Tag Archives: Wendy Davis

Davis raises $1 million, BGTX raises $1.1 million

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Considering she had only two weeks to do it, that’s not too shabby. State Sen. Wendy Davis, the new star of the Texas Democratic Party, raised nearly $1 million in the final two weeks of June, much of it from … Continue reading →

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Four things to work on now that the omnibus anti-abortion bill is reality

Posted on July 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

1. Organize, organize, organize. Maintain the energy and sense of urgency that originated with the #StandWithWendy filibuster. This is a good way to draw people in while the iron is hot. Progressives and Planned Parenthood took their opposition to the … Continue reading →

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Back to the House

Posted on July 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

After the Senate adjourned on Tuesday morning without a committee vote on its omnibus anti-abortion bill following the long hearing in which there was a lot more hearing than listening, the House took up its bill, with more of the … Continue reading →

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Senate begins omnibus abortion bill hearings

Posted on July 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Remember, it’s all about women’s health. Senate Bill 1, and its companion, House Bill 2, would ban abortion at 20 weeks post-fertilization and recognize that the state has a compelling interest to protect fetuses from pain; require doctors performing abortions … Continue reading →

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Eva Longoria

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

She’s much more than an actor. Over the past five years of the Obama presidency, the 38-year-old Corpus Christi native who rocketed to fame in Hollywood has slowly but surely made her mark in Washington as a serious student of … Continue reading →

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Some cold water for the Wendy for Governor bandwagon

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Courtesy of PPP: PPP’s new Texas poll finds that Wendy Davis made a good impression on voters in the state last week- but that Rick Perry has also enhanced his political standing considerably over the last five months, making him … Continue reading →

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There are other items on this session’s agenda

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I know, hard to believe, but there are two non-abortion items on the session agenda, and the Senate has already taken preliminary action on two of them. Six hours before a marathon state House committee hearing on abortion, two Senate … Continue reading →

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Protest day at the Capitol

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Pretty impressive: The story: Opponents of Republican-backed legislation to dramatically curtail abortion rights in Texas descended on the Capitol by the thousands on Monday, spurred on by musicians, celebrities and their new hero: filibustering state Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth. … Continue reading →

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I do not expect another Ardmore

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The AusChron tries to get out the Democrats’ strategy for Special Session 2. When the Texas House convened last last month to pass, on third reading and onto the Senate for final passage, Senate Bill 5, the omnibus abortion regulations … Continue reading →

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What are the odds for Wendy?

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

After a week of Democratic energy and exhilaration like we haven’t seen in a long time here thanks to the Wendy Davis filibuster, there are a lot of people who’d like to see Sen. Davis run for Governor. No doubt … Continue reading →

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Burnam to re-file marriage equality bill for Special Session 2

Posted on June 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Upon the announcement [Wednesday] of a second special legislative session by Governor Rick Perry, as well as the Supreme Court decision on the Defense of Marriage Act, State Representative Lon Burnam (D-Fort Worth) today announced his intention … Continue reading →

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Time to lace up your Mizunos and head back to the Capitol

Posted on June 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Special Session 2 starts today. If you can be there to watch the proceedings in the Legislature, that would be great. RSVP here, and while you’re at it, give a Like to the Stand With Texas Women Facebook page. The … Continue reading →

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What the future may hold for Wendy Davis

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Patricia Kilday Hart has her take on the Wendy Davis phenomenon, including the reaction of some Republicans to it. For both proponents and opponents of SB 5, the legislation that would have banned abortions past 20 weeks of pregnancy and … Continue reading →

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Patrick is in for Lite Gov

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

And then there were three challengers to David Dewhurst. Citing the need for “authentic conservative leadership” in Texas, state Sen. Dan Patrick announced on Thursday that he would run for lieutenant governor against incumbent David Dewhurst. “Today begins roughly 18 … Continue reading →

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Still standing with Wendy

Posted on June 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Let me just say that I hope Sen. Wendy Davis slept in yesterday, and did nothing more strenuous than channel surfing and ordering takeout. She’s earned a lazy day, and a lot more than that. And while she (hopefully) took … Continue reading →

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A woman for the Governor’s Mansion

Posted on June 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Annie’s List sent out the following email last week: We’ve had it with Rick Perry.  First he added insulting anti-choice legislation to the Special Session agenda while ignoring funding for our schools. Then he did the unthinkable–vetoing the Texas Lilly … Continue reading →

