Category Archives: Election 2014

What the future may hold for Wendy Davis

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Patricia Kilday Hart has her take on the Wendy Davis phenomenon, including the reaction of some Republicans to it. For both proponents and opponents of SB 5, the legislation that would have banned abortions past 20 weeks of pregnancy and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Patrick is in for Lite Gov

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

And then there were three challengers to David Dewhurst. Citing the need for “authentic conservative leadership” in Texas, state Sen. Dan Patrick announced on Thursday that he would run for lieutenant governor against incumbent David Dewhurst. “Today begins roughly 18 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Smitherman says he’s in for Attorney General

Posted on June 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Barry Smitherman is running for the 2014 Republican nomination for Attorney General, he confirmed to the Tribune. Public announcements via social media are planned for Monday. Smitherman told the Tribune he hopes to continue the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A woman for the Governor’s Mansion

Posted on June 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Annie’s List sent out the following email last week: We’ve had it with Rick Perry.  First he added insulting anti-choice legislation to the Special Session agenda while ignoring funding for our schools. Then he did the unthinkable–vetoing the Texas Lilly … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Targeting Farenthold

Posted on June 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, please. Democrats are trying to exact a political price for Texas Republicans’ votes to restart deportations of so-called “DREAMers” — the children illegally brought into the U.S. by their parents. The target of the latest ad buy is Corpus … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Perry still leads Abbott in UT/TT poll

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I remain unconvinced that Greg Abbott is a sure thing to be the GOP nominee for Governor next year. Only 25 percent of Texas voters — Republicans and Democrats — are ready to give Perry another term, saying they would … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

HCDE fills its vacancy

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Well, this is interesting. I received the following in my inbox on Friday afternoon: Hello all, Please see the information below: “Yesterday, the Harris County Board of Education voted to appoint Mr. Howard Jefferson of the NAACP national board to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Trying to read the Rick Perry tea leaves

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The National Journal takes a crack at it. Conventional wisdom holds that the longest continuously-serving governor in the country is done after almost 15 years on the job. But the CW might be changing: Maybe Perry wants another shot. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Trying to read the Rick Perry tea leaves

Combs not running for re-election

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

And a domino falls. Comptroller Susan Combs opened up the logjam that has been statewide office in Texas by announcing Wednesday that she will not seek election in 2014. Announcements were immediately flying with state Rep. Harvey Hildebran, R-Kerrville, throwing … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Eiland will not seek re-election

Posted on May 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is a tough break for the Democrats. State Rep. Craig Eiland, D-Galveston, will not seek re-election, he announced in a tearful personal privilege speech on the House floor Wednesday night. Eiland, who has served in the Legislature for two … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Abbott is gearing up for Governor

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I have two things to say about this. Gov. Rick Perry hasn’t yet said whether he’s running for re-election — but Attorney General Greg Abbott doesn’t appear to be waiting for him to make up his mind. Abbott is collecting … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Reed for AG?

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is one of the stranger “draft somebody” movements I’ve seen. A movement has been building among local Republicans over the past few months to encourage Susan Reed to run for state attorney general in 2014. Reed, the hard-nosed, four-term … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Reed for AG?

Here are the HCDE hopefuls

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Via Stace, here are the six finalists to succeed HCDE Trustee Jim Henley, who is resigning his position as of when a replacement is chosen: Davetta Daniels, who ran for HISD Trustee against Paula Harris in 2007 and 2011 Sue … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Look out, Lamar

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There’s big money coming after you. The anti-incumbent super-PAC Campaign for Primary Accountability is coming back for 2014 after shutting down last election cycle — and it’s already making a wish list of targets, including Reps. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Statement from Jim Henley

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

On Sunday afternoon, I received the following statement from Jim Henley, who submitted his resignation as HCDE Trustee earlier this year: I submitted my resignation as Trustee of The Harris County Department of Education in January of 2013. The Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Statement from Jim Henley

HCDE Trustee Jim Henley to resign

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Got this in my inbox late Friday afternoon: Trustee Jim Henley (Democrat at-large) submitted his resignation from the Board earlier this year.  The Harris County Department of Education Board will have an open application process to fill the remainder of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Veasey v Garcia, Round Two?

