The good:
– Lane Lewis won a full term as HCDP Chair by a 55-45 margin. If you heard a whizzing noise this evening, it was the bullet we all dodged in this race.
– Sheriff Adrian Garcia easily won renomination with over 70% of the vote.
– State Reps. Garnet Coleman and Borris Miles won their races. We may finally have seen the last of Al Edwards.
– Sean Hammerle held off Dave Wilson in Commissioners Court Precinct 4. It was a close race, but the forces of good prevailed.
The bad:
– Jarvis Johnson, who finally held a campaign event during the first week of early voting, nearly won HCDE Position 6, Precinct 1 outright. A late surge by Erica Lee pushed him into a runoff. It’s not that I have anything against Johnson, but he didn’t lift a finger during this race and he was up against two much more qualified opponents. There’s nothing like being a familiar name in a race like this.
– Elaine Palmer drubbed Judge Steve Kirkland, winning over 60% of the vote. I’ll be honest, I had thought that Palmer and Keryl Douglas would win or lose together, but Douglas didn’t have much money, and really didn’t do that much campaigning. Palmer had plenty of money and it worked for her. I wonder if her financial backers will be there for her in November.
The ugly:
– Perennial candidate Lloyd Oliver became the heir apparent to Gene Kelly by defeating the vastly better qualified Zack Fertitta for the DA nomination. I just about threw up when I saw the early numbers, and they never got any better. Let this serve as a very painful example of what can happen when a good candidate doesn’t have enough money to raise his name ID up to the level of the barnacle that is running against him. You can assess the blame however you like for this debacle, all I know is that I will be skipping this race in November.
– If that isn’t bad enough, Kesha Rogers will once again be the “Democratic” nominee in CD22. KP George had an early lead based on a strong showing in Fort Bend County, but he lost in Harris and Brazoria, and that was enough. I don’t even know what to say.
The rest:
– Diane Trautman won the HCDE Position 3 At Large race against David Rosen. Traci Jensen scored a clean win in the three-way SBOE 6 primary. Dexter Smith won in SBOE 8.
– Rep. Alma Allen also successfully defended her seat, winning with 59% against Wanda Adams. Mary Ann Perez had a late burst to win the nomination in HD144 outright, while Gene Wu rode a strong early showing to the top spot in HD137. He garnered 44%, and will face Jamaal Smith, who had 23%, in the runoff.
– Lissa Squiers led the three-way race in CD07 with 40%. She will face James Cargas, who was second with 33%. Tawana Cadien will be the nominee in CD10.
– Incumbent JP Mike Parrott won re-election, as did incumbent Constables Ken Jones, Victor Trevino, and May Walker. In Constable Precinct 1, Alan Rosen and Cindy Vara-Leija will face off in overtime; Grady Castleberry had been running second but Vara-Leija overtook him late. In the Constable Precinct 2 cattle call, Zerick Guinn and Chris Diaz made the cut.
– Turnout was about 73,000, with almost exactly half of it coming on Election Day. Some people just don’t like voting early.
Hand up. I DON’T like voting early. I call it the Clayton Williams Rule, but mostly because it gives me more tome to be informed about the candidates. (Though, i was so busy this time around, that didn’t help much.)
George Fleming may have a truckload of money to spend on Elaine Palmer’s General Election campaign, but I doubt there’s enough money to make up for the Democratic votes she won’t be getting.
well,lane lewis won,my prediction was off-alot,he is a great guy and the people have spoken.i can live with lane,but for the record he does look young.now then,i am surprised charles kuffner didnt give me my props on my nail on the head call for kesha rogers-i said it would fall this way-charles can caption my exact words-the name id is almost impossible to over come-i called borris and alma race correct,any ways,so much for running jolanda jo jones political advertisments-as i stated before,she does not have a strong hold on the voting base-and my favorite constable won-may walker,that race i knew was over before it began….
i am surprised at you charles kuffner on the kesha rogers issue,i would have thought that you would be able to see that win…. joshua ben bullard
Fleming may indeed have truckloads of money to spend, but why should he spend it? He already got what he wanted – Kirkland will be off the bench in January. There is no reason for him to spend any more money. And as for the Kubosh brothers, they have already committed their support to Palmer’s Republican opponent, Ken Shortreed, so those checks won’t be rolling in for the general election, either. Palmer is most likely on her own for November, and I’m amazed at the number of lifelong Dems who have always voted straight ticket who have vowed to split the ticket and vote Republican or undervote in this particular race.
