If all goes according to plan — following a marathon filibuster by state Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth — at the stroke of midnight tonight, SB 5 will be tossed into the trash instead of being delivered to Gov. Rick… Continue Reading
With Comptroller Susan Combs’ recent announcement that she will not run for re-election, the Texas Republican Party faces the undesirable prospect of having its slate of candidates for statewide executive offices being entirely male in 2014. This would represent the… Continue Reading
The election of Argentine Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio as pope underscores the growing importance of Latin America for the Roman Catholic Church. At a time when the church is beset by scandals, ranging from sexual abuse by priests to the mismanagement… Continue Reading
Today the Texas state senators drew lots for two and four-year terms, with one-half (15) being forced to run for re-election in 2014 and the other half (16) not having to compete again until 2016. This draw takes place in… Continue Reading
Filing for the SD-6 special election closed on December 27, with a total of eight candidates vying to replace Sen. Mario Gallegos, who was posthumously elected on November 6 after having passed away on October 16: Carol Alvarado (Democrat), R.W. Bray (Republican), Susan Delgado (Democrat), Sylvia Garcia (Democrat), Joaquin Martinez (Democrat), Dorothy Olmos (Republican), Rodolfo “Rudy” Reyes (independent), and Maria Selva (Green). With the field now set, and a little more than three weeks remaining before the January 26 special election (less than a week before early voting begins on January 9), it is a good time to reflect on the race to choose Gallegos’ successor, a person who arguably, by virtue of their new position, will become the Houston area’s most powerful Hispanic Democrat. Continue Reading
When the 83rd session of the Texas legislature opens in Austin on Jan. 8, there will be a stark contrast between the ethnic/racial profiles of the Republican and Democratic delegations in the 150-member Texas House of Representatives. The 95-member GOP… Continue Reading
The Texas Green Party is running a record number of candidates in 2012. These include statewide candidates for president (Jill Stein), U.S. Senate (David Collins), the Supreme Court of Texas (Charles Waterbury for Place 4 and Jim Chisholm for Place… Continue Reading