Search Results for: tim cole

Runoff races, part 2: Legislative

Posted on May 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

There’s one Democratic primary runoff for SBOE, one for Senate, and seven for the House. Here’s a brief look at them. SBOE12 Suzanne Smith Laura Malone-Miller Smith led with 48.12% in March to Malone-Miller’s 26.31%. Smith has the DMN endorsement, … Continue reading →

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What might the TEA do with HISD?

Posted on May 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

They have some options, the best of which is probably to put the decision off for a year. A.J. Crabill knows what it’s like to close schools. In 2010, Crabill, then a 30-year-old member of the Kansas City, Missouri, school … Continue reading →

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Federal court ruling says LGBT workers in Texas are protected from discrimination

Posted on April 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This is a big deal. For the first time in Texas, a federal judge said LGBT workers should be protected from employment discrimination based on their gender identity and sexual orientation. Judge Lee Rosenthal, the chief judge in the Houston-based … Continue reading →

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Valdez and White in the runoff

Posted on April 5, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The DMN provides a snapshot of where we are in the one Democratic statewide primary runoff. Former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez and Houston investor Andrew White have disparate strategies for winning the nomination. Valdez, who finished first with a … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Ana’s army

Posted on March 30, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Two weeks ago, I noted an email sent out by Rep. Carol Alvarado containing a long list of current and former elected officials as well as other prominent folks who had endorsed her candidacy for SD06, for when Sen. Sylvia … Continue reading →

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2018 primary results: Legislative

Posted on March 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Statewide Dem totals Statewide GOP totals Harris County Dem totals Harris County GOP totals (Please note that all results were coming in very slowly. I expect there will still be some precincts not yet reported by the time this publishes. … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: A veritable plethora, part 4

Posted on February 23, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Part 1 is here, part 2 is here, part 3 is here, and the full endorsements page is here. I had thought this would finish up all the races of interest for us, but then I decided the Republican races … Continue reading →

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The state of play in the suburbs

Posted on December 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This NYT article about Congressional districts being targeted by Democrats in 2018 is about pickup opportunities in the suburbs, and they lead with a familiar example. As she sat with a glass of sauvignon blanc waiting for a women-focused Democratic … Continue reading →

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Andrew White is in

Posted on December 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

And now there are eight. Andrew White, the son of late Gov. Mark White, made it official Thursday morning: He is running for governor, joining the crowded Democratic primary with four days to go before the filing deadline. White, 45, … Continue reading →

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Filing news: Lupe Valdez is in for Governor

Posted on December 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here she comes. Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez announced Wednesday morning that she is running for governor, giving Texas Democrats a serious candidate for the top job with five days until the candidate filing deadline for the 2018 primaries. “Like … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten – Back to back, part one

Posted on August 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I’m baaaaaaaaaack… 1. Back Door Santa – Bon Jovi 2. Back Home Again In Indiana – Don Byas, Coleman Hawkins & Stan Getz 3. Back In Baby’s Arms – Patsy Cline 4. Back In Love Again – LTD 5. Back … Continue reading →

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Collin County would like us to pick up the Paxton prosecutor tab

Posted on June 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll bet they would. As Attorney General Ken Paxton’s legal troubles head into their third year, there’s another question aside from whether he’ll beat the rap — who will pay for it all? Taxpayers in Collin County, where Paxton was … Continue reading →

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No Astrodome vote this fall

Posted on June 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is a bit of a surprise. [Sen. John] Whitmire filed a bill that would force the county to get voter approval before spending any money on the Dome. “It’s a dream and you shouldn’t spend taxpayer dollars on a … Continue reading →

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Sandra Bland Act passes

Posted on May 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Texas House initially approved the Sandra Bland Act on Friday with a unanimous vote. The body now has to vote on the mental health bill one more time before it reaches Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. (Update, May 20: … Continue reading →

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Sandra Bland bill clears the Senate

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. The Texas Senate on Thursday unanimously approved a bill aimed at protecting people with mental illnesses who are arrested and may harm themselves in jail. The legislation — Senate Bill 1849 — was filed after a high-profile incident … Continue reading →

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Legislative maps found to have discriminatory intent

Posted on April 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. Texas lawmakers intentionally diluted the political clout of minority voters in drawing the state’s House districts, a panel of federal judges ruled Thursday. In a long-awaited ruling, the San Antonio-based judges found that lawmakers in 2011 either violated the … Continue reading →

