Tag Archives: interviews

Interview with Umeka Lewis

Posted on January 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Challenging incumbent Christian Menefee in the primary for Harris County Attorney is Umeka “UA” Lewis, who is a civil rights attorney and partner in a local law firm who got her law degree at TSU. There isn’t much biography on … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee

Posted on January 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We will be doing two races again this week, Harris County Attorney and Harris County District Attorney. Christian Menefee was elected Harris County Attorney in 2020 after knocking off three-term incumbent Vince Ryan in that year’s primary. The youngest person … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Rep. Lizzie Fletcher

Posted on January 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve made it to the end of this weird week, which includes running this interview on Friday instead of Wednesday as I had originally planned. These things happen, and so we adjust. I still do have two days of interviews … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Pervez Agwan

Posted on January 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I said on Monday that this was going to be a slightly weird week schedule-wise, and so it remains. My intent was to follow with my interview with Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, but the schedule gods had other ideas. That is … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Pervez Agwan

Interview with Amanda Edwards

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is going to be a slightly weird week, as I have had some recent scheduling challenges. Happens every cycle, not a big deal, but in the short term it can scramble things a bit for me. My original plan … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Amanda Edwards

Interview with Claude Cummings

Posted on January 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We wrap up our week of Harris County Tax Assessor candidates with Claude Cummings. Cummings serves as an Employment Development Manager with the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, where he connects individuals involved in the justice system with … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Claude Cummings

Interview with Desiree Broadnax

Posted on January 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

One more candidate for Harris County Tax Assessor whom you’ve met before, and that’s Desiree Broadnax. Broadnax is the manager of the Intake division at the District Attorney’s office, which means she has responsibility for all incoming case filings. She … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Desiree Broadnax

Interview with Jerry Davis

Posted on January 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Our next familiar name in the primary for Harris County Tax Assessor belongs to Jerry Davis, who was a three-term Council member (plus a little bit more) and Mayor Pro Tem for District B. Davis is a businessman and past … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Danielle Bess

Posted on January 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We continue with the Tax Assessor candidates, and we come to a familiar name (as with SD15, there will be a couple of these), Danielle Bess, a native Houstonian, Navy veteran, and real estate professional. Her work has included affordable … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Interview with Annette Ramirez

Posted on January 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This week we will focus on the primary for Harris County Tax Assessor, which is also an open office with the pending retirement of two-term incumbent Ann Harris Bennett. There are five candidates in the race, and I will have … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Interview with Beto Cardenas

Posted on January 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Now we come to the end of our SD15 interview odyssey, stretching to its sixth day to accommodate this sizeable field. Beto Cardenas, who just put up a campaign launch video that features an endorsement from Rep. Sylvia Garcia that … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Interview with Todd Litton

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Normally this is where I’d say we’re wrapping up the week, but there are six candidates in the Democratic primary for SD15, so there will be another interview tomorrow. For today, we have another familiar name, Todd Litton, who made … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Todd Litton

Interview with Rep. Jarvis Johnson

Posted on January 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Next up is State Rep. Jarvis Johnson, who has served in HD139 since winning a special election to succeed the newly elected Mayor Sylvester Turner. He was on the Appropriations Committee this past session and was the Vice Chair of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Rep. Jarvis Johnson

Interview with Molly Cook

Posted on January 10, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Our next candidate for SD15 is a name that should be familiar to you, Molly Cook. Cook ran in the primary for SD15 against then-Sen. Whitmire and collected 42% of the vote, a strong showing for a first-timer against a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Molly Cook

Interview with Michelle Bonton

Posted on January 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We continue in SD15 with Michelle Bonton, who describes herself as an educator, social entrepreneur, speaker, writer, and advocate. She was the founder and executive director of the Rhodes School for the Performing Arts, executive director at the non-profit Harris … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Interview with Karthik Soora

Posted on January 8, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

All right, it’s January 2024 and that means it’s primary season. Which in turn means it’s interview season, and I’ve got a lot of those to bring you. You may be aware that my Senate district SD15 is now vacant … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Interview with Conchita Reyes

Posted on October 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m always a little hesitant to say I’m done with interviews for a given cycle because there’s almost always a candidate who comes forward after I say that. Usually, it’s because we missed a connection earlier and when that happens … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Conchita Reyes

