Tag Archives: Election 2024

Some Bexar County polling

Posted on September 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

New pollster alert, checking in on Bexar County. A survey conducted by the UTSA Center for Public Opinion Research suggests San Antonio residents are tepid about plans for a new sports complex for the San Antonio Spurs — a project … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Ruth Kravetz

Posted on September 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

On Monday you heard the case for the HISD bond referendum. It’s fair to say there’s a lit of loud opposition to the referendum, with most of that opposition coming from people and organizations that are normally big boosters of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Ruth Kravetz

The yarn-based activists against the HISD bond

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know how big this group is, but they are visible. Jessica Catrett sat cross-legged on the grass beside Sophie Grace-Rojas, a Project Chrysalis Middle School student, with bundles of yarn on a breezy Sunday morning outside the Houston … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Endorsement watch: Still catching up

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

A couple of endorsements of interest for you. First, the Chron stuck with incumbent Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. A routine inspection of the state’s largest jail really shouldn’t garner headlines. Meeting “minimum safety standards” should never be cause for celebration for … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: Still catching up

Interview with Plácido Gómez and Dani Hernandez

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This week we are talking about the HISD bond referendum. We’ve already had plenty to say about this referendum, whose level of public support is unclear because of the questionable polling that’s been done so far. There are plenty of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Some Republicans consolidate around one Speaker candidate

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

As is always the case, the field has narrowed. In the most concerted attack to date on Republican Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan from within the GOP House ranks, 48 representatives and nominees for House districts selected Rep. David Cook … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A curious thing about the polls of Texas

Posted on September 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

You’ve probably seen this headline by now. For the first time in their hotly contested campaign, a poll shows U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, trailing challenger U.S. Rep. Colin Allred. The Morning Consult poll, conducted between Sept. 9 and 18, places … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Taral Patel and KP George

Posted on September 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

What a mess. Investigators believe Fort Bend County judge KP George coordinated with his former chief of staff, Taral Patel, in posting from fake social media accounts in 2022 to influence the outcome of an election, a new search warrant … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

You can count non-citizen voters on one hand

Posted on September 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

And still have fingers left over. Data compiled by the conservative Heritage Foundation shows that noncitizen voting in Texas isn’t a widespread problem and instead shows other instances of voter fraud committed by U.S. citizens are more prevalent. Since 2017, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on You can count non-citizen voters on one hand

Ted Cruz votes against protecting IVF access

Posted on September 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s right there in the headline. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz on Tuesday led the effort to block a bill by Senate Democrats that they said would protect in-vitro fertilization in America. But on the Senate floor, Cruz blasted the Democratic … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Travis County files its own lawsuit over its voter registration efforts

Posted on September 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Counterpunching. Travis County officials sued Attorney General Ken Paxton and Secretary of State Jane Nelson on Tuesday over the state’s attempt to block attempts to sign up more voters ahead of a hotly contested presidential election. The new federal lawsuit … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Endorsement watch: Catching up

Posted on September 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron has been doing endorsements a few days a week, one at a time, in no particular order. Here are three recent ones, to catch up a bit. CD22: Marquette Green-Scott Marquette Greene-Scott says she never got to know … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Too late, Kenny

Posted on September 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Hilarious. Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office sought a temporary restraining order to stop Bexar County’s hired vendor from mailing out unsolicited voter registration forms — but lawyers for the county said Monday morning that it was too late, they’ve already … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

How about a Dem for Speaker?

Posted on September 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Ana-María Rodríguez Ramos, come on down! A Texas House Democrat is joining the crowded field to challenge Republican Rep. Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, for the speakership. Rep. Ana-María Rodríguez Ramos, D-Richardson, told The Texas Tribune she felt energized to run for … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Interview with Lindsay London of the Amarillo Reproductive Freedom Alliance

Posted on September 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have written a couple of times about the Amarillo Reproductive Freedom Alliance, which was formed earlier this year to fight the so-called “Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn” proposition that is on the city of Amarillo’s ballot this November, after … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Smithee makes five

Posted on September 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

And the beat goes on. State Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, is the fifth person to enter the race for Texas House speaker. Smithee, a 73-year-old attorney, is a long-serving Republican state representative from Amarillo. He is one of the most … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Paxton sued over voter registration purge activities

Posted on September 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Counterpunch time. A nonprofit focused on increasing Latinos’ civic participation sued Attorney General Ken Paxton in federal court Friday so it could continue its voter registration efforts after the Republican official targeted them in an investigation last month. The organization … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

More on the Amarillo Reproductive Freedom Alliance

Posted on September 14, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good overview of the group working to prevent an abortion travel ban in Amarillo. Dubbed an “abortion trafficking” ban by anti-abortion extremists—as one of the policy’s progenitors put it, “The unborn child is always taken against their will”—the zealous measure … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Four! Four Speaker challengers!

