Tag Archives: Election 2012

Are Texas Latinos like Latinos elsewhere or not?

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Latino Decisions bemoans a disconnect between its poll numbers for Latino voters and what it’s seeing in the crosstabs of other recent national polls. In 1998 Harry Pachon and Rudy de la Garza wrote a report for the Tomas Rivera … Continue reading →

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UT/TT: Romney 55, Obama 39

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here are some new poll numbers for Texas from UT and the Tribune. Republican Mitt Romney has a commanding lead over Democrat Barack Obama in the presidential race in Texas, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. The … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: The Statesman gets in the game

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

In addition to their Sunday endorsement of Paul Sadler, the Statesman made up for lost time last week by finally getting around to making endorsements in various races. Among their first was a nice recommendation of John Courage. Texas Senate, … Continue reading →

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Early voting, one week in

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We have completed one full week of early voting, and through Sunday a total of 362,827 people had voted in person, with an additional 53,131 ballot being cast by mail, for a grand total of 415,958. The updated spreadsheet is … Continue reading →

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Lampson-mentum

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I always thought that with Nick Lampson in the race, CD14 would be competitive. Looks like national perception is catching up to that belief. Texas Republicans are ringing the alarm over a House race that had seemed a safe bet … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: The scoreboard for Sadler

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

More endorsements for Paul Sadler from the past week. Here’s the El Paso Times: We need a U.S. senator who will work on border issues with our members of Congress in Dists. 16 and 23. We are endorsing Democrats Beto … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Wu and Vo

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Clearly I was wrong about the Chron ignoring legislative endorsements, as they now have two more to follow Ann Johnson‘s. First up is an endorsement of Gene Wu to be Rep. Scott Hochberg’s successor in HD137. We believe that Democrat … Continue reading →

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Cuts are not increases, no matter how you spin it

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This is the Chron overview of HD134, which is once again the highest profile legislative race in the county, in part because it’s a referendum on the 2010 election and the cuts to public education funding that resulted from that … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Martin and Sullivan

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron can’t quite believe that Steve Stockman is on the verge of being foisted on us again as a member of Congress, so they do what they can by endorsing his opponent, Max Martin. Max Martin is a credible, … Continue reading →

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More early voting

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Early voting continues to go gangbusters in Harris County – here’s my updated spreadsheet for your perusal. The numbers are certainly impressive, but to keep things in perspective, it’s an increase of about 20% over 2008, whereas 2008 was more … Continue reading →

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Overview of the Keller-Hampton race

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This story covers a lot of familiar ground, but it’s worth going over again. Three judges on Texas’ highest criminal court are seeking re-election in November, including Presiding Judge Sharon Keller, who’s been a lightning rod for controversy since her … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: The Parent PAC November slate

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

For your approval. Texas Parent PAC is delighted to endorse the following candidates in the general election.  They are men and women of integrity, open and responsive to parents, actively involved in their communities, and committed to investing in public … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Lampson and Gallego

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I mentioned on Monday that the Chron had endorsed Nick Lampson for CD14. Yesterday, they wrote the endorsement editorial for him. Lampson, a native of Beaumont, first came to Congress in 1996 and served four terms from the Golden Triangle … Continue reading →

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Everybody loves early voting now

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From the County Clerk’s office: The Chief Election Officer of the County, Stan Stanart, announced [Monday night] that Harris County voters set a new record for voting during the first day of Early Voting in person. 47,093 persons voted on … Continue reading →

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On the city bonds

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s an overview of the city bond issues. The city of Houston is asking voters on Nov. 6 for permission to borrow $410 million to shore up its parks, police stations, libraries, other government buildings and substandard housing. Propositions A, … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: For Ann Johnson

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I noted on Monday that the Chron listed Ann Johnson as one of its endorsed candidates. Yesterday they wrote the endorsement editorial to go along with that. The tea party turnout of 2010 gave Republican candidate Sarah Davis the narrow … Continue reading →

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Ticket splitters

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

For better or worse, we live in a polarized world. Often, knowing a candidate’s political party tells you most of what you need to know in a general election. But definitely not always, and this year in particular there are … Continue reading →

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That Chron story on True The Vote

