Tag Archives: Ted Cruz

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 →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on UT/TT poll: We need more context

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 →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Some other dude may challenge Ted Cruz in the 2018 GOP primary

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 →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on More Beto in the national news

Trump nominates two to the Fifth Circuit

Posted on October 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is why Republicans put aside their doubts to vote for Trump, and it’s why they stick with him. This is the prize they kept their eyes on, and it’s paying off for them bigtime. President Donald Trump on Thursday … Continue reading →

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

More on Stefano de Stefano

Posted on September 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Our favorite double-named Ted Cruz primary challenger. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is one of the state’s best known conservative politicians, but one GOP long shot is hoping he can oust the firebrand Republican with a simple appeal: “A return to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on Stefano de Stefano

Some people would like Joaquin Castro to run for Governor

Posted on September 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The headline to this story says that Rep. Castro “is considering” a run for Governor, but if you read the story you’ll see that my characterization is the more accurate. In need of someone to lead the top of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Some people would like Joaquin Castro to run for Governor

Will we spend on some flood mitigation projects?

Posted on September 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. We’ll see. In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is calling for the construction of flood control infrastructure in the Houston area — things he said should have been built “decades and decades ago” — including … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

This is why you don’t politicize disaster relief, Senator

Posted on August 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s pretty simple, really. People come before politics. Many New Yorkers and New Jerseyans serving in Congress have, for nearly five years now, kept a list of names handy to roll out at a moment’s notice. They call it “the … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Beto on the road

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

A great chance to meet our Senate nominee, if you haven’t already. Looking to overcome the long odds in his U.S. Senate campaign, U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, has hit the road for an aggressive 34-day tour of Texas. … Continue reading →

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

July 2017 campaign finance reports – Congress

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s July, and that means it’s campaign finance report season. Everyone has reports due at the end of June, so at every level of government there are reports to look at. I’ll be working my way through them, starting today … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on July 2017 campaign finance reports – Congress

Cruz gets a primary challenger

Posted on July 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Stefano de Stefano. With no heavy hitters in the Texas Republican hierarchy emerging to challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz for the party’s nomination in 2018, a Houston energy attorney is stepping forward. Stefano de Stefano, who bills himself as … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

End Citizens United to back O’Rourke

Posted on June 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The 2018 Senate election in Texas remains more than 16 months away, but Rep. Beto O’Rourke picked up his first major organizational endorsement Monday in his long-shot bid to challenge Sen. Ted Cruz. End Citizens United PAC, a progressive … Continue reading →

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

An interesting shift in approval ratings for state leaders

Posted on June 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

More UT/Trib poll data: The figurative wrestling match between the state’s top three officials jiggled their approval ratings, but not by much, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Gov. Greg Abbott remains the highest rated of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on An interesting shift in approval ratings for state leaders

So who might run for Cornyn’s Senate seat?

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The short answer is “pretty much anyone”, but there are several names that are on top of everyone’s list of imagined candidates. At least three members of the U.S. House are mulling a run for a possible U.S. Senate vacancy, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Dowd declines to run for Senate

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise. Matthew Dowd, a political commentator and former strategist for George W. Bush, announced Wednesday that he will not challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2018. Dowd had been considering an independent run against Cruz, who is … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Bathroom bills and business interests

Posted on May 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Monthly’s Dave Mann reviews the Republican schism over the bathroom bill and comes to the same conclusion as I have. At the moment, the Legislature—and the Republican party, for that matter—has settled into an uneasy stalemate between Patrick’s right-leaning … Continue reading →

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

Castro will not run for Senate in 2018

Posted on May 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Well, that’s settled. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, has decided not to challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2018. He announced the decision in an email to supporters Monday, saying he wants to remain focused on his work … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Castro will not run for Senate in 2018

What will Joaquin do?

Posted on April 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Getting to be close to decision time. After U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro wrapped up speaking here Wednesday, completing the latest stop on his statewide tour ahead of a potential Senate run, one man in the crowd turned to another and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Texas Lyceum poll on Trump and 2018

Posted on April 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, the promised Day Two results: Statewide poll numbers released today by the Texas Lyceum, the state’s premier, non-partisan, nonprofit statewide leadership group, show U.S. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Houston (Lyceum Class of 2004) isn’t guaranteed another … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Would a contested primary for Senate be bad for Dems in 2018?

