Tuesday, March 20, 2012
I Hate Mondays...
but I love West Side Story. Puerto Rico Republicans held a primary, so here's America from West Side Story.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Voter ID: Texas vs. Canada
Thankfully Texas' Voter ID law was rejected by the DOJ. Now the state wants to argue that Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional.
The LA Times gets it correct with Texas' Voter ID law: Texas' Solution in Search of a Problem
One of the Republican talking points on voter id is to ensure against fraud. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I could have sworn I heard some Republicans making the point that voters in other countries must present an id at the polls. So let's take a look at our neighbors to the north: Canada.
From Elections Canada: To vote, you must prove your identity and address.
Okay. How?
The LA Times gets it correct with Texas' Voter ID law: Texas' Solution in Search of a Problem
One of the Republican talking points on voter id is to ensure against fraud. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I could have sworn I heard some Republicans making the point that voters in other countries must present an id at the polls. So let's take a look at our neighbors to the north: Canada.
From Elections Canada: To vote, you must prove your identity and address.
Okay. How?
Monday, March 12, 2012
Comeback Gals: Race for the 166th District Court
Primary Outlook: Tossup - Lean Salinas
General Election Outlook: Tossup - Lean Democratic
This will be an open seat in November with the retirement of Judge Martha Tanner (D). Like with all these judicial races...a little history.
Let's turn the clock back to 1992 and the Democratic Primary. The Democratic Primary that year featured 3 candidates: Albert McKnight, Michele Petty, and Martha Tanner. Albert McKnight was later a Justice of the Peace and ran into trouble when he was charged with indecent exposure. He was acquitted on those charges. (His attorney in that case was the recently deceased Jimmy Parks). Michele Petty is back again this year running for a seat on the Texas Supreme Court. Martha Tanner of course went on to win the primary and the 166th District Court. That's about all the history with this seat.
Who's running?
I Hate Mondays...
but who doesn't love Freddy Fender. And he's singing the theme song for Texas Redistricting...Wasted Days and Wasted Nights.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
2012 Republican Presdential Primary Results by County
Mitt Romney - Orange
Rick Santorum - Green
Newt Gingrich - Purple
Ron Paul - Yellow
Rick Perry - Red
Tied - Blue
FYI, Alaska didn't (or can't for some reason) report results by county, so think of it as an artist's interpretation. Every candidate got something from Alaska, so every candidate is colored in.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Opening Salvo: Houston Chronicle Goes First
The Houston Chronicle is the first out of the gate (I think) with its endorsement of Mittens for the GOP nomination. The subtitle to their endorsement should be: Can't We All Just Get Along?
Bexar County Democratic Primary Endorsements by Group
It's always nice when groups provide a list of their endorsements, versus having to search and find them candidate by candidate. The groups below didn't endorse in every race, and a number of races are uncontested, but I went ahead a listed them all because in some of those uncontested races, at least one group offered "No Endorsement" even for candidates unopposed in the primary. Some of the congressional endorsements may change now that there are new maps.
BCYD- Bexar County Young Democrats
Stonewall - Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio
NEBCD - North East Bexar County Democrats
Tejano - Tejano Democrats of Bexar County
Proud - Proud Democrats of San Antonio
BCYD- Bexar County Young Democrats
Stonewall - Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio
NEBCD - North East Bexar County Democrats
Tejano - Tejano Democrats of Bexar County
Proud - Proud Democrats of San Antonio
| Office | BCYD | Stonewall | NEBCD | Tejano | Proud |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| President | Barack Obama | Obama | NA | NA | NA |
| U.S. Senate | Sean Hubbard | Hubbard | NA | NA | NA |
| U.S. House, District 20 |
Joaquin Castro & Ezra Johnson | Castro | NA | Johnson | NA |
| U.S. House, District 21 | NA | Elaine Henderson | NA | NA | NA |
| U.S. House, District 23 |
John Bustamante & Pete Gallego |
Bustamante | NA | Bustamante | NA |
