who are the DINO in Texas?

[johncoby2]

My nominations for DINO of the year:

State Representative Allen Ritter Beaumont
State Senator Armbrister Victoria

[RufusEarl]

1. Henry Cuellar district 26! A real life DINO

He's running against Rodriguez. IMHO, Rodriguez is the best man for the gig.

[NoPasaran]

2. I would like to nominate

State Senator Frank "Locked Trunk" Madla---San Antonio, El Paso, and a whole lot of space in between.

[Czolgosz]

3. I nominate all ten anti-consumer-rights "Democrats" supported by TLR

1. Armando Martinez,
2. Frank Madla,
3. Mercurio Martinez,
4. Rodney Ellis,
5. Laura Salinas,
6. Eduardo Lucio,
7. Mark Strama,
8. John Whitmire,
9. Stephen Brown,
10. Patrick Rose.

What is TLR? The ironically named "Texans for Lawsuit Reform" -- the notoriously anti-consumer, pro-insurance-industry Republican PAC -- is the most powerful PAC in Texas. See <http://www.tpj.org/reports/txpacs04/pr.pdf>. Here is what the Center for Democracy & Justice has to say about "Texans for Lawsuit Reform":

FOLLOW THE MONEY
According to the consumer group Texans for Public Justice, as of the 2000 election cycle, Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR), one of two principal “tort reform” lobbying groups in Texas that succeeded under Bush, “received 80 percent of its money from the families of just 24 tycoons.” Kenneth Lay, former Enron chair, was one. A December 2001 report from Texans for Public Justice indicates that Enron contributed $103,250 to TLR. Texans for Public Justice, “Enron’s Blackout Cuts Power Behind Numerous Thrones,” Lobby Watch (December 4, 2001); Texans for Public Justice, Texans for Lawsuit Reform: How the Texas Tort Tycoons Spent Millions in the 2000 Elections (November 2001).
Political action committees, businesses and individuals affiliated with Texans for Lawsuit Reform and the Texas Civil Justice League, the state’s other major “tort reform” lobby group, contributed $4.1 million to Bush’s two gubernatorial campaigns, outspending every other special-interest donor except for those in the “energy and natural resource” category. Texans for Public Justice, The Governor’s Gusher: The Sources of George W. Bush’s $41 Million Texas War Chest (January 2000).

See <http://www.centerjd.org/press/release/020126.htm>; see also Texans for Public Justice ("The jury hedge against corruption serves everyone except those who buy influence. The biggest buyer of political influence in Texas is Texans for Lawsuit Reform.") <http://www.tpj.org/page_view.jsp?pageid=82&pubid=25>. The Austin Chronicle says, "Texans for Lawsuit Reform, $36,000: This tort reform PAC bankrolled many of the same GOP candidates backed by Tom DeLay's Texans for a Republican Majority in the 2002 election." See Austin Chron. Feb. 26, 2006.

[Czolgosz]

4. Does anyone know the status of these DINO vs Democrat races?

State Senate, District 19

DEMOCRAT (& HERO)
Carlos I. Uresti
9006 Walhalla
San Antonio, TX 78221
[phone]
www.carlosuresti.com

DINO - Frank Madla



State Representative, District 42

DEMOCRATS
Sergio Mora
P.O. Box 451232
Laredo, TX 78045
[phone]

Jose "Rudy" Ochoa
3111 Homer
Laredo, TX 78041
[phone]

Richard Raymond
304 Latour Court
Laredo, TX 78041
[phone]
www.richardraymond.com

GOP-FUNDED - Mercurio Martinez, Jr.



State Representative, District 38

DEMOCRATS
David Gonzales
5505 West Business 83
Harlingen, TX 78552
[phone]

Alfredo Montano Jr.
1021 East Taylor St.
Harlingen, TX 78550
[phone]

Arnie Olivarez
521 S. 77 Sunshine Strip
Harlingen, TX 78550
[phone]

DINO - Eddie Lucio III



State Representative, District 27

DEMOCRAT
Dora Olivo
P.O. Box 517
Richmond, TX
[phone]
http://www.doraolivo.com

GOP-FUNDED - Steve Brown

[johncoby2]

5. Steve Brown? GOP Funded?

Really? he has some great crendtials in the Democratic party.

[Czolgosz]

6. See for yourself (link below). I'm not saying he's the devil, but he's on

the devil's tab: <http://www.ethics.state.tx.us/php/filer.php?acct=00057996coh>.

[WolverineDG]

7. Raymond/Martinez/Mora/Ochoa race

I think it's going to come down to a run-off between Raymond & Martinez. Mora is doing very well (lots of Mora signs around town). Personally, I think he remained on the ballot to force a run-off. However, he might be doing well enough to put himself in the run-off against Raymond or Martinez.

Personally, I voted for Ochoa. He has no experience, needs to work on his public speaking skills, but of the 4 running, I felt that he was the most sincere.

dg

[Czolgosz]

8. Thanks. Raymond has an interesting story.

[Melissa G]

12. why do you like Ochoa over Raymond?

[lastliberalintexas]

9. What did Ritter do to earn your scorn?

Not arguing, just wondering.

[Czolgosz]

10. I have noticed that johncoby2 is a great advocate for the rights of Texans

who have been cheated by unscrupulous builders of uninhabitable "homes." In light of his tireless and commendable advocacy on this important issue, I'm going to speculate that he might be bothered by Ritter's too-close-for-comfort relationship with Bob Perry, a rightfully despised pirate of the Texas plains.

Here's a link to Ritter's latest campaign finance report: <http://txprod.ethics.state.tx.us/public/294856noadd.pdp>

[sonias]

11. I'm sure John will jump in here too, but yes his building connection

would be Ritter's ticket to scorn.

And I'll be on John's side of this issue too. Ritter needs to move on to the lobby gig he really wants. I would rather we had the rules to block him from doing that for two years, but we need to start over with some of these D seats. If they're not representing the people and their districts they need to move on.

Sonia

[johncoby2]

13. Ritter is bought and sold by the homebuilding industry

He owns a lumber company that sells lumber to?
The homebuilding industry.

He is also a member of the Texas Association of Builders.

He filed the bill for the homebuilders that would create the Texas Residential Construction Commission, that was written by Bob Perrys chief counsel and VP, John Krugh.

Ritter was later given an award from the Texas Builders Association for his bill.

As a Democrat, I thought I could talk with him. He refused to discuss the bill with me.