Category Archives: Election 2020

Big John may get a primary challenger

Posted on September 10, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Drama! Maybe. State Sen. Pat Fallon, R-Prosper, announced Monday evening he is exploring a primary challenge to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, potentially giving the state’s senior senator his most prominent intraparty opponent yet. Fallon, a former state representative elected to … Continue reading →

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Lucio’s challengers

Posted on September 9, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Will definitely want to keep an eye on this. This cycle, [Sen. Eddie] Lucio’s record will be dissected as two opponents—one a trial lawyer and daughter of a former Cameron County Democratic chair, and another a current State Board of … Continue reading →

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Try, try again

Posted on September 8, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

A lot of women ran for office as Democrats in 2018. A lot of them won, and a lot of them who didn’t win are trying again. [Gina Ortiz Jones isn’t] the only woman who’s back for a second round. … Continue reading →

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We talk once again about straight ticket voting

Posted on September 5, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We have a new study, so we have a new reason. The state’s decision to kill straight-ticket voting could cut turnout in down-ballot races in the 2020 elections — even if more voters show up to the polls. Sure, those … Continue reading →

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Five for fleeing

Posted on September 5, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

There goes another one. U.S. Rep. Bill Flores announced Wednesday morning that he would not run for reelection in 2020 — making him the fifth Texas Republican to announce his retirement from Congress. “Serving my country as the Representative of … Continue reading →

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McCaul’s hustle

Posted on September 4, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Turns out, running for re-election is hard work. Rep. Michael McCaul does not have to be here, at Carl’s BBQ on the side of a highway, in a wood-paneled backroom, seated at a bare table in front of a stuffed, … Continue reading →

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More ways to improve access to voting

Posted on September 3, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

In Harris County: Inmates of the Harris County Jail may soon be able to vote. Harris County leaders have approved a study on setting up a polling location at the jail as early as this November. The County Clerk’s and … Continue reading →

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The HD148 field keeps growing

Posted on September 2, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the current list of people who have filed CTAs for HD148, not including Rep. Jessica Farrar and her 2018 opponent Ryan McConnico: 83999 COH Isaacson, Terah C. 08/20/2019 State Representative Dist 148 65547 COH Yarbrough Camarena, Kendra J. 08/21/2019 … Continue reading →

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A reminder about the local legislative races

Posted on September 1, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s review the facts together. State Rep. Jon Rosenthal wasn’t supposed to win his Texas House seat last year. He was too much of a Democrat for the swath of northwest Harris County that had long elected Republicans. But in … Continue reading →

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Yet another story about suburbs shifting away from Republicans

Posted on August 31, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Collect the whole set! Texas is currently experiencing two trends that are favorable to Democrats: increasing urbanization, and big demographic shifts. The Texas Tribune recently reported that Hispanics are expected to become the largest demographic group in the state by 2022, with … Continue reading →

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How many Congressional seats are really in play for Texas Dems?

Posted on August 30, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

By one measure, more than you probably think. From Jonathan Tilove of the Statesman: Last weekend, I read an interview in Salon with Rachel Bitecofer, a political scientist at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Va. She is also an … Continue reading →

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HD148 update

Posted on August 28, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

From TX Elects: HD148 special: Houston physician Terah Isaacson established a campaign committee for a potential run for the seat being vacated by Rep. Jessica Farrar (D-Houston) as a Democrat. Houston resident Lui LaRotta established a campaign committee for the … Continue reading →

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Our all-important metro areas

Posted on August 27, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Another look at the trouble Republicans face in Texas now. The key to Texas’ political future is whether it finally follows the geographic realignment that has transformed the politics of many other states over the past quarter century. Across the … Continue reading →

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Pretty much everybody wants MQS to release the Bonnen recordings

Posted on August 27, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

From Twitter: JOINT STATEMENT BY REPS. KLICK, HUBERTY, GOLDMAN AND SANFORD “We call for the complete and unedited public release of the secretly recorded conversation between Speaker Bonnen, Representative Burrows and Michael Quinn Sullivan.” — Stephanie Klick (@StephanieKlick) 3:53 PM … Continue reading →

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We’re up to three candidates running against Steve Radack

Posted on August 25, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Former State Rep. Kristi Thibaut announced her entry into the race to take on longtime Commissioner Steve Radack this week. You can find her campaign Facebook page here. I had previously noted some chatter about her possible candidacy. This is … Continue reading →

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The psychological shift

Posted on August 23, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. [Democratic operative Jason] Stanford has a theory about how [Texas Democratic] angst started. He says it began with the 1996 U.S. Senate race in Texas. Democrats were recovering from losing two years … Continue reading →

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No Rocket

Posted on August 23, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

What a world we live in. Pitching great Roger Clemens didn’t shy away from many battles in his major league career, but politics is something he’s not willing to take on. Clemens had been encouraged to run as a Republican … Continue reading →