| U.S. House, District 25 |
Lloyd Doggett |
NA | NA | NA | NA |
| U.S. House, District 35 | Ciro Rodriguez, Sylvia Romo, & Patrick Shearer | Ciro Rodriguez & Sylvia Romo | NA | Lloyd Doggett & Rodriguez (without Doggett) | Rodriguez |
| Railroad Commissioner |
Dale Henry | No Endorsement | NA | NA | NA |
| Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals | Keith Hampton | Hampton | NA | NA | NA |
| SBOE, District 3 | Michael Soto | Soto | NA | NA | NA |
| SBOE, District 5 | Rebecca Bell-Metereau | Bell-Metereau | NA | NA | NA |
| State Sen., District 19 | Carlos Uresti | No Endorsement | NA | Uresti | NA |
| State Sen., District 21 | Judith Zaffirini | No Endrosement | NA | NA | NA |
| State Sen., District 26 | Leticia Van de Putte | Van de Putte | NA | NA | NA |
| State Rep., District 116 | NA |
Trey Martinez-Fischer | NA | NA | NA |
| State Rep., District 117 | Tina Torres | Torres | NA | Torres | NA |
| State Rep., District 118 | Joe Farias | Farias | NA | NA | NA |
| State Rep., District 119 | Roland Gutierrez | Gutierrez | NA | NA | NA |
| State Rep., District 120 | Ruth Jones McClendon | McClendon | NA | NA | NA |
| State Rep., District 123 | Mike Villarreal |
Villarreal | NA | NA | NA |
| State Rep., District 124 | Jose Menendez | No Endorsement | NA | NA | NA |
| State Rep., District 125 | Justin Rodriguez | Delicia Herrera | NA | Herrera | NA |
| 4th Court of Appeals, Place 2 | Baldemar Garza | No Endorsement | NA | NA | NA |
| 4th Court of Appeals, Place 3 | Patricia Alvarez | Alvarez | NA | NA | NA |
| 4th Court of Appeals, Place 4 | Luz Elena Chapa | Chapa | NA | Chapa | NA |
| 4th Court of Appeals, Place 5 | David Towler | Towler | NA | NA | NA |
| 4th Court of Appeals, Place 7 | Rebeca Martinez | Martinez | Martinez | NA | NA |
| 37th Judicial District |
Michael Mery | Mery | Mery | Mery | NA |
| 57th Judicial District | Toni Arteaga | Arteaga | Arteaga | NA | NA |
| 73rd Judicial District | David Canales | D. Canales | D. Canales | NA | NA |
| 131st Judicial District |
John Gabriel | Gabriel | NA | NA | NA |
| 166th Judicial District | Karen Crouch | Crouch | Crouch | NA | NA |
| 379th Judicial District | Mary Roman | Roman | NA | NA | NA |
| 386th Judicial District | Ron Rangel | Rangel | NA | Rangel | NA |
| 299th Judicial District | Stephen Smith | Smith | NA | NA | NA |
| 407th Judicial District | Ray Olivarri | Olivarri | NA | NA | NA |
| 408th Judicial District | Larry Noll | Noll | Noll | Noll | NA |
| 438th Judicial District | Gloria Saldana | Saldana | Saldana | Saldana | NA |
| Sheriff | Andy Lopez | Amadeo Ortiz | Ortiz & Larry Ricketts | NA | NA |
| Tax Assessor Collector | Albert Uresti | Ernesto Castro | Castro | Uresti | NA |
| Co. Comm., Pct. 1 | Chico Rodriguez | Rodriguez | NA | Jennifer Ramos | NA |
| JP, Pct. 1, Place 1 | NA | No Endorsement | NA | Tomas Uresti | NA |
| JP, Pct. 2, Place 1 | Steve Walker | Byron Barnett | Walker | Walker | Walker |
| Constable, Pct. 1 | Ruben Tejeda | Alex Quintanilla | NA | NA | NA |
| Constable, Pct. 2 | Val Flores | Joe Curiel | NA | Sam Talamantez | NA |
| Constable, Pct. 3 | Edward Coleman | Coleman | Coleman | NA | NA |
| Constable, Pct. 4 | Mike Blount | Blount | NA | NA | NA |
| Dem. Party Chair | Choco Meza | Meza | Meza | Manuel Medina | Medina |
State Rep. Lozano: I Support $4 Billion in Cuts to Education
No he never said he supported cuts to education, but he might as well have said it. State Rep. J.M. Lozano is switching parties...D to R.
Since he's switching parties, what all is he now endorsing?
Here are some of the accomplishments of the the Republican Legislature from last session:
Since he's switching parties, what all is he now endorsing?
Here are some of the accomplishments of the the Republican Legislature from last session:
- Cut $4 billion from Public Education
- $1000 less per student
- Larger class sizes
- Less Teachers
- 9% cut to Colleges and Universities
- Less college financial aid
- Increased tuition
- $2.03 billion in cuts to Medicaid & CHIP
- Higher health care costs
- Decreased access to health care
- $2 billion in Tax Loopholes
- Voter ID
- Longer lines at the DMV
- Increased fees for state services
Monday, March 5, 2012
A Tale of Two Canales: Race for the 73rd District Court
Primary Outlook: Positively Canales
General Election Outlook: Tossup - Lean Republican
Unlike some of the other courts races, there's not a lot of history to with this particular seat. Why? From 1989-2009 this seat was held by one person...the late Judge Andy Mireles.
