Tag Archives: Justin Nelson

The DACA ruling

Ugh. A federal judge in Texas ruled Friday that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a program that allows certain immigrants to temporarily avoid deportation and receive renewable work permits, is illegal and ordered the Biden administration to stop granting new … Continue reading

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

P Bush officially challenges Paxton

The primary no one asked for. Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced Wednesday that he is running for attorney general, challenging fellow Republican Ken Paxton with a sharp focus on Paxton’s legal troubles. “Enough is enough, Ken,” Bush said during … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Do not give Ken Paxton any more power

Seriously, WTF? A new bill would give Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton greater prosecutorial authority over abuse-of-office charges — the very crime for which the FBI is reportedly investigating the state’s top attorney. The bill, proposed by state Sen. Paul … Continue reading

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The life and times of Ken Paxton

This long Trib story is basically a biography of Ken Paxton, with a focus on his ethical and legal travails since 2014. Most of what’s in here you already know, but if you need a refresher or you know someone … Continue reading

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PPP/TDP: Trump 48, Biden 48

More polls. A new poll of likely voters found that President Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden are tied in Texas. The poll, commissioned by the Texas Democratic Party through Public Policy Polling, is the latest reflecting a dead … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020, Election 2022, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The 2022 election has officially started

And Joe Jaworski is the first candidate out of the box. Joe Jaworski, a mediator and former Galveston mayor, is not a fan of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican first elected to statewide office in 2014. “I have … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

More on Abbott’s stay-in-jail order

Here’s that more detailed Chron story I referenced yesterday. I’m just going to quote the newer information about Greg Abbott’s executive order that attempts to basically stop most releases of inmates from the jail regardless of the coronavirus situation. The … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Yet another story about suburbs shifting away from Republicans

Collect the whole set! Texas is currently experiencing two trends that are favorable to Democrats: increasing urbanization, and big demographic shifts. The Texas Tribune recently reported that Hispanics are expected to become the largest demographic group in the state by 2022, with … Continue reading

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Revisiting El Franco Lee’s campaign finances

There’s still a lot of cash in the late Commissioner’s campaign finance account. When 66-year-old Precinct 1 Commissioner El Franco Lee had a fatal heart attack in January 2016, his campaign account had $3.8 million. Since then, the cash has … Continue reading

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Precinct analysis: 2018 Congress

The 2018 Congressional races were the most expensive, the most hotly and broadly contested, and by far the most attention-grabbing races in the non-Beto division. We hadn’t seen anything remotely like it since the 2004 DeLay re-redistricting year, but we … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Precinct analysis: 2018 State Senate

The day I look forward to since November has finally arrived – all the data from the last election is now available on the Texas Legislative Council webpage. You know what that means: It’s statewide precinct analysis time! Let’s start … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

We’ll know soon enough if Beto is running for President

Thanks, Oprah. Beto O’Rourke said Tuesday he will decide whether to run for president by the end of the month, signaling his closely watched deliberations over a 2020 run are entering their final stages. The former Democratic congressman from El … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Precinct analysis: Fort Bend

Did you know that Fort Bend County went blue in 2018 as well? Of course you did. Let’s take a closer look at how that happened. Dist Cruz Beto Dikeman Cruz% Beto% Dike% ====================================================== HD26 32,451 33,532 406 48.88% 50.51% … Continue reading

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Precinct analysis: The two types of statewide candidates

When we look at the precinct data in Harris County, we can separate the statewide candidates into two groups. Here’s the first group: Dist Abbott Valdez Tipp Abbott% Valdez% Trump% Clinton% =============================================================== CD02 146,399 112,272 4,345 55.66% 43.40% 52.38% 43.05% … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Seven suggestions for Senate 2020

Someone has to run against Big John Cornyn in 2020. I feel reasonably confident we can get someone higher up on the political food chain than David Alameel this time around. Here are my thoughts as to who that might … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Initial reactions: Statewide

I’m going to do a few of these “Initial reaction” posts about Tuesday’s elections as I try to make sense of all that happened. Here we go. Let me start with a number. Two numbers, actually: 4,017,851 and 48.26%. The … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Two possible straws in the wind

