Tag Archives: Election 2020

Recruiting more women for 2020

We made a lot of progress towards better gender balance in our various legislative bodies this year. If we want to make more progress in 2020, it starts with finding and recruiting more female candidates. Even on a rainy Thursday … Continue reading

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Pete Sessions’ fine whine

There ain’t enough cheese in the entire state of Wisconsin to accompany this. Rep. Pete Sessions’ campaign might be over. But he isn’t over it. The Dallas Republican is still smoldering about the circumstances that led to his decisive loss … Continue reading

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Beto v Julian?

It could happen. The presidential race could force Texas Democrats to choose between two of their brightest rising stars, in El Paso’s O’Rourke, 46, and San Antonio’s Julián Castro, 44. Castro, like O’Rourke, has never won a statewide race in … Continue reading

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Julian Castro takes his first step forward

Towards the Presidency. Julián Castro is taking another step toward a 2020 presidential campaign. The former U.S. housing secretary and San Antonio mayor announced Wednesday that he has formed an exploratory committee to consider a bid and will make an … Continue reading

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From the “It’s never too early to make candidate announcements” department

From the inbox: Three sitting District Judges from Dallas County plan to run for the Fifth District Court of Appeals in 2020. Judge Bonnie Goldstein of the 44th Civil District Court will campaign for Place 3. Judge Craig Smith of … Continue reading

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The potential for more

Beto O’Rourke came very close to beating Ted Cruz. How much closer can Dems get in 2020? As newly updated election results showed U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s victory was even tighter than first realized, Democratic-led voter registration groups are saying … Continue reading

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The changing tides in Central Texas

From the Statesman: Six Democrats came within 5 points or fewer in six Texas races, including three districts in Central Texas where Republicans traditionally win easily. Democrats now hold 13 of 36 Texas congressional seats. “This is about persistence. This … Continue reading

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Who might be next to retire from Congress?

We may see some more exits in the coming years, some voluntary and some not. Retirement talk is generally speculative until an incumbent makes an official announcement. But many Republican operatives bet that U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry, the most senior … Continue reading

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The next round of redistricting is going to be even more fun

Close races do complicate things. Texas Republicans collected half of the votes statewide in congressional races this month. ­But even after Democrats flipped two districts, toppling GOP veterans in Dallas and Houston, Republicans will control 23 of the state’s 36 … Continue reading

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Why not both?

RG Ratcliffe argues that Beto doesn’t need to choose between running for President and running for Senate. Why doesn’t Beto run for both the presidency AND the U.S. Senate? Beto could do it under a provision known as the LBJ … Continue reading

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The case against Beto (and Julian) for President

From Chris Hooks: Democrats, taking advantage of the president’s unpopularity, stand a chance of winning control of more state legislatures in 2020 and building the foundations of their party, just as Republicans did in 2010. It’s a great opportunity, and … Continue reading

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Cattanach concedes in HD108

Thus endeth the recount. Democrat Joanna Cattanach conceded Thursday afternoon to Republican state Rep. Morgan Meyer of Dallas, closing out the last recount requested by a candidate after this year’s midterm election. “After several days of continued counting and a … Continue reading

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So you want to run for something in 2020

You’re an ambitious Democrat in Harris County. You saw what happened these last two elections, and you think it’s your time to step up and run for office. What are your options that don’t involved primarying a Democratic incumbent? 1. … Continue reading

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On straight tickets and undervotes

As we know, straight ticket voting in Texas is now officially a thing of the past. It will not be an option in 2020, the next time there will be partisan elections. Thanks to the success of Democratic candidates in … Continue reading

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Yes, we’re already looking ahead to 2020

Close races one year fuel speculation about the next. Much of the immediate speculation about 2020 in Texas has centered on O’Rourke, who was being discussed as a potential presidential candidate even before he reached the finish line in the … Continue reading

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Precinct analysis: The two key CDs

I want to break out of my usual precinct analysis posts to focus on the two big Congressional districts that were held by Republicans going into this election and are entirely within Harris County, CD02 and CD07. CD07 Candidate Votes … Continue reading

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Ortiz Jones concedes in CD23

Thus endeth that race. Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones conceded Monday in her challenge to U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, ensuring a third term for Hurd in his perennial battleground district. “While we came up short this time, we ran a … Continue reading

