Tag Archives: Election 2012

Will we get some interim maps Monday?

Posted on November 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. A panel of three federal judges in San Antonio announced Thursday they would postpone a trial over the redistricting plan for the Texas Senate so they can focus on developing interim redistricting maps for the 2012 election. Texas Redistricting … Continue reading →

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Berlanga and Craig to retire from SBOE, Ames Jones changes Senate races

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This could be bad news. Longtime State Board of Education members Bob Craig, R-Lubbock, and Mary Helen Berlanga, D-Corpus Christi, said they will not run for re-election in 2012. First elected in 1982, Berlanga said 30 years on the board … Continue reading →

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DC court denies summary judgment on preclearance

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s official, the maps the Lege drew for itself and for Congress will not be used in the 2012 election. A Washington-based federal court on Tuesday rejected Texas’ request to approve new political districts without a trial. In a brief … Continue reading →

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New filing dates announced

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The federal court in San Antonio has taken the first steps towards defining what the 2012 election will look like in Texas. A panel of three federal judges in San Antonio on Friday changed key rules for some candidates for … Continue reading →

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Still nothing interesting in the 2012 Presidential polls of Texas

Posted on November 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a new UT/Texas Trib poll of the Presidential race in Texas, and while most of it is about the Republican nomination, the bit that interests me as always is regarding the general election: Perry would do better in a … Continue reading →

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It’s not “he said, she said” if one of them is factually correct

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This Chron story from Monday about a mishap at the County Clerk’s office really annoys me for what it doesn’t say. A manual being using to train election judges for next week’s elections contains inaccurate information, reflecting a new voter … Continue reading →

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Interim maps and the DC preclearance case

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The federal court in San Antonio has been hearing arguments about proposed interim Congressional maps this week. Michael Li summarizes the plaintiffs’ case for why the map adopted by the Lege cannot be used, even as a starting point. Right … Continue reading →

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When prosecutors get in trouble

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

You know, this grand jury investigation of the Harris County DA’s office is starting to look like a full-fledged scandal. Two Harris County prosecutors are facing contempt charges after a judge learned that members of the District Attorney’s Office were … Continue reading →

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Redistricting action this week

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a busy week for redistricting lawsuit action, as the federal court in San Antonio is having hearings on the proposed interim maps that were submitted by the various parties to the suits. The Statesman has an overview of the … Continue reading →

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How about we use these precincts for now?

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

And here’s an update on the county redistricting lawsuit. A federal court has asked Harris County and the plaintiffs suing it over its redistricting plan for county commissioner precincts to prepare briefs on whether it would be legal to conduct … Continue reading →

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Redistricting updates

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The redoubtable Michael Li takes to BOR to bring an update on the preclearance lawsuit in DC, in which the Justice Department has strongly contested the state’s House and Congressional maps. In papers filed [Tuesday] evening in Washington, the Department … Continue reading →

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Class size issues are everywhere

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

We know that waiver requests to exceed the 22 student class size limit are way up. But that mandated limit is only for grades K through 4. What about higher grade levels? Patricia Kilday Hart reports that those classrooms are … Continue reading →

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Grand jury requests special prosecutor

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s getting mighty interesting over there. A Houston grand jury that may be investigating the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and the Houston Police Department’s troubled breath alcohol testing vans has asked for a special prosecutor and an extension of … Continue reading →

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Can you feel the McCaul-mentum?

Posted on October 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

You know what the race for the Republican nomination for Senate is missing? Another rich old white right-winger. Four-term U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, one of the wealthiest members of the U.S. House, is burnishing his conservative credentials and taking stock … Continue reading →

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Why is stimulus by one type of government better than the other?

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Perhaps someone should ask that question at the next Republican Presidential debate, which they seem to have every week or so. Gov. Rick Perry’s record of creating jobs with taxpayer money is coming under greater scrutiny because of his presidential … Continue reading →

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Senate changes

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not worried about the State Senate becoming more conservative, I’m worried about it becoming more stupid. “A seat in the Texas Senate does not come open very often, and all of a sudden now there are four,” said Sen. … Continue reading →

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Austin ISD moves its election to November

Posted on October 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As the song goes, two out of three ain’t bad. The Austin school board voted unanimously on Monday to move trustee elections from May to November. The school district will share November election costs with the county and the Austin … Continue reading →

