Tag Archives: Election 2010

A challenger for SJL

Posted on June 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Boy, the 2010 election season is wide open already, isn’t it? Via email from Carl Whitmarsh comes the news of a potential primary challenger for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee in CD18. From the email: Houston attorney Sean Roberts today announced … Continue reading →

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McLeroy gets a challenger

Posted on June 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Paul Burka breaks the news that Thomas Ratliff, son of former State Sen. and Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff, will challenge Don McLeroy, the now-former chair of the State Board of Education, for his seat on the board next year. From … Continue reading →

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A Closer Look at Bill White’s So-Called “Republican Ties”

Posted on June 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a link to David Mauro’s post on BOR that investigates and rebuts some allegations made about Bill White in the who-knows-when-it-will-be Senate race. Just go read it if you haven’t already, it’s worth your time. The main thing I’ll … Continue reading →

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The DNC comes to Texas

Posted on June 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This is a pleasant surprise. Calling Texas “a tremendous growth opportunity for the Democratic Party,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine announced this afternoon that Austin will host the Democrats’ annual fall meeting. The Sept. 10-12 session will highlight positive … Continue reading →

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Annie’s List kicks off the 2010 elections

Posted on June 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Even for me, it’s a little early to be thinking about most of the 2010 races, especially for the State House. But I’m glad it’s not too early for some folks, such as Annie’s List. Here’s an email they’ve sent … Continue reading →

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The lack of leadership

Posted on May 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

State Sen. John Carona gets medieval on his party’s leadership. Tempers flared Saturday on the Legislature’s last weekend with a key GOP senator declaring that the session’s central theme is “lack of leadership” by top members of his own party. … Continue reading →

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Van de Putte gearing up

Posted on May 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

With sine die just around the corner (and God willing, no special session), we may start to get some answers to the questions about which legislators might be running for higher offices. One of them is State Sen. Letitia Van … Continue reading →

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Hail to the king!

Posted on May 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So apparently the head of the GOP is in town tonight to help raise money for US Rep. Mike McCaul, who apparently isn’t taking any chances for next year. No, not this guy – nobody cares about him. I mean … Continue reading →

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Senate spikes McLeroy

Posted on May 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. The Texas Senate on Thursday refused to confirm Don McLeroy as State Board of Education chairman after an impassioned floor debate. The 19 to 11 party-line vote was not enough to get McLeroy across the required two-thirds … Continue reading →

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Clay Jenkins

Posted on May 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Clay Jenkins is a candidate for County Judge in Dallas. He’s running in the Democratic primary against the incumbent, Jim Foster, who knocked off the Republican incumbent in the 2006 countywide sweep, in a race nobody expected him to win. … Continue reading →

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And so the chubbing comes to an end

Posted on May 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So, as far as I know at this point, SB362 is dead, other bills may or may not be dead, and some semblance of normality will return to the House for the remaining days of the session. After seeing so … Continue reading →

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Berman says he’s in for Governor

Posted on May 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Finally, the Republican primary for Governor becomes interesting. With plans to join the GOP primary with Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, state Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, said today he wil announce as a candidate for governor … Continue reading →

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The last day of chubbing

Posted on May 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So tomorrow night at midnight is the deadline for the House to approve Senate bills on second reading, which means that as long as the Democrats can keep the chubfest going, SB362 will die. Modulo any attempt to graft it … Continue reading →

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Perry’s salvage job

Posted on May 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

How can you tell that sine die is approaching? Governor Perry starts getting involved in the legislative process. Perhaps state lawmakers are fatigued by Gov. Rick Perry’s long tenure or maybe they’re just balking at his leadership, but the Republican-led … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The zombie nominee

Posted on May 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, the Senate confirmation of Don McLeroy as Chair of the State Board of Education, which we all thought had been scuttled back in April, got new life earlier this week when Senate Nominations Committee chair Mike Jackson, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Chubbing

Posted on May 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the word of the day, as the Democrats use up most of the ten-minute allotment for discussion of bills on the Local and Consent calendar in order to delay, hopefully to death, the voter ID bill SB362. It’s not … Continue reading →

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What, me secede?

