Tag Archives: Election 2018

Everybody hates Dan

Posted on September 21, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

You just hate to see it. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is doubling down on his call for closing loopholes in gun sales background checks despite withering criticism from other Republicans, conservative groups that have ardently supported him, and the … Continue reading →

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The Democratic Club of The Woodlands

Posted on September 21, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, there are Democrats in The Woodlands. That should not come as a surprise to anyone. Residents of The Woodlands who identify as Democrats often say they feel out of place or unwelcome in Republican-dominated Montgomery County. Some have relayed … Continue reading →

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Beto v Briscoe

Posted on September 19, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I approve of this, with some small reservations. Presidential contender Beto O’Rourke is helping a fellow Democrat raise money to unseat the Texas Rep. Briscoe Cain, after the Republican lawmaker tweeted last week that his AR-15 is “ready” for O’Rourke. … Continue reading →

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The TDP 2020 plan

Posted on September 14, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Bring it on. The Texas Democratic Party is pulling back the curtain on its 2020 strategy ahead of the Houston presidential debate, releasing a plan to flip the state that targets 2.6 million potential Democratic voters who are not registered … Continue reading →

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What’s going on with the Astrodome?

Posted on September 13, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

It’s on the back burner for now. A $105 million county-approved plan to renovate and build parking at Houston’s most famous relic has been put on pause since the plan’s most prominent advocate, Republican Ed Emmett, lost his seat last … Continue reading →

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The Harris County GOP thinks it can come back in 2020

Posted on September 10, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

They’re so adorable. Once a rock of Republican politics in Texas, Harris County has become nothing short of a nightmare for the GOP over the last four years as Hillary Clinton and Beto O’Rourke carried the county and Democrats dominated … Continue reading →

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Try, try again

Posted on September 8, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

A lot of women ran for office as Democrats in 2018. A lot of them won, and a lot of them who didn’t win are trying again. [Gina Ortiz Jones isn’t] the only woman who’s back for a second round. … Continue reading →

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The special election lineups are set

Posted on September 6, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

From the Trib: Democrats in HD-28 have coalesced around Elizabeth “Eliz” Markowitz, who was the only Democrat to file. Markowitz, a Katy teacher, unsuccessfully ran last year for State Board of Education District 7, which overlaps with HD-28. Six Republicans, … Continue reading →

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We talk once again about straight ticket voting

Posted on September 5, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We have a new study, so we have a new reason. The state’s decision to kill straight-ticket voting could cut turnout in down-ballot races in the 2020 elections — even if more voters show up to the polls. Sure, those … Continue reading →

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Five for fleeing

Posted on September 5, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

There goes another one. U.S. Rep. Bill Flores announced Wednesday morning that he would not run for reelection in 2020 — making him the fifth Texas Republican to announce his retirement from Congress. “Serving my country as the Representative of … Continue reading →

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McCaul’s hustle

Posted on September 4, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Turns out, running for re-election is hard work. Rep. Michael McCaul does not have to be here, at Carl’s BBQ on the side of a highway, in a wood-paneled backroom, seated at a bare table in front of a stuffed, … Continue reading →

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A reminder about the local legislative races

Posted on September 1, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s review the facts together. State Rep. Jon Rosenthal wasn’t supposed to win his Texas House seat last year. He was too much of a Democrat for the swath of northwest Harris County that had long elected Republicans. But in … Continue reading →

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Yet another story about suburbs shifting away from Republicans

Posted on August 31, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Collect the whole set! Texas is currently experiencing two trends that are favorable to Democrats: increasing urbanization, and big demographic shifts. The Texas Tribune recently reported that Hispanics are expected to become the largest demographic group in the state by 2022, with … Continue reading →

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How many Congressional seats are really in play for Texas Dems?

Posted on August 30, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

By one measure, more than you probably think. From Jonathan Tilove of the Statesman: Last weekend, I read an interview in Salon with Rachel Bitecofer, a political scientist at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Va. She is also an … Continue reading →

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Our first look at how Engage Texas will operate

Posted on August 29, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting move. As people filed in and out of the massive driver license office in Southwest Houston on Tuesday morning, two workers at a tent affiliated with a conservative advocacy group asked if the passersby would sign a petition or … Continue reading →

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Our all-important metro areas

Posted on August 27, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Another look at the trouble Republicans face in Texas now. The key to Texas’ political future is whether it finally follows the geographic realignment that has transformed the politics of many other states over the past quarter century. Across the … Continue reading →

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The psychological shift

Posted on August 23, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. [Democratic operative Jason] Stanford has a theory about how [Texas Democratic] angst started. He says it began with the 1996 U.S. Senate race in Texas. Democrats were recovering from losing two years … Continue reading →

