Tag Archives: primaries

No, the bathroom bill issue hasn’t gone away

Posted on February 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Lisa Falkenberg tries to argue that the bathroom bill issue has faded away this election, but I don’t buy it and I don’t think she does, either. But there’s one hot-button issue that’s been notably absent: the bathroom bill. And … Continue reading →

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Paxton and Paxton, Inc

Posted on February 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

How exactly is this not a conflict of interest? Attorney General Ken Paxton’s political campaign guaranteed a $2 million loan to help his wife fuel her bid for a state Senate seat in North Texas. The Bank of the Ozarks … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Sylvia and more

Posted on February 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron makes the obvious choice in CD29. The frontrunner is clearly state Sen. Sylvia Garcia, the only current elected official on the ballot, who has name identification with this area’s voters that stretches back more than 20 years. The … Continue reading →

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Voter registration deadline is Monday

Posted on February 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Check your registration status. Houston-area voters are registering to vote in record numbers just in time for the March 6 primaries, and the two major political parties are bracing for yet another wave of newcomers over the next few days. … Continue reading →

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So is there a residency standard now?

Posted on January 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This is curious. State Rep. Dan Huberty’s only primary challenger was on Friday declared ineligible to run to represent House District 127. In a summary judgment, Harris County District Court Judge Bill Burke declared Reginald C. Grant Jr. did not … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Fast out of the gate

Posted on January 19, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Another thing that has no doubt been affected by the tons of candidates running for office this year: The Chron’s endorsement process, which got off to a necessarily early start yesterday as they recommended candidates in a couple of open-seat … Continue reading →

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Republicans “against” Dan Patrick

Posted on January 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

RG Ratcliffe reports on a “loose coalition” of business and education interests who are seeking to clip Dan Patrick’s wings. [FBSID Board President Kristin] Tassin is now running for a seat in the state Senate, and she is just one … Continue reading →

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The price of disrespect

Posted on January 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Greg Abbott makes another endorsement. Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday endorsed the Republican challenger to Galveston state Rep. Wayne Faircloth, a move that is expected to deepen simmering divisions within the state Republican party. In a new video, Abbott called … Continue reading →

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How many more women are we likely to have in Congress next year?

Posted on January 11, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Probably at least two, and more are possible. No freshman woman has come to Congress from Texas since Granger’s election 1996, with the exception of former U.S. Rep. Shelley Sekula Gibbs, who served as a placeholder for less than two … Continue reading →

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So what’s up with the Farenthold ballot situation?

Posted on January 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib provides an update. So how did the Texas Republican Party manage to remove Farenthold from the primary ballot? The short answer is that they violated the election code, according to state officials. But the Texas Secretary of State’s … Continue reading →

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The Republican primary for Ag Commissioner is now about barbecue

Posted on December 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Because of course it is. “Barbecue might be America’s most political food,” wrote the New Yorker earlier this year. The claim certainly applies to the 2018 race for Texas Agriculture Commissioner. Instead of farming or ranching issues, it’s Sid Miller’s recent history on barbecue … Continue reading →

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Farenthold gets off the ballot

Posted on December 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It started with this. The Republican Party of Texas managed to clear a path Tuesday in federal court for its chairman, James Dickey, to remove U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold’s name from primary ballots. But as of press time, a party … Continue reading →

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Republican Party sues to get Farenthold off the ballot

Posted on December 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Now here‘s something you don’t see every day. The Texas GOP is suing the Texas secretary of state to keep embattled U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold off the 2018 primary ballot — one day after the Corpus Christi Republican announced he … Continue reading →

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Farenthold changes course

Posted on December 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Sort of. U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi, will retire from Congress after finishing his current term, a source close to the congressman told The Tribune Thursday morning. Farenthold soon confirmed the decision in an emotional video posted on Facebook.The … Continue reading →

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The statewide lineups

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the statewide lineup for Democrats. I’ll add in some notes afterwards. U. S. Senator Beto O’Rourke U. S. Senator Edward Kimbrough U. S. Senator Sema Hernandez Governor Adrian Ocegueda Governor Andrew White Governor Cedric Davis, Sr. Governor Demetria Smith … Continue reading →

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The Harris County slates

Posted on December 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s talk about the filings for Harris County. The SOS filings page is still the best source of information, but they don’t provide shareable links, so in the name of ease and convenience I copied the Democratic filing information for … Continue reading →

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Filing news: Jerry’s back

Posted on December 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Former Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson would like his office back, please. Patterson, who was first elected as the state’s land commissioner in 2003, wants to head the agency that manages state-owned lands and the Alamo. He gave up the job to … Continue reading →

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Farenthold draws a crowd of opponents

Posted on December 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Bring ’em on. Bech Bruun, chairman of the Texas Water Development Board, resigned Thursday from that position ahead of an anticipated bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi. “Serving as the Chairman of the Texas Water Development Board … Continue reading →

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Filing news: The “not much to add but I’ll add it anyway” edition

Posted on December 4, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

One more week to go till the filing deadline. There’s already been a lot of activity, but there should be plenty more to come. A few highlights as we head into the last week for filing: – An old familiar … Continue reading →

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Sid Miller gets a primary opponent

Posted on December 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

But what will our village do without its idiot if ol’ Sid loses? Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is getting a primary challenge from Trey Blocker, the longtime lobbyist, ethics adviser and attorney from Austin. “I’m running because we need to … Continue reading →

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Smokey Joe will not run for re-election

Posted on December 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Another one bites the dust. Embattled U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Ennis, announced his retirement from Congress on Thursday. “I am very proud of my public record and the many accomplishments of my office. It has been a tremendous honor to … Continue reading →

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Nobody likes Smokey Joe any more

Posted on November 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Pobrecito. One day after a group of local Republicans met privately with U.S. Rep. Joe Barton about a nude photo of him that ended up online — and his political future — a number of Tarrant County Republicans are calling … Continue reading →

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Hey, how about another opponent for Ted Cruz?

Posted on November 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Sure, why not? At first blush, it appeared that former La Marque Mayor Geraldine Sam filed as a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate because she was mad at incumbent Ted Cruz. As a delegate to the Republican National Convention last … Continue reading →

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An incomplete filing update

Posted on November 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

First, a little Republican action in CD02. Hurricane Harvey is reshaping congressional campaigns in Houston. When the flood waters socked the Meyerland area, it also washed out the home of former hospital CEO David Balat, a Republican, who was hoping … Continue reading →

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Three against Ted

Posted on November 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Getting crowded in that GOP Senate primary. Bruce Jacobson, a Christian TV executive from North Richland Hills, announced Thursday that he is challenging Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2018. In a video, Jacobson said he’s “ready to serve my state … Continue reading →

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At some point we will be able to stop talking about who may run for Governor as a Democrat

Posted on November 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That day is December 11. I am looking forward to it. With less than a month before the filing deadline, the most prominent declared candidate for Texas governor is probably Andrew White, the son of former governor Mark White. White, … Continue reading →

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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 →

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Ballot order

Posted on September 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Kevin Drum finds this paper, entitled “The Ballot Order Effect is Huge: Evidence from Texas”, by a professor at Sam Houston State, and notes that it confirms what we have all long believed, that being first on the ballot in … Continue reading →

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