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Barbara Ann Radnofsky wraps up a widely successful five-city announcement tour today culminating in a final appearance tonight at the Mid-Cities Democrats Birthday Bash in Euless. Radnofsky, and her supporters, should be quite pleased with the large amount of earned media garnered from an entire week of hard cam...paigning. You may have read this week that Barbara Radnofsky made news by declaring the 22-word clause (Subsection B) within the 2005 constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman-essentially banning unions between same-sex couples, may in fact null all marriages in Texas due to sloppy language. Subsection B reads: "This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage." The language is certainly murky at best, and could be widely interpreted as to anull any form of marriage in Texas, but it was a constitutional amendment widely supported by the Texas legislature and overwhelmingly approved by Texas voters. However, that doesn't dismiss the fact that Republicans who authored the amendment, in their fit to curry political points by treating the LGBT community as their personal political pi?ata, may in fact have screwed up something that realistically should have been a political slam dunk. For her work this week in raising awareness of this error that might require yet another constitutional amendment to fix, Radnofsky made Keith Olbermann's "World's Best Persons List" on MSNBC's Countdown. You can view the video here. What I would add is that I do believe that Radnofsky is ultimately correct in pointing out the murky language, but I also believe that she is correct in that it would take another constitutional amendment to fix the problem. That actually could work against Democrats and the LGBT community simply because same-sex unions and LGBT issues have been premier wedge issues and political fire for our opponents. So, lets work hard to elect Barbara Radnofsky as Attorney General and get a Democratic state house and we won't have to worry about all of that. Read More
Yesterday, Teas House Speaker Joe Straus released Interim Charges to his committees. You can look at them here (.pdf). In a letter to members, Speaker Straus stated, "these charges and the recommendations you develop will form the basis for major legislation we will consider next session." The following is... the third charge given to the House Committee on Elections: Examine the prevalence of fraud in Texas elections. Study new laws in other states regarding voter identification and recommend statutory changes necessary to ensure that only eligible voters can vote in Texas elections. Wasn't it already concluded that voter impersonation happens infrequently? Changes, clearly, aren't necessary no matter which way you slice it. I am upset mainly, though, because Speaker Straus saw how a push for voter suppression derailed plenty of good laws last session. It was his one colossal failure as a first-term speaker, and he wants another go. Wow. What happened to learning from one's mistakes? The only way I can see this as something other than a repeat of an error is if he feels his position is in danger from the Craddick-Right. Even still, Voter Suppression should be a non-starter with any leader, especially one that fell flat in its wake once already. Read More
The politics of fear is alive and well. One of our very own congressmen, Republican Louie Gohmert (TX-1), has actually suggested a a new terrorist attack in New York City would be welcomed by Democrats as a means of creating jobs. That's right, an elected official has stated a political party wants an act of ter...rorism and Americans to lose their lives so the United States can create more jobs. Of course, Gohmert made his first radical and ridiculous statement on the Republican Party Network Fox News. As if that wasn't enough, he then went on the House floor and attacked the President and community organizers as he patronized the American families who lost friends and loved ones on 9/11. Gohmert's incentive and outrageous statements haven't gone unnoticed. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) released a statement responding to Gohmert. "Congressman Louie Gohmert's outrageous comments not only insult the victims of 9/11 and their families but also offer the latest evidence that the Republican Party has been taken over by right-wing extremists. House Republicans should immediately condemn Congressman Gohmert's offensive remarks. "Whether they're attending 'tea party' rallies featuring Holocaust imagery, comparing health insurance reform to terrorism, or staying silent about plans to burn public officials in effigy, the tenor from House Republicans grows more alarming by the day. "It's long past time for the House Republican Leadership to speak out against this disturbing pattern of increasingly extreme rhetoric from their ranks and engage in the constructive search for solutions that America's many challenges demand." Gohmert's insane accusations and unfounded rants are not becoming of any elected officials. He owes the people of Texas, families of 9/11, and his district a real and heartfelt apology. You can contact Mr. Gohmert here if you would like to ask him why he is pandering to the fanatical wing of his party and why he is focused on the politics of fear. You must use his campaign site if you aren't in Texas' 1st congressional district, because he doesn't seem to care about your opinion if you live outside his district. (h/t Media Matters for the incredible job the continue to do) Read More
Ed. note: The following is from Glenn Smith's excellent blog, Dog Canyon -- which everyone should read or have in their RSS, if they haven't already. Springtime Democrats in Decemberby Glenn W. Smith Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison has played her Charlie Brown’s Lucy-and-the-football trick one more time. Nope,... she’s not resigning from the Senate. “AAARGH!” shout Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Attorney General Greg Abbott, and various other would-be GOP placekickers who are now forced to cool their heels. Health care reform is up in the U.S. Senate. The economy continues its slow recovery. A jobs bill is on the way. Misled by Fox News, I guess, some doomsayers have, until now, thought 2010 wasn’t gonna be great for Democrats. But suddenly they remember: Gov. Rick Perry was elected with 39 percent of the vote in 2006.Texas, meanwhile, is an incumbents’ nightmare, and all the incumbents are Republican. Why is it a nightmare? Because Hutchison is playing a practical joke, Perry is a practical joke, Dewhurst is a bad joke, Comptroller Susan Combs writes dirty jokes (bodice rippers, anyway), Abbott doesn’t get the joke, and House Speaker Joe Straus and Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson would rather be