Tag Archives: Election 2016

Texas-filed birther lawsuit against Ted Cruz dismissed

Posted on April 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

No surprise. A Houston federal judge tossed out a lawsuit Wednesday that challenged Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s eligibility to run for president. U.S. District Judge Gray H. Miller dismissed the suit with prejudice, meaning that Houston lawyer Boris Schwartz cannot … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Eric William Carter

Posted on April 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. I’m now doing this for some candidates in the May runoff who had not done a Q&A in … Continue reading →

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More on the possible Trump effect in Texas

Posted on April 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. While one should hesitate to feed the megalomania, there is no point in denying that there is a meaningful distinction between pre-Trump and post-Trump politics in the United States. The mogul turned … Continue reading →

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Lots of money being spent on the Austin Uber/Lyft ordinance referendum

Posted on April 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. David Butts, meet Goliath. Campaign finance reports filed Thursday for Austin’s ride-hailing services election show a beyond-massive lead in money for Ridesharing Works for Austin, the Uber- and Lyft-backed political action committee supporting a proposed ordinance that would become … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Judicial Q&A: Fredericka Phillips

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. I’m now doing this for some candidates in the May runoff who had not done a Q&A in … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS asked to rule on Cruz birther lawsuit

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

What fun. A Utah man became the first to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a “birther” lawsuit against Ted Cruz which challenges the White House hopeful’s eligibility for office. The request by Utah attorney Walter Wagner, who … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with George Scott

Posted on April 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t often pay attention to the May elections in even-numbered years. There’s usually nothing on my ballot, and the big cities that have May elections have them in odd years. One entity that is having an election around here … Continue reading →

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Anti-vaxxers gain ground in Texas

Posted on April 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a lesson in here that we need to learn. On a Friday night little over a year ago, a Texas mother of three was attending a school dance when she got a text message that stopped her cold. A … Continue reading →

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Once again with what we want from the next County Commissioner

Posted on April 8, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Campos: The Chron has a story today on County Commissioner Gene Locke changing his mind and now wanting to become the Dem nominee for Commissioner. It looks like a race between Gene and State Sen. Rodney Ellis. The Chron mentions … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Tanya Makany-Rivera

Posted on April 6, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. I’m now doing this for some candidates in the May runoff who had not done a Q&A in … Continue reading →

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We precinct chairs will have at least one more nomination to fill

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

As everyone knows, Democratic precinct chairs in Commissioners Court Precinct 1 will be selecting a nominee to replace the late El Franco Lee on the November ballot. If we wind up selecting someone who is also on the November ballot … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Locke makes it official

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

He would like to continue being County Commissioner. Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Gene Locke said Monday he has decided to seek the Democratic nomination — and thus another term — for the Precinct 1 seat. Locke was initially appointed … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Interview with Jasmine Jenkins

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

As was the case in 2012, there is a three-way primary for the nomination in SBOE District 6, the one electoral entity that is subject to redistricting containing a Republican who represents me. I hadn’t planned to do interviews in … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Chron looks at Rodney Ellis

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Not a very flattering look. Over the past 26 years, state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, has voted to confirm gubernatorial appointments to the Lower Colorado River Authority, a powerful electric utility in Central Texas. During the same time, financial firms … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

What are the chances that Hillary could carry Texas in November?

Posted on April 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

According to the bookies, not as bad as you might think. Speculating that Texas will go blue in the near future has a certain trollish quality. In fact, it’s also been a downright spectacular way to sound like you don’t … Continue reading →

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We haven’t heard the last of TMF

Posted on April 3, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

He’ll be back. State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer says he laments nothing about a failed gambit for the state Senate that will end his 16-year stint with the Texas Legislature. The boisterous San Antonio Democrat, however, is leaving office at … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What will the business lobby do to prevent a North Carolina anti-equality law being passed in Texas?

