Category Archives: Election 2009

All forumed out

Posted on September 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The three main Mayoral candidates are cutting back on the number of candidate forums they’re doing. Having logged more than 40 so far with just about every interest group or neighborhood imaginable, the campaigns of City Controller Annise Parker, City … Continue reading →

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Interview with Anna Eastman

Posted on September 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Next up is Anna Eastman, also running for Trustee in HISD District I. Eastman is a community activist and former social worker who co-founded along with her husband the 11 ½ Street Foundation, which recognizes and provides monetary awards for … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: SEIU and HOPE

Posted on September 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Houston Organization of Public Employees (HOPE) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1 members have made their endorsements for the November elections. From the press release: Mayor – Annise Parker At Large 1 – Karen Derr At Large … Continue reading →

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Interview with Alma Lara

Posted on September 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Moving on to the HISD Trustee races, we start with Alma Lara, who is running for the open HISD Trustee seat in District I. Lara is retired after a 35-year career in HISD in which she was a teacher, principal … Continue reading →

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And the campaign season officially begins

Posted on September 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Mary Benton brings word of the first dirty trick of the campaign, a nasty email purportedly sent from a supporter of Controller candidate Ronald Green that attacks his opponents. I presume it’s a dirty trick and not a real thing, … Continue reading →

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A list of interviews so far

Posted on September 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As I said last week, I do not expect to do any more interviews with City Council candidates. This week, I will be publishing interviews with HISD Trustee candidates, to be followed by interviews with incumbent district Council members, then … Continue reading →

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Interview with George Foulard

Posted on September 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

For my last City Council candidate interview, we have George Foulard, who is running in District G. Foulard is a political newcomer who has worked in the international commodities industry and is currently employed as an operations manager. He is … Continue reading →

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Brown on the air, take two

Posted on September 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Peter Brown continues his air campaign with a new TV ad: I thought the first one was good, and I think this one is better. Team Peter has done a nice job with Brown’s overall brand – Brown is the … Continue reading →

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Interview with Dexter Handy

Posted on September 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

My penultimate City Council candidate interview is with Dexter Handy, who is running in District G. Handy is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force where he had a distinguished 28-year career that included a stint as Chief of … Continue reading →

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What happens now in HCC District 8?

Posted on September 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, after the filing-deadline shenanigans in the HCC Trustee District 8 race, brother-in-law candidate Arturo Aguilar said he was withdrawing from the ballot. As I noted at the time, that meant there were no other candidates who had … Continue reading →

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The Mayorals talk about the economy

Posted on September 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Via Greg and KTRK: Annise Parker: Gene Locke: Peter Brown Roy Morales: I presume that each team was told they had up to two minutes to film themselves talking about the economy in whatever fashion suited them. Locke’s struck me … Continue reading →

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Interview with Jack Christie

Posted on September 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We are getting close to the end of my interview series. This week I will wrap up the interviews with non-incumbent candidates for City Council. Next week I will have HISD Trustee candidates, then incumbent District City Council members, and … Continue reading →

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Projecting turnout for the Mayor’s race

Posted on September 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Prof. Murray surveys the scene and comes up with a turnout projection for November: These considerations lead me to conclude that turnout in 2009 will be significantly below our 300,000 voters in 2003. How much lower? I think in the … Continue reading →

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More on the HISD candidates

Posted on September 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Bellaire Examiner looks at the contested HISD Trustee races, two of which weren’t hadn’t been contested before the day of the filing deadline. HISD Board President Lawrence Marshall appeared to be one of three incumbent trustees unopposed in the … Continue reading →

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From the “Timing Is Everything” department

Posted on September 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I can only presume that this Saturday op-ed by soon-to-be-former HCC Trustee Abel Davila was submitted to the Chron before Wednesday of this week. I also presume once it was in the queue, it was going to run regardless of … Continue reading →

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Aguilar drops out of HCC Trustee race

Posted on September 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’m guessing the backlash for being a last minute candidate who also happens to be the

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Ballot order

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the ballot order for the November city elections. I don’t know how much being listed first really means – whatever it means, it likely varies a great deal from election to election, depending on the turnout and the level … Continue reading →

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The lineup, slightly revised