Past interviews with Mayoral candidates

Posted on October 16, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

As I said last week, I have decided to wait until the runoff to do Mayoral candidate interviews. The size of the field and the limited amount of time I had available to try to schedule probably seven interviews with … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Past interviews with Mayoral candidates

Interview with Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth

Posted on October 11, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, administration of Harris County’s elections has been reverted to the County Clerk’s office, with the Tax Assessor once again being in charge of voter registration. Putting aside the legislative intent and the litigation over this, the November … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth

Interview with Chris Hollins

Posted on October 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve had a few familiar names among the candidates for office so far, but I daresay there’s only one who qualifies as a national name. That would be Chris Hollins, who drew national plaudits for his efforts to make the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Interview with CM Dave Martin

Posted on October 9, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We are entering the home stretch here as we meet the Controller candidates. Dave Martin is the term-limited incumbent Council member in District E, and he also serves as the Mayor Pro Tem, which is like being the Vice Mayor. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Interview with Lesley Briones about the Harris Health System bond referendum

Posted on October 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Today’s interview is about a vital issue that I suspect has gotten far less attention than it deserves. I’m speaking of the $2.5 billion bond issue to expand, improve, and renovate the public hospitals and other facilities of the Harris … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Lesley Briones about the Harris Health System bond referendum

Interview with Fair for Houston, which is now Yes on Prop B

Posted on October 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I trust you are familiar by now with Fair for Houston, for which there was a successful petition drive to put an item on the Houston ballot this November. That item, which will be City Proposition B, aims to reform … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Interview with Richard Cantu

Posted on October 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I have one late-breaking interview for At Large #3 before I bring you some interviews for other items in this election. Richard Cantu is another familiar name, having been elected to serve on the HCDE Board of Trustees in 2018. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with CM Mary Nan Huffman

Posted on September 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I had not planned to do an interview for District G this cycle – I only have so much time and capacity, and as of the July reporting deadline, incumbent CM Mary Nan Huffman did not have an opponent. And … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Interview with James Joseph

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

One more interview in At Large #3, then I’ll have a bonus interview for you tomorrow. Today we speak with James Joseph, a native Houstonian, Fifth Ward resident, and newly minted PhD. A public relations consultant with a long background … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with James Joseph

Interview with Casey Curry

Posted on September 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Moving on in At Large #3, we come to another candidate with an interesting former job, longtime TV meteorologist Casey Curry. After a decade of weather reporting on the local news, Curry is now working in philanthropy and communications. She … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Interview with Twila Carter

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing on with At Large #3, today we meet Twila Carter, who among other things has had one of the best jobs of anyone I’ve interviewed: For over a decade, she served as Senior Vice President of Community Relations of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Interview with Donnell Cooper

Posted on September 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The last open At Large seat is At Large #3, which also has the biggest field of nine candidates. I have interviews with four of them this week, beginning with Donnell Cooper. Cooper is a Houston Community College Acres Homes … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Donnell Cooper

Interview with Marina Coryat

Posted on September 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We wrap up our week of interviews with At Large #2 candidates with Marina Coryat, a Trinidadian immigrant who has served as Communications Director for Texas State Representative Senfronia Thompson since 2019. Coryat has worked in the city’s Solid Waste … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Marina Coryat

Interview with Holly Vilaseca

Posted on September 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We continue our week of At Large #2 with a familiar name, Holly Flynn Vilaseca, who served for five years as HISD Trustee, being appointed in January 2017 to fill out an unexpired term and then winning a full term … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Holly Vilaseca

Interview with Danielle Bess

Posted on September 20, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Next up in At Large #2 we have Danielle Bess, a native Houstonian, Navy veteran, and real estate professional. Bess has been involved in politics for a long time, having worked with campaigns ranging from Obama for America, Sheila Jackson … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Danielle Bess

Interview with Obes Nwabara

Posted on September 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing on in At Large #2, today we talk with Obes Nwabara, who is a son of Nigerian immigrants and a 2009 graduate of UH. He has worked in a number of industries including energy, food service, and healthcare, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Obes Nwabara

Interview with Nick Hellyar

Posted on September 18, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We move now into At Large #2, where I will have four candidates to bring to you. First up is Nick Hellyar, who had run for At Large #4 in 2019 and finished third in the field of eleven that … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments