Tag Archives: Sam Houston

We should have a full statewide slate

Posted on November 17, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. For Brandon Birmingham, a state district judge in Dallas, the 2020 race for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals started on election night 2018. As he watched Beto O’Rourke win more votes than any Texas Democrat ever had in a … Continue reading →

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UT/Trib: Cruz 41, O’Rourke 36, part 2

Posted on June 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We pick up where we left off. Republican Ted Cruz leads Democrat Beto O’Rourke 41 percent to 36 percent in the general election race for a Texas seat in the U.S. Senate, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune … Continue reading →

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Yes, m’lord

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I totally should bid on this. All it takes to be a noble – to be called “m’Lord” or “m’Lady” – is money. And for Texans interested in owning a noble title, a silent auction in London holds an extra … Continue reading →

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It’s not crazy to think that a downballot Democrat could win statewide this year

Posted on August 22, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll get to that headline in a minute. I’ve got some reading to sort through first. We’ll start with the most pessimistic, or perhaps the least blue-sky, story of how things are likely to go. Arizona. Georgia. Utah. Indiana. Is … Continue reading →

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Ken who?

Posted on August 4, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

State Republican leaders don’t have much to say about our allegedly felonious Attorney General. Texas’ Republican leaders Sunday continued their radio silence on the indictment of Attorney General Ken Paxton on three felony fraud charges. Paxton, who was elected as … Continue reading →

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Chron overview of the AG race

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Couple of interesting tidbits in here. A tea party darling with a dozen years in the state Legislature, Sen. Ken Paxton has avoided the media since admitting to a third-degree felony violation of state securities law in late April. Spokesman … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Sweep for Sam Houston

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Houston Chronicle endorses Sam Houston, completing a sweep of the big papers for the Democratic candidate for Attorney General. Democratic candidate Sam Houston is the best choice on the ballot. A graduate of Baylor Law School and candidate for … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: State Reps and Sam Houston

Posted on October 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron made its State House endorsements in two parts. The highlight from Part One was a couple of key races. District 23: Susan Criss In one of the few competitive contests, Democrat Susan Criss and Republican Wayne Faircloth are … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Probate courts

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron makes its endorsements for Probate Courts, and as they have done recently stayed mostly with incumbents while having nice things to say about the challengers. The one Democrat they recommended out of the four races was as follows: … Continue reading →

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Other AGs for same sex marriage

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone like one of these 15 Attorneys General representing Texas? A majority of the states that have legalized same-sex marriage are throwing their support behind two couples fighting Texas’ ban, arguing their own experiences … Continue reading →

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Gov debate II: That’s more like it

Posted on October 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The second Governor’s debate was a lively affair. Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott, who has mostly avoided direct confrontation with his opponent in the race for Texas governor, took a hard swing at Democratic Sen. Wendy Davis over her ethics … Continue reading →

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Interview with Sam Houston

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As we head into the home stretch of the campaign – early voting begins in three weeks, and the deadline to be registered for this election is one week from today – we turn to the statewide candidates for the … Continue reading →

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A thought about the stealth campaign

Posted on September 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Forrest Wilder writes about the un-campaigns being run by most statewide Republicans. But now comes a new twist: the art of the non-campaign. The candidate who doesn’t even bother to put on a show, doesn’t even pretend to reach the … Continue reading →

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Paxton investigation put off till after the election

Posted on September 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I can’t really argue with this. The Travis County District Attorney’s Office will not pursue legal action against attorney general candidate state Sen. Ken Paxton until after the election, if at all, because of an internal policy aimed at preventing … Continue reading →

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Law enforcement for same sex marriage

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Bravo, y’all. The Democratic sheriffs of Texas’ two most populous counties have signed on with more than 60 other Texas law enforcement officials and first responders saying the state’s ban on same sex marriage not only disrespects but endangers front-line … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: One for Steve Brown

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Express News makes a nice call. In this year’s contest, Democrat Steve Brown is the best candidate. A former party chairman of Fort Bend County, Brown has not worked in the oil-and-gas industry and can bring a much-needed outsider’s … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: First of many for Sam Houston

Posted on September 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman gets an early start on endorsement season. A famous name can be a mixed blessing in politics. Sam Houston, the Democratic candidate for Texas attorney general, has persuaded us that he is more than just a name, and … Continue reading →

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Paxton’s “poll”

Posted on September 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, please. State Sen. Ken Paxton‘s campaign is touting a double-digit lead over his Democratic opponent in the race for Texas attorney general, citing a poll commissioned for his campaign and released Tuesday. The poll was performed by Wilson Perkins … Continue reading →

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Let there be an AG debate

Posted on September 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I can’t think of any good reason why there shouldn’t be a debate between Sam Houston and Ken Paxton. Democratic candidate for attorney general Sam Houston wants his opponent, state Sen. Ken Paxton, to agree to a debate ahead of … Continue reading →

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What next for school finance?