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

For a variety of reasons, I never got around to reading that Sunday Chron story about True The Vote, that self-styled “watchdog” group that claims to be interested in ferreting out all those instances of “vote fraud” that nobody else … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Three out of four ain’t bad

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Star-Telegram becomes the third of the four major papers to endorse Paul Sadler for Senate. Sadler can be aggressive, even abrasive, as he demonstrated in an early-October debate with Cruz. But Sadler has specific, practical notions about improving how … Continue reading →

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All the interviews for 2012

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

As we begin early voting for the November election, here are all the interviews I conducted for candidates who are on the ballot as well as for the referenda. These include interviews that were done for the primary as well … Continue reading →

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Early voting begins today

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Shamelessly stolen from Greg, here’s a convenient Google map of the early voting locations in Harris County: For the more traditional view plus hours and other information, visit Harris Votes. I intend to bring the girls with me when I … Continue reading →

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Who doesn’t like parks?

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The usual suspects – cranks, malcontents, and the Harris County GOP, that’s who. Proposition B on the Nov. 6 ballot asks you to pay for part of that plan, of course. Not with increased taxes, though, [Mayor Annise] Parker insists. … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: HCDE and District E

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses three Democrats for the Harris County Department of Education. At-Large Position 3: Democratic challenger Diane Trautman would bring expertise and professionalism to the job. As a professor of education at Stephen F. Austin State University, she taught … Continue reading →

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Texas appeals DC Court redistricting decision

Posted on October 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose this was inevitable. Texas is appealing a federal court decision that denied preclearance to legislatively drawn redistricting maps, saying the court overstepped its authority under the federal Voting Rights Act, Attorney General Greg Abbott announced late Friday. That … Continue reading →

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Presidential campaign contributions in Texas

Posted on October 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I suspect there’s not much in this story that will surprise you. Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s campaign raised nearly twice as much money in the greater Houston area than that of President Barack Obama – most of it from wealthier … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: DMN for Sadler

Posted on October 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a strange endorsement, at least from my perspective, but it’ll do. Texans face a decision in this election that has come before them only twice over the last four decades: How to fill a Senate seat that has carried … Continue reading →

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YouGov: Romney 55, Obama 41

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

YouGov has an updated poll of Texas. Republican challenger Mitt Romney gets a solid majority of the votes of likely voters over Democratic President Barack Obama in Texas, 55% Romney to 41% Obama, in a YouGov poll of 958 likely … Continue reading →

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Precinct 1 Constable overview

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron takes a look at the Constable race in Precinct 1, which will determine the successor to disgraced former Constable Jack Abercia. [Republican Joe] Danna, 59, and a Precinct 1 deputy for 18 years, pledged to reorganize an office … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: For the city bonds

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron gives its approval to the city bond referenda. While all eyes seem to be on the presidential election, the upcoming city bond measures on the ballot this year may have more immediate impact on Houston than any federal … Continue reading →

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More on Sen. Gallegos

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

For better or worse, we must discuss the politics of Sen. Mario Gallegos’ death this week. The first question to address is what happens next? Rich Parsons, a spokesman for Secretary of State Hope Andrade, this morning clarified the timing … Continue reading →

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Interview with Ann Harris Bennett

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

To wrap up my interviews for 2012, today we have Ann Harris Bennett, the Democratic candidate for Harris County Tax Assessor. Bennett is a former Court Coordinator and was the Democratic candidate for Harris County Clerk in 2010 – you … Continue reading →

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The opposition to the bonds

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record. Longtime City Hall naysayer Dave Wilson and other anti-tax activists gathered on the grounds of an elementary school that was slated to get $3.7 million from the last Houston Independent School District bond measure but instead … Continue reading →

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Overview of the HCDE races

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron has an overview of the races for the Harris County Department of Education, and in describing the one At Large race between incumbent Michael Wolfe and Democratic challenger Diane Trautman they do the useful service of describing what … Continue reading →

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Which way for Hays?

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I have two things to say about this. Two years after Republicans trounced Democrats in Hays County, the GOP again is aiming to win. Ten incumbents are running for re-election in Hays County races, but the six Republican candidates are … Continue reading →

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