Tag Archives: Senate

May 2024 special election early voting, Day Five: More than halfway there

Posted on April 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We have completed five days of early voting for the May special HCAD and SD15 elections, with four more days to go. The Day Five daily EV report is here. There have been 7,980 in person votes and 12,901 mail … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged absentee ballots, Austin Pooley, early voting, Election 2024, Harris County, Harris County Appraisal District, HCAD, HCDP, Kathy Blueford Daniels, Melissa Noriega, Pelumi Adeleke, SD15, Senate, special election, turnout | Leave a comment

Ted Cruz may owe taxes on his podcast payments

Posted on April 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is a gift that keeps on giving. The peculiar payment scheme behind U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s popular podcast has raised ethical questions and drawn complaints about election law violations. Now tax experts say the deal involving a massive radio … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged advertising, campaign finance reform, Campaign Legal Center, Colin Allred, Election 2024, End Citizens United, FEC, fundraising, IHeartMedia, IRS, podcasts, Senate, Ted Cruz, Texas | Leave a comment

May 2024 special election early voting, Day Three: Still slow going

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s your Day Three early voting report from the May 2024 special election. As of the third day, a total of 16,078 ballots have been cast, with 4,399 in person votes and 11,679 by mail. 3,111 in person votes have … Continue reading →

May 2024 special election early voting, Day One: Why are we doing this again?

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Houston Landing has another look at the HCAD elections and just how weird this all is. The county Democratic and Republican parties have endorsed and are campaigning for candidates in each of the three races. Accusations of nefarious intentions … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged absentee ballots, Austin Pooley, early voting, Election 2024, Harris County, Harris County Appraisal District, HCAD, HCDP, Kathy Blueford Daniels, Melissa Noriega, Pelumi Adeleke, Republican Party, SD15, Senate, special election, turnout | Leave a comment

Re-endorsement watch: Again for Jarvis

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron re-endorses Rep. Jarvis Johnson for the special election in SD15. The crowded Democratic race to replace current Mayor John Whitmire in the Texas Senate has narrowed to two candidates with starkly different backgrounds and philosophies of governance and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged Democratic primary, Election 2024, Jarvis Johnson, John Whitmire, Molly Cook, runoff, SD15, Senate, special election, Texas | 2 Comments

Second complaint filed over Ted Cruz’s podcast payments

Posted on April 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Bring ’em all on. The Campaign Legal Center (CLC), a money-in-politics watchdog group, has filed a complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee alleging that U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz violated the upper chamber’s ban on members taking honoraria for speeches or … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024, Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged advertising, campaign finance reform, Campaign Legal Center, Colin Allred, Election 2024, End Citizens United, FEC, fundraising, IHeartMedia, podcasts, Senate, Ted Cruz, Texas | Leave a comment

Early voting for the May 4 election begins Monday

Posted on April 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth announced that early voting for the May 4 Uniform and Special Elections for Texas Senate District 15 and the Harris County Appraisal District begins on Monday, April 22, and runs through Tuesday, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged Austin Pooley, early voting, Election 2024, Harris County, Harris County Appraisal District, HCAD, Jarvis Johnson, Kathy Blueford Daniels, Melissa Noriega, Molly Cook, Pelumi Adeleke, SD15, Senate, special election | 3 Comments

Is Ted Cruz ever going to feel some pressure about abortion?

Posted on April 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

News item #1: Whatever happens in Arizona in November, we got a preview of the difficulty Republican candidates will have in states where high-stakes ballot initiatives literally put abortion on the ballot. Shortly after Arizona’s high court ruled that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged abortion, Arizona, Colin Allred, Donald Trump, Election 2024, EMTALA, Florida, Joe Biden, Kari Lake, mifepristone, Rick Scott, SCOTUS, Senate, Supreme Court, Ted Cruz, Texas | 4 Comments

SD15 rounds two and three

Posted on April 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

If it weren’t for the HCAD elections on May 4, the SD15 special election would be the headliner. Molly Cook and state Rep. Jarvis Johnson both say they take every election seriously, and that includes their head-to-head matchup on May … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged Election 2024, Harris County, Jarvis Johnson, Molly Cook, SD15, Senate, special election, Texas | 1 Comment

Allred maintains his fundraising pace

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Gonna need to keep that going. U.S. Rep. Colin Allred raised over $9.5 million for his U.S. Senate campaign in this year’s first quarter, surpassing the campaign of his rival Sen. Ted Cruz. Notably, Allred has also raised more money … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged Beto O'Rourke, campaign finance reports, Colin Allred, Election 2018, Election 2024, Senate, Ted Cruz, Texas | Comments Off

