Tag Archives: Joe Barton

A few names begin to emerge for CD06

Posted on February 13, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

From Daily Kos Elections: A special election will take place later this year to succeed Republican Rep. Ron Wright, who died Sunday after contracting COVID-19, and a few names have already surfaced in both parties as possible special election candidates. … Continue reading →

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Rep. Mac Thornberry to retire

Posted on October 1, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Six down. U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Clarendon, announced Monday that he will not seek reelection in 2020, making him the sixth GOP congressman from Texas to say he’s retiring in recent weeks. “It has been a great honor for me … Continue reading →

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Rep. Will Hurd to step down

Posted on August 2, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. I did not see this coming. The U.S. House’s last black Republican member, Rep. Will Hurd of Helotes, announced Thursday that he is retiring from Congress. President Donald Trump’s racist comments about elected officials weighed heavily on Hurd, who … Continue reading →

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CD06 poll: Wright 48, Sanchez 39

Posted on August 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Via Patrick Svitek on Twitter, I learned of a recent PPP poll in CD06. Here’s the polling memo, and here’s the information you’re most interested in: Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of President Donald Trump’s job performance? 48% Approve … Continue reading →

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Filing roundup: Other Congressional races, part 2

Posted on December 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

See part 1 here, and the spreadsheet with all the Democratic Congressional filings here. These are the races that are objectively most likely to produce a flip, so there are fewer of them. Let’s dive right in. CD06 So long, … Continue reading →

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Smokey Joe will not run for re-election

Posted on December 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Another one bites the dust. Embattled U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Ennis, announced his retirement from Congress on Thursday. “I am very proud of my public record and the many accomplishments of my office. It has been a tremendous honor to … Continue reading →

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Nobody likes Smokey Joe any more

Posted on November 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Pobrecito. One day after a group of local Republicans met privately with U.S. Rep. Joe Barton about a nude photo of him that ended up online — and his political future — a number of Tarrant County Republicans are calling … Continue reading →

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You’ve never seen Smokey Joe quite like this before

Posted on November 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Oh my bleeping God. U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Ennis, released a statement on Wednesday apologizing for a graphic nude photo of him that circulated on social media earlier this week. “While separated from my second wife, prior to the divorce, … Continue reading →

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A big ask for hurricane recovery

Posted on November 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck with that. I mean that mostly sincerely. Texas needs an additional $61 billion in federal disaster recovery money for infrastructure alone after Hurricane Harvey’s devastation, according to a report from the Governor’s Commission to Rebuild Texas that was … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Congressional districts

Posted on May 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Legislative Council now has full data from the 2016 elections on its site, so this seemed like as good a time as any to take a look at the data from Congressional districts. I’m much more limited in … Continue reading →

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A really dumb “Trump and the train” article

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Ugh. Texas is closer than ever to building the first high-speed train in the United States, thanks to President Donald Trump’s fascination with these transportation projects and a well-timed pitch to his administration. Now developers nationwide are looking to the … Continue reading →

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Trump and the train

Posted on January 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This could be interesting. A privately-funded bullet train between Dallas and Houston and a passenger rail line connecting suburban North Texas are among a litany of transportation projects considered priorities by President Donald Trump’s administration, according to The Kansas City … Continue reading →

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The high-speed rail fight has officially shifted to Congress

Posted on May 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Nothing like a little eminent domain action to spur some people on. In the four years Texas Central Railway unveiled plans to link Dallas and Houston with the country’s first bullet train, officials with the private company have talked a … Continue reading →

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High speed rail opponents pick up another Congressional ally

Posted on May 19, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome aboard, Smokey Joe. In a filing with the Surface Transportation Board, North Texas Congressman Joe Barton (R) Arlington has come out against a high speed rail project between Dallas and Houston. Barton, whose district encompasses parts of Tarrant County … Continue reading →

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Steve Brown confirms he’s in for RRC

Posted on November 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s official. Late Thursday, Steve Brown, the former chairman of the Fort Bend County Democrats, announced his candidacy to join the three-member Railroad Commission, the powerful agency that regulates the oil and gas industry, pipelines and natural gas utilities. He … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Congressional overs and unders

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

To wrap up my look at 2012 versus 2008 results for all the new districts, here’s how the 36 Congressional districts compared. Dist McCain Pct Obama08 Pct Romney Pct Obama12 Pct RIdx DIdx ============================================================================== 01 178,520 68.85% 78,918 30.44% 181,833 … Continue reading →

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March fundraising reports for Congressional candidates