at the track or the gun range, respectively, no joke.Oh, I almost forgot to mention that while teabaggers do their best to redraw a Mason-Dixon line along the Red River, most moderate Texans are alarmed that they can’t afford their kids’ college, they can’t afford health insurance, they’re losing their jobs, their mortgage company is knocking on the door, they pay tolls to a Spanish company for the privilege of waiting in traffic and breathing poisonous air. They can’t even get a glass of water when they stop at the diner because there’s a drought and nobody’s planned for the state’s water woes.Watch out, because December is almost here, the deadline for filing for office just six weeks away, and there’s about to be a scramble among Democrats to see who is running for which statewide office.Before very long, there will be either surprising new energy or a major shake-up of some sort in the governor’s race. That shake-up, and a general sense that somebody’s gonna get there first if they don’t move now, will energize potential down-ballot statewide candidates, in fact, it will energize more candidates than there are statewide offices. So behind the scenes there is going to be some serious arm-twisting, posturing, positioning, and all-around fun.There’s also this often overlooked fact: Texas Democrats have a statewide organization that far surpasses what was in place before their legendary sweep of 1982, or Ann Richards’ victory of 1990, or certainly before the nationwide losses of 2002. It’s not even close. There’s more organization, more discipline, more capable leadership — almost all of it behind the scenes. All of it critical to potential 2010 successes.There is an army of activists waiting to be mobilized. I have to admit, they are as nervous and impatient as Texas patriot/citizens were at Sam Houston’s dithering (to coin a word) before attacking (and beating) Santa Anna.A couple of things have made Hungry Young Democrats wait for the whites of GOP eyes before deciding what to do. First, of course, is their youth. The storied 1982 ticket had seasoned incumbents Lloyd Bentsen and Bill Hobby at the top, and a bunch of them — Mark White, Ann Richards, Jim Mattox, Garry Mauro — wanted to get near the front of the line ahead of would-be competitors. They didn’t want to wait. Today’s young Democrats have, until now, figured they had years to go before they found themselves out to pasture.But waiting is always a bad risk in politics. Just ask Hutchison. Or Henry Cisneros. This isn’t lost on the young bunch (I am leaving out names ’cause I’ll sure enough forget someone and I can’t afford the minutes on my cell phone for the angry calls from the overlooked).There’s also: 1) All the downspinning of Democratic chances in 2010 was based on air. This is not to say the Eeyore gloominess couldn’t be self-fulfilling if it prevailed; 2) What exactly is supposed to happen between 2010 and 2014 that will make the latter a better year for Democrats? Uh…no one can answer that. There is no swinging pendulum. Democrats have to build their future.With apologies to the Beatles, in politics the votes you take are equal to the votes you make.I’m very aware that some so-called sophisticates remain skeptical about 2010. Some do so for self-interested reasons. Others are glass-half-empty types. As I’ve said before, sophistication is often the enemy of courage. So call me unsophisticated. Read More
In retrospect, I shouldn't have been surprised. But when I initially wrote that Kay Bailey Hutchison would not resign before March's primary, I hoped the news would spur one of the Democrats' top two politicians into the Gubernatorial race. I feel confident one of them could definitely beat Rick Perry, but..., alas, I soon found myself writing a disappointing update: both were moving forward in a Senate election that probably won't occur until 2012. They were going full speed ahead, too. Yah, I know she said, "Let me also be crystal clear about one thing. I will be resigning this Senate seat." But I thought she was crystal clear about resigning to run for governor, and I think some other Texans thought she was crystal clear about limiting herself to two terms. As Kuff insists so clearly, "Seriously, she's changed her story about when or if she'll resign more often than most people change clothes. I say her story will change again, and there's no evidence to suggest otherwise." Even if you believe the Senator, she says she will wait until the Senate has finished considering Health Care Reform and Cap and Trade legislation. It might very well be a while before we see that latter item on the top of the Senate docket. We have to finish Health Care first, and it looks like financial regulation might follow as the Senate's next priority. By then, President Obama might be in a hard push for Deficit Reduction. There's no telling where Cap and Trade fits in. But mainly, I just don't believer her. So, what's the apparently likely scenario now? Bill White and John Sharp will wait, sitting on the bench until 2011 or even 2012. We could really use one of these men atop our 2010 ticket, though. John Sharp may be past his political prime, but he is the only active Democratic politician who has held statewide office in Texas. And Bill White is already raising money like a very legitimate gubernatorial contender, despite the contribution limits of federal campaigns. These two details alone make both men much better candidates than Tom Schieffer, Hank Gilbert, or Farouk Shami. We're playing our B team out there. At best. Both White and Sharp have legitimately good reasons to run for the U.S. Senate, but they can easily transform their reasoning into justifications for a run at the Governor's Mansion. I'll outline some of the basic ideas for them. John Sharp Sharp, despite a political career confined to the state level, wants to make a difference for the national economy and the national budget. He has stated this as primary reasoning multiple times. His issues page declares the following: Since Congress lacks the political will to cut spending, even when it knows our future prosperity depends on it, it's time to force them to reduce the deficit and safeguard vital public services like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. I have so little faith in both parties in the Congress that I believe this is the only solution. John Sharp hopes to force Congress into action as 1 of 535 Congresspersons? Additionally, he wants to accomplish this while being the federal-government new guy of the 535, particularly as a new guy who distrusts the other 534? That sounds a bit far-fetched. Instead, Sharp could take a page from Rick Perry's Influencing-National-Politics Playbook. Perry has used his job as the ultimate bully pulpit in national debates. The Texas Governor has particular creditability because Texas' energy industry