Tag Archives: Houston City Council

Precinct analysis: At Large #1

Posted on December 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY: Mayor’s race Controller’s race Harris Health bond referendum We have four runoffs in the At Large races, and they’re all basically D versus R affairs. The HCDP and the Harris County GOP have taken their sides. Let’s look at … Continue reading →

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Prop A gets its first customers

Posted on November 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

First there was this: Council Members Carolyn Evans-Shabazz (District D) and Mary Nan Huffman (District G) joined Council Member Amy Peck (District A) to submit notice to the City’s Agenda Office to place an item on the City Council Agenda. … Continue reading →

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2023 election results: Houston and Harris County

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m going to be brief, and will have a longer look at things tomorrow. A bit more than 20% of the E-Day votes had been tallied as of 10 PM, but for the most part I’d say we had a … Continue reading →

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The crazy District G race

Posted on November 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Wowsers. Days after Attorney General Ken Paxton was acquitted in his impeachment trial in late September, his attorney, Tony Buzbee, rode the win on a campaign stage, while his opponent Mary Nan Huffman tried to convince conservative District G voters … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: For Huffman in G, eventually

Posted on October 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

You really have to read all the way through this endorsement to understand who exactly it is they’re endorsing. Stop too soon, and you’ll get the wrong idea. We have a confession to make. When super-lawyer Tony Buzbee announced his … Continue reading →

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Interview with Conchita Reyes

Posted on October 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m always a little hesitant to say I’m done with interviews for a given cycle because there’s almost always a candidate who comes forward after I say that. Usually, it’s because we missed a connection earlier and when that happens … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Reyes for At Large #1

Posted on October 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron is taking a detour in these last few pre-early voting days to endorse in elections other than City of Houston races, but they did endorse Conchita Reyes for At Large #1 along the way. Reyes is a native … Continue reading →

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30 day campaign finance reports – At Large Council candidates

Posted on October 18, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Previously: Mayor City Controller District Council And here are the At Large Council candidates. The January finance reports for city of Houston candidates are here, and the July reports are here. Dist Candidate Raised Spent Loan On Hand ============================================================ AL1 … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Hellyar and Evans-Shabazz

Posted on October 18, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses Nick Hellyar in At Large #2 in a piece that mostly praises other candidates in the race. Houston voters have a clear top-flight candidate in the race for City Council At-Large Position 2. Nick Hellyar, 41, has … Continue reading →

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30 day campaign finance reports – District Council candidates

Posted on October 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Previously: Mayor City Controller Let’s get into the Council races, starting with the district Council contests. The January finance reports for city of Houston candidates are here, and the July reports are here. Dist Candidate Raised Spent Loan On Hand … Continue reading →

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Past interviews with Mayoral candidates

Posted on October 16, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

As I said last week, I have decided to wait until the runoff to do Mayoral candidate interviews. The size of the field and the limited amount of time I had available to try to schedule probably seven interviews with … Continue reading →

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On filing financial disclosure reports

Posted on October 16, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Campaign finance reports aren’t the only filings that city candidates can screw up. About a quarter of the candidates running for city council seats and mayor have not provided financial disclosures to the City Secretary due in September. Twenty-three out … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Martinez in I, and wait, what?

Posted on October 14, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron made a perfectly fine endorsement. It’s not easy to follow in the footsteps of outgoing Councilmember Robert Gallegos. As the lone Hispanic around the horseshoe, he has robustly represented his hometown and the most Hispanic district in Houston for nearly a … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Cantu and Alcorn

Posted on October 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Two At Large endorsements are up, beginning with Richard Cantu in the open At Large #3 race. Perhaps it was coincidence that Richard Cantu, 54, sat in the center of the table at our screening with candidates for this race, … Continue reading →

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Eric Dick is an old hand at violating campaign laws

Posted on October 9, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

He’s the industry standard around here. Attorney and Harris County Department of Education Trustee Eric Dick faces $40,000 in fines for campaign finance violations after the Texas Ethics Commission recently tacked on another $10,000 penalty. The TEC ruled late last … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Pollard and Castillo

Posted on October 6, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Two more endorsements, beginning with District J. Every city council member is defending their record on crime but only Edward Pollard represents a district with an international reputation as a hub for sex trafficking and gang violence. To win reelection, … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Kamin for C, Jackson for B

Posted on October 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron gets to two more endorsements, both for incumbents, the first being in District C. Abbie Kamin was the city’s first pregnant council member, a title she wore proudly and that informed her own advocacy around the horseshoe at … Continue reading →

