Tag Archives: Congress

Two Ike Dike updates

Posted on November 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Ike Dike could be hidden by dunes: The “Ike Dike” that is being proposed to protect the Galveston-Houston area from a potentially catastrophic hurricane storm surge could take the form of undulating sand dunes hiding a steel or concrete core. … Continue reading →

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

Early voting, Day Eight: We do have a pretty good idea of who has been voting so far

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Why such a mushy article about the state of early voting so far? Because Texas voters can use a single click to back an entire slate, the down-ballot candidates running countywide have ever-slimming chances of influencing their destinies. As polarization … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Early voting, Day Eight: We do have a pretty good idea of who has been voting so far

Endorsement watch: The Congress you expect

Posted on October 22, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron makes the most predictable endorsements of the season, for Congress. Here’s Part 1: United States Representative, District 2: Ted Poe Consider this not just an endorsement for Ted Poe, but also heartfelt support as the six-term congressman recovers … Continue reading →

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

Still considering the possibility that Hillary could win Texas

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Josh Barro looks at recent national poll numbers and contemplates the possibilities. If things get just a little bit worse for Trump nationally, he could start losing a lot of states we normally think of as very safe for Republicans … Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Turner endorses Ike Dike

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has endorsed the “Ike Dike” storm surge protection proposal, raising the possibility that Houston could be one of the last cities in the Galveston Bay area to endorse the $6 billion project. If the Houston … Continue reading →

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

HD146 nomination process is today

Posted on August 6, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

You know the drill. Twenty-seven southwest Houston precinct chairs are set to tap a replacement for Democratic state Rep. Borris Miles on Saturday, the third time in less than two months many of them have convened to fill a hole … Continue reading →

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

Still asking for Zika help

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Following reports of the first local mosquito-borne Zika infections in the U.S., Mayor Sylvester Turner is once again calling on the state of Texas and federal government to provide financial assistance to help fight it. “There are … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Still asking for Zika help

Can we PLEASE get some action on redistricting?

Posted on July 31, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the Lone Star Project: Earlier today, plaintiffs in the pending Texas congressional and state house redistricting case filed a motion with the presiding three-judge federal panel in San Antonio requesting a conference to discuss further action on the case. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Can we PLEASE get some action on redistricting?

First baby affected by Zika born in Texas

Posted on July 16, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Won’t be the last, unfortunately. A baby boy born with microcephaly in Harris County is the first Zika-affected infant in Texas, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced Wednesday. The baby’s mother contracted Zika in Colombia, and the baby … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on First baby affected by Zika born in Texas

Gallego claims poll lead over Hurd in CD23

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Just another item to add to the list of reasons why Donald Trump is and has been bad news for Texas Republicans. Voters in the district, which is the largest Congressional district in the country which is not its own … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Rep. Ted Poe fighting leukemia

Posted on July 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

More bad health news. U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, R-Humble, announced Wednesday morning that he was recently diagnosed with leukemia and will spend the rest of the summer concentrating on this battle. “During the Congressional recess, I will be spending time … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Rep. Ted Poe fighting leukemia

Stop the “Save America’s Pastime Act”

Posted on July 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Pay minor league players a livable wage, I saw. When you think of overpaid athletes rolling in the dough at the expense of others, baseball players in the minor leagues are not usually the first people that come to mind. … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Stop the “Save America’s Pastime Act”

The high-speed rail fight has officially shifted to Congress

Posted on May 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Nothing like a little eminent domain action to spur some people on. In the four years Texas Central Railway unveiled plans to link Dallas and Houston with the country’s first bullet train, officials with the private company have talked a … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Democratic primary runoff results

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Harris County results Fort Bend County results Statewide results Trib liveblog Just for the record, we didn’t get any precinct results until 8:34, at which time only 8% of precincts had reported. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t because of overwhelming … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Republican primary runoff results

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Harris County results Statewide results Trib liveblog Your new State Senators are Bryan Hughes, who defeated his former House colleague David Simpson, and Dawn Buckingham, who defeated former Rep. Susan King. Hughes is a Dan Patrick buddy, who will fit … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Republican primary runoff results

High speed rail opponents pick up another Congressional ally

Posted on May 19, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome aboard, Smokey Joe. In a filing with the Surface Transportation Board, North Texas Congressman Joe Barton (R) Arlington has come out against a high speed rail project between Dallas and Houston. Barton, whose district encompasses parts of Tarrant County … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Are driverless cars ready or not?