Posted on April 2, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the question that needs to be asked. Texas business leaders and LGBT advocates hope economic backlash over an anti-LGBT bill in North Carolina will deter lawmakers from taking up similar legislation next year in Austin. More than 100 CEOs and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Runoff watch: Leftovers

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Three last races that didn’t fit into any other categories. SBOE District 6 – Democratic Jasmine Jenkins and Dakota Carter, the two candidates that actually campaigned for this office in this three-way race, finished one and two in the voting … Continue reading →

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Black Lives Matter takes an interest in the Harris County DA race

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This will be worth watching. Inspired by voters in Chicago and Cleveland who booted top prosecutors last week with candidates who pledged more accountability in police shootings, Houston-area Black Lives Matter activists have started a #ByeDevon social media campaign to … Continue reading →

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Runoff watch: Sheriff

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This one is straightforward. Democrats Ed Gonzalez and Jerome Moore will square off for the right to go against incumbent Sheriff Ron Hickman this November. Gonzalez led the way with 43.5%, while Moore tallied 29.8%. Gonzalez was the consensus establishment … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

More Congressional seats are likely on the way

Posted on March 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

If current trends continue, that is. Texas could pick up two, perhaps three, new congressional seats following the 2020 decennial Census if current population growth continues through the decade, political and demographic experts said Thursday. With continued growth in Texas’ … Continue reading →

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Can SCOTUS please intervene in the voter ID case?

Posted on March 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The plaintiffs would like to know. Civil rights groups challenging Texas’ voter identification law are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to block the measure from being used during the 2016 general election. […] The civil rights groups filed a motion … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

On vacant lots and city/county cooperation

Posted on March 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I just have one question about this. Houston residents living in neighborhoods afflicted with blight could see twice as much money poured into boarding up abandoned houses and mowing overgrown yards under a partnership city and county leaders trumpeted Tuesday. … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

North Carolina takes a big step backwards on equality

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Shameful. Wednesday was a whirlwind day in North Carolina’s government. The legislature convened a special session, a complicated multi-part bill was introduced, it passed through the House and Senate — both Republican controlled — and Gov. Pat McCrory (R) signed … Continue reading →

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Runoff watch: JPs and Constables

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

OK, sit back and settle in, this may take awhile. Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Place 1 – Democratic The race to succeed retiring JP Dale Gorczynski turned out to be a bit of a barnburner. The two leading … Continue reading →

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When are we going to get a general election poll of Texas?

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

As goes Utah… According to a new Deseret News/KSL poll, if Donald Trump becomes the GOP nominee, the voters of Utah would opt for a Democratic candidate for the first time in over 50 years. Poll respondents said they would … Continue reading →

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More on the rush to naturalization

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib looks at the trend in Texas. Amid a heated presidential election focusing heavily on immigration, a similar uncertainty about the future of immigration policies under a new president appears to be pushing thousands of legal residents in Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Runoff watch: Railroad Commissioner

Posted on March 21, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

So yeah, the Railroad Commissioner runoff is a bit of a mess, on both sides. I’m going to let the Trib summarize the problem. In his campaign for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission, former state Rep. Wayne Christian … Continue reading →

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Third-place Constable candidate alleges fraud in his race

Posted on March 19, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, goodie. A Harris County constable chief deputy who narrowly missed making the runoff in the Precinct 3 constable’s primary election earlier this month has sued the top two vote-getters, seeking to annul the results because of alleged violations of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Donald Trump is making more citizens

Posted on March 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

He’s good for something. Over all, naturalization applications increased by 11 percent in the 2015 fiscal year over the year before, and jumped 14 percent during the six months ending in January, according to federal figures. The pace is picking … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Reps. Green and Green want investigation of voting machine shortage

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Two Houston congressmen are asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether unequal distribution of voting machines and polling locations in Harris County disenfranchised minority voters during the March 1 primary … Continue reading →

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Simpson prevails in SD01 primary

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

All elections are now officially resolved, at least at the state level. Two state representatives are set to face off for an open seat in the Texas senate after the third place candidate said Monday he will not request a … Continue reading →

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Another look at how long the Paxton case could take

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The DMN makes the same comparisons that I have made. Ken Paxton has spent eight months — the majority of his time as attorney general — under indictment. The legal cloud shows no sign of dissipating. How long the case … Continue reading →

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Runoff watch: Judicial races

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

There are three District Court race runoffs on the Democratic side, and two Court of Criminal Appeals runoffs for the Republicans. There are also a few Justice of the Peace runoffs, but I’ll deal with them in another post. 11th … Continue reading →

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