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And now for some statewide whining about straight ticket voting

I have four things to say about this. Straight-ticket voting will end before the 2020 elections, bringing Texas into line with the vast majority of states. But the change didn’t come early enough to save Emmett — or a host … Continue reading

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How Lizzie Fletcher won

I have three things to say about this. Now, having flipped a seat controlled for the last 52 years by Republicans, [Rep.-elect Lizzie] Fletcher heads to Washington with a target on her back, but also a desire to legislate with … Continue reading

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Initial thoughts: Congress

I’ll be honest: I never felt particularly confident about winning CD07 or CD32. Not because Lizzie Fletcher and Colin Allred weren’t excellent candidates, or anything to do with the trends of the national environment or what have you. I just … Continue reading

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Seven suggestions for Senate 2020

Someone has to run against Big John Cornyn in 2020. I feel reasonably confident we can get someone higher up on the political food chain than David Alameel this time around. Here are my thoughts as to who that might … Continue reading

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Initial thoughts: The Lege

Live by the gerrymander, die by the gerrymander. At the end of the 2011 legislative session, state Rep. Rafael Anchia, a Dallas Democrat, sat down to dinner with a Republican colleague from the Texas House. Anchia was exhausted and incensed. … Continue reading

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Their whining is like music to my ears

From the inbox, possibly the most unintentionally hilarious press release I’ve ever had the privilege to receive, from the Harris County Republican Party: “I am mad. Mad at the avoidable losses wreaked across Texas by the Beto Wave of straight-ticket … Continue reading

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Omnibus election report

It’s after midnight, I’ve mostly posted stuff on my long-dormant Twitter account (@kuff), and I will have many, many thoughts in the coming days. For now, a brief recap. – As you know, neither Beto nor any other Dem won … Continue reading

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Top to bottom Congressional fundraising prowess

I have three things to say about this. Standing before a packed crowd at the Austin City Limits Music Festival earlier this month, Julie Oliver delivered an impassioned speech highlighting her support for marijuana legalization and universal health care. “Are … Continue reading

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Eventually we’ll settle the debate about straight ticket voting and judicial races

But for now we have one last chance to provide a baseline for comparison. As Harris County goes, so go its judicial races. In three of the last five elections, a single party has swept every Harris judicial contest, with … Continue reading

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Sarah Davis’ balancing act

As it will be for many of her Republican colleagues, especially in Harris County, 2018 is a challenging year for Rep. Sarah Davis. To understand how Republican state Rep. Sarah Davis plans to survive a possible Democratic blue wave in … Continue reading

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Henry Cuellar does his thing

And it’s annoying as usual. A new report has left many Democratic House insiders perplexed and frustrated with one of the most powerful Texas Democrats in Congress: U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo. Politico reported Tuesday that Cuellar had”invited supporters to … Continue reading

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Going for Section 3

I wouldn’t get my hopes up, but Lord knows this is desperately needed. The voters of color, civil rights groups and Democratic lawmakers who have long challenged the validity of Texas’ political maps were dealt a bruising loss earlier this … Continue reading

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This will be your last year to vote a straight party ticket

Whether you like it or not. The linked story looks at how this upcoming change, to go into effect in 2020, may affect judicial elections. Texas elects its judges, leaving the nearly anonymous people in charge of the third branch … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Same maps, different day

The coda to the SCOTUS redistricting ruling. The 2018 elections will move forward without any tweaks to Texas’ political maps. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to uphold all but one of the state’s political districts, a three-judge federal panel … Continue reading

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Houston on the short list for the 2020 DNC

One in three shot at it. Democratic Party officials have culled the list of potential host cities for the 2020 Democratic National Convention from eight to four, and Houston is still in the mix, Mayor Sylvester Turner said Wednesday. The … Continue reading

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Houston submits its DNC 2020 bid

From the inbox: Houston, recognized for its record of successfully hosting mega-events, today submitted an official bid to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention. The bid document of about 600 pages shows how Houston’s convention infrastructure and its people put … Continue reading

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Council passes resolution to support 2020 DNC

Cool. Houston bolstered its bid for the 2020 Democratic National Convention on Wednesday as City Council affirmed the city’s safety and logistics services will be marshalled sufficiently to support the gathering if Houston is chosen as the host city. Houston … Continue reading

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