Category Archives: Election 2012

Are there any seats Dems could lose?

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure you’ve heard someone express the view that if there’s a silver lining for the Democrats after the 2010 election, it’s that their decimated caucus offers no real targets for the Republicans to aim for. The Rs weren’t completely … Continue reading →

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New map, new opportunities: Harris County

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

For our last stop on this tour we look at Harris County, which provided several pickup opportunities for Democrats last decade. How will they fare this time around? Republicans started the last decade with a 14-11 advantage – they intended … Continue reading →

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Another Sanchez profile

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Express News talks to possible Senate candidate Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez. I won’t rehash all of the stuff we’re familiar with, so let me just focus on this: A decision is likely in the next few weeks. If he … Continue reading →

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New map, new opportunities: The Metroplex

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Dallas and Tarrant Counties will each have eight districts drawn to elect Republicans in them. For this entry, I’m going to look at each of these districts. First up is Tarrant County, which gains a district (HD101) for a total … Continue reading →

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New map, new opportunities: Travis, Bexar, El Paso

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

On to the urban counties. I’m grouping these three together because there’s really only one opportunity in each, and none of them are truly “new”. But never mind that. Let’s look at some data. District: 47 Incumbent: Paul Workman (first … Continue reading →

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New map, new opportunities: Outside the urban areas, part 2

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

More districts to look at for Democratic opportunities outside of the traditional urban areas. District: 45 Incumbent: Jason Isaacs (first elected in 2010) Counties: Blanco, Hays Best 2008 Dem performance: Barack Obama, 46.78% Patrick Rose won this district in 2002, … Continue reading →

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New map, new opportunities: Outside the urban areas, part 1

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the first post in my series of analyses of the new districts. I’m using 2008 electoral data, since the next election is a Presidential year, and I feel confident that the districts were drawn with an eye strongly towards … Continue reading →

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Three things about Sanchez

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

If you judge the announcement of a possible candidacy by the amount of attention it receives, then the story of the recruitment of Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez has been a smash success. Here are a few things being written that … Continue reading →

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Texas Monthly interview with Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, who is being recruited to run for the Senate in Texas, did an interview with Texas Monthly in 2008 that’s worth your time to read. The interview was published after his book “Wiser In Battle”, which … Continue reading →

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Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

In case you haven’t heard, national Democrats may have found a Senate candidate for next year. Democrats appear to have recruited retired Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez to run for the U.S. Senate in Texas, setting the stage for the party … Continue reading →

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About the Tommy Lee Jones bandwagon

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I really don’t think this will amount to anything, but I have three things to say about it anyway. In recent weeks, an idea of Houston attorney Geoff Berg’s turned into a Facebook page and then became a website that … Continue reading →

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Leppert says he’s officially in for Senate

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. In the final hours of his incomplete term, Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert told News 8 Friday morning he is a candidate for the Republican nomination for United States Senate. Leppert announced his intentions during a Friday morning taping … Continue reading →

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Ames Jones jumps in, Williams to follow

Posted on January 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t really think Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones has much of a chance in the race to replace KBH in the Senate. She was a fairly nondescript State Rep who got appointed to the RRC by Rick Perry then … Continue reading →

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Yeah, it is too early to be polling for 2012

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

But that won’t stop anyone from doing them. 2012 could be the year Democrats are finally competitive for President in Texas…but only if the Republicans nominate Sarah Palin. There are vast differences in how the various different potential GOP contenders … Continue reading →

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Williams will step down from the RRC

Posted on January 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Michael Williams makes it official. Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams says he has sent Gov. Rick Perry a letter telling him he will be leaving the commission on April 2 to concentrate on a race for the U.S. Senate. Williams … Continue reading →

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Dallas Mayor Leppert officially not running for re-election

Posted on January 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. Mayor Tom Leppert, a successful business executive who rose from political unknown to become one of Dallas’ most powerful mayors, has confirmed he will not seek re-election in May but will pursue “other ways to add value to … Continue reading →

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RRC Commish Williams to leave his post