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here is the slightly revised final lineup for the City of Houston ballot this November. Note that a couple of candidates dropped off, including Donald Cook in At Large #1 and Alfred Molison in District C. I do not know … Continue reading →

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All in the family, HCC-style

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I noted last night and this morning that the HCC Trustee seat in District 8, which was left open at the last minute by Abel Davila, will be filled by his brother-in-law Arturo Aguilar. (Davila is married to HISD Trustee … Continue reading →

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Interview with Richard Sedita

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Richard Sedita is a candidate for District G. He is an Army veteran who served in the Korean DMZ from 1967-69 as a medic. Since then, he has been a registered nurse and has worked as an ER Director, ICU … Continue reading →

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More on the lineups

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron story about the final filings to be on the ballot for city elections. As noted before, not a whole lot of surprises, but there are a couple of things worth mentioning: Otis Jordan, president of the Houston … Continue reading →

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Here’s your lineup

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Martha has your final filings for City of Houston elections. Executive summary: No surprise last minute entrants, but everyone except for Council Members Melissa Noriega (At Large #3), Ed Gonzalez (H), and James Rodriguez (I) has at least one opponent. … Continue reading →

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Freeman and Bradford spar over SEIU endorsement

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Last night, Noel Freeman sent out this press release: Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1 confirmed Tuesday during a screening interview with City Council At-Large Position 4 candidate Noel Freeman that his opponent, C.O. Bradford, has falsely claimed to … Continue reading →

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Interview with Carlos Obando

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We don’t get a lot of competitive Council race in Houston that don’t involve an open seat. As I’ve noted before, we may get one this year for At Large #5. One of the candidates seeking to unseat incumbent Council … Continue reading →

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Filing deadline

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Today at 5 PM is the filing deadline for city elections. Martha has her usual roundup of who has filed. So far, the only bit of suspense is in the Mayor’s race, where Roy Morales has yet to do his … Continue reading →

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Interview with Council Member Sue Lovell

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Council Member Sue Lovell is running for re-election to her third term in At Large #2. She chairs the Quality of Life committee, from which the recent ordinances about billboards, signage, and attention-getting devices originated, as well as the Transportation, … Continue reading →

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KHOU polls the Mayor’s race

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We have a data point going into the Labor Day weekend. “The vast majority of voters are still undecided about who to vote for,” said 11 News political expert Bob Stein. “They’re simply unfamiliar with the candidates.” In the poll, … Continue reading →

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Three candidates so far for HISD Trustee in District I

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We know that Natasha Kamrani, the incumbent Trustee in HISD District I is not running for re-election. One candidate to replace her is Alma Lara, who was in the race before Kamrani announced that she was stepping down. According to … Continue reading →

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Filings and endorsements

Posted on August 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve added several updates to my recent endorsements list. It’s not comprehensive, as it doesn’t include earlier endorsements, but it’s what I know of the recent activities. Endorsement lists added today were the Spring Branch Democrats and the Greater Houston … Continue reading →

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Brown’s energy plan

Posted on August 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Completing our trifecta of Mayoral policy examinations, we come now to Peter Brown’s energy plan. As with other policy matters, Brown goes into more detail than the others – David Ortez recently wrote that Brown is “winning the policy campaign”, … Continue reading →

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Sparkless?

Posted on August 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know that I would say that the Mayor’s race has lacked spark, but it’s been relatively low key so far. I agree with this: What does it all mean? That the race remains a toss-up going into the … Continue reading →

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Interview with Rick Rodriguez

Posted on August 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Today’s interview subject is Rick Rodriguez, who is running in At Large #1. Rodriguez is a 24-year veteran of HPD, where he has worked in a variety of divisions and units, and is now in the Criminal Intelligence Division. He … Continue reading →

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Parker’s education plan

Posted on August 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Next up for review we have Annise Parker’s education plan. I should note that while the press release about this plan came out last week, a lot of the ideas within the plan have been on the table for awhile. … Continue reading →

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Let the games begin

Posted on August 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The filing deadline for Houston municipal offices is one week from today – Martha has been keeping track of who has filed yet and who has not. What could be better to do immediately after the deadline than get together … Continue reading →

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