Posted on September 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Everyone in the pool! State Rep. James Frank, a Wichita Falls Republican who is one of the Texas House’s leading voices on health and foster care, announced Tuesday he is running for speaker, making him the fourth member to challenge … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Sylvester Turner

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure that by now you are well familiar with the story of CD18 after the passing of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee in July. As such, you know that former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is now the Democratic nominee for … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Endorsement watch: “The sexiest race on the ballot”

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good call. Probably none of us is as excited about the race for Harris County tax assessor-collector as Annette Ramirez is. And that includes her Republican opponent. “I always call it the sexiest race on the ballot,” says Ramirez, 52, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Party Like A Rock Star 2024

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is a guest post from my friend Bill Kelly, who knows a thing or two about Planned Parenthood and having fun. Folks, this is Joe Biden (kinda). I need you to prep your costume and join us Saturday, September … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Is there a better way to handle the nominee replacement process?

Posted on September 10, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Last month, and for the second time in less than ten years, I and a relatively small number of Democratic precinct chairs got to pick a replacement nominee for a powerful office whose incumbent had died at an inconvenient time. … Continue reading →

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

Interview with Erica Lee Carter

Posted on September 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome to Fall 2024 Interview Season. Thanks in no small part to the latest round of redistricting, primary season tends to be busier for me, but we’re got some races and other matters of interest to explore. This week we … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

UT/Texas Policy Project: Trump 49, Harris 44

Posted on September 8, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. A new, statewide poll of registered voters in Texas shows a slight uptick in support for Democrats following last month’s Democratic National Convention. The poll by the Texas Politics Project at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Paxton sues Travis County over voter registration drive

Posted on September 7, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

He’s consistent, we’ll acknowledge that. Escalating a series of attacks on voter registration efforts around the state, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday sued Travis County officials for hiring a company to identify names and addresses of eligible, unregistered … Continue reading →

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

And then there were three Speaker challengers

Posted on September 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I know nothing about this guy. Mansfield Republican David Cook said Tuesday he intends to run for Texas House Speaker, becoming the third person to challenge the chamber’s current leader, Beaumont Republican Dade Phelan. Cook, who has served two terms … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Endorsement watch: Mayor Turner for CD18

Posted on September 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron is getting an early start on endorsements this year. Dabbing at his eyes, former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner recalled the final conversation he had with the late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee in an interview with KHOU11’s Len Cannon. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: Mayor Turner for CD18

Paxton sues Bexar County over voter registration drive

Posted on September 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

As promised/threatened. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday followed through on his threat to sue Bexar County over a new program that will mail out voter registration forms to unregistered voters. Bexar County commissioners approved the proposal on Tuesday … Continue reading →

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

Amanda Zurawski on the trail

Posted on September 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m very glad that she’s doing this, and even more upset that she is in the position where she has to. Amanda Zurawski didn’t want to go into politics. She wanted a baby girl. Her name would have been Willow. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Amanda Zurawski on the trail

Paxton versus Bexar County

Posted on September 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sorry to make Ken Paxton the main character today, but he kind of is. Bexar County is moving forward with plans to hire an outside company to find and register potential voters ahead of the 2024 presidential election — … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Judge Hidalgo advocates for the Flood Control tax hike

Posted on September 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve got my eye on this. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo in her State of the County address on Thursday made her first public push for a proposed tax hike that would create more funds for infrastructure maintenance. Hidalgo said … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Senate Dem Caucus requests feds to investigate voter suppression matters

Posted on September 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

There’s plenty of material to work with. A group of Democratic state lawmakers on Friday asked the U.S. Justice Department to investigate potential violations of federal law and civil and voting rights related to Texas state leaders’ recent voter roll … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Shawn Thierry confirms our suspicions

Posted on September 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t let the door hit you, etc etc etc. State Rep. Shawn Thierry, a Houston Democrat who was defeated in her primary earlier this year, announced Friday she is switching to the Republican Party. Thierry was ousted by primary challenger … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Shawn Thierry confirms our suspicions