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Looks like we’ll have at least one high profile Democratic primary next year. Domingo Garcia’s pursuit of the national presidency of the League of United Latin American Citizens has just as much to do with politics as activism. The former … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Davis says she’s not running for Governor next year

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

So much for that. State Sen. Wendy Davis, who has emerged as one of the most visible Democrats in the Capitol this session, says she has no plans to run for governor in 2014, but will seek another term representing … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Pauken for Governor

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We have our first official non-fringe candidate for Governor next year. Saying he hoped to reunite the “Reagan coalition of social and economic conservatives,” former Texas Workforce Commissioner Tom Pauken confirmed to the Tribune that he will file to run … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

George P Bush is ready for his closeup

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

You may now give him his due. Ending months of speculation, Fort Worth attorney George P. Bush announced he would run for the office of Texas Land Commissioner with a Twitter message, after confirming that current Commissioner Jerry Patterson would … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Trib poll shows Perry leading Abbott

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Make of this what you will. Gov. Rick Perry would defeat Attorney General Greg Abbott by a nearly 3-to-1 margin if a Republican gubernatorial primary were held today, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Such a contest … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Gubernatorial speculation: Mike Villarreal and Bill White

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

A few days back, BOR had a post about who was on deck for 2014, and the first two candidates they speculated about for Governor were two I had not talked about here before, State Rep. Mike Villarreal and 2010 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Gubernatorial speculation: Mike Villarreal and Bill White

A Republican view of 2014 in Harris County

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Big Jolly is feeling pessimistic about his team’s chances in Harris County next year. Now let’s look at who will be on the playing field for us. There will be a lot of statewide action, with unknown Dems – let’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

PPP polls Texas

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Texas voters- even Republicans- have had enough of Rick Perry. PPP’s newest poll finds that only 31% of voters think Perry should seek reelection next year, compared to 62% who think it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Until there’s something to talk about we’ll talk about the talk

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I have two things to say about this. Attorney General Greg Abbott doesn’t want to talk about whether he is running for governor, but he is in overdrive on all the issues that make him a leading contender for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Until there’s something to talk about we’ll talk about the talk

How about Ellis 2014?

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Michael Hurta makes an observation. The only Democratic legislator in Texas who is not up for reelection in 2014 yet also has seven figures in his campaign bank account is Rodney Ellis. Will we hear any Ellis for Governor rumors … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

January finance reports for Harris County offices

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

For the most part, it’s way too early to start thinking about the 2014 Harris County elections – we have a legislative session and a city election cycle to get through first – but since January 15 is a reporting … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

When, Wendy?

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

When will Sen. Wendy Davis run for statewide office? Fortified by a convincing re-election victory, state Sen. Wendy Davis is resuming her role as a fierce critic of Republican-led education cuts as she enters her third regular session of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Abbott’s millions

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If there’s one thing Attorney General Greg Abbott is good at, it’s accumulating money. Fueling growing speculation of a bid for the Texas Governor’s Mansion, Attorney General Greg Abbott reported Tuesday he has amassed a campaign war chest of $18 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Baby Bush ready to claim his birthright

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Perhaps we should just skip straight to the coronation once George P. Bush figures out what office he wants. George Prescott Bush is gearing up to run for a little-known but powerful office in a state where his family already … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Baby Bush ready to claim his birthright

Abbott reportedly tells the money people he’s running for Governor

Posted on January 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

One would think that if Greg Abbott were to tell anybody what his 2014 plans are, it would be the money people. A source who has spoken with Republican donors says Attorney General Greg Abbott is saying he’ll run for … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Abbott reportedly tells the money people he’s running for Governor

Yes, Dewhurst is running for re-election

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I know you were dying to know. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who has signaled before that he plans to run for re-election, punctuated his plans with some extreme math in a Friday interview. “I am 101 percent firm on running … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Yes, Dewhurst is running for re-election

What next for Ron Kirk?

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

He’ll be moving on after President Obama’s second inauguration. We’re hearing that U.S. Trade Representative and former two-term Dallas mayor Ron Kirk has let the White House know that he intends to leave Washington and head back to Dallas. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Draft Julian?

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Who wants to see Julian Castro run for Governor in 2014? His fellow Bexar County Democrats, at least. Bexar County Democratic Party Chairman Manuel Medina launched a social media movement last week to draft Castro for the 2014 Texas governor’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments