Monthly Archives: March 2018

Abbott’s anti-anti-redistricting task force

Alternate title: Dude with deep pockets gives Greg Abbott a wad of cash to stop those evil Democrats. As Gov. Greg Abbott sounds the alarm about Democratic efforts to influence the post-2020 redistricting process, he is being backed up by … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Evaluating Beto

I think this is about right. Beto O’Rourke, the candidate running the most high-profile statewide race, [scored] only 61 percent in his primary, against two lesser-known candidates. […] A lot of weird things happen in the Democratic Primary, because the … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Endorsement watch: Not Dan Patrick

Scott Milder, who was defeated by Dan Patrick in the Republican primary, endorses Mike Collier for the general election. Scott Milder, who lost his Republican primary challenge to incumbent Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick two days ago, says he will vote … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Post-Primary Day thoughts

Various thoughts and observations that are better aggregated into one post… – I believe this is the first time that all of the statewide candidates I voted for either won or advanced to the runoff in the primary. Statewide primaries … Continue reading

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The race for SD06 has already begun

Here’s State Rep. Ana Hernandez on Facebook: The Trib has picked up on this as well. Not long thereafter, I received this in my mailbox: Dear Friends, I would like to congratulate State Senator Sylvia Garcia on her hard-earned victory … Continue reading

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Special election set for District K

Mark your calendars. Voters in southwest Houston will select a replacement for the late City Councilman Larry Green in a May 5 special election, Mayor Sylvester Turner said Wednesday. Green, who was found dead at his home Tuesday morning, remains … Continue reading

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Texas blog roundup for the week of March 5

The Texas Progressive Alliance is cheered by the turnout in the Democratic primary as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | 2 Comments

2018 primary results: Statewide

Statewide Dem totals Statewide GOP totals Harris County Dem totals Harris County GOP totals (Please note that all results were coming in very slowly. I expect there will still be some precincts not yet reported by the time this publishes. … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

2018 primary results: Congress

Statewide Dem totals Statewide GOP totals Harris County Dem totals Harris County GOP totals (Please note that all results were coming in very slowly. I expect there will still be some precincts not yet reported by the time this publishes. … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

2018 primary results: Legislative

Statewide Dem totals Statewide GOP totals Harris County Dem totals Harris County GOP totals (Please note that all results were coming in very slowly. I expect there will still be some precincts not yet reported by the time this publishes. … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

2018 primary results: Harris County

Statewide Dem totals Statewide GOP totals Harris County Dem totals Harris County GOP totals (Please note that all results were coming in very slowly. I expect there will still be some precincts not yet reported by the time this publishes. … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

RIP, CM Larry Green

Very sad news. Houston City Councilman Larry Green was found dead at his home late Tuesday morning, prompting an outpouring of sadness from City Hall to the southwest Houston district he represented for more than six years. The cause of … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Primary Day 2018

From the inbox: The Harris County Clerk’s Office wants voters to know the top 5 items they need to know to ensure they are able to cast their ballot in the March 6, 2018 Democratic or Republican Primary Election. According … Continue reading

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Carranza departs

This sure came as a surprise. As Houston ISD officials wrestle with how to fill a $115 million budget shortfall, stave off a potential state takeover and work to recover after Hurricane Harvey, Superintendent Richard Carranza announced Monday he would … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

Oh, no, Shipley’s

Disgusting. Three former Shipley Do-Nuts employees are suing the company’s owner for allegedly groping them and making racist remarks, accusations that are consistent with a bevy of civil rights lawsuits filed by former workers since 2004. The women claim that … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

No observers for ADA violations

This is interesting. Only days before a crucial state primary, the Justice Department has halted its effort to send observers during the election to assess whether Harris County polling sites are accessible to disabled voters. The observer request was made … Continue reading

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Early voting in the “next” 15 counties

As you know, there’s been a lot written about primary turnout in the top 15 counties by voter registration in Texas. Much has been said about the large increase in Democratic turnout, accompanied by the much milder increase – and … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

On CD02 and CD29

The Trib asks whether there’s a race worth watching in CD29 or not. Months ago, [Sen. Sylvia] Garcia appeared poised to easily win this race, but something happened along the way to the nomination: Out of nowhere, health care executive … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Shared fundraising