and vibrant cities have held the state a bit higher than others during the economic downturn. Not that the Texas Governor can ever claim lone responsibility for the state's economy, but that doesn't matter to the talking heads on TV. Unfortunately for Mr. Perry, he's made some crazy talk that has lessened his influence with true policy-makers. And he has that R next to his name, which doesn't appeal to the good people governing the country. As Governor, Sharp could have the same advantages as Perry and more. Sharp has a D next to his name and he speaks sensibly. He can use the Texas Governor's office as a very effective podium to help this country reduce its budget deficit. Speaking of budget deficits, the state might need help avoiding one of its own in 2011. Texas would find John Sharp's leadership on the issue quite useful in Austin. Bill White If I had to write the first two lines on Bill White's resume, the first would be "Mayor of Houston," but the second might be "energy expert." That's what got him the job of Deputy Secretary of Energy with President Clinton. There, he probably learned the amazing capacity of the federal government to affect climate change and energy usage in America. It makes since he would want to go to the Senate, where the laws are really made, to influence our energy future. With no set date for Cap and Trade in the Senate, he could, in theory, arrive in time for that debate, too. But much of the country is making significant strides regarding energy efficiency and reform. Cap and Trade, like Health Care Reform, passed through the House of Representatives. Climate Change legislation has also found popularity in localities and other states in the country. The larger problem, therefore, might not be in the Senate. White should realize that the biggest problem might reside right here in the "Coal Star State." Polluters' draw to Texas could become hampered by national legislation imposing regulation on all the states, but the Texas government, as it stands now, will seek out every loophole to make Texas as friendly as possible for its oil and coal industries. The very easy start of a remedy is a caring governor to appoint quality members to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The Governor also stands in an ideal position to push for further legislation to allow Texas an environmental quality worthy of its great countryside and terrain. As an historic energy leader, Texas should rush to the forefront of clean energy. As Governor, White could push through innovative energy legislation that wouldn't see the light of day in the Senate's halls. The whole country, however, would have its eyes upon Governor White, because if we can find solutions to climate change in Texas, we can find them anywhere. Conclusion It would be a shame if Kay Bailey Hutchison changes her mind again, runs for reelection in 2012, and both these Democrats lose their personal potential from this year. I fear that if John Sharp doesn't find a 2010 election for himself, he will only continue to decline politically. I fear that a Bill White wait until '12 game would fail to take advantage of his high-water political capital. There still may very well be an election in 2010. Jason Embry has talked about a November date, but I would hate to bet my two biggest pieces on such a hypothetical. We may still need one of them in a 2010 Senate race, but I hope they at least take the time to sit down and consider their other options. In a change of events such as Kay Bailey Hutchison's recent announcement, I'd rather my politicians make clear efforts to consider the new obstacles and opportunities rather than move forward gung-ho to a destination shrouded in mystery. Read More
The first group of college Democrats in Texas to endorse a candidate in the upcoming United States Senate special election announced today that they are backing John Sharp. The club is the Stephen F. Austin Young Democrats in Nacogdoches. "John Sharp's campaign is all about us," said Laura Barry, president of the Step...hen F. Austin Young Democrats in Nacogdoches. "John has our pledge to work just as hard as he is to give Texas a fresh voice in Washington," added Ms. Barry, who also serves as the political director of the Texas College Democrats, which has 34 chapters across the state. "He has the vision to lead us into the future - and we will be there with him every step of the way." It is reasonable to note the timing of the endorsement as the University Democrats in Austin are set to vote on endorsing in the U.S. Senate primary as it stands this Thursday, a day after their major BLUEPrint for Texas fundraiser. The UT-Austin University Democrats were the 2008 College Democrats of American "Chapter of the Year" and are the largest College Democrats chapter in the nation with the activism to match. + DISTRIBUTING 42,000+ voter registration cards in key neighborhoods! + REGISTERING 11,565 students to vote TOTAL (Including 5,700+ in one day)! + KNOCKING on 40,000+ doors statewide for key candidates! + CALLING 12,233 voters on behalf of Texas Democrats! + MOBILIZING 18,000 students to early vote (a UT-Austin record)! We'll be reporting Thursday night whether John Sharp will pick up a second College Democrats chapter's endorsement, or if Bill White will overpower Sharp's endorsement and earn the support of the arguably the biggest youth endorsement possible in Texas. Read More
At the age of 96, former Austin Mayor Travis LaRue passed away over the weekend, becoming the second former mayor (after Roy Butler) of the Capital City to die in the last week. As a historical aside, LaRue was the last non-elected Mayor of Austin, having served from 1969-1971 after being chosen by the City Council. ...In 1971, Austin held it's first direct election for mayor after moving to a council-manager form of government. And in a somewhat odd co-incidence, LaRue as a sitting Mayor was defeated handily in 1971 by none other than Roy Butler, who also passed away this past week. Date of Election: April 3, 1971 Registered Voters: 93,597 Total Ballots Cast: 53,140 Percent Turnout: 56.78% Mayor Butler, Roy 34,099 65.29% LaRue, Travis L. 7,871 15.07% Montgomery, Jon 7,323 14.02% Stopher, H. W. (Oat) 787 1.51% Donley, Raymond (Jr.) 565 1.08% Cole, Lorado 508 0.97% Tune, Ray 462 0.88% Damon, Jim 376 0.72% Hickerson, Carl 232 0.44% In a further electoral note, Lowell Lebermann, who passed away in July, won election that year, defeating 3 opponents including Royal Masset. Read More
