October 06, 2007
Primary in JP Precinct 1

The following is via email from Carl Whitmarsh:


In a surprise move to many, longtime Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Position 1, Dale Gorczynski seems to have drawn an opponent in the March 2008 primary - his longtime Chief Clerk, Harold Landreneau.

Our sources at the Harris County Courthouse tell us that Landreneau filed a designation of Campaign Treasurer for the anticipated campaign against his boss just today.

Gorczynski is a longtime, popular figure in Houston, Harris County political circles, having been elected to one of the first single member Houston City Council districts in 1979 and serving until his election in a crowded, incumbent free election to his JP seat in November 1992. He has been re-elected every four years since his initial election.

Landreneau is the long time Chief Clerk to Gorczynski who attended law school during his employment and became a licensed attorney and mediator. He recently filed suit in Federal Court against Harris County and Gorczynski. Landreneau is a precinct chair in Heights area precinct 0058.

Looks like the Democrats in Harris County's heaviest populated precinct will be seeing yet more candidates seeking their signatures for a place on the ballot and their support in the March 2008 primary.

There's a subsequent email from Landreneau confirming his candidacy. I'm in Precinct 1, so this is a race I'll be voting on come March; guess I need to do a little research. Neither a Chron.com archive search nor a Google search turned up anything, so next step is to talk to people. So far, I've heard that Landreneau had expected Gorczynski to retire and to endorse him as his successor, and that the two of them had a falling out after Landreneau had missed some time due to illness. The suit apparently claims that Landreneau was demoted as a result of this. I don't have any details, and I haven't heard Gorczynski's side of the story, so make of this what you will. I'll let you know when I've got more information.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on October 06, 2007 to Election 2008
Comments

Gorczynski is the least visible of all our Dem JP's. Think that will change much?

Posted by: Marie on October 6, 2007 9:48 AM

least visible?!? he's on Animal Planet (animal cops houston) ALL the time. and who in the world retire so young? Kuff, can you call the judge and get the real story?

Posted by: ryan on October 6, 2007 12:24 PM

I just have one question for the public, who is less Evil?

Posted by: J Forever on October 8, 2007 7:31 AM

There was a falling out of some sort, that much is clear. Exactly what precipitated it is a mystery to all but the judge and Harold, it seems.

Should be interesting.

Posted by: scp on October 10, 2007 8:29 PM

There is no mystery, Harold decided to run against the Judge, and either your with him or against him. I think it’s time for a new face on that bench.

Posted by: J Forever on October 11, 2007 2:45 PM