Tag Archives: sd6

SD6 ~ Sylvia Garcia Wins!

Posted on March 3, 2013 | 1 comment

Looks like it’s State Senator-Elect Sylvia R. Garcia who will be headed to Austin to represent Senate District 6. After starting the evening with comfy lead after the Early and Absentee votes were tallied, Garcia kept the lead en route to a 1000+ vote victory at the end of the evening.

Now, the bad news, as Kuff and the Trib reminds us.

Harris County has 10 days to canvass the results after Saturday’s contest, and Gov. Rick Perry‘s office of has an additional four days. The winner cannot take her oath until the governor’s canvass, which means the victor will not be able to file any bills after taking office.

Well played, Rick Perry. Which is why many of us were calling for Perry to call the election from the get-go, and which goes to show where Perry’s priorities are during the session.

Yeah, sounds like it sucks, right? But the new Senator had the perfect response to the Trib.

“What we’ll do is just work with some of the legislation that’s already been filed, not only on the senate side but with some of the house members that I have been working with during this campaign,” she told the Tribune. “We’ll just have to work with what we got.”

There’s no doubt that things got a bit serious in this race; even I enjoyed a few insults from some more overzealous supporters of Alvarado. (I drink coffee with the wealthy people of Memorial and that should bar me from having an opinion, apparently.) But Garcia hit the nail on the head.

Garcia said she will make health care and public education her priorities and said she anticipated that the delegation, which was split in its support between the two candidates, will heal and come together. Both she and Alvarado will be in Austin now as members of the same delegation.

“It’s all about moving forward and moving the ball forward and making sure we get things done, not only for this district but for the state of Texas,” she said.

State Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston, was one of Garcia’s earliest supporters and said Saturday’s election means the delegation has added a strong and motivated Latina to fight for Houston.

“The election is over. District 145 gets to have a strong leader and advocate,” he said. “And it has a strong senator to advocate for our community in tandem.”

All that’s left to be said is:  How dare Garcia and Alvarado make friends pick between them!

Seriously, though, this is something that will keep occurring, but I hope this just means we’re another step closer to creating a Latina/o break-out candidate who can run competitively city-/county-wide and statewide. We’re overdue!

PDiddie has more.

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Posted in 2013 Categories, Elections, Texas Lege

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Thoughts on Viernes…02222013

Posted on February 22, 2013 | 3 comments

DC Still Supports Sylvia Garcia

OK, no surprise. I’m still supporting my friend Sylvia R. Garcia for SD-6 without reservation. Yes, I was called out by Compadre Diddie for not saying much about a Garcia e-mail. But Diddie does bring up one particular reservation he had that matches up to mine about Garcia’s opponent.

I’m not fond of of the fact that Alvarado has taken lots of money from Republicans, especially from Bob Perry and the like.

Garcia’s  newest ad is hard-hitting, calling out Alvarado on taking Republican money, but I think it should have gone much further, perhaps calling out dollar amounts.  PAC reports are due today, but we probably won’t see them until next week. So, we’ll see where they both stand, cash-wise.

Can’t wait for 2013 to really begin.

GEO Group Stadium

A Florida university is set to name its stadium after immigrant and inmate warehousing outfit, GEO Group, who made a sponsorship offer. Of course, I wrote about them last week and provided lists of Texans (D & R) who took checks from them, big and small. There is a petition to stop it, but there’s $6 million involved, so expect a defense of the private prison profiteer from the university. Football always takes a front seat to human rights, I guess.

Anybody take money from Geo Group in the SD6 race?

Music Break – The Mavericks ~ Back in Your Arms/Lies

The Mavericks’ “In Time” drops on Tuesday

 

 

 

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Posted in 2013 Categories, Thoughts on Viernes

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SD-6 ~ Early Voting Begins on Wednesday, 2/20

Posted on February 18, 2013 | Comments Off on SD-6 ~ Early Voting Begins on Wednesday, 2/20

That’s right, for those able to vote in Senate District 6, you have one more go-round at the voting booth (or by mail). The best time to get it done is during the Early Voting period, which begins on Wednesday, February 20. Here’s the schedule:

February 20 – February 22: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
February 23: 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
February 24: 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
February 25 – February 26: 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

There will be seven (7) early voting locations available around SD-6:

Location Address
1 Harris County Administration Building 1001 Preston, 1st Floor Houston TX 77002
2 Holy Name Catholic Church 1912 Marion Street Houston TX 77009
3 Ripley House 4410 Navigation Boulevard Houston TX 77011
4 H.C.C.S Southeast College, Learning Hub 6815 Rustic, Bldg D Houston TX 77087
5 Galena Park Library 1500 Keene Street Galena Park TX 77547
6 Hardy Senior Center 11901 West Hardy Road Houston TX 77076
7 Baytown Community Center 2407 Market Street Baytown TX 77520

