Today's the official filing deadline, so we can resolve the Strayhorn Shuffle once and for all.
Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn has kept today's filing deadline for the 2006 elections alive with speculation about what she will do in the Texas governor's race.She announced in June as a Republican candidate, challenging Gov. Rick Perry's re-election. But now her campaign is refusing to dampen speculation that she will file today as an independent candidate for governor.
Today is the deadline for candidates to file for either the Republican or Democratic primaries; the Texas Libertarian Party, whose nominees are chosen at a June convention; or as an independent candidate for office.
Filing deadline day always holds the potential for some surprises.
A recent example was in 2002, when former Attorney General Dan Morales jumped into the Democratic primary for governor after indicating for months that he would run for the U.S. Senate. He lost to businessman Tony Sanchez and later was sentenced to federal prison on mail fraud charges stemming from some of his official actions while the state's top lawyer.
Strayhorn, obviously, is looking for a happier ending to her filing-day surprise.
Another thing we can be grateful for: A challenger to Rep. Dwayne Bohac in HD138.
Mark McDavid of Houston, Texas filed on the deadline, 1/2/06, to run in the Democratic Primary for Texas House District 138. The District encompasses near north and northwest Harris County neighborhoods including Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, Spring Branch, Cy-Fair, and Bear Creek.A graduate of Scarborough High School and the University of Houston, McDavid states that he feels the district is inadequately represented and needs a stronger focus towards stewardship of our air and water, a better commitment on the part of the Texas Legislature towards properly funding public education, and an increased focus towards ending a culture of corruption in campaign finance. An avid fisherman, McDavid is well aware of the degradation to Texas' fields, streams, and beaches, as well as the lack of proper attention and funding towards State parks.
McDavid will be taking on an incumbent in the fall general election, Republican Dwayne Bohac. Bohac, the incumbent, benefited from the 2001 redistricting as he had previously lost 2 other attempts at the seat. In addition, Bohac was one of 7 Republican candidates in 2001 to benefit from Tom DeLay's alleged money-laundering scheme, receiving approximately $ 20,000 from the Republican National Committee after TRMPAC, a state Political Action Committee designed to increase Republican representation in the Texas House, fronted $ 190,000 to the National Republican Party. DeLay and 2 of his associates are currently under indictment for allegedly breaking Texas law over the arrangement. "In addition to a thick ethical cloud hanging over Bohac's head for accepting campaign funds possibly money-laundered, Bohac has misrepresented the District by voting to hack funding for public education and to hack funding for insuring Texas children. He further undermined the health and safety of the 150,000 constituents in District 138 by voting against 5 separate amendments introduced in 2005 to strengthen air quality standards and clean up severe pollution problems in Harris County," says McDavid to a crowd of activists at the Harris County Democratic Party Headquarters.
A Materials Handler with a local manufacturing firm, McDavid grew up in District 138, more specifically in the Forest West subdivision of Northwest Houston. He currently resides in the Oak Forest neighborhood with his wife Ginny.