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Special election set for HD148

Posted on August 20, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Straight from the source. Governor Greg Abbott today issued a proclamation announcing Tuesday, November 5, 2019 as the special election date to fill the Texas House of Representatives District 148 seat recently vacated by former Representative Jessica Farrar. Candidates who … Continue reading →

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Beto is still not running for Senate

Posted on August 18, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, y’all. Beto O’Rourke will return to the presidential campaign trail Thursday for the first time since the Aug. 3 massacre of 22 people at a Walmart in his hometown by a suspect who told police he was hunting “Mexicans” … Continue reading →

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Once again with GOP anxiety

Posted on August 17, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I recommend Xanax. Or, you know, marijuana. I’ve heard that’s good for anxiety. Republicans have long idealized Texas as a deep-red frontier state, home to rural conservatives who love President Donald Trump. But political turbulence in the sprawling suburbs and … Continue reading →

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Tzintzún Ramirez gets off to a quick start

Posted on August 16, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Impressive. Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez raked in more than $200,000 in the 24 hours after she announced her run for Senate, her campaign said today — giving her a quick start as she tries to catch up to the several other … Continue reading →

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CD23 update

Posted on August 15, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

The Rivard Report takes a look at the state of play in CD23 following Rep. Will Hurd’s surprise retirement. In the wake of Hurd’s announcement, former U.S. Navy officer Tony Gonzales, a Republican, has entered the race. Gonzales was not … Continue reading →

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Back to the Beto question

Posted on August 14, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

As in, should Beto abandon his run for President and come back to Texas to make another run for Senate? The Chron says Yes. There are times, it seems, in most presidential campaigns when the facades get stripped away like … Continue reading →

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Five for Senate

Posted on August 13, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez is in. Leading Latina organizer Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez is launching a campaign for U.S. Senate, entering a Democratic primary to oust Republican John Cornyn that has steadily grown throughout the summer. The daughter of an immigrant mother, … Continue reading →

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Emerson’s weird polls

Posted on August 11, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a poll, so we do the thing. A new poll has former Vice President Joe Biden leading Beto O’Rourke in the Texas presidential primary and toppling Donald Trump in a head-to-head showdown. The survey, conducted by Emerson College for … Continue reading →

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With silver linings like these…

Posted on August 10, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

…Who needs misfortune? Even Texas Republicans are a bit amused with the clever new Democratic battle cry that’s emerged amid a recent spate of GOP congressional retirements: “Texodus.” First came U.S. Rep. Pete Olson of Sugar Land on July 25. … Continue reading →

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Bonnen blinks

Posted on August 7, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

OMG. Speaker Dennis Bonnen on Tuesday apologized to his 149 colleagues for “terrible things” he said about some of them, just hours after more details emerged about slurs against fellow House members uttered by him and his chief GOP sidekick … Continue reading →

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There will be a special election in HD28

Posted on August 7, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Missed this the other day. The chair of the powerful House budget-writing Appropriations Committee, state Rep. John Zerwas, will be the new executive vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Texas System. Zerwas, a doctor by training, announced … Continue reading →

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It’s all about the tape

Posted on August 6, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

You want to hear the recording of that conversation between Speaker Dennis Bonnen and MQS in which Bonnen supposedly trashed a bunch of Republican legislators? You can’t hear it unless MQS wants you to. For the past week, Texas Republicans, … Continue reading →

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Marchant joins the exodus

Posted on August 6, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

The line at the door keeps growing. U.S. Rep. Kenny Marchant will not seek reelection in 2020, two sources confirmed to The Texas Tribune late Sunday. He is the fourth member of the Texas delegation to announce his retirement in … Continue reading →

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July 2019 campaign finance reports: State Reps

Posted on August 5, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

State legislative races tend to get less attention than Congressional races. Fewer candidates, less money, very little news coverage. That’s probably going to be less true this year, as both parties are going to expend a lot of effort and … Continue reading →

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Raising money to register Republicans

Posted on August 3, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Just keeping an eye on things. A new super PAC focused on registering new Republican voters in Texas has raised nearly $10 million from some of the state’s biggest GOP donors, according to its first report to the Federal Election … Continue reading →

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Rep. Mike Conaway to retire

Posted on August 3, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We will have at least three new members of Congress from Texas in 2021. Rep. Mike Conaway of Texas will not seek reelection in 2020, according to multiple GOP sources, becoming the fifth Republican to announce their retirement over the … Continue reading →

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Rep. Will Hurd to step down

Posted on August 2, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. I did not see this coming. The U.S. House’s last black Republican member, Rep. Will Hurd of Helotes, announced Thursday that he is retiring from Congress. President Donald Trump’s racist comments about elected officials weighed heavily on Hurd, who … Continue reading →

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