Politics
32 Lone Star superdelegates are courted, committed, confused
By ROBERT T. GARRETT and DAVE LEVINTHAL, The Dallas Morning News, 7 March 2008
DALLAS – While the nearly 800 superdelegates very well may crown the Democratic Party's presidential nominee after an inconclusive primary season, some in Texas don't want to play king-maker – or queen-maker.
Pinning down Texas superdelegates poses a challenge for Clinton, Obama
By LISA SANDBERG and JANET ELLIOTT, Houston Chronicle, 6 March 2008
AUSTIN – With the rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination each claiming to have secured the most Texas delegates, the outcome may hinge on the state's roughly dozen or so uncommitted superdelegates.
With tight Texas race, don't count on delegate answer until June
By KAREN BROOKS, The Dallas Morning News, 6 March 2008
AUSTIN – Hillary Rodham Clinton won the popular vote in the state's Democratic primary, but Barack Obama is poised to walk away from the Texas two-step with more delegates, if his current lead in delegates from the precinct conventions holds through June.
Texas ascends in Democratic primary
By TRICIA CORTEZ, LAREDO MORNING TIMES, 6 March 2008
LAREDO – More than 1,000 voters showed up to their precincts Tuesday night to caucus for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama after Primary Election Day polling sites closed.
Clinton backer wants Texas caucus system scrapped
By JOHN MORITZ, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 March 2008
AUSTIN – A key supporter of New York Sen. Hillary Clinton said Thursday that Texas' confusing primary-caucus hybrid should be scrapped so that in the future, delegates to the Democratic National Convention would be awarded based on the popular vote in the state's primary.
Caucus chaos turns into conflict
By Marty Schladen, Galveston County Daily News, 7 March 2008
TEXAS CITY – The battle between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama about caucus delegates continued Thursday in Texas City.
Voters say they were blocked by locked doors
By Chris Paschenko, Galveston County Daily News, 7 March 2008
DICKINSON – A Dickinson couple said they were among 10 people disenfranchised Tuesday when they unknowingly entered a line of people waiting to caucus.
How Texas Democrats allocate convention delegates
Dallas Morning News, 6 March 2008
Texas Democrats allocate their convention delegates in two ways:
Obama, Clinton TV ad war cost about $15 million
By W. Gardner Selby, Austin American-Statesman, 3/7/8
About $15 million got poured into TV advertising aired over broadcast stations in the three weeks leading to Tuesday’s Texas primary pitting Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, according to TNS Media Intelligence/CMAG, a Virginia-based company that tracks TV spots.
Voter turnout one of largest for a primary
By Steve Nash and Gene Deason, Brownwood Bulletin, 6 March 2008
BROWNWOOD – Tuesday’s party primaries were greeted by a large turnout for Brown County, Elections Administrator Suzy Young said, but it still wasn’t enough for her.
Ron Paul hints that he's quitting presidential race
Houston Chronicle, 7 March 2008
WASHINGTON – GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul is hinting to supporters that he is ending his long-shot campaign for the presidency.
Group asks IRS to look at pastor's endorsement
By JACK DOUGLAS Jr., Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 March 2008
FORT WORTH – A Houston preacher violated a federal law separating church and state when he endorsed a Republican candidate in a congressional district once held by GOP power broker Tom DeLay, a Washington watchdog group said Thursday.
Democrats help GOP speaker
Dallas Morning News, 7 March 2008
DALLAS – Think politics can be weird? Let us tell you how weird.
Vote to get rid of caucuses
Amarillo Globe-News, 7 March 2008
AMARILLO – No one seems to like it. Confusion has reigned supreme over this process. Yet the Texas Democratic Party seems oddly wedded to it.
One more vote... for election workers
Brownwood Bulletin, 6 March 2008
BROWNWOOD – Large numbers of voters turned out Tuesday to participate in the Democratic and Republican parties’ primary elections, and it was a scene that delighted political pundits, lovers of freedom and especially the candidates.
Officials handled high voter turnout well
By Michael Morris, Brazosport Facts, 7 March 2008
BRAZOSPORT – The lines at many polling places during the early voting and for Election Day on Tuesday were reminiscent of those shoppers might find at the grocery store on the day before Thanksgiving.
The election day turnout surpassed expectations
Corpus Christi Caller-Times, 7 March 2008
CORPUS CHRISTI – In the wake of the Tuesday primaries, the victors enjoyed their fruits and the losers tried to figure out how to spin the results as a positive.
Real change Elections
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 March 2008
FORT WORTH – Change.
It's their party
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 March 2008
FORT WORTH – Confusing. Frustrating. Embarrassing.
Texas two-step was Democrat disenfranchisement
By Sarah Boone, Rio Grande Guardian, 6 March 2008
On Tuesday, for the first time in my life, I voted in a Democratic presidential primary, and, if the total disorganization and disenfranchisement I witnessed in Precinct 40 in Del Rio is typical of my ‘new’ party, I will not be back.
Government
'Virtual fence' may be operating this year
By Dave Montgomery, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 March 2008
WASHINGTON – The Bush administration outlined plans Thursday to begin operating portions of a high-tech "virtual fence" along the Southwest border later this year and strongly disputed news reports that a 28-mile pilot project to test the technology was largely a failure.
U.S. to start using virtual border fence this year
Dallas Morning News, 7 March 2008
WASHINGTON – The Bush administration outlined plans on Thursday to begin operating portions of a high-tech "virtual fence" along the Southwest border later this year and disputed news reports that a 28-mile pilot project to test the technology was largely a failure.
Caucuses pass resolutions opposed to border wall
By Joey Gomez, Rio Grande Guardian, 6 March 2008
McALLEN – In another sign that opposition to the border wall persists in the Rio Grande Valley, voters at many precinct conventions on Tuesday evening passed resolutions opposing its construction.
Cornyn: Report reinforces need for SCAAP funding
By María González-Escareño, Rio Grande Guardian, 6 March 2008
LAREDO – The U.S./Mexico Border Counties Coalition released a study highlighting the cost of processing criminal undocumented immigrants, results that U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, says show the need to pass the SCAAP Reimbursement Protection Act of 2008.
Perry sends letter in support of I-69 signs
By DAISY MARTINEZ, VALLEY MORNING STAR, 7 March 2008
HARLINGEN – Mayor Chris Boswell announced Thursday that Gov. Rick Perry has sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation in support of signs officially designating U.S. 77 in Cameron County as part of Interstate 69.
Texans ponder where the superhighway might take them
By Peter S. Canellos, THE BOSTON GLOBE, 7 March 2008
REFUGIO – With an abandoned Wild West-vintage town of storefronts slumbering just a block from old U.S. 77, tiny Refugio is a place where myth and reality coexist in a ghostly silence.
News
Texas adds 28,000 jobs
Dallas Morning News, 6 March 2008
DALLAS – Texas employers added 28,000 jobs in January, though the unemployment rate inched up.
People
NTTA official may serve on Texas Transportation Commission
By MICHAEL A. LINDENBERGER, The Dallas Morning News, 6 March 2008
DALLAS – Fort Worth businessman and NTTA board member William Meadows confirmed Thursday that he has been approached by Gov. Rick Perry’s office as a possible successor to Ric Williamson on the Texas Transportation Commission.