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Posted in 2013 Categories, Accion, Elections

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Univision Does Better Job on SD-6 Report

Posted on February 15, 2013 | 3 comments

Univision has done a better job on reporting on SD-6 than most mainstream media outlets here in Houston or Texas. And this one is a discussion on the issues, as mainstream media should do. Billing Sylvia Garcia and Carol Alvarado as two powerful Latinas, Univision’s Jose Carrera does a great job of introducing the candidates and an even better job of promoting their stances on issues, even that of driver licenses for undocumented immigrants.

State Immigration Issues

Both Garcia and Alvarado stated their support for the Texas DREAM Act, which allows undocumented students access to a college or university at in-state tuition rates. This should be a no-brainer beyond SD-6, in my opinion, given that these students and their parents have more than met residency requirements for in-state tuition. Both also support driver licenses for undocumented immigrants, Alvarado stating that all driver’s should have access to vehicle insurance as a measure of safety, and Garcia stating that all residents should have a State ID no matter their immigration status.

On Voter Turn-Out

I’ve made myself clear on the disappointing turn-out after both Garcia and Alvarado spent a nice chunk of change on Round 1. So, what’s the plan during the run-off?

Garcia:  States her campaign will be more forceful and motivated. If they knocked on your door 3-times, this time, they’ll knock 6. If they called you 4 times, this time, they’ll call 8 times.

Alvarado:  With a smile, she states that she will be getting in the middle of street, yelling at voters to go vote because of the election’s importance.

On Education

Both have stated their support of any effort to restore the $5.4 billion cut from K-12 education. Alvarado stated that more money beyond what has been cut is needed. The report stated Garcia was emphatic about this, but also supported reforming public education in Texas that would free teachers to teach everything and not just to the test. In the report, Garcia also stated she would fight against Rick Perry’s idea to take funding away from public schools for private school vouchers.

On Medicaid, Health Care

Both Garcia and Alvarado support an expansion of Medicaid. Garcia cited that Rick Perry not accepting federal dollars only means that what Texas invests in federal income taxes will only go to other states. Alvarado added that one in four Texans do not have health insurance.

Although both campaigns have gone negative in various ways, there is agreement beyond the issues. Garcia stated that both are going to make history, with Alvarado adding both are of good quality and hopes to see more Latinas elected to other posts.

The Main Difference? (My own commentary)

I delve deep into word games, particularly the code words campaigns use. In this race, I see a huge difference in one instance. From Day 1, I’ve seen Carol Alvarado using her “born, raised in the East End” meme as an asset, which obviously points to the fact that Sylvia Garcia was not. Garcia, on the other hand, has not run away from being born and raised in a farm-worker family in Palito Blanco, Texas down in the Valley, and it has been an asset which shows a small-town girl grew up to be a major player in the big city. In this case, I relate a lot more to Garcia because I’ve been the recipient of that kind of commentary from many locals when all one wants to do is serve and do some good. And the bottom line, some would say that most people in Houston are arrivals, rather than born here. Just sayin’.

I figure since no one had mentioned this before, I thought I’d throw that out there for conversation’s sake. Or if that makes the decision for you, great!

Great job by Jose Carrera!

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Posted in 2013 Categories, Elections, Texas Lege

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Joaquin Martinez Endorses Sylvia Garcia in SD-6

Posted on February 5, 2013 | Comments Off on Joaquin Martinez Endorses Sylvia Garcia in SD-6

Looks like the candidate that got the attention of DosCentavos back in December has made his choice in the SD-6 Run-Off. Joaquin Martinez has endorsed Sylvia R. Garcia for State Senate.

My goal in OUR SD6 race was to have a new voice at the table.

#ProjectMtz has brought a change to our political landscape and we want to continue the work of voter outreach, education, and most importantly, participation. A new coalition of the people and for the people is possible! This week has compelled me to look into the community’s best interest. My experience with one of Houston’s oldest and largest non-profits has guided my decision of endorsing Sylvia Garcia.

I feel that her strong Social Work background will allow us to pave the way towards building new, positive, and constructive relationships. Throughout my campaign for SD6, I truly appreciated Sylvia’s encouragement to stand up for what I believe in. As a young, progressive, and energetic Latino, I have the responsibility to be a part of a change in Houston politics. I regard Sylvia as someone who can empower many from our generation to participate in the dynamics of social progress. It is important to continue our involvement in the political process – and this is why I am asking all who supported me during my race for SD6 to show your support for Sylvia Garcia.

