Houston City Council Member Toni Lawrence, the one term-limited member of city government who hadn’t announced a run for somethinge else yet, has now announced that she is forming an exploratory committee for the presumed-to-be-open Commissioners Court seat in Precinct 4. From her press release:
Today, former Cy-Fair high school teacher and current Houston City Council member Toni Lawrence announced the formation of a Republican Primary Exploratory Committee for Harris County Commissioner Precinct 4. She will be transferring more than $100,000 from her city council campaign account into an exploratory county commissioner campaign committee.
Current Precinct 4 Commissioner Jerry Eversole has yet to announce his plans to run for reelection. Lawrence said Commissioner Eversole has worked diligently on the Commissioners Court for almost twenty years, but expressed her view that its time for a new Republican voice for Precinct 4. If elected, Lawrence would be the first Republican female to serve on the Harris County Commissioners Court.
Lawrence, known as one of the hardest working members of the Houston City Council, is completing her third term representing District A and will immediately begin testing the waters by visiting with community leaders and Republican voters across County Commissioner Precinct 4 which overlaps most of North and Northeast Harris County.
“As I explore a run for County Commissioner, I will listen to voters and community leaders’ ideas on how we can make Harris County a better place to live while highlighting my record of accomplishment on the Houston City Council,” said Lawrence. “I feel my experience as a taxpayers’ watchdog, mobility advocate and strong supporter of neighborhood integrity will be a good fit on the Commissioners Court. It would be an honor to continue and expand upon my public service in this new role.”
I’ve posted the full release, which details her Republican credentials for what will surely be a crowded primary, here. We first heard of Lawrence’s interest in this race back in July, so this comes as no surprise. It’s just a question of who else will jump in.
Oops…two mistakes right out of the box…
1) There is no such thing in state campaign finance laws as an “exploratory committee.” Those appear only in federal campaign finance laws. In Texas, the ethics commission views you as either running or not.
2) Her release says “Lawrence would be the first Republican female to serve on the Harris County Commissioners Court.” Wrong again. Did she not remember Liz Grist? She was a female Republican County Commissioner. She served before Radack.
Guess Toni the tigger is not ready for prime time.
Liz was appointed. CM Lawrence would be the first elected.
Bert, so she should have said “if elected she would be the first elected female Republican county commissioner.” Not the first to serve.
Can’t wait to see the CM Lawrence yard sign in front of her new 648 sq ft, with no ac and an exterior mold problem new residence. Here is the place she “moved” into just days before she had to move into the district in order to claim residence.
http://blogs.chron.com/houstonpolitics/2009/07/toni_lawrences_new_digs.html