Posted on May 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Shorter Rick Perry: “I never actually used the word ‘secede’.” Fine, whatever. The judge grants your motion to dismiss on the technicality. But we all know that you’ve raised your national profile while gaining ground in the polls, because the … Continue reading →

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RIP, statewide smoking ban

Posted on May 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I thought it still had a chance after it finally passed out of committee in the Senate, but the statewide smoking ban is officially dead. [State Sen. Rodney] Ellis held a press conference to announce the death of the statewide … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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More on Radnofsky for AG

Posted on May 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Barbara Radnofsky talks to Gardner Selby about her intent to run for Attorney General in 2010. Radnofsky said Thursday she’s going to run next year for attorney general, starting with an Austin fund-raiser Tuesday featuring nine Democratic state representatives (all … Continue reading →

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Whatever Ricky wants

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s too early to say how much of Rick Perry’s self-proclaimed agenda will get enacted this session, as much of it hinges on the budget reconciliation process as well as on legislation that hasn’t been taken up by one chamber … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Cornyn clueless about KBH

Posted on May 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Like everybody else, Sen. John Cornyn has no idea what his senior colleague in the Senate is going to do. And also like the rest of us, or at least us bloggers, he’s willing to speculate wildly about it in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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High school registrars

Posted on May 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We know that the Republicans like voter ID. We shouldn’t be too surprised that they don’t much like voter registration. [The House] barely passed a bill Monday night that would allow high school principals to appoint four deputy registrars to … Continue reading →

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Challenging Chet

Posted on May 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Via Eye on Williamson, I see the national GOP is once again looking to try to beat Rep. Chet Edwards in CD17. There’s little question Republicans are looking to target Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Texas), who could face yet another tough … Continue reading →

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KBH will do whatever KBH will do

Posted on May 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

You can take what Bill White said about what Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison might have said about resigning her Senate seat to run for Governor, or what her spokesperson is saying now, however you want. I still believe she will … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Roger that

Posted on May 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So about two weeks ago I got an email from a gentleman named David Smith, who is the proprietor of a website called Texans for Staubach, as well as the treasurer of a PAC by the same name, whose purpose … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Joe for Galveston

Posted on May 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

From my inbox, some good news from Joe Jaworski: Galveston matters, and the Island’s next Mayor must ensure this message is clearly understood: Galveston is more than a storm ravaged Island with a history; it is an iconic Texas coastal … Continue reading →

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Perry’s poll

Posted on May 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

For your reading pleasure, a poll of Republican primary voters (PDF) by Rick Perry’s pollster Mike Baselice that shows a 45-39 lead by Kay Bailey Hutchison. You can read a poll memo to supporters that spins the results, but the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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No sunset for SBOE

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Well, that‘s too bad. Just yesterday the Texas House approved on second reading House Bill 710, which would have made the Texas State Board of Education subject to periodic review by the Sunset Advisory Commission. That vote was 74-68. But … Continue reading →

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Voter ID still pending

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

No hurry, fellas. Seriously, take all the time you want. Rep. Todd Smith, the Euless Republican who helms the House Committee on Elections, said today he’s still trying to gather the five committee votes he needs to send a voter … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Burka on the Census and redistricting

Posted on May 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Paul Burka takes a look at Census figures and projections for 2010 and considers the implication for the 2011 Legislative Redistricting Board redraw of State House and State Senate lines. There is going to be carnage in rural Texas, especially … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Altering Houston term limits

Posted on May 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to stir things up a bit. The Texas House today is expected to pass a bill that could lead to the extension of Houston’s term limits. The bill, authored by state reps. Garnet Coleman and Carol Alvarado, would … Continue reading →

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The voter ID “compromise” bill

Posted on April 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go. The voter identification bill likely to reach the House floor would allow Texans to cast ballots if they can show two forms of non-photo ID, despite pressure from many Republican members to require picture identification for all … Continue reading →

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The Speaker speaks, and a Voter ID update

Posted on April 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So how is Speaker Joe Straus doing? Three months into his first term leading the 150-member chamber, Republican Speaker Joe Straus is emerging as a bipartisan compromise-seeker, rejecting much of the power that his predecessor so coveted. Straus still faces … Continue reading →

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I hate you! Now gimme some money!

Posted on April 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Damn those Washington elites! Always stuffing money into my pants campaign coffers! Rick Perry has railed against Washington, but when it comes to campaign cash, the governor has raised far more than rival Kay Bailey Hutchison from the nation’s capital. … Continue reading →

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