Trying again on judge shopping

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

If at first you don’t succeed… U.S. Senate leaders introduced legislation to end “judge shopping” — a practice that’s made a federal courthouse in Amarillo with a Trump-appointed judge a destination for conservative litigants challenging Biden administration policies. Senate Majority … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, National news | Tagged Chuck Schumer, Donald Trump, Election 2024, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, filibuster, Joe Biden, judicial nominations, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Matthew Kacsmaryk, Mitch McConnell, Senate, Texas | Comments Off

Ted Cruz is still trying to make people believe he has “bipartisan accomplishments”

Posted on April 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We return to the Department of Obvious Reactions to Dumb Things. Heading into the heat of his reelection race against Dallas Congressman Colin Allred, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is testing the waters with a rebrand. Cruz, who has made a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged Colin Allred, Election 2024, Senate, Ted Cruz, Texas | 2 Comments

RNC scales down Hispanic outreach efforts

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Fine by me. A Hispanic outreach center that the National Republican Committee opened on San Antonio’s Southeast Side in 2021 is among numerous minority outreach offices across the country that have been shuttered for the 2024 election cycle. Democrats say … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged CD15, CD28, CD34, Congress, Election 2022, Election 2024, HD118, HD37, Latino voting, Michelle Vallejo, Monica de la Cruz-Hernandez, Republican Party, RNC, SD27, Senate, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

FEC complaint filed over Cruz’s podcasting gig

Posted on April 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Go for it. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is facing a formal campaign finance complaint over money sent from the company that syndicates his podcast to a political action committee supporting his reelection bid. The complaint, filed Tuesday with the Federal … Continue reading →

The Fifth Circuit has its merits hearing on SB4

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is the big one. A federal appeals court heard arguments Wednesday from Texas and the federal government about whether it should continue blocking a new Texas law that would let state police arrest migrants suspected of entering the U.S. … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged ACLU of Texas, American Gateways, Bastrop County, Congress, Donald Trump, DPS, El Paso, Election 2024, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Greg Abbott, Harris County, Hidalgo County, immigration, Joe Biden, Justice Department, Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, lawsuit, MALDEF, McLennan County, Mexico, SCOTUS, Senate, Steve McCraw, Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, The Lege | Comments Off

The judge-shopping will continue for the foreseeable future

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We’re gonna have to make them stop. The chief judge of the northern district of Texas, home to infamous Trump judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, has informed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) that the district will not change its case assigning … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Chuck Schumer, Donald Trump, Election 2024, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, filibuster, Joe Biden, judicial nominations, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Matthew Kacsmaryk, Mitch McConnell, Senate, Texas | Comments Off

The SD15 special election is now a two candidate race

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

From Campos. Commentary said this after the Democratic Party Primary about three and a half weeks ago: “For what it is worth, according to the Texas Secretary of State website, Michelle Bonton, Molly Cook, State Rep. Jarvis Johnson, and Todd … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged Democratic primary, Election 2024, Harris County Appraisal District, HCAD, Jarvis Johnson, Molly Cook, runoff, SD15, Senate, special election, Texas, turnout | 3 Comments

Of course Ted Cruz is getting paid to podcast

Posted on March 31, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is so stupid. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s office has repeatedly dismissed ethical questions about his three-times-a-week podcasting gig, saying he makes no money from the venture with a company that lobbies Congress. But over the last year, iHeartMedia, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged advertising, campaign finance reform, Colin Allred, Election 2024, FEC, fundraising, IHeartMedia, podcasts, Senate, Ted Cruz, Texas | Comments Off

Fifth Circuit leaves SB4 block in place

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal appeals panel late Tuesday night declined to put Texas’s migrant deportation law back in effect, saying the state law seizes powers that are “likely reserved to the United States.” The 2-1 opinion from the 5th Circuit Court … Continue reading →

Mexico asks Fifth Circuit to keep blocking SB4

Posted on March 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

They definitely have an interest in this. The Mexican government is urging a federal court to block Texas’ migrant deportation law, arguing it will trample the country’s right to regulate its own borders, terrorize the 2.4 million Mexican nationals living … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged ACLU of Texas, American Gateways, Bastrop County, Congress, Donald Trump, DPS, El Paso, Election 2024, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Greg Abbott, Harris County, Hidalgo County, immigration, Joe Biden, Justice Department, Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, lawsuit, MALDEF, McLennan County, Mexico, SCOTUS, Senate, Sheriff’s Association of Texas, Steve McCraw, Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, Texas Municipal Police Association, Texas Police Chiefs Association, The Lege | Comments Off

Fifth Circuit has its SB4 hearing

Posted on March 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

More whiplashing. The chief judge on an appeals panel weighing whether to block Texas’ new migrant deportation law appeared skeptical that it does not run afoul of longstanding precedent leaving immigration enforcement solely to the federal government. Questioning the state’s … Continue reading →

And just like that, SCOTUS flipflops on SB4

Posted on March 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

UPDATE: It’s blocked again! A federal appeals court late Tuesday night stopped a state law allowing Texas police to arrest people suspected of illegally crossing the Texas-Mexico border — hours after the U.S. Supreme Court had allowed it to go … Continue reading →

SCOTUS pauses SB4 again

Posted on March 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This time indefinitely. The Supreme Court on Monday extended a temporary block on a new Texas immigration law that is being challenged by the Biden administration. In an order issued by conservative Justice Samuel Alito, the court again imposed a … Continue reading →

Does Ted Cruz think he might lose?