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More 30 day finance reports for City of Houston races

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Following up on yesterday’s report, here are the interesting, odd, and questionable things I’ve seen in the rest of the 30 day campaign finance reports. Mayor Parker raised $469K, spent $526K, and maintained $2.3 million on hand. She appears to … Continue reading →

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Austin officially keeps May elections

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

That’s all she wrote. The Austin City Council decided Friday to hold the 2012 council elections in May instead of November, ending a weeks-long debate marked by accusations of voter suppression and political expediency. A new state law aimed at … Continue reading →

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Our expensive Governor

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Another story about our Governor and his expensive travel habits. The cost is mounting for Texas taxpayers as Gov. Rick Perry pursues the presidency, with new figures showing the tab for the governor’s security detail has topped $364,000 for out-of-state … Continue reading →

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Commissioner Cagle

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As predicted, the new County Commissioner is County Court Judge Jack Cagle. “Cactus” Jack Cagle was named Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner this morning by County Judge Ed Emmett, ending two weeks of political intrigue that followed former Commissioner Jerry … Continue reading →

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Sen. Chris Harris and Rep. Will Hartnett to retire

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

One more out the door of the upper chamber. State Sen. Chris Harris, R-Arlington, announced [Monday] afternoon that he will not seek reelection — the fourth veteran lawmaker to announce their retirement from the Upper Chamber. He is the longest … Continue reading →

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Don’t expect the next budget to be any better than this one

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing a theme I’ve harped on here, if state legislators thought that they solved Texas’ budget issues this year they are sadly mistaken. Some experts say Texas tax revenues must zoom far above forecasts, if we’re to escape another miserable … Continue reading →

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Eversole pleads out

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Another saga comes to an end. Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole pleaded guilty this morning in federal court to a felony charge of making a false statement to FBI agents. The charge carries up to five years in prison and … Continue reading →

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Today’s Republican Party is too radical even for Rick Perry

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Mark Jones states a few facts about the Texas version of the DREAM Act that Rick Perry signed in 2001, and what it says about the Republican Party now. In 2001 the Republican Party enjoyed a narrow majority over the … Continue reading →

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TRO granted for redistricting plans

Posted on September 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Redistricting: The San Antonio panel this morning enjoined provisions of the Texas Election Code requiring counties to redraw precinct boundaries by October 1 and to issue new voter registration certificates to voters by December 6. The panel also enjoined … Continue reading →

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TRO requested for redistricting plans

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Redistricting: This morning, MALC and the Texas Latino Redistricting Task Force asked the San Antonio panel to enter a temporary restraining order to prevent the State of Texas from implementing its redistricting plans on the grounds that they have … Continue reading →

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Ron Paul got no respect

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Poor dear. Ron Paul says Republican leaders in the Texas legislature asked him how he would like his district to be changed during the recently completed redistricting process. “So they did exactly the opposite,” the libertarian congressman told Texas on … Continue reading →

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Austin will keep May elections for now

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, the city of Austin holds its municipal elections in May. They have three year terms for City Council, so half of their elections are held in even-numbered years. As we also know, a bill that was passed … Continue reading →

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Changes will be coming

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Robert Miller has a look at who we know won’t be back in the Lege for 2013. It’s a list that’s sure to get longer – I’m aware of a few more rumored retirements, and there’s already numerous primary challenges … Continue reading →

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PPP: Perry takes lead on Obama in Texas

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Not by that much, however. Rick Perry has an under water approval rating in Texas and he’s leading Barack Obama by a smaller margin than John McCain won the state by in 2008…but at least he is leading Obama, which … Continue reading →

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What I want from the next HCDP Chair

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

So by now you know that HCDP Chair Gerry Birnberg will step down in December. The precinct chairs will select an interim Chair at that time, and a new Chair will be elected in the March primary. Lane Lewis has … Continue reading →

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How’s that Texas miracle going?

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Not so good. The Texas unemployment rate reached 8.5 percent in August, its highest rate since June of 1987. That’s an increase from 8.4 percent in July. Those numbers come from the U.S. Department of Labor. The numbers were confirmed … Continue reading →

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Gallego to run for CD23 and other updates

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

State Rep. Pete Gallego has decided to run for Congress in CD23. Gallego first won election to the Texas House in 1990 and has chaired various committees and also been part of the Democratic leadership, doing time as head of … Continue reading →

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