By virtue of vetoes and a special session, Gov. Rick Perry dominates bloggers' conversations this week. They're chatting about the 2010 gubernatorial contest, the impending U.S. Senate campaign, additional political contests and criminal justice. Wrapping it up is news out of College Station.
* * * * *
Like a Guv
The Austin Chronicle's Newsdesk breaks down Perry's vetoes by chamber, city and party [1]. The Austin American-Statesman's Postcards takes closer looks at vetoed bills on volunteer tax centers [2], pre-kindergarten [3] and CPS [4]. They also look at an endorsed one on electronic textbooks [5].
"The bicycling community will never forgive Governor Perry [6]," for vetoing a "safe passing" bill, the Houston Chronicle's Texas Politics reports. Meanwhile, Lone Star Times describes successful lobbying efforts [7] against a Child Protective Services bill that Perry vetoed (to the author's approval, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's PoliTex). And Grits for Breakfast reviews criminal justice bills executed [8] by the governor.
Perry told reporters that the special session's objective [9] will be to "get in, get those five agencies addressed, and go on back to your homes," PoliTex says. Newsdesk rounds up some special session wishes [10] from some senators and representatives. And Rep. Aaron Peña, D-Edinburg, told the Greater McAllen Chamber of Commerce that he expects the special session to be brief and voter ID-less [11].
Texas Politics showed up for Perry's first big campaign appearance [12]. Here [13]'s another report from PoliTex and video from the host's blog [14] at Texans for Rick Perry. And Texans for Rick Perry recognizes the 10,000 follower [15] of their Twitter account, @GovernorPerry, while a photo of Perry with a gun [16] caught Texican Tattler's eye.
PoliTex reports on Perry's new chief of staff [17] Ray Sullivan. Postcards says Sullivan's hiring "makes sense [18]... as he shifts his focus fully to his re-election campaign."
The El Paso Times' Vaqueros and Wonkeros knows who'll be leading U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's (expected) campaign in far West Texas [19]. And Democrat Tom Schieffer goes on record about Iraq and Guantanamo Bay [20] during a Texas Politics podcast.
Notes from the Lege participated in three discussions with the folks behind the Statesman's First Readings and Texas Monthly's BurkaBlog and State of Mine. Topics addressed include voter identification [21], the GOP gubernatorial contest [22] and other 2010 races [23].
* * * * *
Senate Hands
Pollabear says saying the Democratic primary contest between former Comptroller John Sharp and Houston Mayor Bill White is sure to be contentious [24]. Neither Sharp nor White gave enough consideration to a question about the federal Defense of Marriage Act [25], in Texas Cloverleaf's opinion. And Castle Hills Democrat tells what happened at a Democratic fish fry attended by Schieffer, Sharp, White and congressional candidate Neil Durrance.
White made a trip down to McAllen last week and picked up an endorsement [26] from A Capitol Blog, who videotaped the whole thing. ABC13's Political Blog writes about some recent White activity [27]. And the claims of a former Hutchison staffer on Rick vs. Kay landed him in hot water [28] with the Michael Williams U.S. Senate campaign.
Capitol Annex sent Texas Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones' media relations folks into full denial mode [29] after he passed along a tip that she is going to end her U.S. Senate bid. (If the rumor turns out to be true, among the disappointed will be former U.S. Commerce Secretary Robert Mosbacher, who endorsed Jones [30] at the end of the week, according to Texas Politics.)
* * * * *
Race Running
A Burnt Orange Report reader contributes a report on State Board of Education [31] candidates who want to replace District 10 incumbent Cynthia Dunbar. Poli-Tex has additional info [32]. In the field [33] is Lorenzo Sadun, who ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign for Congress (in CD-10) in 2004 (against now-incumbent U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul). Sadun is a UT-Austin math professor and sometimes blogger for Texas Blue [34] and Burnt Orange [35]. Meanwhile, the Texas Freedom Network Insider is sponsoring SBOE candidate training [36].