The turnout has been predicted to be LOW, but we will continue working from where we left off in our ongoing mission to increase our voter turnout, engage our communities, and inspire unified action. We do not have the date for the runoff election yet, but we will stay informed and engaged. I plan on showing my support for Sylvia by continuing to march these boots on the ground. I welcome all young, energetic individuals to join and help the work along.

Stay tuned to upcoming events and volunteer opportunities! Sylvia Garcia for Senate District 6!

Joaquin Martinez
#ProjectMtz

That’s a pretty strong endorsement. As always, keep an eye on this guy.

In a response to the endorsement, Garcia posted this on her campaign Facebook:

I admire the energy and enthusiasm he brings to politics and I deeply appreciate his support in the SD6 runoff election.

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Thoughts on Viernes…02012013

Posted on February 1, 2013 | Comments Off on Thoughts on Viernes…02012013

February, Already?

And we await the canvassing and date-setting for Round 2 of Garcia vs Alvarado. Both campaigns have wasted no time in analyzing the results, whether it was the election day finish of Alvarado, or the fact that Garcia actually won a majority of the State Rep. districts in the Senate District. Each side has claimed momentum of some sort, and they are both back at work raising cash to deploy their resources again. Definitely, stay tuned.

Rootin’ For Hillary…

…to have a nice break. Don’t get me wrong, I was Team Hillary during the Texas Two-Step thing, and I like her in 2016, but there’s work to do now. Heck, seems we even have to convince our current Prez to stop the deportations and “secure border” talk. It’s never appeased the Republicans, what’s different, now?  Have a nice break, Sec. Clinton–unless you want to take the lead on CIR, then go right ahead. It could help you in 2016.

MUSIC BREAK – Little Joe y La Familia – Descalzo A Laredo

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Run-Off in SD-6

Posted on January 27, 2013 | Comments Off on Run-Off in SD-6

Looks like the Special Election to replace the late, great Senator Mario Gallegos turned out to be all about Sylvia Garcia and Carol Alvarado.

Garcia started out with a slightly stronger show in ballots by mail and even better in the in-person early vote to get her close to 50%. But it was Alvarado whose campaign made sure the Election Day vote was close, thus ensuring the run-off. In other words, no knock-out punch for Garcia in Round 1.

All in all, 5.64% of the 292,000 voters in SD-6 showed, which was slightly higher than I had predicted. Now, folks can start guessing whether there will be an increase in interest given that there are now only two, or if the usual thing will happen–even less voters will show up in Round 2.

I won’t go into any analysis because there’s not much to put under the microscope. I wake up on this Sunday morning just too damn cynical because when you look really look at things, the only winners were the the political and media consultants.

Oh yeah, and Joaquin Martinez, who I hear had an excellent celebration, along with mariachis!

Maybe Kuff has a less cynical view of things.

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SD-6 – ELECTION DAY – SATURDAY

Posted on January 26, 2013 | Comments Off on SD-6 – ELECTION DAY – SATURDAY

Well, it’s Saturday, January 26, and according to Rick Perry, today is the day you get to vote in the Senate District 6 Special Election. You missed early voting, but you get one final shot at picking your next State Senator, but you need to vote in your neighborhood polling location.

Need to find your polling location? HarrisVotes has a cool tool where you just punch in your address and voila!, you get your location and a sample ballot! Click on the image below to get there. Polls are open from 7am to 7pm. Do your duty!

FindPoll

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Posted in Chicano Politics, Houston Dems '12, Houston Politica, Houston Votes '13, LEUV, Texas Lege

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SD-6 More Money Pours In (and Out!)

Posted on January 23, 2013 | Comments Off on SD-6 More Money Pours In (and Out!)

Well, if the first report did not tell you this was an expensive race, then the 8-day report will knock you out.

In the last few weeks (up until last week), Sylvia Garcia raised another another $177,000 (including recent telegram reports in the run-up to Election Day), and has spent almost $300,000.  Garcia had $228,000 in the bank a week ago. The biggie donation was over $80,000 in-kind from Texas Organizing Project PAC, which endorsed Garcia and is doing a lot of field campaigning (that amount not included in final expense amount). Back to Basics PAC also provided a $10,000 in-kind contribution for research. Expenses include some big outlays for mail pieces and more media (I think I noticed over $150K of all that), but one that I found the most interesting was a January 10th expense to Lake Partners for another poll (wish I knew the results of that!). Otherwise, it’s salaries, field, consultants and other expenses.

