Tag Archives: Election 2009

HOPE/SEIU poll of the Mayor’s race

Posted on September 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s another poll result, this time from Houston Justice for Janitors. Annise Parker leads her closest opponent by a 2-to-1 advantage in an initial vote preference for mayor. Parker holds a solid lead in the election for Houston mayor (28% … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Monday election tidbits

Posted on September 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Just some news and notes that I thought were worth passing along… – KPRC had a longish story on the hoax email that was sent in the name of Christians for Better Government. Whoever pulled this particular dirty trick sure … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Council Member Ed Gonzalez

Posted on September 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’m going to spend some time now with incumbent district Council members who are running for re-election. First up is my own Council member, Ed Gonzalez, serving his first term in office after winning a special election runoff in June. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Endorsement watch: Thanks but no thanks

Posted on September 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

UPDATE: It would appear that the email that purported to come from Christians for Better Government with the homophobic slam on Annise Parker is a complete fake. I have just gotten off the phone with the Rev. Willie Wright, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

White warns about new spending

Posted on September 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor White has a few words for whoever will succeed him. Houston mayoral candidates, read Mayor Bill White’s lips: No new spending. White, who has shied away from endorsing or even offering tacit support to those vying to replace him, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Did I mention that election season is officially underway?

Posted on September 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Why, yes, I did. Add to the Controller email shenanigans questions about who does or doesn’t support Peter Brown, which recalls his own curious dual endorsement from 2007; allegations about who is or isn’t a Republican, and allegations about Gene … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Interview with Linda Toyota

Posted on September 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Completing the series of HISD Trustee candidate interviews for District I, today we have a conversation with Linda Toyota. Toyota is currently the Chief Development Officer at YWCA Greater Houston, and has been the Sr. Vice President of Development at … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Metro should get a bigger piece of the pie

Posted on September 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This article is about Metro’s budget for the next year and its proposal to add a nickel to the bus and rail fares. What really interests me is this bit: Metro receives a 1-cent sales tax, but must set aside … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Metro should get a bigger piece of the pie

All forumed out

Posted on September 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The three main Mayoral candidates are cutting back on the number of candidate forums they’re doing. Having logged more than 40 so far with just about every interest group or neighborhood imaginable, the campaigns of City Controller Annise Parker, City … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on All forumed out

Interview with Anna Eastman

Posted on September 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Next up is Anna Eastman, also running for Trustee in HISD District I. Eastman is a community activist and former social worker who co-founded along with her husband the 11 ½ Street Foundation, which recognizes and provides monetary awards for … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Endorsement watch: SEIU and HOPE

Posted on September 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Houston Organization of Public Employees (HOPE) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1 members have made their endorsements for the November elections. From the press release: Mayor – Annise Parker At Large 1 – Karen Derr At Large … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Alma Lara

Posted on September 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Moving on to the HISD Trustee races, we start with Alma Lara, who is running for the open HISD Trustee seat in District I. Lara is retired after a 35-year career in HISD in which she was a teacher, principal … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

And the campaign season officially begins

Posted on September 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Mary Benton brings word of the first dirty trick of the campaign, a nasty email purportedly sent from a supporter of Controller candidate Ronald Green that attacks his opponents. I presume it’s a dirty trick and not a real thing, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

A list of interviews so far

Posted on September 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As I said last week, I do not expect to do any more interviews with City Council candidates. This week, I will be publishing interviews with HISD Trustee candidates, to be followed by interviews with incumbent district Council members, then … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on A list of interviews so far

Interview with George Foulard

Posted on September 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

For my last City Council candidate interview, we have George Foulard, who is running in District G. Foulard is a political newcomer who has worked in the international commodities industry and is currently employed as an operations manager. He is … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Ten transportation opportunities for the next mayor

Posted on September 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Christof has a list of ten transportation opportunities for the next mayor, having to do with trains, roads, parking, infrastructure, and other matters, that I hope all of the candidates read. I encourage you to read it as well.

