Category Archives: Election 2018

Opinions differ about Congressional prospects

Posted on November 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I’m gonna boil this one down a bit. Moments before the polls closed in Virginia’s Democratic sweep, Houston-area Republican Ted Poe, across the Potomac River on Capitol Hill, announced his retirement in 2018 after 14 years in Congress. Poe cast … Continue reading →

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Rep. Gene Green to retire

Posted on November 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I said there would be surprises. One of the two longest serving Democrats from Texas in the U.S. Congress won’t seek re-election. U.S. Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston, announced Monday that he will not seek re-election in 2018. Green was first … Continue reading →

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Abbott v Davis

Posted on November 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s getting real out there. In what promises to deepen divisions in the Texas Republican Party, Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday endorsed a GOP challenger to incumbent state Rep. Sarah Davis of Houston. Abbott gave his public thumbs-up to Susanna … Continue reading →

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Filing season has begun

Posted on November 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Candidate filing season is now open, and it will run for a month, concluding at 6 PM on Monday, December 11. There will be a lot of activity this year – we are already aware of so many candidates – … Continue reading →

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TX-07 Progressive Candidate Policy Forum

Posted on November 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

An event of interest for folks who will have a tough decision to make in March. TX-07 Progressive Candidate Policy Forum Hosted by Indivisible to Flip Texas District 7 Saturday, December 2 at 2 PM – 4 PM Cook Middle … Continue reading →

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What about Roy?

Posted on November 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Who wants to stand with this particular predator? Texas’ two U.S. senators found themselves under intense pressure Thursday after explosive allegations surfaced that a candidate both men have endorsed pursued underage teenage girls decades ago. The Washington Post is reporting … Continue reading →

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Justin Nelson to run against Paxton

Posted on November 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

About time we got an official candidate for this race. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is getting his first Democratic opponent for re-election. Attorney Justin Nelson is entering the race to be the state’s top lawyer with just over a … Continue reading →

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Julian 2020?

Posted on November 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

He has raised the possibility. Texas Democrat Julian Castro confirmed Sunday he is seriously considering running for president in 2020 and former state Sen. Wendy Davis left open the possibility she will take another run at running for governor in … Continue reading →

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Rep. Ted Poe to retire

Posted on November 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We’re verging on a mass exodus here. U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, R-Humble, announced Tuesday evening that he will retire from Congress. “Thanks to the good Lord, I’m in good health, but it’s time for the next step,” Poe said in … Continue reading →

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Lupe Valdez

Posted on November 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Now here is some potential-candidate news of interest. Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez has emerged as potential Democratic challenger to Gov. Greg Abbott in 2018. In an interview Monday, Valdez described herself as “in the exploratory process,” looking at the … Continue reading →

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More on Democratic Congressional candidate fundraising

Posted on November 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the Statesman, with a focus on Austin-area candidates, but also with a more holistic view of what the atmosphere is like. “Trump’s lower than average net approval ratings for a Republican in Texas, as well as anger and dismay … Continue reading →

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Lamar Smith to retire

Posted on November 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good riddance. U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio said Tuesday he is retiring from Congress. “For several reasons, this seems like a good time to pass on the privilege of representing the 21st District to someone else,” he wrote in … Continue reading →

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Patrick gets a primary challenger

Posted on November 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The plot thickens. Former Rockwall City Council member Scott Milder will challenge Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in next year’s Republican primary, Milder announced formally on Thursday. Milder, a public education advocate and resident of North Texas, is the first Republican … Continue reading →

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Garry Brown

Posted on November 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We now have at least two officially declared Democratic candidates for Governor. On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, Garry Brown of Austin announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2018. It was a simple affair on Brown’s front … Continue reading →

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McRaven not running for Governor

Posted on November 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

In case you were wondering. Count out University of Texas Chancellor William McRaven as a potential challenger to Gov. Greg Abbott in 2018. The retired Navy admiral said Monday in a statement that he has “no interest in running for … Continue reading →

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Rep. Jeb Hensarling to retire

Posted on November 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We’re up to three. The powerful chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, U.S. Rep. Jeb Hensarling, a Dallas Republican, announced his retirement from Congress on Tuesday afternoon. He is currently serving his eighth term in the House. “Today I … Continue reading →

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October campaign finance reports: Congress

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here are the Q2 fundraising reports for Texas Democratic Congressional candidates. I’ll sum up the data below, but here’s the Trib with some highlights. After Democratic challengers outraised four Texas Republicans in Congress earlier this year, some Republicans recaptured fundraising … Continue reading →

