Tag Archives: Election 2010

Gattis drops out, Ogden to run for re-election

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Well, this is a surprise. State Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown, confirmed today that he is dropping out of the race to succeed Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan. Ogden, who announced earlier this year that he was retiring from the Legislature, has … Continue reading →

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In case you needed another reason to vote against Rick Perry

Posted on November 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Just in case the fact that he’s Rick Perry isn’t enough, how about the fact that he’s objectively anti-microbrewery? Texas Gov. Rick Perry, running for re-election in 2010, just got the endorsement of the Wholesale Beer Distributors of Texas. Therefore, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Bill White factor

Posted on November 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The thought that struck me as I read this story about Bill White’s expected switch to the Governor’s race is that maybe he was right to have taken this particular route to where he is now. I mean, he’s generated … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

School districts feeling the crunch

Posted on November 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The state’s budget problems, which are caused to some degree by the economic slowdown, aren’t just problems for the state. They’re local problems as well, and the entities that have been hardest hit are those that had been given short … Continue reading →

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The ideal candidate

Posted on November 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Former State Rep. Rick Green is running for the State Supreme Court. While in the House from 1998 to 2002, Green drew fire for using his Capitol office as the backdrop for a health supplement infomercial. He also came under … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The budget mess that awaits the next Governor

Posted on November 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We already know that the next Legislative session will be a whole lot of no fun thanks to declining revenue estimates and our structural deficits. Here’s a further illustration of the problem. The current state budget is financed with $12 … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Roundup and reaction to White’s announcement

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Bill White isn’t officially a candidate for Governor yet, but he’s already picked up endorsements from State Sens. Kirk Watson and Eliot Shapleigh. I feel confident that many more such endorsements will follow, perhaps even before he commits to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Schieffer drops out, White (may be but probably is) in for Governor

Posted on November 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

By now, I’m sure you’ve heard the news that Tom Schieffer has dropped out of the Governor’s race, and that Bill White is considering switching over to it. I’ll add in a bunch of links later, but for now let … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Shapiro running for re-election

Posted on November 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

State Sen. Florence Shapiro was the first Republican to declare her intent to run for the was-supposed-to-be-open Senate seat of Kay Bailey Hutchison. She’s now the first Republican to abandon that pursuit. In the latest fallout from U.S. Sen. Kay … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Sheriff to try again for new jail facility

Posted on November 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Sheriff Adrian Garcia wants to take another crack at building a new jail facility. As was the case in 2007, when a referendum to float bonds for a new jail was voted down, this too would be voted on by … Continue reading →

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The reason why those “Bill White for Governor” rumors won’t die

Posted on November 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Shorter Burka: “KBH says in her new TV ad that she’s needed in the Senate. So why is she running for Governor?” It’s a good question. And given that no one knows what KBH will do, it’s the reason why … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

You sure you’re married?

Posted on November 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe you are, and maybe you’re not. Barbara Ann Radnofsky, a Houston lawyer and Democratic candidate for attorney general, says that a 22-word clause in a 2005 constitutional amendment designed to ban gay marriages erroneously endangers the legal status of … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

KBH invokes the power of the Dark Lord

Posted on November 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I just have one thing to say about this: Firing another shot in an endorsement war that is pitting prominent national and state Republicans against each other, gubernatorial candidate Kay Bailey Hutchison landed her most prominent backer to date Tuesday … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Turning Texas blue the hard way

Posted on November 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Obama campaign guru David Plouffe comes for a visit and gives his hope-y vision for Texas as a swing state. [Plouffe] says Texas could soon become a swing state and drastically alter the landscape of state and national politics. To … Continue reading →

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Shami and Shapleigh

Posted on November 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Farouk Shami will make his entry into the Democratic primary for Governor official tomorrow afternoon at his business’ headquarters in Houston; details are on his website. The Trib gives us a peek behind the curtain. Shami, running as a Democrat, … Continue reading →

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Kronberg on KBH

Posted on November 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Harvey Kronberg’s column this week looks at the long history of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison running, or not running, for Governor, and how she came to be in this particular will she or won’t she resign pickle. Nothing much new … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Beware the teabags of March

Posted on November 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Apparently, the downside of inciting a torch-and-pitchfork mob is that you can’t always control where they’ll maraud. Who knew? Across Texas, at least five Tea Party activists have announced their candidacies for U.S. House and Senate seats. “If you are … Continue reading →

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McCall not running for re-election

