The Chron endorses Christian Menefee for Harris County Attorney.
Christian Menefee
Christian Menefee was still celebrating his victory in the Democratic primary over longtime incumbent Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan when the coronavirus pandemic changed everything. Lockdowns and social distancing left the 32-year-old civil litigation attorney with a lot of time on his hands.
He used those spare hours well. During the last several months, Menefee told the editorial board, he has researched the inner workings of the department he hopes to run. He studied the office’s organizational charts. He talked to more than 30 current employees. He reached out to the Dallas County district attorney and the Travis County attorney.
That helped give him a solid understanding of the office he seeks and what improvements need to be made, Menefee said.
“You can’t just come in with ideas,” said Menefee, a Houston native who is a litigator with Kirkland & Ellis. “You need to come in with stuff that you know is going to work.”
That kind of energy, attention to detail and determination to make the county attorney office as effective as possible earn Menefee our endorsement. We also recommended him in the primary, noting his commitment to expanding the office’s environmental law section, which currently has four full-time lawyers.
In addition to the bread-and-butter work of representing elected officials, local entities and county employees, Menefee said he wants the office to bring more impact litigation to “hold polluters accountable.”
Menefee also wants the office to be a strong advocate for local control — no small feat, given the control officials in Austin have sought in recent years, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s recent challenges to the county on vote-by-mail applications and eviction policies.
If you listen to the interview I did with Menefee for the primary, you will definitely hear all of these themes from him. He’s got a lot of potential, and I expect big things.
Next, the Chron heads a bit north to endorse Hank Gilbert in CD01 over the hottest of messes that is Louie Gohmert.
Hank Gilbert
Ever since voters in Texas’ 1st Congressional District sent U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert to Congress in 2004 by a landslide, it’s been an open question as to how extreme, how divisive and how — there’s no other way to put it — how batty their congressman can get before he’s recalled.
If his electoral successes are any guide, Gohmert is in no danger of being held accountable for his antics, which include most recently refusing to wear a mask unless he got COVID-19 — which he promptly did. His positive diagnosis drew a worried rebuke from his own daughter on Twitter: “My father ignored medical expertise and now he has Covid,” she wrote.
Still, as congressman, Gohmert has never polled less than 68 percent. Time and again, despite a mountain of cringe-worthy examples, Gohmert has emerged stronger after Election Day.
This year, his opponent swears it will be different. “He’s never had a real challenger,” says Democrat Hank Gilbert, 60, a former rancher, high school ag teacher and two-time candidate for Texas agriculture commissioner.
We hope he’s right. The district deserves better than what it’s had these past 16 years. Heck, Congress deserves better.
Here’s my interview with Hank, who is a mensch through and through. No question, Congress and the country would be a much better place with Hank subbing in for Gohmert, but that’s on the voters, and this is a tough district. If you know someone who lives in that district, make sure they know about Hank.
Finally, the Chron endorses incumbent Rep. Mike McCaul for re-election, and while the have good things to say about Mike Siegel, they argue that “trading an accomplished and pragmatic congressman would not serve the district well”. Whatevs.
It’s unsurprising the Chron endorsed Gilbert and McCaul. I don’t really pay particularly close attention to newspaper endorsements, but usually they go with the incumbent (McCaul) unless s/he is incompetent (Gohmert). For open seats, go with the candidate who is less of a flamethrower (Kulkarni). The only endorsement I am in the air about is CD-2. It’s probably Crenshaw, but he’s comments on COVID might get them to endorse Sima.
The Houston Chronicle endorsed Congressman Crenshaw’s Democrat opponent in 2018, and they probably will again. Their endorsements are becoming increasingly irrelevant as their readership declines and their objectivity is called into question. I don’t know anyone under age 60 or 65 in my neighborhood who still takes the paper. Maybe some look at it online.
Endorsing Litton in 2018 is consistent with my rule of thumb, since CD-2 was an open seat, and Litton, like Kulkarni, is less of a flamethrower. Crenshaw is an incumbent now though, so I think it is more likely the Chron endorses him this election. Nonetheless, it wouldn’t surprise me if they endorse Sima.