Close Race
Commentary is kind of surprised that former H-Town city council member and HISD Trustee Jolanda Jones only squeaked by in the special election this past Saturday with a 52% to 48% win. She won by 202 votes over Danielle Keys Bess.
Jones won mail ballot voting by 364 votes. Bess won in person voting by 162 votes.
The special election was to fill out the rest of the term left when incumbent State Rep. Garnet Coleman retired. The Democratic Party primary runoff on Tuesday, May 24, will determine who serves out the full term beginning next January.
Like I said, I was surprised it was this close. Jones had a big fundraising advantage. She had most of the endorsements including labor, GLBT Caucus, elected officials, and Democratic Party groups. Rep. Coleman endorsed Jones.
Bess had Cong. Sheila Jackson Lee, a few other elected officials, and the Chronicle.
Jones had a name ID lead going into the race. It probably worked for and against her this past Saturday. It is interesting, on the Bess endorsement list there are four current or former HISD trustees who are Democrats who served with Jones. Commentary is not surprised. I am sure some are still a bit teed off at Jones’s endorsements of GOP trustee candidates over her former HISD trustee colleagues in the recent HISD trustee elections.
I am not surprised either in reviewing the precinct returns to see where each candidate got their votes.
Mail ballots for the runoff have already been sent to voters so Jones will probably maintain that advantage. Early voting in person begins next Monday and only lasts for five days.
I am curious to know why mail ballot voters who for the most part are 65 and older would support Jones. Just like I would like to know why in person voters would favor Bess. Could it be that momentum was swaying toward Bess toward the end?
A lot of folks said this race was supposed to be a slam dunk for Jones. It wasn’t.
_____
The Astros won all seven games that were played at The Yard this past week. Our pitching has been outstanding. I am still waiting for our hitting to come around.