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Framing the 2018 question

Posted on October 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This Chron story asks the question “what might it take for a Democrat to win statewide in Texas in 2018, then never actually engages it. At the five-top table in the corner at Russell’s Bakery, a northwest Austin restaurant and … Continue reading →

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Michael Sorrell

Posted on October 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Gromer Jeffers of the DMN floats a name for Governor. On the rugged campus of Paul Quinn College, Michael Sorrell, the school’s president, could be the last hope for Democrats to field a credible candidate to face incumbent Greg Abbott … Continue reading →

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Ken Paxton is officially running for re-election

Posted on October 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

In case you missed it. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will seek re-election as he fights three criminal indictments that are expected to go to trial next year. Paxton, who was expected to run again despite his legal woes, made it official in … Continue reading →

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Speaker Straus not running for re-election

Posted on October 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

A bombshell no one saw coming. Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, a San Antonio Republican, announced Wednesday he will not run for re-election in 2018, a decision that has the potential to upend the political balance of power in the … Continue reading →

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Andrew White

Posted on October 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see about this. Houston investor Andrew White—the son of the late Texas governor Mark White and one of the small boat heroes of Hurricane Harvey—plans to launch an exploratory bid for governor in the 2018 elections this week. Although … Continue reading →

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UT/TT poll: We need more context

Posted on October 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Time for another UT/Texas Trib poll, in which the pollsters do a mighty fine job of failing to find anything interesting about their data. Donald Trump remains highly popular with Texas Republicans nearly a year after his election as the … Continue reading →

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Congressional candidates everywhere

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Democrats are as optimistic as they’ve ever been about candidate recruitment. “I’ve been recruiting candidates in Texas for years, and I’ve never seen an environment quite like this,” said Cliff Walker, candidate recruitment director for the state Democratic Party. … Continue reading →

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Some other dude may challenge Ted Cruz in the 2018 GOP primary

Posted on October 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Sure, why not? A Fort Worth-based political action group that promotes the ideals of former President Ronald Reagan could back a candidate against incumbent Ted Cruz in the Republican primary for Senate. Bruce Jacobson, the executive producer of a Christian … Continue reading →

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Kirkland for Supreme Court

Posted on October 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Houston State District Court Judge Steven Kirkland has announced his candidacy for a seat on the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court, making him the first openly gay candidate to run for the state’s highest civil court. Kirkland, a Democrat, is … Continue reading →

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We have a candidate for Treasurer

Posted on October 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Democratic slate for countywide offices in 2018 is now filled out as Dylan Osborne has announced his candidacy for Harris County Treasurer. Osborne has been a City Council staffer and currently works in the Planning & Development Department for … Continue reading →

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Houston Rocks Dayna Steele at Numbers

Posted on October 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t mention candidate fundraisers very often in this space, but today I’m going to make a special exception for one of the cooler events I’ve come across. Hilton at 10:30 a.m. Dayna Steele rocked Houston for years. Now, let’s … Continue reading →

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Jeffrey Payne makes it official

Posted on October 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Democrats have their first candidate for Governor. The first reaction by many Texans to Saturday evening’s announcement by Jeffrey Payne as the first officially declared Democratic candidate for Texas governor is likely to be: “Who?” But Payne, a businessman who … Continue reading →

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More trans people are running for office

Posted on October 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The best way to gain political power is to win elections, and to win elections you have to run for office. The first time Dani Pellett tackled the bathroom question was years before the issue of transgender access to restrooms would … Continue reading →

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More Beto in the national news

Posted on October 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From Splinter, part of the Gawker universe, a story that was front-paged on Deadspin and Jezebel: O’Rourke sticks around to meet every single person in Burnet who wants to meet him. He doesn’t leave until the last hand has been … Continue reading →

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Huffman gets a Republican challenger

Posted on September 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is definitely one to watch. Kristin Tassin, the president of the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees, is running against state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, in the 2018 GOP primary. “I’m officially running,” Tassin told The Texas Tribune on … Continue reading →

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A couple of race updates

Posted on September 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The county slate is one step closer to being filled out for 2018, as Josh Wallenstein has announced his intent to run for the HCDE At Large Position 3 Trustee seat that Diane Trautman is giving up to challenge Stan … Continue reading →

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Can anyone beat Greg Abbott?

Posted on September 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s early days and all that, but the evidence at hand now isn’t positive. The reason for that is fairly simple. A poll circulating among the state’s Democratic leadership—which I was given on the agreement that I would not identify … Continue reading →

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