Sep. 6--ST. PAUL, MINN. -- Did the self-styled Republican hockey mom help her party in Harris County? Did the Clintons' stated embrace of Barack Obama change the landscape for Texas House races?

These and similar questions were answered with muddled replies Friday as Texas Republican delegates checked out of their hotel here. The departures ended back-to-back weeks of counterpart national political conventions aimed at energizing grassroots supporters and collaring undecided voters.

From a statewide view, many Democratic and Republican eyes are on Harris County, where local politics, demographics and Obama's candidacy potentially could erase the advantage that has allowed the GOP to win every countywide judicial and administrative office for more than a decade.

State Sen. Dan Patrick of Houston, a GOP convention delegate, said Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's meteoric popularity among conservatives as the vice-presidential nominee could be just what the party needs to cement its grip in Harris County. But he was cautious.

"Sarah Palin has invigorated the conservative base in a way that it was not invigorated before (her speech) Wednesday night," he said. "The race in Harris County will be tight this year. So every Republican who turns out to vote could make a difference.

"Everyone knows we are going to see a big (local) Democratic turnout," he continued. "I think we are now going to have more women going to the polls (because of Palin) than we have seen in history."

State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, a delegate at his party's convention in Denver last week, said the trend in Houston favors the Democrats because of local factors rather than what he called cheerleading at both conventions.

For instance, he said, Republican County Commissioner Jerry Eversole's acknowledgment Thursday that an FBI investigation into his campaign spending imperils his hold on the office will do more to motivate voters against Republican elected officials than any rhetoric from Denver or St. Paul. Other Republican county officials have run into ethics controversies this year.

"In Harris County (our) base vote will be higher because Democrats have a ticket that will work on the voters' behalf," Coleman said.

He did allow that Hillary Rodham Clinton's and former President Clinton's endorsements of Obama in Denver after a bitter presidential primary will help cart her sizable Texas Hispanic support to the Obama campaign. But he added that it already was going in that direction.