Posted on March 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Who knows what he thinks? U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s campaign is warning donors this week that he’s already tied with Colin Allred and bracing for a tougher 2024 reelection campaign than GOP voters might expect. The push comes less than … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged Beto O'Rourke, Colin Allred, Election 2018, Election 2024, fundraising, Senate, Ted Cruz, Texas | 2 Comments

SB4 remains on hold

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Fine by me. No rush. The Supreme Court on Tuesday further delayed a new Texas law empowering state authorities to arrest and deport migrants that would transform immigration enforcement long left to the federal government. Justice Samuel Alito extended an … Continue reading →

There’s only one way forward after this primary

Posted on March 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The worst people you know had a very good week last week. It’s likely to get better for them after the runoffs. These headlines capture the essence of it: ‘Disastrous’: A shaken Texas House prepares for rightward shift after record … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged Angela Paxton, Angie Chen Button, Averie Bishop, Ben Bumgarner, Brad Buckley, Caroline Harris Davila, Collin County, Craig Goldman, Dallas County, Daniel Lee, David Carstens, Dawn Richardson, Democratic primary, Denise Wilkerson, Denton County, Detrick DeBurr, Donald Trump, Election 2018, Election 2020, Election 2022, Election 2024, Elizabeth Wilkerson, Fort Bend County, Fred Medina, Frederick Frazier, HD108, HD112, HD118, HD121, HD14, HD26, HD37, HD52, HD54, HD55, HD61, HD63, HD65, HD66, HD67, HD94, HD97, Hugh Shine, impeachment, Jacey Jetton, Janie Lopez, Jeff Leach, Jennie Birkholz, Jennifer Lee, Joe Biden, John Lujan, John Raney, Ken Paxton, Kristian Carranza, Kronda Thimesch, Laurel Jordan Swift, Makala Washington, Matt Shaheen, Michelle Beckley, Morgan Meyer, precinct analysis, primaries, Rachel Mello, redistricting, runoff, SD08, Senate, Steve Allison, Tarrant County, Texas, The Lege, Tony Adams, Tony Tinderholt, vouchers | 4 Comments

Evaluating the polls

Posted on March 8, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This year we got a set of polls for various Democratic primary races from the UH Hobby Center. Because of the nature of some of the races and the fact that we don’t usually get this kind of polling data, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged Amanda Edwards, Angeanette Thibodeaux, Annette Ramirez, Ashton Woods, Beto Cardenas, CD07, CD18, Charlene Ward Johnson, Christian Menefee, Clint Horn, Colin Allred, Congress, Danyahel Norris, Democratic primary, District Attorney, Ed Gonzalez, Election 2024, Harold Dutton, Harris County, Harris County Attorney, Harris County Sheriff, Harris County Tax Assessor, HD139, HD142, HD146, Jarvis Johnson, Jerry Ford, Karthik Soora, Kim Ogg, Lauren Ashley Simmons, Lizzie FLetcher, Michelle Bonton, Mo Jenkins, Molly Cook, Pervez Agwan, polls, Roland Gutierrez, Rosalind Caesar, SD15, Sean Teare, Senate, Shawn Thierry, Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas, The Lege, Todd Litton, Umeka Lewis-Piccolo | Comments Off

Initial thoughts on the 2024 primary

Posted on March 7, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Some opening considerations as we peruse the final unofficial voting data. Before you read my words, go check out Stace, Campos, Reform Austin, and the Texas Signal. Here we go: – Final turnout in Harris County was 176,396 for Dems … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged 14th Court of Appeals, Annette Ramirez, Armando Perez-Serrato, Barack Obama, Cameron County, CD12, CD23, CD32, Colin Allred, Congress, Constable, Democratic primary, Desiree Broadnax, early voting, Election 2012, Election 2018, Election 2020, Election 2022, Election 2024, Gillespie County, hand counting, Harris County, Harris County Tax Assessor, HD139, HD146, Hidalgo County, Jarvis Johnson, Joe Biden, judicial races, Julie Johnson, Michelle Bonton, Molly Cook, President, primaries, runoff, SD15, Senate, special election, Texas, The Lege, Todd Litton, turnout, Webb County | 2 Comments