Posted on November 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

State Rep. Brian McCall (R, Plano), one of the Republicans that helped oust Tom Craddick as Speaker, will not run for re-election next year. McCall, 51, said he is looking at other opportunities because it is time to try something … Continue reading →

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Kay may stay, but the jockeying never goes away

Posted on November 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Jason Embry ponders the landscape now that we know we’ll still have KBH to kick around through at least March. [I]f Gov. Rick Perry appoints [Lt. Gov. David] Dewhurst to replace Hutchison, or if he wins a special election before … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Let’s make this a bad year for Don McLeroy

Posted on November 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Don McLeroy is a wee bit concerned about losing one of his allies on the SBOE. State Board of Education former Chair (and current member) Don McLeroy wasn’t too concerned about losing Democratic swing-vote Rick Agosto. At least not at … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

KBH: Not resigning till after the primary

Posted on November 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you hear is me saying I told you so. U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is planning to hold onto her Senate seat until after Texas’ March gubernatorial primaries are over. […] Campaign officials provided The Associated Press a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Sue Schechter announces for County Clerk

Posted on November 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Former State Rep. and Harris County Democratic Party Chair Sue Schechter has announced her intent to run for the to-be-open Harris County Clerk position next year. Schechter was known to be interested in this position, and now she’s made it … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Raising the gas tax

Posted on November 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This is long overdue. Members of the Texas Senate’s Transportation Committee said Tuesday that an increase in the 20-cents-per-gallon state fuel tax may be necessary to overcome a drastic shortage of money for new roads. “We are in the critical … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Hampton for CCA

Posted on November 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Some good news from Grits. Keith Hampton, a veteran appellate lawyer and chair of the legislative committee for the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, has announced his candidacy for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, lining up to run against … Continue reading →

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Bill White: Still running for Senate

Posted on November 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Tribune stirs up a persistent rumor that likely won’t go away till after the filing deadline. Or, you know, proves to be true. The rumor is that Bill White is contemplating a jump into the Governor’s race. The … Continue reading →

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Who you calling “Democrat”?

Posted on November 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Kinky Friedman wants us to believe he’s one of us. Friedman, who is running in the 2010 Democratic primary after finishing fourth out of four major candidates in the 2006 governor’s race with a little more than 12 percent of … Continue reading →

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Sessions gets primary challenger

Posted on November 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The irony here is pretty rich. Corporate accountant David Smith will announce next week that he’s challenging incumbent Pete Sessions in the March Republican primary. Smith, active in the conservative tea party movement, says Sessions has not followed the conservative … Continue reading →

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Hopson switches, Agosto drops out

Posted on November 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Two pieces of news for the 2010 cycle, one good and one not good. For the latter first, State Rep. Chuck Hopson, who won a very tight race for re-election in 2008, has announced that he will run in 2010 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Texas Trib and its polls

Posted on November 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been so immersed in the Houston elections that I forgot to give a warm welcome to the Texas Tribune, which made its debut on Tuesday. I really like the look of the site, I like their lineup of writers, … Continue reading →

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Thompson says he’s out, Shami says he’s in

Posted on November 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Mark Thompson has ended his candidacy for Governor. “There’s just too many people running,” Thompson said. “Any time someone jumps in, they cut your percentages down.” Thompson said last week he was considering ending his bid. He had said he … Continue reading →

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Lawrence backs out of running for Eversole’s seat

Posted on November 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

And we’re back where we started. Houston Councilwoman Toni Lawrence has decided she won’t run against Jerry Eversole for the Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner’s seat. “I did talk to Jerry on Tuesday and told him I was not going … Continue reading →

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Waiting for KBH, the neverending story

Posted on November 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

There are dominoes that are all set to fall in North Texas if only Kay Bailey Hutchison would flick her finger and knock the first one over. The thinking goes like this: U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison resigns to run … Continue reading →

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Please know a little something about Texas before you write about Texas

Posted on November 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

David Broder packs an awful lot of ignorance into these two sentences of his bizarrely hostile column about the Senate’s health care reform bill and the opt-out compromise. If a health care reform with an opt-out provision were to become … Continue reading →

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Eversole running for re-election

Posted on October 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Surprise! Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jerry Eversole announced on Friday that he will run for re-election, potentially pitting him against a term-limited Houston city councilwoman and, perhaps, his own tarnished reputation. Eversole, 66, who was hit with a $75,000 … Continue reading →

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