Analyzing HD-92, represented by Rep. Todd Smith, R-Euless, since 1996, Burnt Orange declares, "Smith is his own worst enemy [37] now," and any decent, well-funded Democrat should be able to give him a run for his money in 2010. (Smith's district has a Texas Weekly Index [38] of 25.3 in the GOP's favor.)
Trail Blazers writes about Republicans' efforts to win House seats [39]. Head House Democrat Jim Dunnam, D-Waco, is not impressed [40]. And Greg's Opinion says the only difference [41] between Texas and big states that have gone over to the Blue Team recently is the lack of Democratic investment.
U.S. Rep. Brian McCall, R-Plano, tells the Morning News' Plano blog that he likes his spot [42] on the House Calendars committee.
* * * * *
About Crime
Grits has a summary of a Public Safety Commission members' discussion of the "Driver Responsibility" [43] program, funded by hefty surcharges on traffic violations. An Austin attorney writes in to Burka about mesothelioma [44] and tort reform. And Tex Parte Blog has the latest developments in the fraud case [45] involving Texas billionaire R. Allen Stanford.
The Legislative Budget Board was just about spot-on [46] in its prison population estimates, Grits says. New Houston judge Michael C. Massengale is just a baby [47], Tex Parte says. And Off the Kuff sees Massengale's seat as one more opportunity [48] for Democrats in 2010.
Tex Parte marks the 90th birthday [49] of Dallas lawyer Louise Raggio. Her son Grier Raggio is a Democrat who's taking on U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions. And the Houston Chronicle's Texas on the Potomac tracks developments in the impeachment [50] of imprisoned retired [51] federal Judge Samuel Kent.
* * * * *
Aggie-business
Texas Aggie Rhetoric & Rhythm wants A&M Chancellor Mike McKinney's head on a platter [52] over the resignation of A&M President Elsa Murano. Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Hutchison tells university leaders to cease shenanigans, says PoliTex. And Murano's predecessor, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, isn't planning on [53] returning to his old job anytime soon, according to Potomac.
Chron.com and other Texas newspaper websites didn't do too well [54] in a recent analysis by 24/7 Wall Street, notes Brazosport News. Got public records but don't know how to make sense of them? Texas Watchdog is offering free data-crunching [55] services for Texans. And Watchdog reports from an investigative journalists' conference [56] in Baltimore, Md.
Poli-Tex's Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, took pictures [57] at the Mexican American Legislative Caucus's Sine Die party. Rep. Norma Chavez, D-El Paso, and other elected Texans are making a trip to Washington, D.C., to lobby for Pres. Barack Obama's health care plan [58], according to Vaqueros.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn will be having tea July 4 [59] in Austin, according to Walker Report. U.S. Rep. John Carter refused [60] John Carter Watch's friend request on Facebook. Now the blog is shutting down [61]. And war critic Panhandle Truth Squad gleefully [62] pens a letter to Republican U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry, who voted against a war funding measure because of its nonmilitary appendages.
Potomac took a camera to the annual congressional baseball game [63]. Ron Paul was the only U.S. Rep. to vote against condemning the Iranian government. He explains why [64] on Potomac. And here [65]'s a multimedia story on Juneteenth by Potomac.
Lotsa uncontested bills [66] passed the House this session, Texas Politics says.
This edition of Out There was compiled and written by Patrick Brendel, who hails from Victoria but is semi-settled in Austin. We cherry-pick the state's political blogs each week, looking for news, info, gossip, and new jokes. The opinions here belong (mostly) to the bloggers, and we're including their links so you can hunt them down if you wish. Our blogroll — the list of Texas blogs we watch — is on our links [67] page, and if you know of a Texas political blog that ought to be on it, just shoot us a note. Please send comments, suggestions, gripes or retorts to Texas Weekly editor Ross Ramsey [68].