Tag Archives: Election 2024

The “Can Allred win?” question

At least we’re asking the question. Usually, we don’t even get that. Democrats are closing the gap in their uphill campaign to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, with polls showing improvement for Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred and national Democrats’ … Continue reading

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Judicial Q&A: Justice Julie Countiss

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am continuing the series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested November elections. I am running these responses in the order that I receive them from the candidates. Much more information … Continue reading

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

SCOTUS leaves Texas anti-EMTALA ruling in place

Another reminder of what the stakes are this election, in case you needed it. The Supreme Court on Monday refused to require doctors in Texas to perform certain emergency abortions when the procedure would conflict with the state’s strict abortion … Continue reading

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One out of three will have to do for now

The Chron endorses two Supreme Court incumbents and one Democratic challenger. I’m going to focus on that one. Campaign donations came in from all over the country, and at first Christine Vinh Weems didn’t know why. The Democrat running for … Continue reading

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Interview with Katherine Culbert

Every two years we have an election for Railroad Commissioner, which means that every two years we get a batch of articles explaining how the Railroad Commission has nothing to do with railroads or trains. It’s about energy and regulating … Continue reading

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The cost of the HISD bond

I feel like this would be getting less attention if it weren’t for Mike Miles. Houston ISD’s $4.4 billion school bond would add an estimated $8.9 billion in debt for the district over more than 30 years if approved by … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024, School days | Tagged , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Maybe those Appraisal District elections weren’t such a hot idea

Thanks to Tarrant County for setting the bad example. The Tarrant Appraisal District’s recent changes to local tax policy might violate Texas law, according to a state lawmaker. “I don’t believe the actions they’ve taken are legal,” Sen. Paul Bettencourt, … Continue reading

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The Ted Cruz Curse continues

Sorry, Astros fans. Guess who was at the Astros game today? #Cruzcurse 😡 — Barbi (@Barbi__7) 10:00 PM – 02 October 2024 The Ted Cruz curse strikes (no pun intended) again. Allegedly. The Texas senator’s attendance at sporting events across … Continue reading

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Eighteen million registered voters

Number go up. Texas has been one of the nation’s fastest-growing states since the 1970s, but its voter rolls have at times been stagnant. From 2000 to 2012, the number of registered voters grew by 1.2 million. In only the … Continue reading

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Republicans for Allred

I have three things to say about this. Since moving to The Woodlands about two years ago, former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger — one of the most vocal GOP critics of Donald Trump — says he’s met several Texas Republicans … Continue reading

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Endorsement watch: Once again for Teare

For the second time this year, the Chron endorses Sean Teare for District Attorney. What impressed us most about Teare is his ability to see the bigger picture of the justice system and how all the pieces fit together. His … Continue reading

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Two bits of polling

Newsweek has a somewhat misleading poll-related story. Ted Cruz’s lead over his Democratic challenger Colin Allred in the Texas Senate race has narrowed, one recent poll shows, as voters appear to view the senator less favorably. A Public Policy Polling/Clean … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Interview with Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth

Last year at this time, I interviewed Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth, whose office was then newly back in the business of running elections. They’ve had quite a few more opportunities to do that since then, from the city runoffs … Continue reading

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Amarillo’s Mayor and the abortion travel ban

A really interesting profile of Amarillo Mayor Cole Stanley, with a closer look at how he has handled the abortion travel ban issue that is now a referendum on their fall ballot. In his brief tenure as mayor of the … Continue reading

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

Some tiny trimming of Miles’ wings

Ain’t much, but I guess it’s something. Houston ISD has quietly published a new document draft that would reduce state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles’ authority in appointing members to the committee overseeing the potential $4.4 billion school bond if approved. According … Continue reading

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Judicial Q&A: Judge Kristen Hawkins

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am continuing the series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested November elections. I am running these responses in the order that I receive them from the candidates. Much more information … Continue reading

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HCDP opposes the HISD bond

I have no idea where they’re going to get the votes for this thing. Both the Harris County Democratic and Republican Party executive committees have unanimously voted in favor of resolutions opposing the largest school bond in state history, which … Continue reading

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Interview with Katie Shumway of the League of Women Voters of Houston

This week we’re going to spend some time with people who are working on the nuts and bolts of this election. For over 100 years, the League of Women Voters of Houston has been the premier organization for information about … Continue reading

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Is the Texas Republican Party actually worried?