For Carol Alvarado, another $199,000 was raised (including telegram reports up till today), with $314,000 spent. And a week ago, she had 109,000 left to spend. Some biggie expenses included a couple of huge media buys totaling  over $200,000; a campaign mailing at almost $30,000; various outlays to what I think are field expenses; then the usual expenses on consultants, staff, and campaign needs.

The contributions that popped out most for both was one each from Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Otherwise, it was lawyers, unions, businesses and individuals for both of them; although, it would seem Alvarado has a huge lead with big business PACs.

A DC-tip-of-the-sombrero goes to Joaquin Martinez who reported over $5,000 raised–100% from individuals. Rodolfo “Rudy” Reyes reports over $16,000 in loans for the race, and he had mentioned he was using his own money to run at a recent event. The other candidates didn’t report anything eye-catching.

Early voting finished yesterday with 8,245 cast, including 2,876 ballots by mail. Election Day is Saturday, 7 to 7 at your neighborhood polling location. If you live in SD-6, go to the Harris Votes website, type in your address and find your location and sample ballot.

People are asking for projections. I kind of agree with Kuff.

With tongue firmly in cheek, I’d suggest that between 40 and 50 percent of the vote in this race will be cast early, so on the extremely optimistic assumption that there will be about 9,000 votes total cast early, we’re looking at an over/under of about 20,000 – say between 18,000 and 22,500, to be obnoxious about it. If we’re closer to 8,000 votes cast by tomorrow, lower those endpoints to 15,000 and 20,000.

I didn’t see any major expenses for the usual ballot by mail experts in the latest reports, so, I’m wondering if there will be a final push to contact those other 4,000+ mail ballot holders. Otherwise, let’s hope for a big election day.

Update:  Kuff has money and projections. In fact, he changed up his projections on me!

With four more days for mail ballots to arrive, I’d guess the number will ultimately be about 8,500 when the first results are posted Saturday evening. As such, my official guess for total turnout is between 17,000 and 22,000.

I’ll be a rebel and stay with original projections of between 15,000 and 20,000. PDiddie has more, too.

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Posted in Chicano Politics, Houston Dems '12, Houston Politica, Houston Votes '13, LEUV, Texas Lege

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SD-6 – The Money

Posted on January 16, 2013 | 1 comment

Well, the Ethics reports are in and, not surprisingly, there seems to be a lot of money going in and going out in this race, especially through the campaigns of Sylvia Garcia and Carol Alvarado. (I prefer to look at the raw numbers report than go page-by-page).

A look through Garcia’s finds money from unions and lawyers, along with many individuals. A look through Alvarado’s finds money from cops, firemen, and a lot of corporate/business PACs, and of course, individuals. I can’t say I’m a fan of big business/corporate PACs, but they usually do give to sitting State Reps. I couldn’t help but notice a few Republican colleagues giving Alvarad0 some checks, as well as local Republicans like Bob Perry. I guess that’s all part of the game, too, if you like that sort of thing. None of Garcia’s contributions set off my “There’s a Republican in the room!” alarms.

For Garcia, though, beyond what she’s expended, there is a huge $106K in-kind contribution from Texas Organizing Project PAC for the ground work (canvassing and phones) they are doing for the campaign as part of their endorsement. Obviously, this freed some cash to spend on the TV ads, which cost almost $135K.

From the looks of it, they are both running some disciplined campaigns with the usual expenses–consultants, signs, direct mail, printing, staff.

The bigger story is the fact that over $700,000 (and if you include the TOP in-kind, a lot more) has been spent and both are left with over $700,000 with 8 10 days until election day (of course, they could raise some more in the closing days, too). Thus far, and as of Tuesday, a little over 3,400 souls have voted, including 1,776 ballot-by-mail voters. In other words, less than 1,700 have voted in person, thus far.

There are seven more days of early voting left in which SD-6 voters may vote at any of the early voting polling locations.

As far as the rest of the candidates go, other than the big filing fee, not much else has been spent that could even compare to the top-two funded folks. But they have a lot of heart, I’m sure.

Update:

Wednesday Numbers – Today was the best day, thus far, of in-person voting in the SD-6 Early Voting period. One number that stood out was participation at Ripley House, which had 120 votes today after a low of 24 on Tuesday. I wonder if Joaquin Martinez’s Flash Vote helped?

Hopefully, this upward trend will continue.

Update:

Kuff has a more obsessive exhaustive take on the money. And Marc covers everyone who is obsessed with SD-6).

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Posted in Chicano Politics, Houston Politica, LEUV, Texas Lege, Wise Latinas

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