Tag Archives: Election 2002

Don’t expect the Kathie Glass effect to be much

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like every four years we talk about the possible effect of third party candidates on various races. Usually, it’s in the context of legislative races, where some candidates have won with less than 50% in recent years and one … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

2014 Day 10 Early Vote totals

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here they are, and here are the full 2010 EV totals. The debate about what the turnout numbers mean continues apace. You already know what I think about that, so let me introduce a different perspective. We’ve been talking about … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on 2014 Day 10 Early Vote totals

2014 first week EV totals

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here they are, and here are the full 2010 EV totals. Democrats still have a lot of work to do, at least in Harris County. I sure hope it happens, that’s all I can say. We’re already seeing postmortems for … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Sameena Karmally

Posted on October 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Sameena Karmally, whose race against Jodie Laubenbeg is important not for if she wins or loses but for what she represents. If Democrats are going to turn Texas purple, they need to do a lot of work at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Sameena Karmally

Saving SD10 and other benchmarks

Posted on October 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Observer looks at the race to succeed Wendy Davis in SD10. It’s a steamy, hot summer morning in the Metroplex, and at the Dixie House, a Southern-style diner in east Ft. Worth where gravy flows like water, Libby Willis … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Saving SD10 and other benchmarks

DeLay gets off

Posted on October 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Sure is nice to have friends in high places. Siding with a decision made a year ago by a lower appeals court, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on Wednesday refused to reinstate money-laundering convictions against former U.S. House Majority … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A thought about the stealth campaign

Posted on September 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Forrest Wilder writes about the un-campaigns being run by most statewide Republicans. But now comes a new twist: the art of the non-campaign. The candidate who doesn’t even bother to put on a show, doesn’t even pretend to reach the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A thought about the stealth campaign

On polls and turnout

Posted on September 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

So as you know, the latest YouGov poll came out on Friday, and it was ugly for Wendy Davis, showing an 18-point lead for Greg Abbott. PDiddie was despondent, EoW was trying to keep the faith, and Texpatriate was somewhere … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on On polls and turnout

The run and hide strategy

Posted on September 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Where’s Danno? Texas voters [were] treated to a peculiar sight Friday evening: a one-candidate debate. Leticia Van de Putte, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, [answered] questions in a Spanish-language television event without Republican rival Dan Patrick. He’ll be meeting … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The run and hide strategy

If you read just one more story about Wendy Davis’ campaign

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I would recommend you read this one, by Andrea Grimes. In four months, Texans are guaranteed to elect a new governor for the first time in 14 years, and Davis’ battle stance is appropo: She’s been under attack from naysayers, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

DeLay gets his day before the CCA

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Looks like he might have had a pretty good day, too. Oral arguments in Tom DeLay’s decadelong legal fight with the Travis County District Attorney’s office heated up Wednesday as Republican judges on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals questioned … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on DeLay gets his day before the CCA

Today’s the day for Tom DeLay at the CCA

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Apologies for the excessive alliteration. I got on a roll and couldn’t stop. DeLay’s appellate lawyer, Brian Wice of Houston, and Travis County prosecutor Holly Taylor will argue Wednesday before the state’s highest criminal court in Austin over whether the … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Today’s the day for Tom DeLay at the CCA

On defining success

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It depends on what your goals are. Suppose you were a Texas Democrat and a realist. You want your candidates to win in November and to break the spirit-killing string of losses that started after the statewide elections in 1994. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on On defining success

TPJ files amicus brief in DeLay appeal

Posted on June 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s almost time for Tom DeLay to go to court again. A government-watchdog group on Tuesday petitioned the state’s highest criminal court to reinstate the money-laundering and conspiracy convictions of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom Delay, moving to join … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on TPJ files amicus brief in DeLay appeal

Collier’s sales tax criticism of Hegar makes the news

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

That’s how you do it. Democrat Mike Collier, a certified public accountant from Houston, will start airing television ads criticizing opponent Glenn Hegar, a Republican state senator from Katy, for his support to phase out property taxes and increase state … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

CCA to review dismissal of DeLay conviction

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The criminal justice system isn’t done with Tom DeLay just yet. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on Wednesday agreed to review whether a lower court correctly decided last fall to toss out the prison sentence handed to former House … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The turnout issue in 2014

