May 20, 2005
Aren't you overlooking someone?

Kristen Mack says the following in regards to the possibility that County Judge Robert Eckels will not run for reelection in 2006:


Potential candidates — so far all Republicans in the GOP-dominated county — are already making the rounds hoping to line up support for a run at the county judge job.

Among them is Houston City Councilman Mark Ellis, who must leave office at the end of this year because of city term limits.

[...]

Others who might run if Eckels doesn't are Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt and District Clerk Charles Bacarisse.

Despite the strongly Republican bent in countywide elections, Democrats probably would field a candidate, but they lost a potential front-runner last month. Former juvenile and appeals court judge Eric Andell, one of the last Democrats to hold countywide office, pleaded guilty to cheating the federal government out of several thousand dollars in expenses while serving in the U.S. Department of Education.


I sent Kristen Mack the following email at 6:30 this morning:

Kristen,

Today you wrote:

"Despite the strongly Republican bent in countywide elections, Democrats probably would field a candidate, but they lost a potential front-runner last month. Former juvenile and appeals court judge Eric Andell, one of the last Democrats to hold countywide office, pleaded guilty to cheating the federal government out of several thousand dollars in expenses while serving in the U.S. Department of Education."

Former HCDP Chair David Mincberg has been talking for some time now about a run for County Judge. I'm curious as to why you didn't mention him as a possible candidate. Thanks!


Greg reported on the Mincberg rumors back in March; if you read through the comments, you'll see that he also says "Eric Andell, from more than a few sources, is not going to run for anything countywide." Why Kristen Mack hadn't heard of any of this, or why she chose to report it this way if she had, is unknown to me. As of this blog posting, I've not heard back from her. If and when she responds to my email, I'll post that.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on May 20, 2005 to Election 2006 | TrackBack
Comments

The Chronicle also states that Eckels has made no announcement. That sort of makes the rest of the article the meandering collection of blogable blather worthy of the Chronicle's Copyright and apparently Premium Quality Journalism for advertising bait.

At the moment I cannot think how Mack could respond without negative repercussion. How are you prepared for no response?

Posted by: Charles Hixon on May 20, 2005 5:50 PM

I'll just leave this post up as is. When the subject comes up again - like when Eckels formally announces his intentions - I may bring it up again.

Posted by: Charles Kuffner on May 20, 2005 6:30 PM