Another twofer, and another easy and obvious choice in At Large #3.
For the past four years Houston has been well served in At-Large City Council Position 3 by Melissa Noriega. We recommend Noriega for a third and final term at City Hall. In her service on council, Noriega has demonstrated a welcome ability to be a team player and consensus builder in city government. The Scarborough High School graduate, hailing from a family with deep roots in education, is herself a career educator, having served 27 years in several key administrative and staff positions at the Houston Independent School District.
[…]
Noriega and the other four at-large council members have a unique role in working with district representatives and, in particular, identifying those areas where quality of life is suffering because of inequities in the placement of capital improvement projects. She is committed to pressing for fairness in this process to help close gaps in the quality of life for residents in different parts of the city.
Melissa Noriega will give all Houstonians informed, energetic representation in a third term as an at-large councilmember. We urge city voters to cast a ballot for Noriega.
You can listen to my interview with CM Noriega here. I think she does excellent work, and I agree with the Chron’s assessment.
The Chron stayed with the incumbent in At Large #4 as well.
In the race for Houston City Council At-Large Position 4, voters have a choice among two attractive political newcomers and a well-regarded incumbent, former Chief of Police C.O. “Brad” Bradford.
With a nod of encouragement to the newcomers to continue with their political efforts in the future, we heartily recommend Bradford for a new term. He brings to council judgment, maturity and wide experience in handling budgets, personnel and management issues.
[…]
C.O. “Brad” Bradford is a significant leadership resource on Houston City Council. We commend him to voters for another term.
My interview with CM Bradford is here, with Louis Molnar is here, and with Amy Price is here. As I’ve noted, the Chron doesn’t usually mention anyone but the endorsed candidate – this is only the third time out of fifteen, and one of those was to castigate the incumbent as they recommended his opponent – so good for them for that.
The Chron seems to have set itself up for an eventful weekend, with At Large #5 presumably coming tomorrow, and Mayor on Sunday. My prediction is that the Chron will decline to endorse CM Jolanda Jones for a third term. They did endorse her in 2009 and in 2007, so I could very well be wrong about this. What do you think?
I think your smoking crack. Noriega deserves another term? Can you name more than one thing she has done in the last 4 years. Her opponents cant and neither could others when asked. She is a nice women, but that is as far as it goes. As a former COH employee, she did nothing for us, whereas I see the other two providing some hope of a chance. Another thing, how can you agree with the Chron’s assessment when you havent even talked to the other two or if you have, you havent shown us. I do agree with the Chron’spick with Bradford. Probably the best council member on there now. Im losing faith in you Kuff.
I don’t think you are smoking crack. I do think that Noriega now cares more about getting along then standing her ground. However she is a nice lady, she will meet and talk to you. I respect the family. I would also hope that she becomes a little more aggressive but that is just me.
This is a touchy subject – i am personally conflicted because cm noriega is a super nice lady and always goes out of her way to address my concerns,she is one of the few cm’s that has managed to stay under the radar and hasnt got caught up in to much controversy-in this area,she is solid as rock,now then,moving on to the real issue in this race that it now seems evident everyone is avoiding,the hispanic vote is being moitored heavy in this particular race-and heres why-noriega’s opponent chris carmona feels that noriega in elections past has gotten elected mainly on her name and feels that with his name in the race he will garner a heavy hispanic vote,he feels he will capture more of the hispanic vote than her,which may be the case in this race,as for the third canidate in this race brad-i interviewed him on the phone and here was his exact thoughts”noriega and carmona will split the hispanic vote,i will capture the black vote and some of the hispanic vote and win with 51percent avoiding a run off.i like cm noriega,but this is a difficult race to call-as i have stated in the past and will state again for the record,council member noriega is unseated in this race,major upset.
on to at large #5 charles kuffner is correct-the chronicle does not endorse jolanda jones or laurie robinson-they will endorse jack christie,bet the farm on it.
joshua ben bullard
Joshua Ben Bullard – who gets the white vote? Brad is the one that ran before, he seems like a good guy, but will he really get 51% winning without a runoff? According to Kuff, Noriega swept the endorsements, I dont know why, but she did. Wont that play a factor?
“I don’t vilify anyone who works in the O&G industry. You’re just making a living. The O&G companies simply need to commit to the inevitable process of converting their infrastructure toward renewable sources. O&G will fight as hard as it can NOT to change until after every drop of oil is burned and the planet is wrecked, and as long as business controls our government, they’ll win. Hence Occupy Houston.” — Amy Price
concerned-the endrosments will play a small factor-but not as much as one would think,noriega in years past has carried the hispanic vote city wide-it will not be as easy for her to carry this vote this time around,heres why,carmona will carry alot of the hispanic vote,alot,so in theory they will both draw even.the white vote will go to all three canidates.It is possible that brad could capture 51 percent in this race,leaving noriega and carmona gone.
again,i predict cm noriega unseated
joshua ben bullard