Does the Kirkland loss show the anti-gay side of Democratic voters like the the Vasquez loss supposedly showed the anti-Hispanic, bigoted side of Republican voters?
In the 2010 Democratic primary I seem to recall several matchups with black female attorneys against white male opponents, gay or otherwise, who did much better on the bar poll results, but the black females generally won. There is not only a faultline between black and white Democrats, but the social conservatism of black religious leaders and voters reinforces that line.
Democrats made a big deal about how Mahendru and other candidates with foreign sounding names lost in the 2008 sweep due to assumed voter prejudice. But in the primary yesterday, Fertitta and others with non-Anglo, or less familiar names “Keryl?” lost out as well. So does this show that local Democrats are not very open minded about origin or ethnicity?
Isn’t it ironic that in the Hispanic opportunity districts fought over in the redistricting wars, that in HD137 we have an Asian and a black guy competing in that new “Hispanic” district, and that in the Ft. Worth/Dallas “Hispanic” congressional district a black candidate had a handy lead? And of course Anglo Doggett’s romp in the new “Hispanic” CD district from San Antonio to Austin. And the candidate (Reyes) preferred by Hispanic voters in El Paso apparently lost his congressional seat.
On an unrelated note, does anyone know how Pineda overcame Gilbert Pena, who had run in the past, and who had endorsements from all the major GOP conservative slates, and romped on election day to become the GOP nominee in HD 144? His contest shows the single greatest swing from mail ballot to election day results in my memory.
Also, if money was the dominant reason why Palmer beat Kirkland (rather than blacks voting automatiacally for their own or an anti-gay vote) why was it that Fertitta’s money didn’t beat Oliver (rather than blacks auto voting for their own or an anti-foreign sounding name)?
I will undervote come November, unless Kirkland decides to run as an independent… or we could have an opportunity to WRITE IN vote for the Honorable Judge Kirkland… No yellow dog democrat can vote straight party ticket after the Palmer shenanigans… expect a lot of undervoters. If Palmer gets the robe, and I am called as a juror in her court… I wouldn’t be able to pass voir dire… based on her campaign, I would just tell the lawyers, hey she cropped the pics of the aledged alcoholic drink which was actually pure water… I wouldn’t trust any evidence that she would think was permissable in her court,based on that I couldn’t be fair… she just lost anything considered HONORABLE in her court. She should have ran as a Republican, since she was subsidized by the Republicans/teaparty. I am sure she would get the cold shoulder showing up at Democrat events, and being recognized… you think, the reception for SJL was bad 4 years ago at the Senate Conventions, wait till Palmer shows her face at Democrat events with a mixed crowd… So the Harris County Democratic party has got to be creative in getting a way for Kirkland to be reelected in November….
Kirkland’s loss had nothing to do with a gay vs. anti-gay vote in my opinion. Palmers campaign which I contributed to and had no other input was a well oiled machine. A beast of a campaign. They took advantage of a slow to campaign over confident incumbent. People had wondered why did I get involved in a civil district court race? Don’t forget that before Judge Kirkland became the Judge of the 215th he was Judge of Municipal Court #8. I had very strong negative feelings for him as a Judge. As a neighbor and as a person he is a fine man. As a Judge he was more of an advocate than a Jurist. Just my opinion.
Now as to Douglas. I have watched the Democrat party election after election get outperformed on election day. I don’t know Lane Lewis I assume he is a nice guy, good American etc. but he seemed to be anointed by the local leaders to run the party. He just seemed to be a company man. I wanted to see someone outside of the good ol boys network run the party. I thought she was more qualified and would do a better job. The voters disagreed I am good with that. As you know I am all about elections. In my opinion the best thing that can happen to the local Republican party is to get a good old fashioned ass whooping.
