HOT HOUSE RACES: Texas Houe District 78 (LEAN DEMOCRATIC)

Texas House District 78: Joe Moody (D-El Paso) v. Dee Margo (R-El Paso), open seat, LEAN DEMOCRATIC. In the March Primary, Dee Margo defeated moderate Republican Pat Haggerty (R-El Paso) to create this open seat. Margo, of course, carpetbagged into the district so his maid wouldn’t have to walk up stairs after an embarassing defeat at the hands of State Sen. Elliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso) in 2006. An unabashed pro-Craddick Republican, a Margo victory in this race would mean that three house seats in El Paso county are in the hands of Craddick loyalists: TX HD 77, which will be in the hands of “Craddick D”Marisa Marquez (D-El Paso) come January, and TX HD 76 which is in the hands of “Craddick D” Norma Chavez (D-El Paso). Thus, who wins this seat could determine whether or no voters across El Paso County get screwed significantly in the 81st Legislative Session. A Margo win here, and the three sections of El Paso County represented by Craddick-loyalists will be at a serious disadvantage whether or not Tom Craddick remains as speaker. If Craddick remains as speaker, count on these three to vote lock-step with Craddick and not in favor of their districts. If Craddick isn’t the speaker, then these three Craddick loyalists will find themselves proverbially exiled to the House Cloak Room and their districts not getting much worthwhile.

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Chris Bell Sues Rick Perry, Republican Governor’s Association

Former Democratic Gubernatorial nominee Chris Bell has sued Texas Governor Rick Perry and the Republican Governor’s Association alleging that Perry essentially accepted illegal funds in the 2006 race for governor.

The long and short of the filing is this: Houston homebuilder Bob Perry–who was a dangerous commodity in Texas in 2006–gave a million dollars to the Republican Governor’s Association. Shortly thereafter, on October 26 and November 1, the governor’s association cut Rick Perry two half a million dollar checks for his campaign. In other words, to conceal his money and influence over the governor, Bob Perry funneled his money to the Governor’s Association who, in turn, did a back-hand slide to Governor Perry.

Also, the suit (full version below the fold), alleges the Republican Governor’s Association PAC wasn’t properly registered in Texas.

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Technorati Tags Chris Bell, Republican Governor's Association, Rick Perry

Chris Bell Joins D.C. Lobby Firm

This is indeed interesting news:

Former Democratic congressman and gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell will start a new job today with the Washington, D.C.-based lobbying firm Patton Boggs.

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The Love Shack

Muse has been folliwing State Rep. John Davis (R-Sugar Land) and some of his ethical hangups (like that expensive pair of boots) for some time now.

Now, Muse tells us that Davis has set up a PAC, “Texans for John Davis,” and that he’s hired Edward Shack—a prominent Austin attorney who specalizes in election laws and campaign finance.

Muse has a lot of background on Shack, who has ties to the TRMPAC and TAB mess that still lives on like a cockroach that won’t die from the 2002 election cycle.

Keep watching Muse because I have a feeling she may be doing a more extensive post on Mr. Shack, who might as well be called “The Love Shack,” because Texas pols and PACS (especially Republicans), love the guy and use him a great deal.

As The Heat On Him Rose, Bob Perry Pulled A Leininger

If you read no other MSM story today, read this one.

Why? Because it brings to light an interesting fact: Bob Perry pulled a Leininger.

That’s right: he made a sizeable donation to a political action committee that ended up directly benefitting Rick Perry.

James Leininger’s been doing this for years, and is so bold he creates his own PACs. In homebuilder Perry’s case, however, he used an existing one: The Republican Governor’s Association:

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O’Day Defeats Weber In HD 29

Results:

Mike O’Day  3,555  57.23%
Randy Weber  2,657 42.77%

Imagine The Possibilities: We’re Trying Governor, But The Republican Agenda Is In The Way

And you though only high school proms had themes like this:

Imagine The Possibilities!

While it’s a cut above typical 2A high school prom themes like A Night To Remember, Somewhere In Time, and Something To Remember, I see more irony in the theme than anything else.

My irony detector, in fact, went into overdrive when I read the this paragraph of Perry’s innaugural address:

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Two More For Pitts, One More For Craddick

Geren & Keumple go for Pitts, Eddie Lucio III for Craddick.

HD 29: The Mix

Here is an interesting development in HD 29: Dr. DiNovo, the Democratic candidate eleminated in the special election, has endorsed Randy Weber [Via Muse].
I’m confused, because I though that Weber was the more “conservative” between he and Mike O’Day. O’Day was getting hammered by Republicans from the get-go for his support of Shane Sklar (D-Edna) in the November general.

Maybe I have it backwards, and O’Day is really the most conservative. Hopefully someone will email me [tips@capitolannex.com] and clear that up.

Meanwhile, Tammy who worked on the DiNovo campaign has a blog [again, link via Muse], that has provided no small amount of amusement for me today as I’ve read about some of the “goings on” on the ground in the days before the election.

Kinky Friedman: Pimping A New Book On The Gov’s Race

What did I tell each and every one of you way, way, way back in the day about Kinky Friedman?

That the governor’s race would result in a best-selling book for him, to wit:

With election night just a painful memory, those who had hoped to move into the Governor’s Mansion are instead moving on with their lives.Their transitions are true to their campaign styles.

Author and satirist Kinky Friedman is still out there selling all things Kinky — from books to salsa to T-shirts — and has a campaign memoir in the works called (what else?) “Mamas, Don’t Let Your Cowboys Grow Up to Be Politicians.” He said he would work on it during a trip he embarked on in December to Las Vegas and Hawaii.

Please, please, please, allow me to say, “I TOLD YOU SO!”

Ok, Kinky Friedman: Capitol Annex has had its fun with you. Until the book comes out, I vow not to mention your name on this blog again, lest it improve your Google search ranking or something.

And, there is the one thing I agree with Kinky Friedman on, and the one thing I’ll give him his due props for:

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