Posted on January 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams, a ten-year incumbent who has nonetheless managed to claim the mantel of “outsider/insurgent” in the race for the 2012 GOP Senate nomination, will reportedly resign his post so as to actually be an outsider of some … Continue reading →

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KBH will not run in 2012

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

She finally says something definitive. Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison announced Thursday she won’t seek reelection, ending the uncertainty that had largely frozen a slate of Republicans contenders itching to replace her. In a statement, the three-term Republican who first … Continue reading →

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What now for Sylvia Garcia

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This story about Sylvia Garcia’s last Commissioners Court meeting leads to the obvious question of what she might do next. A former Houston city controller and an attorney who hasn’t practiced for more than 25 years, she’s still interested in … Continue reading →

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Redistricting and party-switching, South Texas-style

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Some good discussion about the future prospects of South Texas turncoat Aaron Pena, from Greg, Rachel, the Trib, the DMN, and Greg again. Couple points to add: 1. If Greg says a Republican-leaning district can be drawn for Pena, I … Continue reading →

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It’s always tease, tease, tease

Posted on December 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I refer of course to the ongoing Waiting for KBH saga. Hutchison hasn’t said whether she’ll retire or seek re-election in 2012, but several prominent Texans — including Republicans such as former Secretary of State Roger Williams and Railroad Commissioners … Continue reading →

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More on KBH 2012

Posted on November 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Fix on our senior Senator and her next electoral challenge. Hutchison, who previously broke a term-limit pledge when she ran for reelection in 2006, had been saying since 2007 that she would not seek another term in the Senate. … Continue reading →

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Get ready for some Sharp-mentum

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Towards the end of her column, Peggy Fikac reminds us that everything old will be new again in 2012. Here’s the text I got from former state Comptroller John Sharp on election night, as Democrats were going down in flames: … Continue reading →

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The single easiest pickup opportunity Democrats will have in 2012

Posted on November 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I trust you are familiar with Roy Morales. He’s run for City Council, he’s run for Mayor, this year he ran for Congress (he lost to Rep. Gene Green), and I presume he’ll run for something in 2011. And in … Continue reading →

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If you’re looking for a focal point

Posted on November 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Democrats will have no shortage of opportunities to play offense in 2012, but if you want to get a head start on that, I have a suggestion. Here’s a bit from this story about Commissioner Sylvia Garcia’s electoral defeat to … Continue reading →

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The “Dan Patrick for Senate in 2012” campaign makes its unofficial debut

Posted on November 1, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Well no, nothing of that sort actually happened. But that’s my interpretation of this. Sen. Dan Patrick — the Houston Republican who earlier announced the founding of the Independent Conservative Republicans of Texas to reach out to Tea Party activists … Continue reading →

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One election at a time, please

Posted on October 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Apparently, some folks are bored with this election and are ready for the next one. Rice University political scientist Mark Jones isn’t ready to stick a fork into Democrat Bill White’s campaign for governor, but he does suggest White start … Continue reading →

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Don’t forget Kay!

Posted on September 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Salon looks at recent GOP history to preview the 2012 Senate primaries: As it is, though, the Tea Party is out of Republican targets for 2010. But 2012 is just around the corner, and the Tea Party may pick up … Continue reading →

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KBH in 2012

Posted on June 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I keep telling you, it’s going to happen. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison hasn’t decided whether to retire at the end of 2012, and the possibility that she’ll run again leaves a major question mark over the already competitive field of … Continue reading →

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Putting all that unpleasantness behind her

Posted on May 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It’s like she never intended to leave. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison still lives out of a hotel here and calls herself a “commuter” from Dallas. But she has otherwise cemented her return to the Senate since losing the Republican primary … Continue reading →

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Perry (not) for President

Posted on January 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

By now you’re probably aware of the current Texas Monthly cover story, in which Paul Burka makes the case that Rick Perry is positioning himself for a run at the Presidency in 2012. I don’t care to get into a … Continue reading →

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The gentleman from ESPN

Posted on January 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I have two things to say about this. Former SMU football star and ESPN Analyst Craig James has made news recently regarding his role with his son and former Texas Tech Football Coach Mike Leach. But James could be making … Continue reading →

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