Many people in Houston get me (independent reagan and obama voter) confused with my brothers (straight ticket republicans). I learned some things this election when my Attorney Edward Casanova ran for a Judicial Bench in the Republican party. Gary Polland and Steve Hotze do not return my phone calls either.
Paul
P.S. As to Oliver he has been running for office ever since I can remember. It is a marketing campaign for him. You know like the Red Light Cameras were for me. wink đ
Paul, you just issued one of the largest pieces of good old fashioned bull manure that I may have read in a while, which is quite the feat as you have fertilized many fields over your career. You fund-raised for Helena Brown and escorted her at the inauguration. You endorsed Brown right along with your brother,
Felix. There is no way that anyone other than a fool will confuse you with a Democrat or a friend of the Democratic Party.
Your support of homophobic and totally unqualified candidates like Palmer and just plain old homophobic religious zealots like Douglas could only be interpreted to set off a major war within the Democratic Party. Palmer is lucky to have not been disbarred. And, that the anti-gay vote was not a major factor in Kirkland’s defeat is due only to your sleaze-peddling attacks in posting 28 year old DWI records and totally misleading mail-outs by the always bottom-feeding Bethel Nathan.
I hope that you intend to publish all of the case records of those DWI clients you have defended and your less-than-wholesome brothers have provided bail for. Potential clients really need to know what you are capable of. You are a disingenuous, lying hypocrite and the main beneficiaries of Kirkland’s defeat are George Fleming and your brothers’ candidate for District 215 judge, Ken Shortreed. Not that I think that Palmer will necessarily make it to November before the chickens come home to roost, but who are you voting for in that race? Which primary did you vote in?
Elaine Palmer has no future on the bench or in the Democratic Party after her campaign and crawling into bed with the Kubosh boys. If she is on the ballot in November, between you, your brothers, and the undervote, she will go down harder than Kirkland.
Sooner or later all of this will catch up with you and your scumbucket friends. You wanted to be a hero to NOM and provoke an internecine war, and to an extent you have been successful. You may consider the so-called “Reagan Democrats” or Independents to be friends to the Democratic Party, but I guarantee you the true Democrats view them for what they really are.
Go home, feed and water Bullard, put out your whoopee cushions for your company and dream of winning Celebrity Apprentice, and scratch yourself to your heart’s content. But, don’t think Democrats will not remember your treachery and injecting your unwanted self into this past primary. And anyone that supported Helena Brown will never be thought of as anything but Tea Party. While you’re at it, tell Elaine Palmer that she can’t stay in hiding forever.
Oh, Paul, remember writing this? “I was once asked do I think homosexuality is a sin? After thinking how to answer the question and still avoid a fight I said âWell if it is, then it is not in the top 10 and once I completly follow the top 10 commandments then I will comment on that issue.”
That is a gutless, spinless answer that would make Mitt Romney proud, but no less than one would expect of you. There’s an old saying that people that live in grass houses should not throw mowers.
If you are so desperate for publicity, why not advertise that the red light camera gambit was a marketing campaign for you. In fact since you are so proud of it, you should let the state and local bar associations in on your gimmick. I bet that people in this town will appreciate knowing how you get free advertising. Have you ever heard of either ethics or spell-check?
Whatever else you may call Paul Kubosh, he has never been anti-gay in the years that I’ve known him professionally. He employed a gay male to help handle his caseload and, as I recall, contributed to said employee’s multiple runs for office. His issues with Kirkland are not related to sexual preference.
When it comes to judicial office, I’m sure he votes according to who the best person for the job is from his defense attorney standpoint. This is similar to most that keep track of such things though the majority of local folks vote straight party tickets and then get what they deserve. There is no lost love between Kubosh and Kirkland, mainly stemming from their dealings in the city municipal courts, but I have never heard Paul fuss about the man’s sexuality.
