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 campaigning.
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 piñata, 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.
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.
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 terrorism 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Stephen 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.
Update: It appears from a comment by one of the University Democrats that the club has cancelled the U.S. Senate endorsement meeting. No work yet on the reason, though it's reasonable to assume the recent pronouncements by Sen. Hutchison on her new belayed resignation timeline have cancelled the urgency to hold an endorsement meeting before the students are gone on break until late January. I expect it will be moved to the regular joint pre-primary endorsement meeting with the Central Austin Democrats held annually after the filing period.
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.
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 leaked that Gene Locke's internal polling showed Annise with a 43%-39% lead and 18% undecided. Today, Parker's campaign 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.
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 political 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.
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%)
Who do you support in the Houston Mayoral run-off? Vote here. Burnt Orange Report will reconsider the runoff field and issue an endorsement so we appreciate getting a quick read of where our readers stand.
