses at universities, be required to pass an English proficiency examination. Zaeske spoke against a Texas law that permits lower tuition for students from Mexico who attend Texas public colleges: "We really can't understand why the citizens of this state should be required to underwrite foreigners going to school here when many of the children of citizens of this state are unable to go to college here because of not being able to pay the tuition."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1988_583490/english-backer-cites-supporters-advocate-plans-to.html|title=English backer cites supporters/Advocate plans to run for office, November 12, 1988|publisher=''The Houston Chronicle''|accessdate=September 5, 2011; material no longer on-line}}</ref>

In 1990, Zaeske ran unsuccessfully as a [[Republican Party|Republican]] for the Texas State Senate because the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] incumbent in Senate District 5, Kent Caperton, refused to support Official English.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hI7kG1x237kC&pg=PA160&lpg=PA160&dq=Kae+T+Patrick&source=bl&ots=cLtrlly_L-&sig=XL6IyQMTXsqjNGO0clpb7M0fsaI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HWbmVIGABYefgwTfuoCYBQ&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Kae%20T%20Patrick&f=false|title=Nativism Reborn?: The Official English Language Movement and the American States|author=Raymond Tatalovich|publisher=[[University of Kentucky]] Press|location=[[Lexington, Kentucky]]|page=166|accessdate=February 19, 2015}}</ref>Caperton, however, decided not seek reelection,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberdisplay.cfm?memberID=319|title=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberdisplay.cfm?memberID=319|title=Legislative Reference Library of Texas: Kent A. Caperton|publisher=lrl.state.tx.us|accessdate=March 20, 2020}}</ref> and the Democrat James W. "Jim" Turner, subsequently elected in 1996 as a [[U.S. Representative]], defeated Zaeske for the seat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=57&searchparams=chamber=S~city=~countyID=0~district=5~first=~gender=~last=~leaderNote=~leg=72~party=Democrat~roleDesc=~Committee=|title=Jim Turner|publisher=Legislative Reference Library of Texas: Jim Turner|accessdate=September 5, 2011}}</ref>​The American Ethnic Coalition claimed that twenty-three members of the state legislature and four U.S. Representatives from Texas, all of whom  were elected with coalition backing and took office in 1989, were committed to Officlal English. Zaeske's organization called for abolition of the printing of literature in [[Spain|Spanish]] by the Texas Workforce Commission and allowing public school districts to reject [[bilingual education]] programs. Zaeske also urged that Texas Comptroller Robert Douglas "Bob" Bullock, Sr. (1929-1999)  be required to report to the legislature on taxpayer costs of bilingual programs and that [state Attorney General James Albon "Jim" Mattox (1943-2008) rule on the constitutionality of such measures. Zaeske's coalition proposed that foreign instructors in Texas public colleges. many of whom teach basic courses at universities, be required to pass an English proficiency examination. Zaeske spoke against a Texas law that permits lower tuition for students from Mexico who attend Texas public colleges: "We really can't understand why the citizens of this state should be required to underwrite foreigners going to school here when many of the children of citizens of this state are unable to go to college here because of not being able to pay the tuition."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1988_583490/english-backer-cites-supporters-advocate-plans-to.html|title=English backer cites supporters/Advocate plans to run for office|date=November 12, 1988|publisher=''The Houston Chronicle''|accessdate=September 5, 2011; material no longer on-line}}</ref>

In 1992, Zaeske supported [[Patrick J. Buchanan]]'s unsuccessful insurgent challenge to the re-nomination of [[U.S. President]] [[George Herbert Walker Bush]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/elec2/elec-BRYAN-TX.html|title=BRYAN, Texas (TX) Political Contributions by Individuals|publisher=city-data.com|accessdate=September 8, 2011}}</ref> In 1993, Zaeske ran as an [[Independent voter|Independent]] in a [[special election]] for the [[United States Senate]] seat vacated by incoming [[United States Secretary of the Treasury]] [[Lloyd Bentsen]]. He polled barely 2,000 votes. The election was handily won in a [runoff by the [[Moderate Republican]] state treasurer [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]].<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns, Special election for U.S. Senate, May 1, 1993.</ref>

In 1992, Zaeske supported [[Patrick J. Buchanan]]'s unsuccessful insurgent challenge to the re-nomination of [[U.S. President]] [[George Herbert Walker Bush]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/elec2/elec-BRYAN-TX.html|title=Bryan, Texas (TX) Political Contributions by Individuals|publisher=city-data.com|accessdate=September 8, 2011}}</ref> In 1993, Zaeske ran as an [[Independent voter|Independent]] in a [[special election]] for the [[United States Senate]] seat vacated by incoming [[United States Secretary of the Treasury]] [[Lloyd Bentsen]]. He polled barely 2,000 votes. The election was handily won in a [runoff by the [[Moderate Republican]] state treasurer [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]].<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns, Special election for U.S. Senate, May 1, 1993.</ref>

In 2008, Zaeske and his wife, the former Jo Ann Macha, supported former [[Arkansas]] [[Governor]] [[Mike Huckabee]]  for the Republican presidential nomination, ultimately won by the late U.S. Senator [[John  McCain]] of Arizona. Jo Ann Zaeske told an interviewer that their support for Huckabee was based on the candidate's embrace of "family values." Lou Zaeske said that could not support McCain in part because of McCain's divorce from his first wife. He even indicated that he would vote for [[Barack H. Obama]] in a contest against McCain because he thought that Obama could work across party lines, an argument also used at the time by the McCain supporters.<ref>

In 2008, Zaeske and his wife, the former Jo Ann Macha, supported former [[Arkansas]] [[Governor]] [[Mike Huckabee]]  for the Republican presidential nomination, ultimately won by the late U.S. Senator [[John  McCain]] of Arizona. Jo Ann Zaeske told an interviewer that their support for Huckabee was based on the candidate's embrace of "family values." Lou Zaeske said that could not support McCain in part because of McCain's divorce from his first wife. He even indicated that he would vote for [[Barack H. Obama]] in a contest against McCain because he thought that Obama could work across party lines, an argument also used at the time by the McCain supporters.<ref>