I like this. Seven Democrats facing off in a single Texas congressional primary have an odd way of fighting it out. On Tuesday, they plan to put aside their differences and fundraise, together. That’s because the money they raise will … Continue reading

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Weekend link dump for March 4

Donald Trump is making more lawyers. You’re welcome, I guess. “In fact, if you’re a Gmail user, the periods in your email address don’t matter at all. Gmail completely ignores them. You can add or remove as many periods as … Continue reading

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The Republican poll of the Democratic CD07 primary

I would not pay too much attention to this. A poll in a pivotal Democratic congressional primary in Houston shows that activist Laura Moser could be in a position to make the run-off despite recent attacks by the Democratic Congressional … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Rural Dems

They still exist, and they’re making some noise. Trish Robinson was dropping off supplies for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in Liberty County, about 40 minutes from Houston, when a handful of people scowled at her left-leaning political T-shirt. David DeLuca, … Continue reading

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The sad fate of some giant Presidential heads

It is to weep. It is a peculiar sight – Ronald Reagan has a large mark on his damaged face, George Washington is missing a piece of his nose, William Taft has a stain trailing from his eye to cheek, … Continue reading

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

2018 primary early voting, Day 11: That’s a wrap

Records have been set, and more are likely to be set before all is said and done. Texans have already set a record for early voting in a non-presidential primary election year, and there’s still one more day to go … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

On Beto’s campaign strategy

The Trib writes about the places Beto O’Rourke has gone. There was a frantic energy in the air Saturday morning amid a downpour of chilly rain as cars circled the sprawling John M. Tidwell Middle School parking lot in search … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

We have no idea how many sexual harassment complaints there have been at the Capitol

And we have a too zealous records retention policy to blame for that. Late last year, amid a national reckoning over sexual misconduct in politics, media and entertainment, reports surfaced of a pervasive culture of sexual harassment at the Texas … Continue reading

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TCEQ rejection of Hempstead landfill application upheld

Sweet. A yearslong battle over the construction of a landfill in Hempstead has come to an end for now after a judge ruled in Austin on Friday that Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s decision to return the landfill’s application should … Continue reading

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Friday random ten: Dark in here

Yeah, this should have run last week. Sorry about that. 1. Dark As A Dungeon – The Chieftains 2. The Dark End Of The Street – The Commitments 3. Dark Eyes – Hot Club of Cowtown 4. Dark Horse – … Continue reading

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Early voting, Day 10: Same day service

Hey, guess what? The EV numbers for Thursday came in early enough for me to post a truly up-to-date update. So here we go: EV 2010 EV 2014 Day 10 EV 2018 totals Year Party Mail In Person Total ======================================= … Continue reading

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Feds sue city over HFD sex discrimination claims

Yikes. The Justice Department has sued the city of Houston over sex discrimination claims launched by two female firefighters who say their male coworkers tormented them by urinating on the women’s bathroom walls and sinks and scrawling vulgar slurs on … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Just so we’re clear, Sen. Carlos Uresti needs to resign

Any time soon works for me. Last Thursday, a jury convicted Uresti, who represents Senate District 19, on 11 felony counts, including fraud and money laundering, for his work with a defunct frac-sand company. In addition, he has a separate … Continue reading

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SCOTUS will hear oral arguments in the Texas redistricting case in April

On April 24, to be specific, according to Michael Li on Twitter. Both the Congressional and state legislative cases will be consolidated into one for the arguments. That means we should have a ruling by the end of June. See … Continue reading

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Early voting, Day 9: Around the state again

Let’s just jump right in again… EV 2010 EV 2014 Day 8 EV 2018 totals Year Party Mail In Person Total ======================================= 2010 Dem 5,035 16,107 21,142 2010 Rep 10,327 24,759 35,086 2014 Dem 5,456 12,405 17,861 2014 Rep 14,687 … Continue reading

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Trib overview of CD23 primary

Definitely a key race. Now, CD-23 is faced with its most crowded Democratic race in decades to determine who will duke it out in November in what is regularly ranked as one of the country’s most competitive districts. It spans … Continue reading

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