And of course it’s stupid and insulting.
Gov. Greg Abbott has blamed his delay in calling an election to replace U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner on election issues in Harris County, he recently told Austin’s KXAN.
Abbott has faced criticism for the past month for failing to call an election to fill Turner’s empty seat representing Texas’ 18th Congressional District. On Saturday, the solidly Democratic district in Houston will have gone a month without representation.
[…]
In an interview with KXAN, Abbott said “there’s going to be a time” to call the election.
“That election is in Harris County, and Harris County is a repeat failure as it concerns operating elections,” Abbott said. “Had I called that very quickly, it could’ve led to a failure in that election just like Harris County has failed in other elections.”
Harris County’s elections office in 2022 found itself in hot water after 20 of around 800 voting locations across the county ran out of paper. The paper shortage led to lawmakers in Austin eradicating the elections administrator position in Harris County, as well as more than 20 other lawsuits filed by local GOP candidates.
Abbott added that Harris County needed to have “adequate time” to operate a “fair and accurate” election instead of a “crazy” one.
Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth wrote on X Friday that her office had run eight successful elections since the duty of holding them was handed over to the clerk.
“We remain fully prepared to conduct the Congressional District 18 election as soon as the governor issues the order,” Hudpseth wrote.
Acting County Attorney Christian Menefee – the first to toss his name into the ring for the position – was quick to call out Abbott on X Friday afternoon, calling his excuse “nonsense” and saying that had the governor called an election earlier, Harris County’s elections office would have adequate time to prepare.
Menefee on Monday also threatened legal action against Abbott if he didn’t call a special election before November. Since then, the House Democrats and the Texas Democrats have also threatened lawsuits against the governor should the election continue to be delayed.
First, nobody runs elections better than Teneshia Hudspeth, so shame on you for that. Second, if you wanted to be less of a dick about it, you could say “and so I’ll be ordering it for November on Monday, look for my order then”, and we’d at least be able to put the question to rest. That would still be a ridiculous and obviously politically-motivated decision, but it would at least be consistent with the dumb claim about Harris County, which ran six elections last year in part to the new Republican law about Tax Assessment District boards, needing the time. At least give us the courtesy of a more plausible lie.
But whatever. Abbott’s an asshole who only cares about his benefactors, we all knew that. Christian Menefee, Hakeem Jeffries, Jolanda Jones et al (I missed that one before), file those lawsuits. Potential plaintiffs are standing by. File away!
Was there ever any doubt that it would be later rather than sooner?
He is preaching to his choir and repeating what they are convinced is true: Democrats don’t know how to run things.
In my 5 or so calls to the Governor’s[sic] office and the Harris County GOP, I noted that in the November 2024 election, 30% of the vote went to the GOP candidate. Whether or not it’s good math, to me it means that Abbott threw about 236,000 Republican residents under the bus. He has also revealed his cowardice to the population of District 18, which is about 788,000. IMHO, he is unethical and immoral.
Taxation without Representation.
I’m feeling you, D.C.
Unethical, immoral, but is it illegal?
Everyone was wondering what type of hollow excuse he was going to give, I wonder what the other options they haff lined up for him. The Democratic party is probably going to think twice about their choice of candidate next time, but oh well….. let’s blame everyone else but those who bent to Turner and his crew.
David, so everyone, including Turner, knew he would pass away. No wonder we have a person such as 47 destroying our country, people who think like you do.
“…repeating what they are convinced is true: Democrats don’t know how to run things.”
“… so everyone, including Turner, knew he would pass away.”
Exactly why folks are believing Dems don’t know how to run things . They put in a cat in a Congressional seat knowing his time on this blue marble was quickly coming to an end without, apparently, thinking twice about that decision. And now, stuck in a position that prevents them from doing anything to speed any special election along.
Just floundering along with minimal effort to effect any change, appear to be their own worst enemy. #Sad
C.L. I am five years older than Turner was. I have friends older than me who survived cancer.
You and David 🙂 hoot
Every Democratic precinct chair who voted in Turner is to blame. You know who runs the show in Texas when there’s a special election. Yet, out of political favoritism they nominated an old guy who has cancer for the position and sure enough the inevitable happened. Time to stop playing checkers when the other side plays chess. We need leadership that thinks strategically as you know the GOP will do whatever it wants to disenfranchise voters who lean predominantly democratic such as old blacks and woke wealthy educated liberals.
I am sick of the whining when this could have been prevented by not nominating a man on death’s door
Your friends were also appointed to congressional seats in a razor thin Congress where special election is called by the governor?
This was greedy, corrupt favoritism trying to give a coronation lifetime achievement award to Turner and not worried about the people who will be hurt in the process.
The oldest House member is now 87. The oldest Senate member is 91. Turner was a spring chicken in comparison.
The Democrat precinct chairs could have chosen a younger person who could have built up seniority over the years, but they instead chose a more experienced, long serving political figure, either out of loyalty or the thinking that he would be more skillful and effective from the start. I do not and did not have a dog in that fight. Easy to second guess in hindsight.
Not even sure why some of you are so pissed because Turner passed away and the Democrats will be one vote short. So what? That vote does not make a difference. The Rs just picked up two seats in Florida that were not voting because they were appointed to other positions.
Who is getting hurt in the process, D.R.? If you don’t like living in a Republican state, there are about 23 states you could choose to move to; there are also countries you could move to.
Like I told myself, get a bunch of popcorn and enjoy the shit show for probably the next four years, maybe longer.
UNORTHOX THOUGHT
Maybe it’s time to get rid of race-based districts.
What incentive would GOP Abbott (or DEM hypothetical Governor Bet0) have to delay filling a competitive district?
My preference would be PR (Proportional Representation). Call me too European, if you will. I won’t take offense.
I know, I know, no chance any big changes will occur when the status quo delivers the goodies to the incumenbents, whoever they may be. Same problem with campaign finance reform.
Wolfy, they just happened to look race-based; the lines are drawn based on whether they vote D or R. At least that is what the Rs do; Democrats have been known to draw based on race or ethnicity, but that was a long time ago when they were in power. The city does draw based on race and ethnicity.