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? 

Monday, March 12, 2012

2012 Republican Presidential Primary by County

From Wikipedia.


Comeback Gals: Race for the 166th District Court

Race: 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


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:
  •  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

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 Republican Presdential Primary Results by County

Washington is now added. From Wikipedia:


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!


I Hate Mondays...

but I love the cancelled one season TV series Wonderfalls.


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:
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