We rarely disagree with our two elected representatives to the Texas Legislature.

The fact is that we are proud that both our Republican elected officials — State Rep. Bryan Hughes and State Sen. Kevin Eltife — have repeatedly shown enough courage to buck their party line when the bills are bad.

Which is all the more reason we have to express extreme disappointment that they both voted for one of this session's more despicable bills — one that would not allow a person to vote without a photo ID.

On the surface perhaps it does not sound so egregious, but there are thousands of voters without voter IDs, particularly the elderly who do not drive and the poor who cannot afford to drive.

This is such a thinly disguised attempt by the Republican majority to disenfranchise groups of traditionally Democratic voters that they ought to be ashamed of themselves.

We doubt that is the case, so we will be ashamed for them.

In Hughes' case, his opposition would not have changed the fact that the House passed the measure, but at least he would have shown himself to be on the side of right as opposed to the side of political expediency.

It is a different matter with Eltife, who could have helped quash this bad bill in the Senate Tuesday by voting not to consider it. Instead, he voted with other Republicans to bring it to the floor. It was only by last minute maneuvering that Democrats were able to stop it. Good for them.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who isn't usually prone to hyperbole said the vote "cut against the majority who wanted to have fairness and protect American liberty and democracy."

Sorry, Mr. Dewhurst, but the exact opposite is true. Fairness was saved by the Democrats.

There is a chance this matter will appear again before the session ends and Eltife will have a chance to change his bad vote into a good one. He should vote against bringing it to the Senate floor.

The original House sponsor of this bill said it was designed to keep illegal immigrants from voting. This is pure demagoguery. There is no evidence whatsoever that this happens, it is merely used as a scare tactic to achieve another end.

Eltife and Hughes are better than this. Please, gentlemen, next time make that clear.