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

That depends on the Attorney General and the Supreme Court, but one way or the other it’s up to the Legislature. State lawmakers from both parties agreed the responsibility for funding public schools falls on them. But history suggests the … Continue reading →

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The Public Integrity Unit probably won’t have to worry about a veto next year

Posted on August 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

They’ll have bigger things to worry about. With Republican partisans campaigning loudly to strip Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg of her control of the unit, chances of getting the funding restored under her by the GOP-dominated Legislature that convenes … Continue reading →

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Redistricting II: Congressional Boogaloo

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Phase Two of the redistricting lawsuit trial begins today, in which the 2011 Congressional maps go under the microscope. That’s as good a time as any for the mandatory How Much All This Redistricting Litigation Is Costing Us story. Texans … Continue reading →

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Planned Parenthood comes out swinging

Posted on July 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good to see. Planned Parenthood’s political arm is embarking on the most aggressive campaign it has ever waged in Texas, with plans to spend $3 million to turn out voters for Democratic candidates including Sens. Wendy Davis for governor and … Continue reading →

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Sam Houston enters the chemical disclosure fray

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Sam Houston, Democratic Nominee for Texas Attorney General, today promised to reverse the current AG’s letter ruling on the release of the locations of dangerous chemicals, putting the safety of our families and children first. “I have … Continue reading →

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The Trib on the AG race

Posted on July 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

What do you do when you have an ethically compromised candidate on your ticket? Thank your lucky stars that you’re the majority party and hope like hell the challenger can’t get any traction. A political candidate’s troubles are supposed to … Continue reading →

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Convention coverage

Posted on June 29, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Wendy and Leticia and a whole host of others rally the crowd in Dallas. Wendy Davis and Leticia Van de Putte shared the spotlight at the Texas Democratic Party convention on Friday night, promising to change the direction of the … Continue reading →

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On defining success

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It depends on what your goals are. Suppose you were a Texas Democrat and a realist. You want your candidates to win in November and to break the spirit-killing string of losses that started after the statewide elections in 1994. … Continue reading →

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Yes, Greg Abbott opposes the HERO

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

He just doesn’t want to be forced to admit it. When the Houston City Council passed its nondiscrimination ordinance including gay and transgender protections, top Democratic statewide candidates such as Sen. Wendy Davis were quick to celebrate. “All people should … Continue reading →

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Some postmortem thoughts

Posted on May 29, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib leads with the obvious. As the results of Republican primary runoffs began to roll in Tuesday evening, Texas Democrats realized they were getting exactly what they wanted — and exactly what they feared. The victories of Dan Patrick … Continue reading →

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Why isn’t Ken Paxton releasing his tax returns?

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This DMN story is actually about how Sen. Ken Paxton, currently in a runoff for the GOP nomination for Attorney General after leading the field in March, has done pretty well for himself as a lawyer since his initial election … Continue reading →

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Paxton’s disclosure issues

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Oopsie. State Sen. Ken Paxton, the leading Republican candidate for attorney general, has launched an internal review of his disclosures to state regulatory authorities and the Texas Ethics Commission to determine whether he violated any laws by failing to report … Continue reading →

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Next steps in the Texas same sex marriage lawsuit

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

In case you were wondering, Attorney General and candidate for Governor Greg Abbott will appeal Wednesday’s historic ruling striking down Texas’ constitutional amendment barring same sex marriage. The state of Texas has officially given notice that it is appealing a … Continue reading →

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On succeeding Abbott as AG

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The next Attorney General will inherit a lot of Greg Abbott’s unfinished fights, some of which he instigated and some of which were thrust upon him by the Lege. Defending the constitutionality of the state’s controversial public school finance system … Continue reading →

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Federal judge denies Abbott motion to consolidate same sex marriage lawsuits

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From Lone Star Q: A key hearing in a federal lawsuit challenging Texas’ same-sex marriage bans will go forward next month in San Antonio. U.S. District Judge Orlando L. Garcia, of the Western District of Texas, on Wednesday rejected Texas … Continue reading →

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