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No Rocket

Posted on August 23, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

What a world we live in. Pitching great Roger Clemens didn’t shy away from many battles in his major league career, but politics is something he’s not willing to take on. Clemens had been encouraged to run as a Republican … Continue reading →

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Once again with GOP anxiety

Posted on August 17, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I recommend Xanax. Or, you know, marijuana. I’ve heard that’s good for anxiety. Republicans have long idealized Texas as a deep-red frontier state, home to rural conservatives who love President Donald Trump. But political turbulence in the sprawling suburbs and … Continue reading →

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CD23 update

Posted on August 15, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

The Rivard Report takes a look at the state of play in CD23 following Rep. Will Hurd’s surprise retirement. In the wake of Hurd’s announcement, former U.S. Navy officer Tony Gonzales, a Republican, has entered the race. Gonzales was not … Continue reading →

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Back to the Beto question

Posted on August 14, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

As in, should Beto abandon his run for President and come back to Texas to make another run for Senate? The Chron says Yes. There are times, it seems, in most presidential campaigns when the facades get stripped away like … Continue reading →

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Five for Senate

Posted on August 13, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez is in. Leading Latina organizer Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez is launching a campaign for U.S. Senate, entering a Democratic primary to oust Republican John Cornyn that has steadily grown throughout the summer. The daughter of an immigrant mother, … Continue reading →

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Emerson’s weird polls

Posted on August 11, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a poll, so we do the thing. A new poll has former Vice President Joe Biden leading Beto O’Rourke in the Texas presidential primary and toppling Donald Trump in a head-to-head showdown. The survey, conducted by Emerson College for … Continue reading →

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With silver linings like these…

Posted on August 10, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

…Who needs misfortune? Even Texas Republicans are a bit amused with the clever new Democratic battle cry that’s emerged amid a recent spate of GOP congressional retirements: “Texodus.” First came U.S. Rep. Pete Olson of Sugar Land on July 25. … Continue reading →

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Marchant joins the exodus

Posted on August 6, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

The line at the door keeps growing. U.S. Rep. Kenny Marchant will not seek reelection in 2020, two sources confirmed to The Texas Tribune late Sunday. He is the fourth member of the Texas delegation to announce his retirement in … Continue reading →

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July 2019 campaign finance reports: State Reps

Posted on August 5, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

State legislative races tend to get less attention than Congressional races. Fewer candidates, less money, very little news coverage. That’s probably going to be less true this year, as both parties are going to expend a lot of effort and … Continue reading →

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Raising money to register Republicans

Posted on August 3, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Just keeping an eye on things. A new super PAC focused on registering new Republican voters in Texas has raised nearly $10 million from some of the state’s biggest GOP donors, according to its first report to the Federal Election … Continue reading →

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Rep. Will Hurd to step down

Posted on August 2, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. I did not see this coming. The U.S. House’s last black Republican member, Rep. Will Hurd of Helotes, announced Thursday that he is retiring from Congress. President Donald Trump’s racist comments about elected officials weighed heavily on Hurd, who … Continue reading →

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Mediation fails again

Posted on August 2, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Not really a surprise. A third round of mediation between Mayor Sylvester Turner and the Houston firefighters union concluded in an apparent impasse Thursday afternoon, ending another attempt to resolve the long-running contract dispute and sending a lawsuit over the … Continue reading →

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That UT-Tyler poll

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose I have to talk about this. A poll conducted by the Center for Opinion Research at the University of Texas at Tyler showed [Beto O’Rourke] leading among Texas voters in the Democratic presidential primary. The survey showed O’Rourke … Continue reading →

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State Rep. John Zerwas to retire

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Big news. Rep. John Zerwas, the head of a powerful budget-writing committee in the Texas House, announced Wednesday his retirement at the end of September. “It has been an absolute honor to represent House District 28, and I am proud … Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court approves bail lawsuit settlement

Posted on July 31, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Excellent. Harris County Commissioners Court approved a historic settlement Tuesday fixing a bail system a federal judge found unconstitutional and ushering in a new era for criminal justice in one of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas. The deal resulted from … Continue reading →

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Pete Olson not running for re-election

Posted on July 26, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Least surprising story of the week. U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land, announced Thursday afternoon that he is retiring from Congress at the end of his term. The retirement sets up what will likely be one of the most competitive … Continue reading →

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Wendy Davis is in for CD21

Posted on July 23, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

For some reason it hadn’t occurred to me that this was likely to happen on Monday. And here we are. Former Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis is running for Congress. Early Monday morning, Davis announced her candidacy for the Democratic … Continue reading →

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