I hope so. The Republican Party of Texas has vowed a “major investment” in South Texas legislative races amid ongoing criticism from county-level leaders over its fundraising and voter outreach efforts. On Monday, the party announced a commitment to knock … Continue reading

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KP George indicted on charges of misrepresenting his identity

It’s a misdemeanor, but still. As a general rule, you don’t want “indicted” to be the verb in a sentence where your name is the subject. Fort Bend County Judge Kyle Prasad (KP) George was indicted Thursday on a misdemeanor … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Get ready for a lot more Allred and Cruz ads on TV

Keep the remote nearby so you can hit “mute” as needed. U.S. Senate Democrats are sending millions to Texas in a new round of investments to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee announced Thursday. The DSCC will … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Endorsement watch: Two good ones

The Chron gives an enthusiastic endorsement for a full term for the newest State Senator, Molly Cook. Maybe only an emergency room nurse could think that a 14-hour day working at the Capitol is easy. That seems to be the … Continue reading

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Some Bexar County polling

New pollster alert, checking in on Bexar County. A survey conducted by the UTSA Center for Public Opinion Research suggests San Antonio residents are tepid about plans for a new sports complex for the San Antonio Spurs — a project … Continue reading

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Interview with Ruth Kravetz

On Monday you heard the case for the HISD bond referendum. It’s fair to say there’s a lit of loud opposition to the referendum, with most of that opposition coming from people and organizations that are normally big boosters of … Continue reading

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The yarn-based activists against the HISD bond

I don’t know how big this group is, but they are visible. Jessica Catrett sat cross-legged on the grass beside Sophie Grace-Rojas, a Project Chrysalis Middle School student, with bundles of yarn on a breezy Sunday morning outside the Houston … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Endorsement watch: Still catching up

A couple of endorsements of interest for you. First, the Chron stuck with incumbent Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. A routine inspection of the state’s largest jail really shouldn’t garner headlines. Meeting “minimum safety standards” should never be cause for celebration for … Continue reading

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Interview with Plácido Gómez and Dani Hernandez

This week we are talking about the HISD bond referendum. We’ve already had plenty to say about this referendum, whose level of public support is unclear because of the questionable polling that’s been done so far. There are plenty of … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Some Republicans consolidate around one Speaker candidate

As is always the case, the field has narrowed. In the most concerted attack to date on Republican Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan from within the GOP House ranks, 48 representatives and nominees for House districts selected Rep. David Cook … Continue reading

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

A curious thing about the polls of Texas

You’ve probably seen this headline by now. For the first time in their hotly contested campaign, a poll shows U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, trailing challenger U.S. Rep. Colin Allred. The Morning Consult poll, conducted between Sept. 9 and 18, places … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Taral Patel and KP George

What a mess. Investigators believe Fort Bend County judge KP George coordinated with his former chief of staff, Taral Patel, in posting from fake social media accounts in 2022 to influence the outcome of an election, a new search warrant … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

You can count non-citizen voters on one hand

And still have fingers left over. Data compiled by the conservative Heritage Foundation shows that noncitizen voting in Texas isn’t a widespread problem and instead shows other instances of voter fraud committed by U.S. citizens are more prevalent. Since 2017, … Continue reading

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Ted Cruz votes against protecting IVF access

It’s right there in the headline. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz on Tuesday led the effort to block a bill by Senate Democrats that they said would protect in-vitro fertilization in America. But on the Senate floor, Cruz blasted the Democratic … Continue reading

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Travis County files its own lawsuit over its voter registration efforts

Counterpunching. Travis County officials sued Attorney General Ken Paxton and Secretary of State Jane Nelson on Tuesday over the state’s attempt to block attempts to sign up more voters ahead of a hotly contested presidential election. The new federal lawsuit … Continue reading

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Endorsement watch: Catching up

The Chron has been doing endorsements a few days a week, one at a time, in no particular order. Here are three recent ones, to catch up a bit. CD22: Marquette Green-Scott Marquette Greene-Scott says she never got to know … Continue reading

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