In the battle between internal campaign polls there now appears to be agreement from both camps in Houston that Annise Parker is leading going into the December 12th runoff election. Previously, it was leaker that Gene Locke's internal polling showed Annise with a 43%-39% lead and 18% undecided. Today, Parker's campa...ign released their internal poll showing a similar number of undecided voters, but a larger margin over Locke. A recent Lake Research Partners survey of likely voters in Houston's upcoming mayoral runoff shows that City Controller Annise Parker holds a strong lead over former City Attorney and lobbyist Gene Locke. In our recent survey, among likely voters with previous participation in past city runoff elections, Parker leads with 47 percent (37 percent strong) to 34 percent for Locke (27 percent strong). A fifth of voters (19 percent) remains undecided. Parker holds this large lead even though the poll simulated high turnout among African American voters. The sample was comprised of 54 percent Anglos, 30 percent African Americans, and 12 percent Latinos. Parker remains the best-known and liked candidate in the race and she maintains her lead even under a simulated attack. Only a substantially negative campaign from Locke can interrupt her momentum. Sixty-seven percent of voters have a favorable impression of Parker and 62 percent think she has done either an excellent (21 percent) or good job (41 percent) as City Controller. Fifty-seven percent of voters hold a favorable view of Locke. Further details of the poll are available in the release posted on Parker's campaign website. Read More
It's a first not only for the campaign of Hank Gilbert, but for any of the Democratic hopefuls for Texas Governor- the addition of a senior staff level position as an Asian & Pacific Islander American Outreach Director. Justin Gillenwater writes more at the Asian American Action Fund blog. Hank Gilbert has enlisted p...olitical dynamo Geeyung Li to serve as APIA Outreach Director. Gilbert is the first candidate to create and fill an APIA outreach position for the 2010 Democratic gubernatorial primary. With the selection of Li, Gilbert has doubly demonstrated his valuing of the Asian American community. Li is not only the first Outreach Director (of any identity group) for the Gilbert Campaign, but Li is also the first Asian American enlisted to a senior position in any of the 2010 Democratic gubernatorial campaigns. The Schieffer campaign has an Asian American on the campaign committee, but otherwise only has Asian Americans in low-level volunteer positions. The Shami campaign has yet to formally launch and therefore has no Asian American in any position. The Friedman campaign had the, for lack of a better word, "best" response to my query: While we have a Jew, a Palestinian, and a redneck, we do not yet have any Asian-American staffers. We have not considered race, ethnicity, gender or sex in our hiring at this time, but would expect our campaign and a Kinky administration to look like Texas. When reached for comment about his joining the Gilbert campaign, Li said: I am excited and humbled by the opportunity to serve the Asian American community. I believe the focus and outreach that Hank Gilbert has is the right step towards not only identifying and communicating the tangible needs that exist within such a diverse ethnic group, but also in building a group of civically engaged Asians that can have a permanent voice on the state level. I hope we can move forward on that, even if it is a small step, during this election cycle. Read More
It's time for a new Burnt Orange Report poll, which means the close of our last one in which BOR readers proved themselves seers in divining the intent of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. When will Sen. Hutchison resign to run for Governor? * Never, & she loses to Perry - 63 votes (57.8%) * Only after she defeats Perry - ...30 votes (27.52%) * December - 9 votes (8.26%) * January - 4 votes (3.67%) * October - 2 votes (1.83%) * February - 1 votes (0.92%) * November - 0 votes (0%) Total votes: 109 Only 2 voters out of 109 thought that KBH would have resigned from office by now, leaving over 98% of voters correct so far! And given Hutchison's statement that she won't consider resigning until after the March primary, I'd argue that the 85% of BOR voters who chose one of the top two leading options are both still correct. >> New BOR Poll Who do you support in the Houston Mayoral run-off? Vote here. Read More
I don't often like to post about organizational events or fundraisers, especially if they are specific to just one city in the state, but we wouldn't be the Burnt Orange Report without the University Democrats at UT-Austin. The University Democrats, established in 1953, is the largest and oldest political organization... at The University of Texas at Austin and the leading force of progressive student activism in the state of Texas. Today, they are the largest College Democrats chapter in the country - working to bring democratic ideals to UT, the state of Texas, and the entire nation. Last year they broke records by registering 12,000+ young voters across the state and mobilizing an entire generation of young Texas activists to blockwalk, phonebank, and elect strong Democrats to the County Court House, the State House, and the White House. After the elections, they continued to be at the forefront of the youth movement in Texas by organizing students to be the voice on important legislative issues like tuition relief, gun-free schools, tax-free textbooks, and the disenfranchising voter ID bill. This year they have pledged to be at the forefront of the movement to turn Texas blue. University Democrats has built a large and committed team of extraordinary student activists who are ready to organize young people to bring change to our state. With a plan, BLUEPrint for Texas, the mission is to turn Texas blue from the ground up by mobilizing student activists to: ? TRAVEL to swing districts across Texas to work for candidates. ? DISTRIBUTE voter registration cards in key neighborhoods. ? REGISTER new voters. ? KNOCK on doors for key candidates. ? CALL households on behalf of Texas Democrats. ? MOBILIZE young people to vote early. In order to be effective in mobilizing students for change in Texas, Unversity Democrats needs the resources and support from community leaders like you! Please support them by making a donation at their fundraiser this Wednesday. I know I'll be writing them a check. University Democrats: BLUEPrint for Texas 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 UT-Austin Business School Special Events Room (CBA 3.304) ($40 minimum donation to attend please) $50= ground breaker $100=contractor $250=developer $500=master developer $1000=architect $2000=master architect Read More
Burnt Orange Report Burnt Orange Report supports the University Democrats BLUEPrint for Texas fundraiser tomorrow. Join us: http://bit.ly/3Ihx4F
Source: bit.ly
I don't often like to post about organizational events or fundraisers, especially if they are specific to just one city in the state, but we wouldn't be the Burnt Orange Report without the University Democrats at UT-Austin.