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a roundup of campaign finance reports for Congressional races and candidates of interest. I’ve been collecting links to the reports for contested Democratic races on my 2012 primary pages. Area races Nick Lampson had a typically strong fundraising report, … Continue reading →

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Campaign for Primary Accountability aims at Republicans

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. A Houston-based super PAC aiming to unseat long-time congressional incumbents added Reps. Joe Barton of Arlington and Ralph Hall of Rockwall to its hit list [last week]. The two Republicans join Democrats Eddie Bernice Johnson of Dallas and Silvestre … Continue reading →

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Weekend redistricting update

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

One more plaintiff has signed on to the Abbott map deal. The Mexican American Legislative Caucus is now joining the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund in saying that the state-backed Congressional District 35, a proposed new district that … Continue reading →

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Interim map hearing tomorrow

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Big day in San Antonio tomorrow. Groups involved in the state’s redistricting fight were ordered by a San Antonio federal court Friday to continue negotiations through the weekend over interim redistricting maps for the 2012 election. The court order comes … Continue reading →

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Environmental report card for Congressional Texas

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From the Inbox: The Texas League of Conservation Voters highlighted Texas’ leadership and failures on national environmental issues, based on today’s release of the League of Conservation Voters 2011 National Environmental Scorecard. The 2011 National Environmental Scorecard grades Congress’ work … Continue reading →

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While we wait for another deal, if there is one

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Michael Li reminds us what comes next. The San Antonio court has scheduled a hearing on interim maps and the election schedule for next Wednesday, February 15, with briefs on a broad range of issues due this Friday. That gives … Continue reading →

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January finance reports: Congress and Senate

Posted on February 5, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The last batch of finance reports to come in are the federal reports, which for the most part don’t get posted till a full month after they’re due, which in this case was February 1. I’ve created a Google spreadsheet … Continue reading →

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Update on the redistricting settlement possibility

Posted on January 28, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Late Friday we heard about the possibility of a settlement agreement in the redistricting lawsuit in San Antonio, with the idea of coming up with an interim map in time to keep the primaries on April 6. Here’s an update … Continue reading →

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Filing season opens today

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s supposed to open today, anyway. It may get pushed back a day or two until the remaining legal actions get sorted out. As we know, after being turned down by the San Antonio federal Court, AG Greg Abbott is … Continue reading →

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House Redistricting committee approves modified Congressional map

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Even quicker than the Senate committee. The Texas House Redistricting Committee approved a new version of the Congressional map that makes a few tweaks, mainly in North and South Texas. But the overall goal remains the same: Maintain and expand … Continue reading →

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More on the Seliger-Solomons plan

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Dunham has a nice analysis of the proposed Congressional map that’s worth your time to read. I disagree with him on two related points. Republicans successfully shored up three districts they captured from Democrats in the past two election … Continue reading →

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Will Perry call a special session to force the Lege to draw a Congressional map?

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. Gov. Rick Perry today said state lawmakers should be the ones to draw new congressional districts, not judges. “I do think that the responsibility is with the members of the Legislature,” Perry said this morning. “To allow the courts … Continue reading →

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Lege officially punts on Congressional redistricting

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

If you had told me at the beginning of the session that this would happen, I would not have believed you. The chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee, Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, just confirmed to LegeLand that it won’t happen this … Continue reading →

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Smith v. Barton on redistricting

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From Politico: A bitter, behind-the-scenes fight has broken out among Texas Republicans over redistricting, pitting Rep. Lamar Smith against longtime colleague Rep. Joe Barton. The dispute is over the makeup of four new congressional districts for the Lone Star State, … Continue reading →

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The war on lightbulbs

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t even know where to begin with this. Light bulbs – the universal icon of a bright idea – have become for conservative politicians and activists a symbol for something much more nefarious: Big Brother. Gov. Rick Perry writes … Continue reading →

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Sometimes the headline tells you all you need to know

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Joe Barton celebrates Waxahachie clinic, which is expanding with stimulus he opposed. Actually, this one does have a bit more to it than that: “There were two pieces of legislation that helped bring this about,” Joseph Gallegos, senior vice … Continue reading →

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This is why we call him “Smokey Joe”

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

You’ve probably seen it by now, but feast your eyes anyway on Rep. Joe Barton apologizing to BP for that mean ol’ government making them pay for their mess in the Gulf. He’s since apologized for the apology, but given … Continue reading →

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More names surfacing for statewide runs

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Via Greg, it appears that Smokey Joe Barton may want to party like it’s 1993. No one seems to be mentioning U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Arlington, as a candidate to replace outgoing Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas. Turns out that … Continue reading →

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