This being a district court seat, a vacancy is filled by the governor. Governor Oops appointed a Republican (duh) who won election to this seat in 2010. Since the 73rd is elected in presidential years, the seat is up again this year and offers Democrats the chance to reclaim the seat.
Who's running?
2012 Southland Basketball Tournament: Go Roadrunners!
March Madness is upon us. The Southland Tournament gets underway this Tuesday.
Unfortunately the UTSA women didn't make the tournament this year, but the men are seeded #5.
Go Roadrunners!
Unfortunately the UTSA women didn't make the tournament this year, but the men are seeded #5.
Go Roadrunners!
Friday, March 2, 2012
Manuel Medina Buying Endorsements
Or he's attempting to buy endorsements.
When we first came out with our ratings on this race we said 2 peppers for the general public and 5 peppers for Democratic activists, donors, insiders, etc. Seems like a good call. While the Express-News has ignored the race, Plaza de Armas hasn't.
A new article from PdA talks about the County Chair endorsement meeting of Stonewall Democrats. If you haven't, you should get a subscription to PdA.
Here's the opening paragraph:
That's right. The candidate who in another PdA article talked about "turning the page" seems to be employing some pretty old school dirty tricks tactics when it comes to the County Chair race. Medina seems to be turning the page alright, he just seems to be turning it back to a time of "Vote for me and I'll pay you." And this isn't the first time. He attempted to buy the endorsement of the Young Democrats. Unfortunately for Medina, they require 30 days before new members can vote. As PdA notes, "...he declined to pay his friends' membership fees." In case you're wondering, Medina failed in his attempt to buy the Stonewall Democrats' endorsement.
One other casualty in this race looks to be one of Medina's supporters. Former City Council candidate Chris Forbrich is not doing himself any favors with his support of Medina.
Medina is rumored to be wealthy. It looks like he's really going to try and buy this position. In addition, there was a candidate forum at the North East Democrats meeting between the two county chair candidates. During a portion of Medina's presentation he was verbally accused of lying by one of the audience members.
Trying to buy endorsements, lying at candidate forums...the first word that comes to mind is sleazy. And is that really the image Bexar County Democrats want to project? Especially after the stolen money and Dan Ramos sagas.
When we first came out with our ratings on this race we said 2 peppers for the general public and 5 peppers for Democratic activists, donors, insiders, etc. Seems like a good call. While the Express-News has ignored the race, Plaza de Armas hasn't.
A new article from PdA talks about the County Chair endorsement meeting of Stonewall Democrats. If you haven't, you should get a subscription to PdA.
Here's the opening paragraph:
Precisely when did things start to get testy Sunday at the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio’s candidate-endorsement meeting? By most accounts, it was the moment Manuel Medina, challenger for Bexar County Democratic Party chair, strolled into the Downtown Luby’s with 40 soon-to-be-new members who all – coincidentally enough – supported his candidacy. Medina’s contingent doubled the turnout, and the candidate came in ready to pay the $35 membership fees for each of his followers.
That's right. The candidate who in another PdA article talked about "turning the page" seems to be employing some pretty old school dirty tricks tactics when it comes to the County Chair race. Medina seems to be turning the page alright, he just seems to be turning it back to a time of "Vote for me and I'll pay you." And this isn't the first time. He attempted to buy the endorsement of the Young Democrats. Unfortunately for Medina, they require 30 days before new members can vote. As PdA notes, "...he declined to pay his friends' membership fees." In case you're wondering, Medina failed in his attempt to buy the Stonewall Democrats' endorsement.
One other casualty in this race looks to be one of Medina's supporters. Former City Council candidate Chris Forbrich is not doing himself any favors with his support of Medina.
Medina is rumored to be wealthy. It looks like he's really going to try and buy this position. In addition, there was a candidate forum at the North East Democrats meeting between the two county chair candidates. During a portion of Medina's presentation he was verbally accused of lying by one of the audience members.
Trying to buy endorsements, lying at candidate forums...the first word that comes to mind is sleazy. And is that really the image Bexar County Democrats want to project? Especially after the stolen money and Dan Ramos sagas.
Read Across America & Dr. Seuss' Birthday
It's Read Across America Day in conjunction with Dr. Seuss' Birthday.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
2012 Republican Presdential Primary Results by County
Three more states added: Arizona, Michigan, & Wyoming.
Mitt Romney - Orange
Rick Santorum - Green
Newt Gringrich - Purple
Ron Paul - Yellow
Rick Perry - Red
Tied - Blue
Mitt Romney - Orange
Rick Santorum - Green
Newt Gringrich - Purple
Ron Paul - Yellow
Rick Perry - Red
Tied - Blue
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