Primary 2024 results: Democratic headlines

Posted on March 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s going to be a late night and I have a couple of long days ahead of me, so I’m going to do some quick summaries based on what I now know, and will come back later to fill the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged 14th Court of Appeals, Allison Jackson Mathis, Amanda Edwards, Amber Boyd-Cora, Angeanette Thibodeaux, Annette Ramirez, Ashley Mayes Guice, Brendetta Scott, Brian Williams, Brittanye Morris, CD07, CD18, CD22, CD32, CD38, Charlene Ward Johnson, Christian Menefee, Colin Allred, Danielle Bess, Democratic primary, Denise Brown, Desiree Broadnax, District Attorney, Ed Gonzalez, Election 2024, Erica Hughes, First Court of Appeals, Fran Watson, Gemayel Haynes, Gordon Goodman, Harold Dutton, Harris County, Harris County Attorney, Harris County Sheriff, Harris County Tax Assessor, HD139, HD142, HD146, Jarvis Johnson, Jerry Davis, Jerry Zimmerer, Joe Biden, judicial races, Julia Maldonado, Julie Johnson, Kim Ogg, Lauren Ashley Simmons, Lillian Alexander, Lizzie FLetcher, Marquette Greene-Scott, Melissa McDonough, Mike Engelhart, Molly Cook, Nathan Johnson, Nicole Perdue, Pervez Agwan, Peter Kelly, President, Ramona Franklin, RK Sandill, Robert Schaffer, runoff, SD15, SD16, Sean Teare, Senate, Shawn Thierry, Sheila Jackson Lee, TaKasha Francis, Texas, The Lege, Todd Litton, Tracy Good, turnout, Velda Faulkner, Victoria Neave, Vivian King | 17 Comments

The Fifth Circuit remains extremely on brand

Posted on March 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Of all the Fifth Circuits in the world, they’re the Fifth Circuitest. A new law empowering state authorities to arrest and deport migrants seeking asylum in the United States may soon take effect after an appeals court stepped in to … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged ACLU of Texas, American Gateways, Congress, Donald Trump, DPS, El Paso, Election 2024, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Greg Abbott, immigration, Joe Biden, Justice Department, Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, lawsuit, Mexico, SCOTUS, Senate, Steve McCraw, Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, The Lege | 1 Comment

Abortion and IVF roundup

Posted on March 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Texas IVF patients are dealing with a lot of uncertainty right now. Heather Burzlaff has four embryos in a freezer in Dallas and she doesn’t know what to do with them. After seven years of medications, egg retrievals and waiting, … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged abortion, adoption, Alabama, California, Congress, Election 2024, gay rights, Greg Abbott, IVF, Ken Paxton, Louisiana, mifepristone, Mihaela Plesa, SCOTUS, Senate, Supreme Court, telemedicine, Texas, The Lege | 1 Comment

SB4 blocked by federal court

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal judge in Austin on Thursday halted a new state law that would allow Texas police to arrest people suspected of crossing the Texas-Mexico border illegally. The law, Senate Bill 4, was scheduled to take effect Tuesday. U.S. … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged ACLU of Texas, American Gateways, Congress, Donald Trump, DPS, El Paso, Election 2024, Greg Abbott, immigration, Joe Biden, Justice Department, Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, lawsuit, Mexico, SCOTUS, Senate, Steve McCraw, Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, The Lege | 1 Comment

Let them fight

Posted on February 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Let them fight. A $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that passed the Senate overnight has sparked a battle between two of Texas’ most prominent Republicans, with Attorney General Ken Paxton calling U.S. Sen. John Cornyn an … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged Dade Phelan, Donald Trump, Election 2024, Election 2026, HD21, impeachment, Israel, John Cornyn, Ken Paxton, primaries, Senate, Texas, The Lege, Ukraine | Comments Off

More Dem primary polls from UH/Hobby Center

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I asked, and I received. Just months after a bruising campaign for mayor of Houston, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee is leading her top challenger in the 18th Congressional District by five points, suggesting the closest race for the position … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged Amanda Edwards, Angeanette Thibodeaux, Ashton Woods, Beto Cardenas, CD07, CD18, Charlene Ward Johnson, Clint Horn, Congress, Danyahel Norris, Democratic primary, Election 2024, Harold Dutton, Harris County, HD139, HD142, HD146, Jarvis Johnson, Jerry Ford, Karthik Soora, Lauren Ashley Simmons, Lizzie FLetcher, Michelle Bonton, Mo Jenkins, Molly Cook, Pervez Agwan, polls, Rosalind Caesar, SD15, Senate, Shawn Thierry, Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas, The Lege, Todd Litton | 1 Comment

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