With the legislative session out of sight and mind, bloggers are revving up coverage of campaigns for the governor's office on down. They're also talking about a limelight-loving congresswoman, the first Hispanic U.S. Attorney General, a former University of Texas regent and people who blog. Finishing it off is an expose on the Houston Airport and other news.
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Trail Writing
Gov. Rick Perry flaunted some impressive fundraising numbers at about the same time a couple of UT professors released a poll [1] showing him up 11 points on U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who's keeping her cash closer to the vest for now.
Texans for Rick Perry says the UT Poll shows they've got "Momentum [2]." Brains and Eggs predicts [3] that Hutchison will give up the governorship and stick to the U.S. Senate, but if not, Perry will appoint Attorney General Greg Abbott to her seat (rather than Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst).
"I find Perry's lead to be quite believable. Hutchison is running the worst campaign imaginable [4]," BurkaBlog reacts. "Rick Perry is a cyborg, built for the base [5]. That is his narrative; that is who he is," according to Burnt Orange Report. "I have to agree... If this race is about who wants it more, who will work harder, and all of those cliches, Rick will win [6]," says Rick vs. Kay.
Burnt Orange charts the results of polls pitting Hutchison and Perry head-to-head, noting that Undecided/Other is trending upward [7] at the expense of Hutchison. Meanwhile, Code Red checks out some of the "other" gubernatorial candidates, Republican Debra Medina, Republican Larry Kilgore, and Democrat Kinky Friedman. And Letters from Texas has some advice for reporters [8]: Stop covering ceremonial bill signings by Gov. Perry.
The Dallas Morning News' Trail Blazers talks with strategist Mark McKinnon about the assistance he gave [9] — and didn't [10] — to former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin during the presidential campaign he said he'd stay out of. Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn seems to be having a hard time [11] winning over certain segments of the population, according to the Austin Chronicle's newsdesk. And RightWingSparkle profiles [12] Railroad Commissioner and U.S. Senate explorer Michael Williams for Texas Magazine.
North Texas Conservative has video of former Solicitor General Ted Cruz speaking at an East Texas TEA party [13]. The blogger believes Cruz can supply the GOP with needed leadership [14], perhaps as attorney general. The Austin American-Statesman's Postcards looks at people with money who are thinking the same way [15]. And Republican Lisa Ruby Ryan wants Dan Branch's job if the Dallas Rep. moves on [16] to something different, like a campaign for attorney general, Trail Blazers says.
Austinist says that Democratic congressional candidate Lainey Melnick, who's running against U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, made a very poor first impression on potential supporters when a glitch spewed out dozens of identical campaign emails [17].
Talk about a long-term campaign strategy: There's a dating website called Ron Paul Singles [18] for fans of the quixotic congressman seeking like-minded libertarians, according to Trail Blazers. And it tickled the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's PoliTex's funny bone to see Paul's cameo [19] in the new Bruno movie.
Capitol Annex says he's going to expose the State Board of Education's panel of experts [20], while Millard Fillmore's Bathtub reviews recommendations on social studies curricula [21]. And ABC13's Prof13 has a three-parter on the U.S. Census and redistricting, going over the history of the Voting Rights Act [22], a less white and more urban Texas [23] and the addition of two city council seats in Houston [24].
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HERstory
Trail Blazers can't believe their TV. "Is that Sheila Jackson Lee [25] speaking at the Michael Jackson memorial service?" they ask. "That's definitely our Sheila [26]," Greg's Opinion says. "I was just sitting there, enjoyin my afternoon coffee along with the Michael Jackson funeral, when it all came crashin down [27] for me," says Brazosport News.
Jackson Lee's proposed U.S. House resolution honoring Jackson contained 44 "whereas" clauses [28], notes the Houston Press's Hair Balls. According to a commenter, Jackson Lee has drawn at least one possible opponent [29], lawyer Sean Roberts.
The Houston Chronicle's Texas on the Potomac has a cartoon, reports and statements [30] about Jackson Lee, and links [31] to a CQPolitics article [32] on the ubiquitous congresswoman by a former Potomac writer. Here [33]'s a photo of Jackson during a 2004 visit to Jackson Lee's D.C. office, via PoliTex. And Hair Balls wins Headline of the Week award for a post showing Jackson Lee's notoriety on Twitter.com, titled, "Funeral, Cameras: Yep, Sheila Jackson Lee Is In The House [34]."
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Tech Show
Letters from Texas gives a sneak peek of the syllabus [35] for the Texas Tech class to be taught by former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Postcards has more, factual [36], information. Apparently, Gonzales considers the position "a one-year gig [37]," Tex Parte Blog says.
"I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise that the school that hired Bobby Knight [38] as its basketball coach would be willing to offer employment to another controversial public figure," says Texas Observer Blog.
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Lowell Lebermann
The Statesman's Out & About blog has a two-parter featuring remembrances of former UT regent Lowell Lebermann, here [39] and here [40]. And Texas "Off the Record" remembers participating in the '64 state representative campaign [41] by Lebermann.
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Bloggers Guild
Eye on Williamson's newest blogger introduces himself [42] — he's your run-of-the-mill English doctorate holding, law school graduating, progressive Mormon. Meanwhile, a kinder and gentler [43] muckraker lets readers know he's OK a year after leaving Texas. And Off the Record insists that he's still an active member of the working class [44], contrary to a headline in the local newspaper.
A reporter for Howard Stern (apparently Stern has reporters) interviewed [45] a Texas Watchdog blogger about private prison firm GEO Group and its lobbying. Life at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center isn't at the center anymore but promises to keep on blogging [46]. And Ellis County Observer hangs a Help Wanted sign up for writers in Midlothian [47] desiring to take on sacred cows and such.
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"Shadowy Web"
Watchdog has written a series of stories detailing "the Houston Airport System's connection to a shadowy web of companies." Click here [48] for synopses and here [49] to get to all the entries.
Grits for Breakfast looks at how $90 million in federal stimulus funds to fight crime [50] are being distributed. The money, in the form of Byrne grants, is flowing about half-and-half through regional councils of governments and through the governor's office directly. Also from Grits, a bill that ended the "life without parole" sentencing option for juveniles [51]. And Texas Prison Bid'ness looks back at legislation concerning the private prison business [52].
Tex Parte looks at a complicated case [53] decided by the Texas Supreme Court involving the Employees Retirement System of Texas. Grits spends time with families of sex offenders [54] who want Texas laws changed. And Texas Kaos relays a "Wanna get away?" moment experienced by Fox and Friends' Gretchen Carlson as co-host Brian Kilmeade waxes on about the advantages of pure Nordic genes [55].
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 [56] 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 [57].