A week after Sandra Day O'Connor swore in five newly elected Texas Supreme Court justices on January 6, high court candidates filed final 2002 campaign finance reports that provide the last word on who really won the election.

Even with chief justice candidates raising little money, major-party Supreme Court finalists raised more than $5 million in their pursuit of five open seats. Every Republican prevailed, with the GOP fielding far and away the best-funded candidate in every race except that of new Justice Steven Smith.
 

Real winners
The election's true winners were the business interests that dug deep to ensure that their dream team trounced candidates who might be friendlier to consumers or workers.  Of the $3.2 million that the five newly elected justices raised, 22 percent came from the PACs and employees of just 11 business interests.

Led by Vinson & Elkins, half of these big donors were corporate defense firms that have numerous cases before the court. Houston homebuilder Bob Perry arguably is the new justices' next-largest patron. Apart from the $45,000 he gave directly, Perry supplied most of the PAC money raised by HillCo Partners lobby firm; he also is a top Texans for Lawsuit Reform donor. 

White-dog Republicans shape a Supreme race
A newly visible voting bloc of white-dog Republicans shaped the one race in which an under-funded candidate prevailed. In primary elections, these voters apparently prefer white, affirmative-action critics named "Smith" to minority incumbents named "Xavier Rodriguez." When he advanced to the general election, Steven Smith's party label helped overcome the huge 20-1 funding superiority of his Democratic opponent. New Justice Smith prevailed with less than $40,000 in contributions and loans. •