Tag Archives: Donald Trump

Quinnipiac: Cruz 47, O’Rourke 44

Posted on April 19, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Pretty good poll result, with the ever-present proviso that it’s just one result. The closely watched U.S. Senate race in Texas is too close to call, with 47 percent for Republican incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz and 44 percent for U.S. … Continue reading →

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Are Texas Republicans really worried about Trump for November?

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, I guess they are. They’ve seen what has happened around the country, in other elections and other red places. I don’t know how worried they are, or how worried they should be. This is a Red State where … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Ted Cruz brand

Posted on April 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It takes all kinds. While some Republicans may fret about Trump’s shaky approval ratings or their party’s brand among disappointed conservatives, Cruz seems to occupy his own space in the political firmament. Launching his 2018 reelection campaign in Houston on … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Everybody should be counted

Posted on March 30, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The 2020 Census has big challenges, especially in Texas. But even two years out from the 2020 count, local officials, demographers, community organizers and advocates say they are worried the census could be particularly tough to carry out in Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Chron overview of CD07 runoff

Posted on March 23, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Democrats looking for a ray of hope in Houston’s Republican-leaning Seventh Congressional District have their sights locked on an apparent upset victory in a conservative Pennsylvania district that President Donald Trump won … Continue reading →

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Ted Cruz has your personal data

Posted on March 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Hope that doesn’t creep you out. Sen. Ted Cruz is under fire for his connections with a voter targeting firm that used data taken from 50 million Facebook users without their knowledge. The Cruz presidential campaign touted its collaboration with … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

No observers for ADA violations

Posted on March 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This is interesting. Only days before a crucial state primary, the Justice Department has halted its effort to send observers during the election to assess whether Harris County polling sites are accessible to disabled voters. The observer request was made … Continue reading →

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Rural Dems

Posted on March 4, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

They still exist, and they’re making some noise. Trish Robinson was dropping off supplies for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in Liberty County, about 40 minutes from Houston, when a handful of people scowled at her left-leaning political T-shirt. David DeLuca, … Continue reading →

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Hey, let’s file another lawsuit to kill Obamacare!

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Sure, why not? Texas is suing the federal government over President Barack Obama’s landmark health law — again. In a 20-state lawsuit filed Monday in federal court, Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that after the passage of the GOP’s tax … Continue reading →

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UT/TT poll: Trump approval more or less the same as before

Posted on February 20, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

A tad bit more positive than last time, but still nothing to write home about. With the usual disclaimers about partisan imbalance, President Donald Trump’s job approval ratings are holding steady, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. … Continue reading →

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Trump’s lousy approval ratings in Texas

Posted on February 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

According to Gallup. President Donald Trump’s job approval rating averaged 38% throughout the U.S. in 2017, but at the state level it ranged from a high of 61% in West Virginia to a low of 26% in Vermont. Trump averaged … Continue reading →

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

So where do we stand with handing over voter info to the Trump commission?

Posted on January 4, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The DMN asks the question. Have state officials turned over Texas voter information to the federal government? In short, not yet. A lawsuit by the Texas NAACP and the Texas League of Women Voters has halted the state’s release of … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Early polling on the AG race

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It looks sexy, but keep your salt handy. The 2018 election for the job of the state’s top lawyer could be a tight race if voters go to the polls knowing about Attorney General Ken Paxton’s criminal indictment, according to … Continue reading →

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From Alabama to Texas

Posted on December 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here are two numbers from Sen.-elect Doug Jones’ victory over garbage human Roy Moore: 92.0% and 49.3%. Jones received 92.0% of the total vote that Hillary Clinton received in Alabama in 2016. Moore received 49.3% of Donald Trump’s vote total. … Continue reading →

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

Some pushback on Jeff Mateer

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

A small bit of sanity. Even as President Donald Trump rushes to fill federal judge openings across the nation, a top Senate Republican is urging the White House to put the brakes on an outspoken nominee from Texas. Iowa Republican … Continue reading →

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That sexual harassment day of reckoning in Texas politics has begun

