Tag Archives: Congress

Fifth Circuit keeps SB4 block in place

Posted on July 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

A bit of good news. A Texas law that would deputize state and local police to question and arrest people they suspect of being in the country illegally was blocked once again. The law would also authorize local judges to … Continue reading →

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California threatens retaliatory re-redistricting

Posted on July 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a thing they could do. House Democratic leadership, rank-and-file members and aides to at least one blue state governor have been meeting to decide how to retaliate if Texas Republicans follow through on the White House’s push to reshape … Continue reading →

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Twenty-nine candidates for CD18

Posted on July 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

So far. That’s what I learned from this story. George Foreman IV, the son of the legendary Houston boxer, is running for Congress. Foreman said he will run as an independent in the crowded race to replace the late U.S. … Continue reading →

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Flock responds

Posted on June 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Reporting gets results. Or at least a response. The CEO for Flock cameras has pushed back on recent reporting, including a Chronicle investigation, about the surveillance technology used by Houston police, saying it’s up to local law enforcement to decide … Continue reading →

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Abbott vetoes THC bill and calls special session

Posted on June 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Waited till the last minute because he’s such a drama queen. Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday vetoed a contentious state ban on THC products and shortly after called a special legislative session asking lawmakers to instead strictly regulate the substance. … Continue reading →

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No one knows what Greg Abbott will do, special session edition

Posted on June 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll probably know something by the end of the day today, but beyond that who knows. Gov. Greg Abbott seemed to get everything he wanted out of the Texas Legislature this year. “Without a doubt, this is the best session … Continue reading →

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The other redistricting matter

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a story from the Fort Worth Report on the redistricting trial going on in El Paso, with a focus on the effect in Tarrant County. Federal judges in El Paso are reviewing a lawsuit that alleges Texas redistricting architects … Continue reading →

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Republicans not saying anything about the re-redistricting proposal

Posted on June 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

A mostly no news update. Texas Republicans were evasive Thursday about a request from the White House to redistrict the state ahead of the 2026 midterm elections after exiting a meeting in Washington to discuss the proposal. President Donald Trump’s … Continue reading →

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More on the re-redistricting proposal

Posted on June 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Votebeat addresses a few questions. How do Texans in Congress feel about the proposal? On Capitol Hill, members of the Texas GOP delegation huddled Monday night to discuss the prospect of reshaping their districts. Most of the 25-member group expressed … Continue reading →

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Texas Congressional Republicans considering a new map for 2026

Posted on June 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

WTF? President Trump’s political team is encouraging Republican leaders in Texas to examine how House district lines in the state could be redrawn ahead of next year’s midterm elections to try to save the party’s endangered majority, according to people … Continue reading →

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Rep. Jolanda Jones announces for CD18

Posted on June 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise. State Rep. Jolanda Jones, D-Houston, on Monday jumped into the race for the congressional seat left open by the death of U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner, the former Houston mayor. “The simple fact is no one will fight … Continue reading →

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Long-awaited Texas redistricting trial begins

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Been waiting a long time for this one. Questions over whether Latinos had their voting power diminished in the Dallas area will be a focus of a federal trial in El Paso that begins Wednesday. U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, … Continue reading →

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Of course cuts to Medicaid would hurt Texas

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

They will hurt millions of people around the country, and hospitals and more as well. Texas hospitals are facing a freeze in billions of dollars in federal Medicaid funding under a budget proposal introduced by House Republican leaders Sunday night. … Continue reading →

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Another CD18 contender

Posted on April 27, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From The Downballot Zoe Cadore, who works as a lobbyist for an energy company, became the latest Democrat to enter the special election for Texas’ 18th District on Tuesday. Cadore, a former congressional staffer who was Miss Houston in 2013, is competing with several … Continue reading →

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April 2025 campaign finance reports – Congress

Posted on April 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Well, just CD18, really. I said when I posted the January 2025 reports that I was going to wait on the Congressional reports until July because there wasn’t going to be anything of interest to report on. And then Rep. … Continue reading →

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Abbott finally calls CD18 election

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s for November. Gov. Greg Abbott has set Nov. 4 as the special election date to fill the congressional seat left vacant by former Rep. Sylvester Turner’s death — a timeline that leaves the solidly Democratic seat vacant for at … Continue reading →

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Malik appointed to HCDE Board

Posted on April 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. Silky Joshi Malik has been unanimously appointed to Harris County Department of Education’s (HCDE) Board of Trustees. Malik will fulfill the remainder of the term for Position 7, At-Large, which expires in December 2026. The seat was previously … Continue reading →

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Abbott finally says something about CD18