Posted on April 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. A primary showdown between two well-liked and well-funded Democrats would add an extra layer of time and money for [Rep. Beto] O’Rourke and potentially [Rep. Joaquin] Castro – and could make it … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Castro will decide this month

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We should know soon if there are two Democratic challengers to Sen. Ted Cruz. After Joaquin Castro exhorted a room full of Dallas-area activists Sunday to mobilize against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018, a man asked the San Antonio … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , | 19 Comments

O’Rourke’s “calculated gamble”

Posted on April 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib takes a look back at Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s successful for for Congress in 2012 to see what we might learn about his current campaign for the Senate. In announcing Friday his challenge to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on O’Rourke’s “calculated gamble”

Beto-mania

Posted on April 4, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Beto O’Rourke made his first visit to Houston as a Senate candidate over the weekend. Senate hopeful and U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke introduced himself to Houston on Sunday as a potential check on President Donald Trump, urging voters to … Continue reading →

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

Here comes Beto

Posted on April 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

He says he’s going to run a different kind of campaign. We’ll see what that means. No Texas Democrat has won a U.S. Senate seat in nearly thirty years or any statewide office since 1994. It is hard to find … Continue reading →

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

O’Rourke to announce for Senate today

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here he comes. U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke will launch a campaign to challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018 on Friday, according to a colleague with direct knowledge of the El Paso Democrat’s thinking O’Rourke’s campaign team sent an email … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on O’Rourke to announce for Senate today

An ironic might-have-been on redistricting

Posted on March 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From Rick Casey. The three judges who decided the case include one Democrat and two Republicans. Ironically, the decision may have gone the other way if one of the judges hadn’t been punished for joining in an earlier ruling in … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on An ironic might-have-been on redistricting

What might it take to beat Ted Cruz?

Posted on March 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Roll Call considers the question. As Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro mulls a challenge to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Democrats and Republicans both say it would be a tall order in a deep-red state with little Democratic power. “I think what … Continue reading →

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

Seems like it’s just a matter of time before Beto O’Rourke announces his Senate campaign

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Soon. Eyeing a takedown of Ted Cruz, U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke may be on the verge of declaring his candidacy for a 2018 Senate race, the next best gauge whether Texas Democrats are enjoying the resurgence they claim. O’Rourke, D-El … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

O’Rourke sure sounds like a candidate for Senate

Posted on March 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Sure feels like it’s a matter of when and not if Rep. Beto O’Rourke announces his candidacy for US Senate. U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, is sailing toward a 2018 Senate campaign — an uphill battle that would pit … Continue reading →

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

Beto O’Rourke profile

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the WaPo, via the Trib, a profile of Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who may or may not be a candidate for Senate against Ted Cruz next year: Democrats might look at O’Rourke — a small-business owner with hipster credentials, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Beto O’Rourke profile

Castro will let his Senate plans be known soon

Posted on February 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Allow six to eight weeks for delivery. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, said Saturday that he will decide in eight weeks whether to run in 2018 for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Sen. Ted Cruz. Castro set … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Castro will let his Senate plans be known soon

Texas Dems look to 2018

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I have a few things to say about this. A tight-knit group of Texas Democratic leaders traveled to the state capital [in late January] to begin preliminary conversations about the 2018 midterm races. According to over a dozen interviews with … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

How all that activism is being received

Posted on February 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Monthly looks at the recent spate of rallies and visits to Texas elected officials’ events and offices to see what’s up. John Simpson and Mark Leech had never participated in a protest before last month. In fact, the couple—who … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on How all that activism is being received

Joaquin Castro still talking Senate

Posted on February 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

So he says to Buzzfeed. Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro said Wednesday he’s considering challenging Republican Ted Cruz in the 2018 Texas Senate race and that he will decide by this spring. “I said that I’ll take a look at it … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Joaquin Castro still talking Senate