Julian Castro, the new mayor of San Antonio and the youngest mayor among the top 50 American cities, will be hosting a virtual town house tonight. Our San Antonio readers and others interested around Texas are invited to tune in to www.mayorcastro.com tonight at 7pm. WHAT: Mayor to fulfill campaign commitment and hol...d first "Virtual" Town Hall meeting with bloggers and cyber community WHO: Mayor Juli?n Castro WHEN: TUESDAY, Nov. 17, 7 p.m.-8 p.m. WHERE: Live webcast from Trinity University, Northrup Hall, Room 040 MORE: Mayor Castro will answer questions posed directly by the community via e-mail, a live chat room at www.mayorcastro.com and from a studio audience. Media parking available in visitor's lot outside Northrup Hall or in Alamo Stadium parking lot. Read More
Recently, Houstonians for Health released it's latest video providing viewers their opinion of what's wrong with the health care system in Houston. Houstonian's' for Health is an unknown group, that I still can't identify. The very detailed video shows how Dan Wolterman, CEO of the powerful Memorial Hermann Health Sys...tem, tried to "dump" one of their hospitals on tax payers. What's scary about it is the reason that Dan gave for trying to get the Harris County Hospital District to bail him out. When asked by the Houston Chronicle reporter, Wolterman said he wanted to get rid of it because there was a "demographic decline" in the area. According to the video, the area is 31% Hispanic, 23% African American, and 12% Asian. I'm not sure what Dan doesn't like about those demographics, but he better get comfortable with them given the changing face of Texas. After seeing the video, I spent some time calling around to learn more about this ground and Wolterman. The information people were willing to give about Wolterman was interesting. Apparently Wolterman is facing two civil law suits alleging antitrust violations, he threw his doctor's under the bus during the sale, he upset most of the Harris County officials to the point he was compared to a "car salesman," and then had a "political pep rally" with Kay Bailey Hutchison opposing health reform--upsetting local Democrats, probably, Rick Perry as well. With that many powerful enemies. What's scary about Mr. Wolterman's statement is that it creates the perception, rightly or wrongly, that he would rather serve patients living in the suburbs who are rich/insured patients, rather than underserved patients in the inner city. You may remember the the first video from Houstonian's for Health Care. You can see Wolterman, front in center, celebrating Kay Bailey Hutchison and pleading for her and her party to slow down the process in reforming health care. Now we see the latest video and understand why. Texas can't stand for this kind of reckless attitude and "leadership." The problem in health care is less about the system, and more about greedy guys like this who run our institutions. Perhaps it is time to create a system that limits the negative influence of men like Wolterman Read More
If you haven't noticed by now, Bill White is doing some cool stuff with online advertising. Here on Burnt Orange Report, and a number of other Texas political blogs, White has been running blog ads. They have also ben running more premium banner ads, both here on BOR, and targeted to Texas on a number of other nationa...l political sites that also use Common Sense Media ads. (For more information on CSM ads, including here at BOR, click here.) But what is smart is the campaign is also adapting our ads to what's going on day-to-day. So for example, the other day, the ads changed over to promoting their Jerry Jeff Walker contest. All people have to do to enter is text JJW to TEXAS (83927) or enter their cell number at www.billwhitefortexas.com/JJW. Texting could be a big part of the outreach and GOTV efforts that will be especially vital to a special election. If the campaign wants to reach people where they are, whether that's reading the Burnt Orange Report, on their cell phones, or in person at a events all over the state, then updating their advertising to be timely to help build these lists and relationships is smart. And people are noticing. See Twitter updates like the ones below. >> Just noticed Houston Mayor Bill White has web ads up for his Senate campaign. Go Bill! We need a D win in a TX statewide election. >> Anyone notice @BillWhiteforTX ads popping up all over the Internet? Oh, and yesterday he told us he is NOT running for Gov. The campaign says they got nearly 1200 text signups in a matter of hours the last time they coordinated their ad & email conversation. Hopefully we'll see more Democratic campaigns make smart use of their money with targeted message and advertising online. There's no reason to cede that territory to Republicans in Texas who have made use of it more effectively in past general election cycles. Read More
Farouk Shami is going to announce his Democratic primary bid for Texas Governor on Thursday...at the CHI USA headquarters. Sue Schechter, former state representative, Harris County Democratic Party Chair, and former Rick Noriega for US Senate campaign manager, has announced she is running for Harris County Clerk. ... Is retiring El Paso state senator Eliot Shapleigh thinking about a run for Governor? Here's to hoping that he adds a "Lieutenant" in front of that before running. Raise the gas tax? Sounds like lawmakers agree with Hank Gilbert. Speaking of that, Hank Gilbert is getting noticed for his bold policy proposals, and getting good reviews of them. No Trail of Lights for Austin this year. There are petitioners in El Paso trying to overturn the city's recently adopted unmarried partner benefits program. I'm guessing these people aren't concerned because of the fiscal impact. The city spends about $35 million each year on health benefits for its 6,000 employees and their families. Extending coverage to the unmarried partners of city employees could cost another $287,000 annually. Read More