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Ten transportation opportunities for the next mayor

Brown on the air, take two

Posted on September 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Peter Brown continues his air campaign with a new TV ad: I thought the first one was good, and I think this one is better. Team Peter has done a nice job with Brown’s overall brand – Brown is the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Dexter Handy

Posted on September 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

My penultimate City Council candidate interview is with Dexter Handy, who is running in District G. Handy is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force where he had a distinguished 28-year career that included a stint as Chief of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

What happens now in HCC District 8?

Posted on September 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, after the filing-deadline shenanigans in the HCC Trustee District 8 race, brother-in-law candidate Arturo Aguilar said he was withdrawing from the ballot. As I noted at the time, that meant there were no other candidates who had … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

The Mayorals talk about the economy

Posted on September 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Via Greg and KTRK: Annise Parker: Gene Locke: Peter Brown Roy Morales: I presume that each team was told they had up to two minutes to film themselves talking about the economy in whatever fashion suited them. Locke’s struck me … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Mayorals talk about the economy

Interview with Jack Christie

Posted on September 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We are getting close to the end of my interview series. This week I will wrap up the interviews with non-incumbent candidates for City Council. Next week I will have HISD Trustee candidates, then incumbent District City Council members, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Projecting turnout for the Mayor’s race

Posted on September 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Prof. Murray surveys the scene and comes up with a turnout projection for November: These considerations lead me to conclude that turnout in 2009 will be significantly below our 300,000 voters in 2003. How much lower? I think in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

More on the HISD candidates

Posted on September 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Bellaire Examiner looks at the contested HISD Trustee races, two of which weren’t hadn’t been contested before the day of the filing deadline. HISD Board President Lawrence Marshall appeared to be one of three incumbent trustees unopposed in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009, School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

From the “Timing Is Everything” department

Posted on September 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I can only presume that this Saturday op-ed by soon-to-be-former HCC Trustee Abel Davila was submitted to the Chron before Wednesday of this week. I also presume once it was in the queue, it was going to run regardless of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on From the “Timing Is Everything” department

Aguilar drops out of HCC Trustee race

Posted on September 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’m guessing the backlash for being a last minute candidate who also happens to be the

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ballot order

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the ballot order for the November city elections. I don’t know how much being listed first really means – whatever it means, it likely varies a great deal from election to election, depending on the turnout and the level … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The lineup, slightly revised

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here is the slightly revised final lineup for the City of Houston ballot this November. Note that a couple of candidates dropped off, including Donald Cook in At Large #1 and Alfred Molison in District C. I do not know … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

We have traffic, yes we do

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Yeah, no surprise. Surprise, surprise. The No. 1 road for traffic congestion in the entire state is — drumroll, please — the stretch of Interstate 45 between the North Loop and Beltway 8. In fact, Harris County was home to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

All in the family, HCC-style

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I noted last night and this morning that the HCC Trustee seat in District 8, which was left open at the last minute by Abel Davila, will be filled by his brother-in-law Arturo Aguilar. (Davila is married to HISD Trustee … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Interview with Richard Sedita

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Richard Sedita is a candidate for District G. He is an Army veteran who served in the Korean DMZ from 1967-69 as a medic. Since then, he has been a registered nurse and has worked as an ER Director, ICU … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

More on the lineups

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron story about the final filings to be on the ballot for city elections. As noted before, not a whole lot of surprises, but there are a couple of things worth mentioning: Otis Jordan, president of the Houston … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Here’s your lineup

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Martha has your final filings for City of Houston elections. Executive summary: No surprise last minute entrants, but everyone except for Council Members Melissa Noriega (At Large #3), Ed Gonzalez (H), and James Rodriguez (I) has at least one opponent. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Carlos Obando

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We don’t get a lot of competitive Council race in Houston that don’t involve an open seat. As I’ve noted before, we may get one this year for At Large #5. One of the candidates seeking to unseat incumbent Council … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Filing deadline

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Today at 5 PM is the filing deadline for city elections. Martha has her usual roundup of who has filed. So far, the only bit of suspense is in the Mayor’s race, where Roy Morales has yet to do his … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments