Texas is the only state that has executed a 17 year old, and has killed people who are profoundly retarded, mentally ill, and even innocent. Bush opposed a bill prohibiting the death penalty against mentally retarded criminals. In one disgusting and poignant case, a death row inmate who thought he had been sentenced to death because he didn't know how to read, and kept desperately trying to read while he was in prison. Or another, who kept asking his lawyer what he should wear to his funeral. Death row inmates have only 30 days to find evidence to exonerate them.
People often spend months in jail without a lawyer in Texas.
In sum, charm seems to be all this man has in his favor, although many prominent Republicans themselves are immune to his brand of merciless conservatism.