It was bound to start up again at some point- attacks on Houston Mayoral candidate Annise Parker, not based on any critique of her policy positions or campaign plans, but on her being a lesbian. Granted, Annise has been an out elected official for multiple elections and has hardly made the issue anywhere close to cent...ral as part of her campaign this year, but that won't stop the anti-gay forces from spinning a web of lies. Houston Chronicle: A cluster of socially conservative Houstonians is planning a campaign to discourage voters from choosing City Controller Annise Parker in the December mayoral runoff because she is a lesbian, according to multiple ministers and conservatives involved in the effort. The group is motivated by concerns about a "gay takeover" of City Hall, given that two other candidates in the five remaining City Council races are also openly gay, as well as national interest driven by the possibility that Houston could become the first major U.S. city to elect an openly gay woman. Another primary concern is that Parker or other elected officials would seek to overturn a 2001 city charter amendment that prohibits the city from providing benefits to the domestic partners of gay and lesbian employees. "The bottom line is that we didn't pick the battle, she did, when she made her agenda and sexual preference a central part of her campaign," said Dave Welch, executive director of the Houston Area Pastor Council, numbering more than 200 senior pastors in the Greater Houston area. "National gay and lesbian activists see this as a historic opportunity. The reality is that's because they're promoting an agenda which we believe to be contrary to the concerns of the community and destructive to the family." Eye roll. The worst part is her opponent Gene Locke is courting the same awful people. He appeared at the Pastor Council's annual gala last Friday and was encouraged several times by State Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, a featured speaker, to stand for conservative values. Locke has also met with and sought the endorsement of Dr. Steven Hotze, a longtime local kingmaker in conservative politics and author of the Straight Slate in 1985, a coterie of eight City Council candidates he recruited who ran on an anti-gay platform. It's nice to see the Houston Chronicle editorialize against these hate-mongering forces. Houston deserves better. Our city has a well-earned reputation for tolerance and openness. We don't need inflammatory appeals to folks' worst instincts. We've been here before. In 1997 a small-minded ballot initiative would have ended the city's affirmative action program that helped minority and women contractors. Mayor Bob Lanier went on the air in an ad that bluntly stated his opposition to a proposal that would "turn back the clock to the days when guys who look like me got all the city's business." Lanier couldn't have been more clear: Discrimination is just not right. It was a powerful moment of leadership. The referendum went down to defeat, and news outlets around the country marveled that a "wealthy white developer" had taken the lead on affirmative action. It's time for another such moment of leadership. ... The rhetoric of people like Steven Hotze and Dave Welch carries a high cost. Their support should not be purchased at the price of bigotry. Read More
(Image courtesy of the Texas Democratic Party).Last Friday, Michael wrote a good post on Senator Hutchison's decision to postpone her much-delayed anticipation of a future resignation from the Senate at some indeterminate time in the future, choosing instead to once again ensure she has the proper time to "reasses...s" the options that have been identical for the past decade.I know when I make the decision to lead, I always try to make it in the least inspiring way possible. (Eye roll).Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison's commitment to continue to do nothing in Washington instead of doing nothing in Texas befits her non-legacy. As the senior Republican Senator from the largest Republican state in the country -- who enjoyed unprecedented power in Washington for eight years while a President from her state sat in the White House -- why does Hutchison think she can have any affect now? What is it she hopes to accomplish in Washington -- further her own legacy of ineffectiveness? Kay Bailey Hutchison's latest decision to continue to do nothing in Washington only cements the fact that when Texans ask who the real KBH is, they are left scratching their heads -- because they don't know what she does or what she believes in any more than Kay does. Hutchison's commitment to not commit stirred up a lot of flurry over the weekend. The Rick Perry talking point blog, Rick vs. Kay, captured lots of quotes from various Republican elected officials praising Kay for living up to her lifelong career of doing as little as possible. I've captured their quotes below, and added my own commentary following each statement: Senator John Cornyn (R-TX): “I applaud Sen. Hutchison for once again putting Texas first and remaining in the Senate this year..."Me: "Hutchison's work to put Texas first on the list of uninsured children is something Cornyn would be proud of..." Former Senator Phil Gramm: “It is the right thing for Texas and America. … Having worked with Kay, I am confident that she can both protect us in Washington and run successfully for governor.”Me: "Phil Gramm was also confident that when he shredded the country's financial regulation laws in the late 1990's that the economy wouldn't suffer, so..."State Representative Dan Branch: She, like other professional women, can multitask as well as men or better,’ Branch said. Me: Dan, thanks for deciding not to run for higher office. You would have been too sensible for a statewide Republican ticket.Jason Embry also used the bulk of this morning's First Reading blog for the Austin American-Statesman to game out the various electoral calculus that is better defined (or better ill-defined) following Hutchison's declaration that she still wasn't going to do anything. Ultimately, though, none of this matters. None of it. KBH could never win the Governor's primary, and even if she did -- how would she win the general election? She has almost no political instinct, and has not defined herself at all. To date, she has allowed Perry to define her completely.Meanwhile, the Texas Democratic Party has done work of their own to define Hutchison -- or ill-define her, as the case may be. Below is their top ten list that answers the question, "Who is the Real KBH?" -- follow the links, and try to imagine how she could ever get elected for any office again:The Real KBH… Works Against Texas WomenThe Real KBH… Leaves Our Children BehindThe Real KBH… Voted Against Justice Sotomayor, a Supremely Qualified NomineeThe Real KBH… Profits For Special Interest Cronies, Republican Politics As Usual For TexansThe Real KBH… Uses Our Tax Dollars To Make Money For Her FamilyThe Real KBH… One Foot In, One Foot Out Politics Fails TexansThe Real KBH… Taking Texans Down a Road to NowhereThe Real KBH… Leading Cheers for the Status Quo is Bad for Texans’ Health The Real KBH… Using Taxpayer-Funded Staff for Personal MattersThe Real KBH… Voted with Bush 90% of the Time Read More