Posted on April 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And of course it’s stupid and insulting. Gov. Greg Abbott has blamed his delay in calling an election to replace U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner on election issues in Harris County, he recently told Austin’s KXAN. Abbott has faced criticism for the past month for failing … Continue reading →

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Another lawsuit threatened for CD18

Posted on April 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

File away, I say. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Wednesday that House Democrats will “very likely” sue if Texas Gov. Greg Abbott continues to hold off on calling a special election for the Houston-area seat of the late Congressman Sylvester … Continue reading →

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Menefee threatens to sue to get CD18 election called

Posted on April 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Hope it doesn’t have to come to that, but there’s no reason to trust Greg Abbott. Acting Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee on Monday demanded that Gov. Greg Abbott call a special election to fill the region’s open congressional seat, even going … Continue reading →

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Some plaintiffs drop out of redistricting litigation

Posted on March 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Unfortunate but not unexpected. Two months before a scheduled trial, a coalition of voting rights groups is withdrawing from a long-running challenge to the political maps Texas drew after the 2020 U.S. census, which the groups said diluted the voting power of … Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court keeps Menefee for now

Posted on March 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Seems reasonable. Harris County Commissioners have opted to keep Christian Menefee as the county attorney until Gov. Greg Abbott calls an election to fill the late U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner’s seat in Congress. Menefee has served as county attorney for more than four years, … Continue reading →

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Yeah, we won’t get the CD18 election until November

Posted on March 27, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the conclusion to draw from this Trib story. Three weeks after U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner’s death and just over a month before the state’s next uniform election, Gov. Greg Abbott has not yet called a special election to fill … Continue reading →

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An early overview of the CD18 special election

Posted on March 25, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Whenever it may be. After a whirlwind week of campaign announcements, endorsements and articles by national media, voters in Congressional District 18 could be forgiven for thinking Election Day is right around the corner. In fact, the candidates vying for … Continue reading →

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Walz and Beto host Fort Bend town hall

Posted on March 25, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

In case you’re looking for something to do. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke are coming to Fort Bend County for a Congressional town hall event Thursday. The town hall will take place from 6 to 7:30 … Continue reading →

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Menefee and Edwards

Posted on March 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Christian Menefee has gotten off to a strong start in his candidacy for CD18. In his congressional campaign’s first 24 hours, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee has raised contributions from more than 5,000 supporters and garnered endorsements from some of … Continue reading →

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Menefee files, Martin announces for CD18

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I woke up to this on Monday. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee announced on Monday his bid for the congressional seat left vacant by the death of Democratic U.S. Rep. and former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. “I’m running because working … Continue reading →

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Justice Department drops Texas redistricting lawsuit

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t say I’m surprised. The U.S. Justice Department withdrew from a lawsuit alleging that Texas’ legislative and congressional district maps drawn after the 2020 U.S. census discriminated against Latino and Black voters by denying them an equal opportunity to participate … Continue reading →

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Chron calls for Abbott to get on with it in CD18

Posted on March 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I doubt he’ll listen, but it can’t hurt to try. When the Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee died in July, the 18th Congressional District mourned the loss of a dedicated and longtime public servant. Fortunately, there was already a well-publicized election … Continue reading →

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Remembering Sylvester Turner

Posted on March 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

A fine sendoff for a dedicated public servant. Sylvester Turner represented Houston on a national stage for decades as a state representative, mayor and congressman, but on Tuesday he was “Uncle Sylvester.” Turner received one of Houston’s highest honors Tuesday … Continue reading →

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Rep. Turner’s funeral schedule

Posted on March 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s what we know. Funeral services for U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner, a former Houston mayor who died early Wednesday morning, will be held in Houston next week in Acres Homes, the community he called home and always treasured. Turner will lie in … Continue reading →

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Considering the CD18 special election question

Posted on March 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Press dives right in. Shortly after the news broke Wednesday morning of former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner’s death, speculation began about a special election for his U.S. Congressional seat — a post he’d held for just two months. Political … Continue reading →

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RIP, Rep. Sylvester Turner

Posted on March 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This came as a total shock yesterday morning. U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner, a former Houston mayor, state legislator and institution in Houston Democratic politics, died early Wednesday morning. He was 70. Turner’s death comes two months into his first term … Continue reading →

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If you get the chance to attend a Congressional town hall, do so

Posted on March 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Look at all the fun you can have. About two dozen demonstrators greeted 3rd District Congressman Keith Self at a town hall in the Collin College Conference Center in Wylie. “Do your job!” chanted the crowd carrying signs including “Dump … Continue reading →

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