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Interview with Richard Cantu

Posted on October 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I have one late-breaking interview for At Large #3 before I bring you some interviews for other items in this election. Richard Cantu is another familiar name, having been elected to serve on the HCDE Board of Trustees in 2018. … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: For Letitia Plummer

Posted on October 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I guess we’re rolling these out one at a time, and in no particular order. When some politicians shift their positions on high-profile issues, they get tagged with the dreaded “flip-flopper” label. So when At-Large Position 4 Councilmember Letitia Plummer … Continue reading →

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Interview with CM Mary Nan Huffman

Posted on September 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I had not planned to do an interview for District G this cycle – I only have so much time and capacity, and as of the July reporting deadline, incumbent CM Mary Nan Huffman did not have an opponent. And … Continue reading →

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Interview with James Joseph

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

One more interview in At Large #3, then I’ll have a bonus interview for you tomorrow. Today we speak with James Joseph, a native Houstonian, Fifth Ward resident, and newly minted PhD. A public relations consultant with a long background … Continue reading →

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City Council approves B-Cycle lifeline

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I approve of this as a stopgap, but a real plan needs to be in place. Houston’s floundering bike sharing system has a little more life, after city officials approved $500,000 to keep the system operational, at least until a … Continue reading →

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Interview with Casey Curry

Posted on September 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Moving on in At Large #3, we come to another candidate with an interesting former job, longtime TV meteorologist Casey Curry. After a decade of weather reporting on the local news, Curry is now working in philanthropy and communications. She … Continue reading →

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Interview with Twila Carter

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing on with At Large #3, today we meet Twila Carter, who among other things has had one of the best jobs of anyone I’ve interviewed: For over a decade, she served as Senior Vice President of Community Relations of … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Picking someone in District E

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron makes their first candidate endorsement for November 2023. Houston City Council races are officially nonpartisan, but since just about everything seems partisan these days, let’s go ahead and say it: District E, the bizarrely shaped district that conjoins … Continue reading →

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Interview with Donnell Cooper

Posted on September 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The last open At Large seat is At Large #3, which also has the biggest field of nine candidates. I have interviews with four of them this week, beginning with Donnell Cooper. Cooper is a Houston Community College Acres Homes … Continue reading →

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Interview with Marina Coryat

Posted on September 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We wrap up our week of interviews with At Large #2 candidates with Marina Coryat, a Trinidadian immigrant who has served as Communications Director for Texas State Representative Senfronia Thompson since 2019. Coryat has worked in the city’s Solid Waste … Continue reading →

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City to provide some funding to B-Cycle

Posted on September 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner plans to extend a half-million dollar lifeline to the city’s nonprofit bike share program, he said Wednesday. Turner said he will present City Council next week with a proposal to send funding to Houston Bike … Continue reading →

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Interview with Holly Vilaseca

Posted on September 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We continue our week of At Large #2 with a familiar name, Holly Flynn Vilaseca, who served for five years as HISD Trustee, being appointed in January 2017 to fill out an unexpired term and then winning a full term … Continue reading →

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Interview with Danielle Bess

Posted on September 20, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Next up in At Large #2 we have Danielle Bess, a native Houstonian, Navy veteran, and real estate professional. Bess has been involved in politics for a long time, having worked with campaigns ranging from Obama for America, Sheila Jackson … Continue reading →

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Interview with Obes Nwabara

Posted on September 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing on in At Large #2, today we talk with Obes Nwabara, who is a son of Nigerian immigrants and a 2009 graduate of UH. He has worked in a number of industries including energy, food service, and healthcare, and … Continue reading →

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Interview with Nick Hellyar

Posted on September 18, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We move now into At Large #2, where I will have four candidates to bring to you. First up is Nick Hellyar, who had run for At Large #4 in 2019 and finished third in the field of eleven that … Continue reading →

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Once again with the residency question

Posted on September 16, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Every election, without fail. Robin Williams, a police officer in Missouri City, was 16 months into her long-shot bid to become Houston’s next mayor when city officials made a discovery that threatened to suddenly end her campaign: She did not … Continue reading →

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Interview with CM Letitia Plummer

Posted on September 15, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

As noted yesterday, there are two At Large Council members running for re-election. CM Letitia Plummer is the incumbent in At Large #4, where she has focused on police reform, Houston’s food deserts, and the need for apartment inspectors. She … Continue reading →

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