Athena, you might want to otherwise note that straight ticket voting for your party of choice is just as foolish as for the GOP. Neither of you have a lock on the truth and fairness, your own demands that a “good” democrat has to tote the party line or else proves the point. And as long as Kubosh has been working locally, he has never suffered from a need for more clients, the man typically having to hire more employees to cover the overflow or just stop taking cases in certain areas in order to be fair to the rest of them.
Jacob, I don’t believe that I ever endorsed straight ticket voting. I said that anyone that is responsible for electing a Tea Party loon like Brown is neither a Democrat nor a friend of the Democratic Party.
As far as “toeing” the party line, I said that Reagan Dem’s and Independents will never be confused as being “true” Democrats. And, they really cannot be counted on not to do something stupid like voting for Bush, Romney or Ron Paul. I don’t always agree with every Democratic candidateâs positions, but with few exceptions they are far more in agreement with my principles than any Republican or recent Independent has ever been.
Regarding supporting and contributing to the campaigns of three homophobic candidates like Brown, Douglas and Palmer, he is guilty. I called him on his gutless, tepid statement about homosexuality and sin, and he deserves that. He tried to ride a fence with that statement, which won’t work with his claim to be someone that tells it like it is. What I did say was, “that the anti-gay vote was not a major factor in Kirklandâs defeat is due only to (Kubosh’s) sleaze-peddling attacks in posting 28 year old DWI records.” Which he did right here on Off the Kuff.
That doesn’t speak well of his character, ethics or integrity. I feel that is something that his past and future DWI clients need to know. I mean really, who could trust him? I would hope that the Texas State Bar would not be impressed by this little gambit of his. Maybe the word will get out to prospective clients and he won’t have to spend money hiring all those employees to handle his “overflow.”
What Kubosh did out of his own twisted needs as a “wannabe” power-broker, revenge seeking defense attorney, and/or pure malice was to help a totally unqualified person win the Democratic primary for District Court 215 and deny reelection to a highly qualified sitting judge. Palmer had a 71 percent ânot qualifiedâ rating in the Houston Bar poll this year and he backed her anyway to the tune of $15,000. Palmer, by the way, seems to be running some sort of stealth campaign and the only comments out her campaign in the last month have been from Paul Kubosh and a campaign spokesperson, Pierre Fletcher: a Republican that helped elect a Tea Party candidate and a person that may or may not actually exist. We unfortunately know who and what Kubosh is, but who is Fletcher and where is Palmer? No victory speech or gloating? No on to November and Shortreed rallying cry?
Does anyone think that George Fleming is going to fund her further? Or, that Kubosh is going to keep running her against his brothers’ candidate Shortreed? Palmer is not sacrificial lamb though; she is more of a sacrificial scapegoat. Where are you Elaine? Unless she is totally delusionalâand sadly that may be the caseâshe has to realize that she has absolutely no chance to win in November and that she has alienated many Democrats.
George Washington Plunkitt of Tammany Hall used to defend his actions by saying, â”I seen my opportunities and I took ’em.” Well, not only did Paul see the opportunity to shaft both Kirkland and the Harris Democratic Party in Palmer he thought he had found the golden goose and laid out another $10,000âclearly the majority stockholder–on Keryl Douglas for Harris County Democratic chair. Talk about chutzpah, he screws not only Democrats, but all of rational Houston with Helena Brown in November and then he goes for a mĂ©nage-a-trois with Palmer and Douglas in May. What a guy!
Jacob, I donât know you and I have no desire to insult you and do not believe that you meant your comments to be insulting either. We just disagree and have different perspectives. I understand what you are trying to say, but I think that you may have misunderstood that mine was an argument based on homophobia, which it wasnât.
Now when it comes to the Keryl Douglas campaign, that was all about arousing anti-gay sentiment, and Paul and Michael Kubosh injected themselves squarely into that race and have to be held liable for much of what went on as major contributors. Without Paulâs money Douglas would have been unable to spread so much hate and malice, and bear much of the responsibility for that.