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Bathroom bill 2.0

Posted on April 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Beware. House lawmakers will debate a so-called “bathroom bill” next week that supporters hope will be less worrisome to business interests concerned the measure could hurt the Texas economy. The decision to debate the House bill, and to set aside a more severe version passed … Continue reading →

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Paxton prosecutors ask for delay

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Delay for pay, as it were. The special prosecutors handling the securities fraud case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are asking to put off his trial until they can get paid. On Thursday, the prosecutors proposed moving the trial, … Continue reading →

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The Sandra Bland Act

Posted on March 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, on Thursday filed House Bill 2702, dubbed the Sandra Bland Act. The exhaustive piece of legislation would expand what qualifies as racial and ethnic profiling; mandate people experiencing a mental health crisis and substance … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Ladies’ night, part 34

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Up, up to the sky… 1. Fill Me Up – Shawn Colvin 2. Little Saint Nick – She & Him (Zoey Deschanel) 3. 9 to 5 (Morning Train) – Sheena Easton 4. Thought It Would Be Better – Shelby Lynne … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of January 30

Posted on February 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance has never been more proud of the ACLU as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Dawnna Dukes case to go before grand jury

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Awesome. Travis County prosecutors and Texas Rangers will present evidence to a grand jury that state Rep. Dawnna Dukes abused the power of her office, Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore told the American-Statesman. Among possible charges: abuse of official … Continue reading →

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More MUD muddles

Posted on January 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Who needs collateral? When Houston businessman David Lucyk decided to develop land in northeast Harris County, he lined up a bank loan to pay for water pipes, sewers, roads and a stormwater detention pond. He offered the bank three items … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Brazoria County

Posted on December 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I had some time to spare, so I spent it with the canvass reports from Brazoria County. You know, like you do. Here’s what I was able to learn. Trump Clinton R Avg D Avg Weber Cole ======================================================= Votes 36,572 … Continue reading →

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Uber pulls driverless cars from San Francisco

Posted on December 24, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Score one for the California DMV. Uber pulled its self-driving cars off San Francisco’s streets Wednesday after the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles revoked their registrations, effectively ending the company’s controversial pilot program after just one week. The move marked … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Don’t be mesmerized by the Clinton/Trump numbers

Posted on December 20, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the DMN: Donald Trump may have carried Texas and clinched the White House in November, but support for the Republican presidential nominee waned in parts of the Dallas area — news that, in a typical election year, could spell … Continue reading →

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Who’s in to succeed Rep. Dawnna Dukes?

Posted on November 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

There are three confirmed candidates already to succeed Rep. Dawnna Dukes when she steps down next month. Despite announcing her plan six weeks earlier to resign instead of serving another term, state Rep. Dawnna Dukes handily won re-election earlier this … Continue reading →

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Initial thoughts: Statewide

Posted on November 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

See part 1 on Harris County here. The current statewide tally is Trump 52.39%, Clinton 43.34%. She received 3,848,617 votes to his 4,651,955. That’s an improvement of some 540K votes over Obama in 2012, which I certainly would have deemed … Continue reading →

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Some Republican women unhappy about Sid Miller

Posted on November 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record. For many female Texans working in Republican politics, last month’s release of a video showing GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump boasting about groping women was bad enough. They have since watched in astonishment as male elected … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: More State Reps

Posted on October 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Part 2: State Representative, District 135: Jesse A. Ybanez Consider this an endorsement against Gary Elkins. The Republican incumbent has been in office for 22 years, and his greatest claim to fame is a consistent self-serving advocacy for payday lenders … Continue reading →

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Hey, here’s an idea: Increase funding for public education

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

That’s just crazy talk. Texas House budget and public education leaders said Wednesday that the best way to overhaul the state’s school finance system is to increase the base amount of money it gives to each district per student. While … Continue reading →

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First contenders line up for HD46

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

There will be more. The race to replace longtime Austin state Rep. Dawnna Dukes got underway hours after her Monday morning announcement that she will resign effective Jan. 10. First out of the gate was former Austin Mayor Pro Tem … Continue reading →

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Rep. Dawnna Dukes to resign

Posted on September 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Our first special election for 2017 is now on the clock. State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, who is facing a criminal investigation over her use of state funds, will resign from her seat in the Texas House in January, according to … Continue reading →

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Renaming Dowling Street

Posted on September 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The process has to change before the name can be changed. For years, Third Ward residents have had to roll with the changes in their community, often having to live with decisions made in the corridors of power at City … Continue reading →

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