With her recent announcement that a resignation will not come before the March primary, Kay Bailey Hutchison hopes to balance successfully fending off healthcare reform by herself,following that up by destroying the idea of a Cap and Trade Bill, and topping it off with a win over Rick Perry in the the party that Rick ...Perry seems to control. She has a lot on her plate, doesn't she? Well, she might, but that's obviously not challenging enough for someone like Kay Bailey Hutchison. So. Time to make the task harder for the apparent star politician. How to challenge this GOP and Texas champion? I know! Work the weekends in the Senate! Senator Harkin, give this ambitious student of politics her extra work: The Iowa senator laid out an ambitious schedule for the final weeks before the end of the year. He said Democrats expect to hold the first big test vote by Friday on a motion to proceed to the bill. But no amendments will come up until Nov. 30, at the earliest. He said Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is committed to working through every weekend in December if that’s what it takes to pass the bill before lawmakers break for the Christmas holiday."We're going to be going long days — I've already talked to Leader Reid about this — long nights, weekends — constantly, from then until right before Christmas, when I think we'll have the votes, hopefully, to pass the bill," he said. Weekends and long nights in the Senate, too? I'm sure you can pull it all off, Kay Bailey! You're great at time management, so I'm sure you'll still find your time to campaign for governor. You could probably beat Rick Perry and the Democrats' agenda with a hand tied behind your back and your eyes closed!But that meanie Harkin guy really wants to test you now. So, Missy Hutchison, show us what you're made of! Read More
So a couple of major events in the Houston Mayor's Race that we have been remiss in noting the last week. 3rd Place Finisher Peter Brown Endorses Annise Parker In a news conference on the steps of City Hall, Brown today that he would be casting his vote for Parker in the runoff election December 12 and he asked all h...is supporters, friends and family to do the same. Brown said: "One candidate stands out with a 12-year proven track record of public service, particularly in terms of efficient, transparent government, the quality of life in our neighborhoods, and fiscal responsibility, especially important in these difficult economic times." Houston Chronicle Analysis Suggest Edge for Annise Parker Houston Chronicle: "The numbers paint a very good picture for the Parker campaign and present some obvious challenges to the Locke team in the finals," said unaffiliated political consultant Keir Murray, whose analysis of the precinct data concurs with that of the Chronicle. "Annise goes into the runoff in a very strong position. I think she's the person to beat." ... Parker, who established a major base of support among inside-the-loop white voters and placed first or second in traditionally conservative areas, must get out her base and undertake a major push to woo conservatives, a possibility that may be within reach, according to the data, campaign officials and analysts. Locke, who placed a distant fourth in traditionally conservative areas, must raise black turnout, unite African-Americans behind his candidacy and win over far more upper- and middle-class white voters, particularly those in the conservative areas that may be most up for grabs, analysts said. Annise Parker Releases Internal Campaign Memo In an October survey by Lake Research Partners, among voters who voted for Peter Brown originally, Annise was their second choice candidate and by a margin of 2 to 1 over Locke. And among voters who chose Morales (either first or second), almost a third chose Parker (30%) compared to just 10% who chose Locke. Gene Locke Releases Poll Showing Parker Lead of 4 Points Burka Blog: Gene Locke's campaign has released the first poll taken since November 3. The poll was conducted Monday and Tuesday nights (November 9 & 10) by Paul Maislin, who also polled for Lee Brown and Bill White. The poll showed [Annise] Parker leading by 43-39% with 18% undecided. The margin of error was 4%. The poll shows that Parker and Locke are splitting Peter Brown votes fairly evenly with most white Democrats shifting to Parker and Brown's African-American supporters moving to Locke. The undecided voters at this point are mostly suburban, white, and Republican leaning. The suburban-white-Republican-leaning voters that have made up their minds about the race are breaking strongly in Locke's favor by about a 70-30 margin. This group is primarily been responsible for Locke moving from 10% down in the election to within the margin of error of Parker. The poll is modeled on a 170,000-voter turnout in the election. About 180,000 voters voted on November 3. More Maps by Greg Wythe Now you can see the order of finish of both Annise Parker and Gene Locke by precinct across Harris County in this map. Greg also tries to divine a sense of victory by mapping these three neighborhoods. Annise Parker Campaign had a Field Game One of the markers of the first round of the election was that while Peter Brown was spending millions on TV, Annise Parker was talking to her base out in the field. With the first round over, some numbers from muse. In just the last 90 days, our volunteers have made more than 179,000 phone calls and knocked on over 50,000 doors. On just the weekend before the election, our field operation knocked on 14,000 doors! Now that's how to win a campaign when you are outspent more than two to one. ... The internal memo from the Parker campaign yesterday revealed that their field campaign increased turnout 10% in targeted precincts. That's pretty impressive data on ROI on field. Read More
Burnt Orange Report The Travis County Commissioners Court is seeking qualified applicantsfor the Capitol Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors. The deadline for applications is 12:00 pm on Wednesday,November 25, 2009. Please email IGR@co.travis.tx.us or call VeronicaChidester at (512) 854-4774 for more information or an application packet.