Kubosh has probably been patting himself on the back so hard that heâs given himself whiplash, and now heâs face with the dilemma of how to sue himself for damages. Maybe George Fleming will help him olut. I think Kubosh will be proud to know that Harris County Democrats think they owe him a major debt; although, I am not sure that he would agree with the reward that some may have in mind. And, one day we dream of him reaping his just rewards.
I think Kirkland was the superior choice in the primary and went on record here awhile ago stating that I thought the feud was over how the judge was always a thorn in PK’s side in the municipal courts. Reasonably speaking, an argument could be made regarding Kirkland’s credentials and his criminal record is fair game but at the same time, I doubt anyone acquainted with Palmer thinks she is worth a spit (or has half a chance of winning).
As someone also acquainted with Kubosh, I concur that this was personal, not about gender identity. If Paul is a religious man, and I believe he is, his belief in the sanctity of marriage as a sacrament should not preclude him from being considered a democrat. After all, under common understanding, his lord & savior would be the original democrat. He has professed towards leaning democrat most of his adult life and I think that is a fair assessment but that doesn’t give the party a blank check. In a more balanced world, I think Paul would support more Libertarians were electable choices presented (rare these days given the lockstep manner in which the two majority political parties have things so sewed up).
As far as his economic fortunes and power broker status, he gained so many clients off the red light camera fight and similar ventures against the city that his repeat clients will cover him for decades. He provides them with a low cost alternative to some of the shysters out there, his results presumably good enough to make them happy (and better than those infamous deals the city offers people to plead out on). That he has money to contribute to like-minded candidates for their campaigns means no ranking individual in either party is going to write him off anytime soon.
Joseph, I appreciate your thoughts and comments, but Paul Kubosh does not even remotely hold any common principles with the Democratic Party. No Democrat would ever have supported and worked to elect a Tea Party nut like Helena Brown. From what I have read and observed of the man he is essentially amoral and has a propensity for self-promotion and stirring up trouble for trouble’s sake.
This creature of limited intellectual power probably sees himself as the messiah–that is if he even believes in one. As for his “lord & savior” he would have nailed him to cross this last election if it meant he could work at dismantling the Democratic Party. I’d call him a whore, but then there are things even a hooker won’t do for money.
I hate to tell you but perhaps Kubosh and you are the only ones that believe him a Democrat. The “like-minded” candidates that he contributed to in this past primary are marginal Democrats at best and total charlatans at worst, but they are religious zealots. And, your assertion that no ranking individual in either party is going to write him off soon makes me wonder if you haven’t had too much of the kool-aid. Palmer, Douglas and their few supporters are hardly “ranking” individuals in the HCDP, and I suspect that in the future association with either of those two or any of the Kubosh’s will be a death warrant for any Democratic candidate in this state.
I think that many Harris Democrats cannot wait for the day to repay him for the trouble that he has caused, and Palmer will never sit on the bench. She got all the votes she is going to get in the primary. Those that voted for Steven Kirkland will never vote for her. And, the three little Kubosh’s will squeal with delight as their Tea Party buddy Ken Shortreed takes the District 215 bench.
I absolutely believe that Paul Kubosh needs to issue a disclaimer to his clients stating that if it suits his purpose he reserves the right to publish their three-decade old DWI cases. He may be some lunatic Libertarian–redundant I know–at heart, but he darn sure is not a Democrat. Oh, and that he has so many “repeat clients” just compounds the hypocrisy and treachery of his vengeful participation in taking down Steven Kirkland.
Joseph, you may be sincere, but that doesn’t alter the fact that you could fertilize pastures with your comments about Paul Kubosh. As they say in poker, get that crap off the table.
Oh, and Joseph, being gay is not about “gender identity.” Gender identity is related to being transgender, not gay, lesbian or bisexual. You’re right though, it was personal, but had nothing to do with whatever religious convictions he may have. Paul Kubosh took his losses in cases he tried before Kirkland in municipal court personally, and he piggy-backed on another low-life lawyer’s revenge at losing on appeal in Kirkland’s court. Don’t try to make this or Kubosh seem honorable, what he did was low and base. Unfortunately though, it is what one would expect of him.