Talk on the House floor at a Thursday morning vote centered on the potential fallout of Barton's apology to BP and his comment that the White House had conducted a "shakedown" of BP for a $20 billion escrow fund for the Gulf cleanup. Some Republicans are calling for him to lose his status on the committee, according to a GOP lawmaker who requested anonymity.
"It's fair to say there were some people who were very upset," added a GOP leadership aide...
He's not gonna resign, not even for a $33 million dollar apology, but I have to say it's nice to see a Texas Republican make other Republicans squirm.
Lawmakers were "hunkered down" in Boehner's office to discuss the flap, according to the member who said people were calling for Barton's resignation.
Good luck with that, boys.
H/T to Jed Lewison Daily Kos for reading Politico so I don't have to.
All politics is local. That is, unless you are a Republican campaigning against an incumbent Democrat. Then all politics becomes national. At least that what Republican Bill Flores is hoping, as he campaigns against Democratic Congressman Chet Edwards. While Edwards campaign strategy is centered around painting Flores as an outsider to the district who was picked by Washington, D.C. insiders (and who accumulated his personal wealth in the oil business), Flores is going to attempt to connect Edwards to President Obama and the Democrats in Congress. The problem is that one strategy has worked before, and one strategy never has.
The Rothenberg Political Report reported on the results of a Republican poll which shows Flores leading Edwards by twelve points, 51% to 43%. Surveying 400 "likely voters" OnMessage Inc, a Republican firm, conducted the poll from May 2nd through May 3rd. Although, it appears that Edwards has a strong approval rating of 53% and only a 38% unfavorable rating. While 53% of those polled do not have any opinion of Flores at all, who has 37% favorable rating and 10% unfavorable rating.
The pollster, Wes Anderson, is framing the election as a referendum on President Obama and the Congressional Democrats:
"There are a whole bunch of Republican voters who like Congressman Edwards. They say that they voted for him in the past, but they aren't going to do it this time. This election isn't about Chet Edwards."
One of the truisms of Texas political life is the perpetual mantra of how much money it takes to run.
So State Senator Kirk Watson's Monopoly Buster contest (in its final round of voting this week) can have a big financial impact for one of the 10 finalists.
That's exciting-but not as exciting to me as it takes to win-organizing with an emphasis on getting viral.
Last night was the deadline to file for the Democratic and Republican primaries, and both Democrat and Republican incumbents are facing challenges from both the left and the right. In Brazos County and throughout the rest of the Brazos Valley there are several notable candidates, and what takes place in March is going to greatly affect the complexion of the election in November.
The campaign for the Republican nomination for Congressional District 17 is much more crowded than it was last year. Last year's Republican nominee, Waco businessman Rob Curnock, is joined by fellow Waco businessman Chuck Wilson, College Station nurse Timothy Delasandro, Houston businessman Bill Flores, and Texas A&M security expert Dave McIntyre. The Republican primary will probably be between Curnock and McIntyre, however, Flores is well funded and will be able to spend more than the other candidates. Democratic Congressman Chet Edwards is going to have a financial advantage over whichever Republican emerges from the primary. How the Republican primary evolves is going to greatly affect the general election in November and whether or not a Republican candidate can serious challenge Edwards.
Texas State Senator Steve Ogden had announced his retirement and State Representative Dan Gattis appeared to be the front runner to receive the Republican nomination for the vacated Senate seat. However, after Gattis withdrew from the campaign for personal reasons Ogden decided to run for reelection and facing a primary challenge from Ben Bius. Ogden will be campaigning as his experience as a State Senator, but the budget and the economy are going to be central issues in the campaign.
Texas State Representative Fred Brown is facing a primary challenge form three candidates; former Brazos County Tax Collector Buddy Winn, former candidate for Brazos County District Attorney Rick Davis, and Blinn College professor Blanche Brick. During the 2008 election Left of College Station reported on the almost unopposed Republican, who only faced a Libertarian opponent in the general election. However, during the primary Brown will face a longtime Brazos County public office holder in Winn, and candidate that will pull no punches during the campaign in Davis. Brown's record as a legislator will be the focus of the primary debate, including the dubious distinction as being named by Texas Monthly as being a piece of furniture.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Schieffer is getting out of the race this afternoon, sources said Monday morning. "He just couldn't put it together," said one.
"I can't comment," said Clay Robison, Schieffer's spokesman. Schieffer didn't immediately return calls. A short time later, they called a press conference for 3 p.m. this afternoon.
Schieffer is the self-styled establishment candidate in a Democratic primary where no one has really gained traction. Kinky Friedman had more support in the University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll earlier this month, but 55 percent of Democratic primary voters said they hadn't yet chosen a candidate.
The Houston Chronicle reports that Bill White is now shifting to the Gov race.
White has been firm as recently as last week that he would not switch from the U.S. Senate race to the governor's race. But when Republican U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison announced that she would not resign to run for governor, it made the prospects of a race switch more likely for White because no special election was immediately available.
Also, because Hutchison has said she will resign in March, it gives White two bites at the apple. He can run for governor, and even if he gets the nomination, he could still run in a Senate special election. If he won the Senate seat, then the State Democratic Executive Committee could name his replacement in the governor's race.
That scenario delineated in the Chron entry-with White gaming the system to be able to run for Gov AND run for Senate is a bit troubling to me-though I like Bill White's approach in the nascent Senate race.
Because if there's an argument to be made that Democrats are out for the main chance, it's made by a top of the ticket that is just marking time till he gets a chance at the job he really wants.
If Democrats don't act differently from Republicans, why should anyone care which party runs Texas?
So, IOW, in or out. Pick the job you want, and make your case, Bill.
This Sunday, all across Texas, Hank's supporters will have the chance to hear him on several different radio shows and one television show to cap off his 13-media market Road to Prosperity Tour in which Hank unveiled his Pledging Allegiance To Texas Public Schools k-12 public education plan and announced his run for governor.
First, Hank will be headlining Inside Texas Politics on WFAA-TV Channel 8 in Dallas-Fort Worth. The show will air this Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. CST on WFAA Channel 8 in Dallas/Fort Worth.
Hank will also appear as a guest on the Texas State Network's This Week In Austin. The show airs on dozens of TSN radio stations across the state. Check TSN's website (link: http://www.tsnradio.com/statio... for the name of your local station, and contact your local station for the airtime in your area.
Finally, Hank will appear on the public affairs show ACCESS on five radio stations along the Texas Gulf Coast. The call letters for stations and their local broadcast times for ACCESS are as follows:
KLVI ( klvi.com ) 10am
KYKR ( kykr.com) 10pm
KKMY (mix1045.com) 6pm
KCOL ( cool925.com) 9pm
KIOC (bigdog106.com) 7am
It's gonna be a long road till the primary, and then on through to the general.
I must say, I'm really liking the active and assertive way the Gilbert campaign started out.
If you get a chance to check out one of Hank's appearances this weekend-let us know what you think.
One of the truisms of Texas political life is the perpetual mantra of how much money it takes to run.