Before you get your hopes up, House District 66 went +5.4% for McCain. The district was 60.9% for John McCain and 38% for Barack Obama. Over 5 points worse than the state average. The real reason this is news is because McCall, a moderate Republican and staunch anybody but Tom Craddick leader will not be returning fo...r the 82nd legislature. McCall was a former candidate for Speaker of the Texas House, and along with Jim Pitts, started the momentum to oust Craddick from the dias. McCall was also one of the key 11 Republicans to put Joe Straus in charge of the more evenly split Texas legislature. In other words, with McCall gone, Straus may have a more serious challenge to remain Speaker. As the Texas Tribune write: He's the chairman of the Calendars Committee that sets the House's daily agenda and decides which bills do and don't come to a vote. And he's a member of the Polo Road Gang, a group of 11 Republicans who met on January 2 at Rep. Byron Cook's Austin house to choose their candidate for speaker. That bloc, combined with most of the House Democrats and some votes picked up later, made Straus the speaker and ousted Midland Republican Tom Craddick from the post. The political implications are two pronged. One, Straus will have to make some significant gains in the primary to moderate the House and weaken the far right, conservative wing of the party to hold off party infighting and defend his spot as speaker. Two, this gives Democrats another seat to look out and push on. Yes this is a tough seat to win, but not a harder seat than Democrats have won or defended in the recent past. All in all, House District 66 could quickly become one of the bell weather races to watch to see how aggressive the Republican Party will be in their traditionally bloody intra-party fights. Read More
Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, a Republican, refused to rule out a run in any potential special election race should Kay "Will she or Won't she" Hutchison eventually resign. It took three times for Brad Watson and Gromer Jeffer's with WFAA's Inside Politics to pull an answer from Leppert that didn't have your stomac...h queasy from all the political spin: Opportunities and obstacles come up and if they come up I will deal with them. I am very happy with what I'm doing right now. We are making great progress in the City of Dallas and I think people recognize that. If the opportunity comes up then I'll look at it. Clearly Leppert is making some of the same calculated assumptions that Mayor Bill White is making. Leppert is a popular Republican mayor of a major metropolitan county that has trended heavily Democratic since 2006. Leppert recently muscled through a sweeping Ethics reform package in the wake of former councilman Don Hill's corruption trial--the same corruption charges that now engulf State Representative Terri Hodge. Leppert has momentum, and certainly has potential, to shave off quite a few votes in his favor in the North Texas region where his name identification is high. In a special election race with very low turnout numbers that could be just enough to pull him into a runoff. It is the same calculations the White campaign is making: a popular mayor from a major metropolitan area that has trended blue in the last few election cycles. Shave off enough votes in favor of Mayor White in a low turnout special election and it should be enough to catapult him into a runoff. But again, all of these calculations are based on whether or not Kay "Will she or Won't she" Hutchison eventually resign her senate seat and the answer, as she indicated on Friday, is she will not. Based on this past week's Rasmussen poll showing KBH down 11 points to Perry less than four months away from a GOP primary election is a terrible spot to be in. However, it is indicative of the terrible campaign she has run for governor as well. It may be intriguing for Leppert to consider a special election run, and I do believe he is giving it very serious thought, but he is a smart enough politician to know that I'm staying right where I am. Hutchison is the most deceptive, stick my finger in the air to figure out which way the political winds are blowing, type politician that we've ever seen. Leppert will position himself to launch a campaign should the opportunity arise, but ultimately it will be for nothing because Hutchison won't resign. Read More
The AP's Jay Root first reported that Kay Bailey Hutchison will not resign until after the March primary. U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is challenging Gov. Rick Perry in the Republican primary, plans to announce Saturday that she won't resign her Senate seat until after the March primaries are over. Campaign of...ficials provided The Associated Press a copy of her prepared speech to Republican women in Galveston on Saturday. In it, Hutchison will say she is stepping down in 2010 regardless of who wins the Republican primary for govenor. But she says there are too many important issues facing Congress for her to quit this fall as she had planned. The senator says in the written speech that she "will be resigning this Senate seat" next year. "Make no mistake, this is going to happen," Hutchison plans to say. Although this original report states that the announcement will come in Hutchison's speech tomorrow, the Texas Tribune's Ross Ramsey reports that an announcement is expected by the end of the day, and that she already "began calling other Republicans Friday afternoon to tell them to make other plans." This obviously changes the dynamics of the Gubernatorial race. It changes the way she will campaign, as it will be shrouded in a sort of cowardliness. There is also a very good chance it will push Bill White and/or John Sharp into the race for Governor, even if she plans on resigning no matter the outcome of the primary. I don't think her word on resignation can really be trusted anymore. We will keep you updated as we get more info. Read More
As many BOR readers may have noticed, I was out of state for 3 weeks last month working in Kalamazoo, Michigan on a ballot initiative where voters were asked to asked to affirm a prior city commission non-discrimination ordinance which would have expanded basic job, housing, and public accommodation protections to cit...izens based on sexual orientation and gender identity. I returned home from that successful effort last weekend to further good news in that the Fort Worth City Council voted 6-3 on a measure to expand a similar set of city protections to include gender identity. Fort Worth Star Telegram: The vote dealt only with one facet of the proposals: expanding the city's anti-discrimination ordinance to include transgender people. The ordinance already prevented discrimination based on race, sex, religion or sexual orientation. A lot of the debate, though, centered on broader proposals, some of which the council has already tacitly approved. City staffers will be trained on dealing with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, and the Police Department has appointed a liaison to the community. Other recommendations will require further study, including offering domestic-partner benefits and expanding the city health insurance plan to cover gender reassignment procedures, including sex changes. The vote itself included organizing by both the gay community and counter-protestors. The view below from the Dallas Voice highlights the nature of the debate outside of the council. The most interesting parts are closer to the end when the pastor of a 80 member congregation gets interviewed about his more interesting thoughts on "victims, sissies and sodomites" before getting questioned about whether his congregation meets in a double-wide trailer. Read More
Burnt Orange Report Fort Worth Expands Non-Discrimination Ordinance http://bit.ly/3SfFMu
Burnt Orange Report Rick Perry: Obama is "Hell-bent on Taking America Towards a Socialist Country" http://bit.ly/20tci5
Burnt Orange Report State Official Makes Ignorant, Anti-Latino Comments; Republicans Think It's OK http://bit.ly/1UEUGq
Burnt Orange Report We fixed an issue that was breaking the links to our Burnt Orange Report posts. Sorry about that everyone.
Burnt Orange Report Pete Sessions's Facing Tough Times with NRCC http://bit.ly/3tqV4K