Posted on December 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Daily Beast follows up its initial reporting about the secret sexual predators of Texas politics with a story that names names. Two names, in particular. Rather than excerpt at length, allow me to quote the Texas Monthly Daily Post … Continue reading →

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Harvey’s lingering health effects

Posted on December 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s going to be a long time before we can really say we have put Hurricane Harvey behind us. Three months after Hurricane Harvey, local health officials now are beginning to see the storm after the storm. In Harris County … 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 →

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

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 →

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

Federal court permanently blocks Trump “sanctuary cities” order

Posted on November 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal judge has permanently blocked President Trump’s efforts to bar cities that limit cooperation with U.S. immigration forces from receiving funding, the most decisive blow yet to the White House’s efforts to crack down on so-called sanctuary cities. … Continue reading →

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There’s scared and there’s strategy

Posted on November 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

What we’re seeing from the GOP is some of both. Republicans are beginning to worry that a “blue wave” of Democratic voters angry with the Trump administration could crash into the 2018 election, even in the deep red state of … Continue reading →

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The First Amendment remains in effect in Fort Bend

Posted on November 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

For now, at least. Karen Fonseca, the owner of a white truck at the center of a social media dispute with Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls, is considering a civil rights lawsuit against the sheriff’s office. Fonseca’s attorney, Brian … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

That decline in international students is here

Posted on November 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We knew it was coming. UHCL is among several universities around Texas that this year have seen a sharp drop in international enrollment, as the number of international student applications to four-year public universities has plummeted by more than 10,000 … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Texas v the feds, disaster recovery funding edition

Posted on November 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This would be quite entertaining to watch, if the stakes weren’t so high. Texas Republicans on Friday panned the White House’s latest disaster aid request, with Gov. Greg Abbott calling it “completely inadequate” for the state’s needs in the wake … Continue reading →

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PPP polls show “generic Dem” winning in CDs 07 and 32

Posted on November 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Via Daily Kos, Public Policy Polling sampled a number of targeted Congressional districts for 2018, including two in Texas, and the results are encouraging, to say the least. TX-07 In Texas’ 7th Congressional District, Republican incumbent Congressman John Culberson has … Continue reading →

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

Republicans really are worried about 2018

Posted on November 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Some of them, anyway. In a private memo to Abbott’s aides, senior political adviser Dave Carney cautions that despite the fact that Texas is solid red in recent statewide voting patterns, suburban voters could pose significant problems for Republicans in … 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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Julian 2020?

Posted on November 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

He has raised the possibility. Texas Democrat Julian Castro confirmed Sunday he is seriously considering running for president in 2020 and former state Sen. Wendy Davis left open the possibility she will take another run at running for governor in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

2017 results: National

Posted on November 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a pretty good indicator of what kind of day it was yesterday for Democrats: Big win in the Virginia Governor’s race (and the other VA statewide races), despite a couple metric tons of pearls being clutched going into Tuesday. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A big ask for hurricane recovery

Posted on November 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck with that. I mean that mostly sincerely. Texas needs an additional $61 billion in federal disaster recovery money for infrastructure alone after Hurricane Harvey’s devastation, according to a report from the Governor’s Commission to Rebuild Texas that was … Continue reading →

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

Framing the 2018 question

Posted on October 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This Chron story asks the question “what might it take for a Democrat to win statewide in Texas in 2018, then never actually engages it. At the five-top table in the corner at Russell’s Bakery, a northwest Austin restaurant and … Continue reading →

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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 →

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Butterflies versus the wall

Posted on October 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Go, butterflies! The National Butterfly Center in South Texas sent a certified letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Wednesday stating its intent to sue over the construction of a border wall on its private property. In July, Marianna … Continue reading →

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Congressional candidates everywhere

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Democrats are as optimistic as they’ve ever been about candidate recruitment. “I’ve been recruiting candidates in Texas for years, and I’ve never seen an environment quite like this,” said Cliff Walker, candidate recruitment director for the state Democratic Party. … Continue reading →

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