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Filibusted

Posted on June 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I figure this is about how the Republicans think of Sen. Wendy Davis right now: Well, they probably think a few more things, too, but this is a family blog. If you didn’t stay up late last night and follow … Continue reading →

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No action on SB5 in the Senate

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The name of the game is running out the clock. Texas Democrats, far outnumbered by Republicans in both the House and the Senate, are nonetheless on the verge of killing one of the most restrictive abortion proposals in the nation … Continue reading →

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Taking back the Texas Senate

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Colin Strother says the Democrats should not overlook opportunities to make gains in the upper chamber of the Legislature. The conventional wisdom is that Democrats need a miracle to pick up any single seat, much less turn the chamber Blue. … Continue reading →

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The special session won’t be so short

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The original idea behind the special session on redistricting was that it would be a quickie – gavel in, vote to adopt the interim maps as permanent, maybe vote on a few wingnut wish list items, and gavel out again. … Continue reading →

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Many questions at the redistricting hearing

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the Trib: The Legislature is currently considering whether to ratify maps drawn by the three federal judges and used in the 2012 elections. It became clear during Wednesday’s hearing that the judges and the lawyers in the case agree … Continue reading →

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Lege passes a Lilly Ledbetter bill

Posted on May 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is some fine work, but it’s a little early to be giddy about it. A bill that seeks to prevent pay discrimination against women narrowly passed the Texas Senate on Wednesday. “Employers who are doing the right thing and … Continue reading →

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Improved payday lending bill passes the Senate

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good news, if it goes anywhere. The Texas Senate approved a bill to regulate short-term lenders on Monday night, a milestone some thought the chamber wouldn’t reach after a personal and divisive floor fight on Thursday. But with the measure’s … Continue reading →

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Senate to tap that Rainy Day Fund

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It is just sitting there, not doing any good if it’s unused. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, laid out an ambitious plan to spend $6 billion from the state’s Rainy Day Fund on Thursday morning while also … Continue reading →

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Patrick has his voucher hearing

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It went about as you’d expect. State Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, delivered an impassioned plea in support of what threatens to become a beleaguered tax credit scholarship plan during a Tuesday morning hearing on his legislation. “We are great enough … Continue reading →

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House debates its budget

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, yesterday was Budgetpalooza in the House. The House budget puts more money into public education and less into health and human services than a Senate proposal that passed the upper chamber last month. “No one is or … Continue reading →

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Davis says she’s not running for Governor next year

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

So much for that. State Sen. Wendy Davis, who has emerged as one of the most visible Democrats in the Capitol this session, says she has no plans to run for governor in 2014, but will seek another term representing … Continue reading →

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Senate passes its budget

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Let the damning with faint praise for this jerry-rigged excuse for not adequately funding our needs yet not eviscerating them as badly as last time begin. The Texas Senate approved a $195.5 billion two-year budget Wednesday, with Democratic state Sens. … Continue reading →

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TSTA polls about public education

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, via the TSTA: A strong majority of Texas voters support using some of the $12 billion in the state’s Rainy Day Fund to restore the $5.4 billion cut from the public education budget two years ago, and … Continue reading →

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Gubernatorial speculation: Mike Villarreal and Bill White

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

A few days back, BOR had a post about who was on deck for 2014, and the first two candidates they speculated about for Governor were two I had not talked about here before, State Rep. Mike Villarreal and 2010 … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Comparing 2012 and 2008, Senate and SBOE edition

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

To follow up on my previous examination of how the 2012 election returns looked in State House districts compared to the 2008 returns, I now have the data to look at other types of districts as well. You can find … Continue reading →

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PPP polls Texas

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Texas voters- even Republicans- have had enough of Rick Perry. PPP’s newest poll finds that only 31% of voters think Perry should seek reelection next year, compared to 62% who think it’s … Continue reading →

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How about Ellis 2014?

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Michael Hurta makes an observation. The only Democratic legislator in Texas who is not up for reelection in 2014 yet also has seven figures in his campaign bank account is Rodney Ellis. Will we hear any Ellis for Governor rumors … Continue reading →

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Optimism abounds at inauguration time

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Inauguration time is always a good time to be optimistic. Texas Democrats haven’t had a lot to cheer about in recent years. As San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro is quick to remind you, the political score in Texas is 29-0. … Continue reading →

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