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

GM and Lyft think theirs are pretty close. General Motors Co. and Lyft Inc. within a year will begin testing a fleet of self-driving Chevrolet Bolt electric taxis on public roads, a move central to the companies’ joint efforts to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A new way to attack gerrymandering

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From Think Progress: America’s anti-gerrymandering law is an incoherent mess. Thirty years ago, in Davis v. Bandemer, the Supreme Court held that a partisan gerrymander may be struck down as unconstitutional upon proof of “both intentional discrimination against an identifiable … Continue reading →

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

Cornyn files bill to speed up floodgate construction process

Posted on April 30, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Credit where credit is due. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn filed legislation Wednesday that he says would expedite the long process of constructing a hurricane protection system for the Texas coast, including the particularly vulnerable Houston region. But while local officials … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Cornyn files bill to speed up floodgate construction process

Don’t expect any flood project funding from Congress, either

Posted on April 26, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Nice thought, but ain’t gonna happen. As the flood threat across much of the Houston region lessened Friday, local leaders began shifting their focus to recovery and two Houston congressmen announced legislation to fund more than $300 million worth of … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Don’t expect Congress to pay for a Gulf Coast floodgate system

Posted on April 25, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I sure don’t. After nearly a decade of bickering and finger pointing, Texas scientists and lawmakers finally seem to agree that building some version of a “coastal spine” — a massive seawall and floodgate system — would best help protect … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

SCOTUS upholds “one person, one vote”

Posted on April 5, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. In a unanimous decision released Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to uphold Texas’ current system for drawing legislative districts so that they are roughly equal in population. The Supreme Court’s ruling is a victory for legislators — … Continue reading →

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

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

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 →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Runoff watch: Leftovers

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 →

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

Turner files amicus brief for Obama’s immigration executive action

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The city of Houston has added its voice to a friend of the court brief in the looming U.S. Supreme Court showdown over President Obama’s late-2014 executive actions on immigration, Mayor Sylvester Turner said Tuesday. Calling the president’s decisions … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Turner files amicus brief for Obama’s immigration executive action

What’s next for Adrian Garcia?

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We haven’t seen the last of him, I suspect. In less than a year, former Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia has gone from being the top Democratic elected official in Harris County to an also-ran in back-to-back elections. Garcia’s resounding … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

2016 primaries: Congress

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The big story here is that Rep. Gene Green not only survived, but won big. He was up 65% to 32% in early voting, a margin of about 4,000 votes; in the end he won by about 58-38, for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Primary Day is today

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: “Visit www.HarrisVotes.com to ensure you go to the correct voting location and to find your personal sample ballot for the Tuesday, March 1, Republican Party and Democratic Party Primary Elections,” said Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart, encouraging … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Once again with CD29

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s all about the turnout. On a Gulfgate-area side street lined with union halls, Hillary Clinton’s Houston field office and U.S. Rep. Gene Green’s congressional re-election outfit sit mere doors apart, a coincidental marker of the anticipated link between their … Continue reading →

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

Checking in on Garcia v Green

Posted on February 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

An update on how the biggest primary fight in the county is going. U.S. Congressman Gene Green has taken Texas’ 29th District Democratic primary to television, leveraging his substantial financial advantage over challenger Adrian Garcia to pour more than $240,000 … Continue reading →

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

Overview of two Bexar County legislative primaries

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The turnover of Bexar County’s Democratic legislative caucus continues apace. With the departures in 2015 of Mike Villarreal and Jose Menendez (succeeded by Diego Bernal and Ina Minjarez, respectively) and the departures this year by Joe Farias, Trey Martinez-Fischer, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Overview of two Bexar County legislative primaries

Another legal bill for Texas

Posted on January 31, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

That’s what happens when you lose. The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to let stand a ruling that awarded more than $1.1 million to lawyers who represented former Democratic state Sen. Wendy Davis and several minority-rights groups in a case … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Another legal bill for Texas

Some Latino political power trends

Posted on January 30, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The Latino electorate keeps on growing. The Latino electorate is bigger and better-educated than ever before, according to a new report by Pew Research Center. It’s also young. Adults age 18-35 make up nearly half of the record 27.3 million … Continue reading →

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