Posted on February 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Two recent articles of interest, both about the nature of the electorate in non-Presidential years. First, via Ed Kilgore, who has been beating the drum about the volatility of the Democratic base, comes this NYT story about what the Democratic … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The counties we aren’t going to win are just as important as the counties we will win

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Collin County is a Republican stronghold. It’s also the kind of place that Democrats need to make gains in order to be competitive. That’s a tough thing to do when there’s little hope for winning the county or taking a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

More on LVdP for Lite Guv

Posted on November 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Mostly from Monday’s Lone Star Project news roundup email. AP: Texas Democrats offering stark contrast. Texas voters won’t have a hard time telling the difference between the Republican and Democratic candidates next year. With the addition of San Antonio Sen. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

DeLay wants to sue

Posted on September 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever you say, dude. Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, reveling in victory Thursday against Texas prosecutors in a money-laundering case, said his political career is over but he’s eager to return to the courthouse. If he can find a … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

DeLay gets off

Posted on September 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Bummer. Former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay’s political money laundering conviction was overturned by the state’s 3rd Court of Appeals on Thursday. “Based on the totality of the evidence, we conclude that the evidence presented does not support a conclusion that … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

CCA turnover

Posted on September 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Nobody is running for re-election on the Court of Criminal Appeals. All three Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judges whose terms expire in 2014 — one-third of the nine-member panel — have elected not to seek another term, setting the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Davis reportedly running for Governor

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

At least according to Robert Miller. Credible sources tell me that Sen. Wendy Davis will run for Governor in 2014 and not seek reelection to Texas Senate District 10. It will set up a high stakes match-up with Attorney General … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

How I would campaign against Greg Abbott

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If you’ve been following Greg Abbott’s gubernatorial campaign kickoff, you’ve probably noticed that in addition to being light on substance, the Attorney General has been hitting his personal story hard, in an attempt to portray him as some kind of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What it takes to win statewide

Posted on July 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Via Ed Kilgore comes this analysis that tries to paint an especially bleak picture for Texas Democrats in 2014. First of all, Democrats have yet to win more than 44 percent of the total vote in any recent statewide election … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

What are the odds for Wendy?

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

After a week of Democratic energy and exhilaration like we haven’t seen in a long time here thanks to the Wendy Davis filibuster, there are a lot of people who’d like to see Sen. Davis run for Governor. No doubt … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What the future may hold for Wendy Davis

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Patricia Kilday Hart has her take on the Wendy Davis phenomenon, including the reaction of some Republicans to it. For both proponents and opponents of SB 5, the legislation that would have banned abortions past 20 weeks of pregnancy and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Early voting safe for now

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Glad to hear it. A bill that would slash the number of days allowed for early voting is likely to be pulled after scathing testimony Monday from opponents who said the bill was discriminatory and retrogressive. House Bill 2093, by … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Battlegound Texas officially launches

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

You have probably heard by now that Battleground Texas has officially launched. Spearheaded by organizers of Obama’s re-election campaign in 2012 — when Republican nominee Mitt Romney handily carried the Lone Star State — a new push, called “Battleground Texas,” … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Lege does not need term limits

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a silly idea, and no time should be wasted on it. State Rep. Lyle Larson has filed a proposal to let Texans vote on whether to limit to 12 years the time state officials may serve in one position. … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

It’s the vote spread that matters

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I had an email conversation with Judge Mark Davidson regarding my post about straight-ticket voting and its effect on judicial races. He said I misunderstood the point he was trying to make in that Chron story. From his email, quoted … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s the vote spread that matters

Can you believe it’s been ten years?

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Ten years (and one week) ago, four defeated Democratic candidates for the State House filed a lawsuit against the Texas Association of Business, claiming that TAB funneled illegal corporate contributions into state legislative races in the 2002 election. As you … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Can you believe it’s been ten years?

Pity the poor judges

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It’s hard out here on a judge. For longer than anyone remembers, you had to be a Democrat to be a district judge in Texas – or just about any other political office. When the Democratic Party split apart in … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

What next for Ron Kirk?

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

He’ll be moving on after President Obama’s second inauguration. We’re hearing that U.S. Trade Representative and former two-term Dallas mayor Ron Kirk has let the White House know that he intends to leave Washington and head back to Dallas. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments