If you don't like Kinky, here's what to do

[Czolgosz]

If you don't like Kinky, here's what you can do:

(1) Take your friends who didn't vote in the primary to lunch and explain to them why they should support a local candidate in the run off. Here in Nueces County, we have run offs in
...(a) local Democratic Party chair race and one of the candidates is a part of Wal-Mart's management team (which cause me to doubt he's going to get behind any fair wage or fair health coverage access resolutions, see <http://citiesforprogress.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=54>, <http://www.citiesforprogress.org/pdfs/WalMartFactSheet.pdf>, <http://citiesforprogress.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=50>;
...(b) a judicial race where one candidate has served honorably as an elected Democrat for 40 years as a state representative and a judge versus a candidate who has no judicial experience and has never served the Democratic Party in any capacity;
...(c) a sheriff race where people with very strong feelings are on both sides of the run off.
Some of your best local candidates are probably also involved in run off elections -- please support them, and please bring someone to the polls who didn't vote in the primary because we need to support our best candidates and we ought to simultaneously shrink the pool for Kinky's petition.

(2) Take your friends who didn't vote in the primary to lunch and explain to them why they should come to the support Barbara Ann Radnoffsky instead of the joke candidate; this is an important election where we should all have a clear preference for Barbara, and this race should also shrink the number of people to sign Kinky's petition.

(3) Remind your friends who didn't vote in primary that Kinky hasn't bothered to vote except once in the past 12 years, and that one vote was when he voted for Bush/Cheney in '04 -- remind them of all the important elections, all the great candidacies, and all the important ballot issues where Kinky hasn't been bothered to support Texans and why Texans should not be bothered to support him now.

(4) If your friends are not convinced that Kinky's vote for Bush/Cheney in '04 disqualifies him from their support, as a last measure (or a first measure perhaps if your friends are Republicans), remind them that even Republicans deserve a choice in November, and not a choice between Perry and a joke, see <http://www.carolestrayhorn.com/petitionform.aspx>.

[acmejack]

1. Runoff Election Information

April 11, 2006 - Primary Runoff Election Date
First Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail February 10, 2006 (if you didn't request on application for primary ballot)
Last Day to Register to Vote March 13, 2006 (March 12th is 30th day, but deadline is next business day, Monday)
First Day of Early Voting April 3, 2006
Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (received not Postmarked) April 4, 2006
Last Day of Early Voting April 7, 2006

http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/2006dates.shtml

[Czolgosz]

2. Remember, you can vote in the runoff even if you don't vote in the primary

In some states -- in fact, Texas used to be among those states -- you cannot vote in the run off unless you voted in the primary. That is not the law in Texas, where you can vote in the run off regardless of whether you voted in the primary: <http://www.sos.state.tx.us/about/newsreleases/2004/04052004.shtml>.

Also, if someone votes in the run off and also signs a petition for an independent candidate's ballot drive, their signature on the petition is no good but their vote still counts, so if anyone has signed anyone's ballot petition, but later has some second thoughts, the signature on the petition is invalidated by subsequently voting in the run off.

[gulfdem]

3. Nueces Race?

Just because someone has been a Rep. and Judge does not make him the best person.
If I didn't know better I would guess that Czolgosz works for M. Watts.

[Czolgosz]

4. I neither work for Watts nor generally support the same candidates as him

(as you might know if you posted here more frequently than your one post would indicate).

Here and in other forums, I have strongly supported the statewide candidacies of David Van Os, Barbara Ann Radnofsky, and Bob Gammage. The Texas Ethics Commission's Campaign Finance Reports do not indicate that Watts has supported any of these candidates (in fact, it appears that Watts nearly always backs incumbents or heavy favorites in open races, and I will back an underdog candidate who shares my values). Also, in this forum, I have criticized Rep. Vilma Luna for votes which, in my view, do not best serve Vilma's constituents' interests (I very much wish Vilma was more progressive and less closely associated with Speaker Tom Craddick). I understand that Rep. Luna works with Watts and that her views are more in line with his.

If you believe South Texas Chisme (an interesting local blog that is virulently anti-Watts), you would see that Watts and apparently I do not back the same candidate for local party chair, either.

Finally, and most importantly, it is ridiculous to conclude that anyone who supports the re-election of Judge Jim Klager must work with Watts. The local bar association took an anonymous poll of lawyers (who generally know both candidates and who generally know what it takes to be a judge) to see which candidate is better qualified for the judicial job. 246 people voted for Judge Jim Klager and only 30 voted for Hector Rene Gonzalez. This is the most lopsided bar poll I have ever seen. Now, would you conclude that every lawyer in town (except 30) must work for Watts, or would you conclude that Judge Jim Klager is by far the candidate preferred by an overwhelmingly large majority of people who know both candidates and who will be practicing before the winner? While I don't see eye-to-eye with Watts on many political races, I'm sure we agree on Judge Klager's re-election because nearly everyone who would base their vote on qualifications and Democratic values supports Judge Klager's re-election.

The election of a judge is NOT like an election for class favorites. The election of a judge entails choosing a public officer who must daily perform as a difficult job fairly. When you say "just because someone has been a Rep. and Judge does not make him the best person," I agree that such experience generally doesn't make that candidate a better human being, but it certainly does make that candidate better qualified for the job of judge unless the judicial incumbent has been derelict or unfair in the exercise of his or her duties. The overwhelming support that Judge Klager received in the bar poll shows that Judge Klager has not been derelict or unfair in the exercise of his judicial duties.

While Hector Rene Gonzalez may be a fine person, he has a history of losing election (he came in third when he ran for Judge Longoria's bench and last when he ran for Judge Watts' bench). Hector's qualifications seem very similar to former Judge Martha Huerta's qualifications -- a very nice person, with a great spirit, who I would elect in a heartbeat as party chair or for some other role which does not require the professional background to be a judge. Judge Huerta was a good judge, I love her, but her election completely set up the series of events which turned that court over to the Republican candidate -- as much as I love Judge Huerta, it is not a coincidence that the only Republican judge in town is the one who ran against her. Hector would have the same effect if he were to win (except Hector's qualifications are weaker than Judge Huerta's were so that Republican take-over would be much easier that the take over of Judge Huerta's court).

[MrTriumph]

5. No reason to get pissy, CZO

"(as you might know if you posted here more frequently than your one post would indicate)."

The post questioning what you said was a fair one.


BTW, we are in agreement about Kinky. I saw him at the Greenville Ave St. Patricks Day Parade. One guy signing his petition told me he hoped Kinky would split the Democrats in the fall.

FWIW, I know of a few Democrats who are signing Carolyn4Names' petition. They say the same thing: They want to see to it Republicans split their votes in the fall.

Could be close race. Who knows, Tarrant County election 'glitches' could decide it.

[Czolgosz]

7. You're right. I shouldn't get pissy. I just get frustrated when a good

judge, who has literally four decades of great service as an elected Democrat, has their candidacy questioned.

With regard to Kinky, I'm glad we don't disagree. I'm surprised to hear of any Democrats who are signing 4n3p's petition, but I suppose it's bound to happen. With all the money she has (over $8 million <http://www.ethics.state.tx.us/php/summary.php?rn=298808&form=SPAC>), I don't think any Democrats needed to have skipped their primary or any runoffs to get her on the ballot, but so long as they are signing her petition instead of Stinky Kinky's, I have no objection.

[gulfdem]

6. Struck a Nerve huh

Sorry Czo
You sure got defensive? maybe you do work for watts?
All I hope is that people vote!

Who do you work for? I know your a lawyer in S.Tx.