Redistricting
On “What’s Your Point” yesterday, the Donald Trump Texas mid-decade congressional redistricting issue was brought up and the Texas Breitbart fella doesn’t think it is a good idea. Interesting. I am pretty sure that Democrats are all opposed, like all Democrats are opposed. From what I hear, I can’t say that about all of MAGA. Interesting. There is too much uncertainty, calamity and mayhem.
Meanwhile, I saw this tweet yesterday:
@RedistrictNet
# NEW: Democrats are reportedly exploring options to redraw maps in California, New York, New Jersey, Minnesota and Washington before the 2026 midterms.
Good.
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Also, on “What’s Your Point,” the taxpayer funded lobbyist matter was brought up. Panelist Holly Hansen, a journalist for The Texan, said that a Texas state representative had introduced legislation to create a regional flood control district and that Harris County responded by hiring lobbyists to oppose this. She insinuated that this was the reason some oppose the use of taxpayer money for local governmental entities to seek outside lobbyists. Hansen is playing loose with the facts. For a few decades now, Harris County and Commissioners Court have hired outside lobbyists during legislative sessions. Local governments need this to stop the attack on local control.
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This is interesting. See this from the Chron:
With a fundraising haul of more than $75,000, incumbent Houston ISD trustee Bridget Wade has outraised all declared candidates who are running for the five trustee seats up for election.
Houston voters will elect HISD trustees in five districts — District I, V, VI, VII and IX — to four-year terms in the upcoming Nov. 5 election. HISD’s nine elected trustees don’t currently have any power in the district under the ongoing state takeover, but they will gradually resume oversight of the district once the Texas Education Agency ends the intervention after June 2027.
Each candidate was required to file a campaign finance report outlining if they had raised or spent money from Jan. 1 to June 30. Wade — a conservative running for a second term to represent District VII — reported raising more than double than the combined total of all the other declared candidates.
Wade reported $75,115 in total contributions, including $5,000 from Melinda Hildebrand, a Houston philanthropist and the U.S. ambassador to Costa Rica; $5,000 from Peter Wareing, chairman of a Houston investment firm; and separate $5,000 donations from Houston oil executive Jim Flores and his wife Cherie Flores.
And this:
Audrey Nath, who is also running for the District VII seat, has reported more than $32,000 in political contributions, including $1,000 donations from several Houston physicians.
And then this:
Maria Benzon, a candidate for the District V seat, reported $161 in political expenditures, which have all been spent on advertising or a website domain. She has $32.50 left in political contributions, according to her report.
Incumbent trustees Kendall Baker and Myrna Guidry reported zero total political contributions or expenditures in their July report. Both trustees, who represent District VI and IX, have told the Chronicle that they’re seeking reelection to their seats in the November election.
Felicity Pereyra, a candidate for District I, and Michael McDonough, a candidate for District VI, told the Chronicle they did not file a campaign finance report because they did not file their campaign treasurer appointment until after June 30.
Sue Deigaard, the trustee representing District V, has reported $1,296 in campaign expenditures since January, including more than $1,007 on NGP VAN, a voter database used by the Democratic party; $138 on Google services and $150 to Paragon Payment
Solutions for payment processing services. She has $736 left in political contributions.
Deigaard has not publicly stated whether she plans to seek another term in her role. She told the Chronicle she would make an announcement about her decision to run in August.
Elizabeth Santos, the HISD trustee representing District I, did not publish a July campaign finance report. She did not respond to a request for comment about whether she plans to run.
Interested candidates can fill out an application to run for the five trustee positions until 5 p.m. on Aug. 18. Early voting begins on Oct. 20, and it ends on Oct. 31. Election Day is Nov. 5.
I guess they are running to win and then hoping the takeover ends so they can start serving. You have to wonder what voters think about voting for HISD trustees who will have no power when they win.
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The Discovery Channel started their Shark Week yesterday. The featured photo is a Lego Jaws set with the Orca that I ran across at Target last week.
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I went with some close family to dinner at Toca Madera Friday night. It is next to the Thompson Hotel on Allen Parkway and Gillette. It is upscale Mexican dining. The food is good, but they keep the place dark, like very low lighting inside. You can barely check out how your grub is presented. I don’t get it.
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Third baseman Isaac Paredes is the latest Astros to be put on the dinged-up list. We start a three-game series in Arizona this evening.