Ken Paxton seems a little nervous. Less than 36 hours before Election Day, the race for attorney general is showing signs of competition that have been absent in just about every other statewide contest. Republican incumbent Ken Paxton, who was … Continue reading

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Omnibus polling update

One last Trib poll: Republican Ted Cruz leads Democrat Beto O’Rourke 51 percent to 45 percent in the Texas race for the U.S. Senate, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Libertarian Neal Dikeman was the choice of … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

When Ken Paxton attacks

He’s gotta be a little scared. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has started airing a statewide TV ad against his Democratic challenger, Justin Nelson, as Nelson presses to close the race with an emphasis on the indictment that has dogged … Continue reading

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On the air

You might be seeing some TV ads from Texas Democrats who aren’t Beto O’Rourke or Lizzie Fletcher. There’s Justin Nelson: Attorney Justin Nelson, a candidate for attorney general, on Tuesday became the first — and likely only — Democrat running … Continue reading

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Endorsement watch: Another easy decision

Remember how I said the Chron’s endorsement of Kim Olson over Sid Miller was the easiest call they’d have to make this cycle? The one true competitor for that title is the AG race, where Justin Nelson is a LeBron-level … Continue reading

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Interview with Justin Nelson

So yeah, the Attorney General’s race. You know about Ken Paxton, I know about Ken Paxton, the real question is how many people who are going to vote know about Ken Paxton. Justin Nelson is doing what he can to … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Endorsement watch: Star system

The Chron has made a change in how it presents its endorsements. The quality of candidates on the ballot varies widely from race to race. At times, both candidates are good choices. At times, there are no good choices to … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The AG race and the lawsuit to kill Obamacare

I feel like this is a better issue for Justin Nelson than it is for Ken Paxton. Of course, on the down side, for it to really be salient millions of people will have lost health insurance. Not that Ken … Continue reading

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The hearing for the lawsuit to kill Obamacare

Here we go again. At the hearing Wednesday, Texas aimed to convince U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor to block the law across the country as it continues to fight a months- or years-long legal case that could land before the … Continue reading

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

Nelson attacks Paxton over Obamacare lawsuit

Good. The Democrat challenging Ken Paxton is denouncing the attorney general for suing to wipe out the Affordable Care Act‘s health care protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions. Justin Nelson, a Houston attorney, plans to hold a rally outside the federal courthouse in Ft. … Continue reading

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The meta-campaign for Senate

Let’s talk about what we talk about when we talk about the Senate campaign. It’s the most backhanded of compliments. U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s campaign for U.S. Senate has caught so much fire throughout the state that the new favorite … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

It’s been three years since Ken Paxton was indicted

Surely that’s worth noting. It’s been three years since Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was indicted for securities fraud, and his Democratic challenger marked the date — with cake. Justin Nelson, a Houston attorney vying to strip the Republican incumbent of his title, released a YouTube video campaign ad … Continue reading

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Lyceum: Cruz 41, O’Rourke 39

Good result, though the others with it could be better. A new poll released Wednesday suggests that U.S. Sen Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, are in a dead heat. The poll from Texas Lyceum shows Cruz … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Trib looks at the AG race

There’s case that this is the second-most interesting statewide race on the ballot. Three years ago almost to the day, a Collin County grand jury indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for securities fraud. As the state’s top lawyer turned … Continue reading

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Paxton joins the wimp brigade

Seems fitting. Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a TV interview that he would be “happy to debate anybody on the issues” as he seeks re-election this fall, but he is now backing off that offer by refusing to debate … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Don’t expect any other debates

Cowardice + lack of incentive = avoiding engagement. Land Commissioner George P. Bush (son of Jeb and nephew to George W.) has no plans to go one-on-one with his challenger, Miguel Suazo — at least, not as of Tuesday, July 24. … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Business groups file brief opposing Paxton’s anti-DACA lawsuit

This is good. A federal lawsuit by Texas officials earlier this year seeking to order the end of the federal immigration program called the Deferred Act for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, will have “immediate, irreparable injury” to Texas businesses and … Continue reading

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

Gravis: Cruz 51, O’Rourke 42

Here’s a new poll of four statewide races in Texas, for which there may or may not be any news coverage. The executive summary: Gravis Marketing, a nonpartisan research firm, conducted a random survey of 602 likely voters across Texas. … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments