TransGriot Texas Democratic Party Runoff Endorsement Post

The Texas runoff elections that were scheduled for May were delayed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but we still have the important task of  selecting who will make it to the November 3 ballot.   

Early voting for the July 14 runoff election starts tomorrow June 29 and runs through July 10, so that means it's time for moi to do the endorsement post for the upcoming primary

I've been made aware by several people in our local trans community that they use my endorsement posts as a guide to help them decide who will get their precious votes when they step in the booth to cast their  ballots. 

No pressure.   These endorsements are made with the thought in mind on what candidate will be the best  for our state, our country, and for advancing the human rights of the trans community.

I looked at the endorsements of various groups like the Houston GLBT Caucus, H-BAD, Stonewall Dems in various cities just to name a few.   I talked to trans folks who pay attention to politics in various Texas cities  to come up with these endorsements.

Like I said, I take this seriously.

For you Republicans who ask me why I don't do them for the Texas Republican primary, it's because your party has made it clear they wish to oppress trans people and you hate Black lives   
And before you open your mouths to protest, check your party platform and the anti-trans planks it has in it. 

Just like the March primary, if you are a resident of Harris County you can vote at any election center within the boundaries of our county.  That's also the case in the other 253 counties in this state.

If you need to check to see if you are registered to vote in this runoff election , you can check your registration or register to vote at this link. 

You have until October 5 to register for the 2020 Presidential election taking place on November 3.   So if you aren't registered for this primary runoff one, you have time to bust a move and handle your electoral business so that you can cast you ballots from POTUS to dog catcher on November 3 . 

And now, the 2020 Texas Democratic Primary Runoff Election Endorsements!

US Senate
Royce West

US House 
District 3- Lulu Seikaly
District 10- Mike Siegel   
District 13- Greg Sagan
District 17- David Anthony Jaramillo
District 24- Candace Valenzuela 
District 31-  Donna Imam

Texas Railroad Commissioner
Chrysta Castaneda

Texas State Board Of Education 
District 6- Michelle Palmer


Texas SenateDistrict 19-  Roland Gutierrez
District 27- Sara Stapleton Barrera


Texas House
District 26- L Sarah DeMerchant 
District 67-  No Endorsement
District 100- Jasmine Crockett
District 119- Jennifer Ramos
District 138- Akilah Bacy
District 142- Jerry Davis
District 148- Penny Morales Shaw 


Justice 14th Court of Appeals
Place 7- Cheri Thomas 

District Judge
164th Judicial District - Cheryl Elliott Thornton
339th Judicial District- Te'iva Bell
505th Judicial District- Surendran Patel

 
Harris County Commissioner
Precinct 3- Diana Martinez Alexander

Harris County Constable
Precinct 2- Jerry Garcia
Precinct 5- Mark Alan Harrison


Fort Bend County Commissioner
Precinct 1- Jennifer Cantu 

Mayor Turner Reelected!

Tony Buzbee spent $13 million of his own money in an attempt to get a chair he claimed he didn't want or need.   In the end he was blown our after his last ditch attempt  to inject transphobia in this race failed.

The  last minute Trump robocalls didn't help either.  All they did was piss people off

Incumbent Mayor Sylvester Turner cruised to reelection with 56% of the vote to crush Buzbee and drive home the point that transphobia is no longer a successful political strategy in H-Town.

In addition, when the new city council gets seated in January there will be five Black women sitting on it and nine women total..

In other good news from this Election Night, transphobe Dave Wilson was ousted from the HCC board by Monica Flores Richart, and two more Black women in Kathy Blueford Daniels and Patricia Allen are joining the HISD school board. 

The results are here.

So now I can go to sleep know that I won't have a transphobic jerk as my mayor or a white supremacist sitting on my city council.

The TransGriot 2019 Houston Municipal Runoff Election Endorsements

The November 5 elections left the mayor's chair and several council seats in runoffs.

The City Council District B race was removed from the ballot and settled in a special election because of a lawsuit filed by Renee Jefferson Smith after she finished third and failed to make the runoff in that crowded 14 candidate race to replace term limited councilmember Jerry Davis.

The people who did make the runoff were Tarsha Jackson and Cynthia Bailey

Bailey signed an affidavit when filing to run back in August stating that she hadn't been convicted of a felony, but was back in 2007.  She was told that because of that forgery conviction, she could run for any position except a state of Texas one.

Jefferson contends that because of the felony, Bailey is ineligible, and as the third place finisher, she should move up to the runoff.  Bailey's eligibility will be determined in an upcoming court case.

Will be keeping an eye on those proceedings, but the date of the December 14 runoff
 election is still looming with early voting starting on November 27 from 7 AM-7 PM .

After the holiday, early voting resumes from December 2-7  from 7-7 PM.   On December 8, you can vote from 1-6 PM, and on December 9-10 from 7 AM-7 PM 

The Runoff Endorsements:

Mayor- Sylvester Turner

City Council
At Large 1- Raj Salhotra
At Large 2- David Robinson
At Large 3 - Janaeya Carmouche
At Large 4 -Dr Letitia Plummer 
At Large  5- Sallie Alcorn
  
District B-  Tarsha Jackson
District C -Shelley Kennedy
District D- Carolyn Evans Shabazz 
District F - Tiffany Thomas
District H- Isabel Longoria
District J-  Sandra Rodriguez

Houston Community College System Trustee
District 1 - Monica Flores Richart 
District 2-  Rhonda Skillern Jones

HISD Trustee
District I- Kathy Bluefield Daniels
District IV- Patricia Allen 

Texas State Representative 
HD 28-  Eliz Markowitz 
HD 148- Anna Eastman

Mississippi Senate Runoff Today

Today the voters in Mississippi finish the last election of the 2018 midterms in this senate race between Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Confederacy) and her Democratic challenger in former congressman and agriculture secretary Mike Espy.

The runoff election has gotten a lot closer because Confederate Cindy's racist baggage has come tumbling out of the KKKloset to the point that Agent Orange had to fly to the Magnolia State to try to save her voting 100% for his agenda behind. 

A loss in this race means that the GOP only has a 52-48 edge in the US Senate despite a Senate map that favored them, and would be the icing on the cake for a blue tsunami in 2018 that flipped control of the US House and gave the Dems a 40 seat majority.

The Republicans are justifiably worried they are about to see a repeat of what happened in neighboring Alabama, and don't be surprised if that happens when the votes are counted later tonight.

Mississippi has a 32% Black population.  That's higher than Alabama's.  And if you think Mississippi's Black electorate won't bumrush the polls for an opportunity to smack down a racist and elect the first African American US senator to rep the state since 1877 at the same time, y'all are seriously naive and sleeping on the power and sophistication of the Black vote. 

Here's hoping that Espy pulls the upset 

TransGriot Update:  Confederate Cindy won, but only by a single digit percentage margin.

Mississippi 2018 US Senate Debate

If you thought the 2018 midterms were over, not quite.   We still have some races in a few states that went to runoffs, and others they are still counting ballots in close races. 

One of those states in which a runoff is occurring is Mississippi, where Mike Espy is trying to become the first Black senator elected from the Magnolia State since Hiram Revels did so during Reconstruction.

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) was appointed to fill the seat after Thad Cochran resigned for health reasons.  She has lately been making news for all the wrong reasons.

She commented that she would be on the front row of a public hanging lynching, and came out in favor of voter suppression.   An old picture has surfaced with Hyde-Smith in a Confederate cap standing next to a person from an SPLC certified hate group. 

This isn't dog whistle racism.  This is alarm klaxon racism.  That also concerns me as someone who has maternal side family members who live in Mississippi.

The debate between Espy and Confederate Cindy was last night, so if you missed it, here's the video of it.

Fran Watson Runoff Election TX State Senate Bid Falls Short

One of the bummer results from last night's Texas party primary runoff election races is that Fran Watson's historic bid to become only the third African American woman to be elected a Texas state senator ended last night.

Had Watson won, she would have not only stayed on course to become the third African American woman state senator, she would have possibly become the first ever openly LGBT one in Texas history.

Texas State Senate District 17 is split across three counties, Harris, Fort Bend and Brazoria.   Despite Watson taking an early lead by winning the Brazoria County portion of the district, the same didn't happen in Harris and Fort Bend counties. 

Rita Lucido will get the Democratic nomination for Senate District 17 and will get a rematch with the incumbent senator Joan Huffman (R).  Best of luck to her this fall.

But I do wish to take a moment to congratulate Fran Watson for a job well done in her first campaign for public office.  She forced a runoff with the favored Lucido.  7,659 Texans voted for you across three counties in this runoff election  and 12,621 did so on March 6. 

Countless other #TeamFran people supported you in your historic bid to become a Texas senator along with several organizations .

Fran. you didn't lose.   We Texans lost by not having a quality person like you repping Senate District 17 when the next Texas legislative session starts in January   We need more progressive leaning people and politicians who will put the people first.  We need your thoughtful, eloquent voice resonating in Texas senate hearings and the Texas senate chamber during floor debates.

I have no doubts that it will happen for you.   Unfortunately it wasn't last night.

Fran, just a note from our history for you and everyone else to peruse.  Barbara Jordan (who you were frequently compared to) lost her first two bids for the Texas House in 1962 and 1964.   She eventually won that historic 1966 state Senate race and every campaign after that until she retired from Congress in 1978. 

Something great is in store for you.   It's going to be interesting to see exactly what that is.

It's Texas Primary Runoff Election Day!

It's Texas primary election runoff day!   So rise and shine and handle your business at your regular precinct if you didn't do so.

There were 33 March primary races in which the candidates didn't get more than the 50% they needed to declare victory and move on to November,  Those candidates who advanced to this runoff want and need your vote.  There are two runoff candidates, one from each party, who are incumbent state House reps.

So starting now until the polls close at 7 PM CDT (7 PM MDT for you peeps in El Paso and the portion of West Texas in the Mountain Time Zone), you need to handle your electoral business.

Bring your yellow voter registration card and your photo ID.   There are some races I'll be watching after the polls close .

The big one is the Democratic gubernatorial one between Dallas County sheriff Lupe Valdez and Andrew White. 

The US House District 7 battle on the Democratic side between Laura Moser and Lizzie Pannill Fletcher. to see who takes on the incumbent Rep John Culberson in the fall.

I'll be watching to see if Fran Watson gets a step closer to becoming only the third African American woman ever elected to the Texas Senate as she faces off against Rita Lucido in the TX Senate District 17 race.   Winner will take on incumbent transphobe Joan Huffman (R) 

I'll also be watching the US House District 22 race between Sri Preston Kulkarni and Letitia Plummer and the San Antonio area US House District 23 race between Gina Ortiz Jones and Rick Trevino

On the Republican side, I'm watching the US House District 29 battle between the beauty queen and the transphobic bigot.   Phillip Aronoff is taking on former Miss Venezuela Carmen Montiel, with the winner facing off against TX state senator Sylvia Garcia. 

I want to see if the pattern continues of Republican candidates who deploy transphobia in their primary races end up losing them.

The US House District 2 race to replace the retiring Rep. Ted Poe has gotten contentious between state Rep. Kevin Roberts (no relation) and former Navy SEAL Dan Crenshaw. 

Roberts was the frontrunner on March 6 with 33% of the vote, but Crenshaw leapfrogged several GOP candidates with longer political resumes by capturing 27% of the vote.

And he's making the GOP establishment supporting Roberts nervous

While Roberts has the backing of longtime conservatives Steven Hotze and Terry Lowry, Crenshaw picked up the endorsements of influential Houston conservative talk radio host Michael Berry over the weekend and former Texas governor Rick Perry.

We'll find out what happens after the polls close later today.   But no matter what party you support, go handle your business

Texas Primary Runoff Election Starts Today

Early voting for the Texas party primary runoff elections start today and runs until Friday for the May 22 runoff election date

The race that is getting much statewide attention is the Democratic gubernatorial runoff between Lupe Valdez and Andrew White, but there are other candidates trying to get to represent their party in the fall.

There are several races we are watching in the Houston area.   One is the state Senate District 17 race in which Fran Watson is seeking to become only the third Black woman in Texas history to be elected to the state senate. 

Who were the previous two?   Barbara Jordan (1966) and Eddie Bernice Johnson (1986

But to make that trailblazing history, she has to get past Rita Lucido in a district that covers parts of Harris, eastern Fort Bend and Brazoria counties. 

If Fran is successful in advancing from the runoff, she'll then take on the incumbent transphobic Sen. Joan Huffman (R). 

The US House District 7 race is another one Houston area political junkies are watching between Lizzie Pannill Fletcher and Laura Moser.   This race started with six candidates vying for the Democratic nomination in this race to take on Rep. John Culberson (R) 

Depending on who you support (and I'm supporting Moser), voters are pissed at the two surviving candidates for one reason or another.   But only one will survive to take on Culberson in the fall.

The other local race I'm watch is the District 29 Republican one between Carmen Maria Montiel and Philip Aronoff in which the winner will take on Sen. Sylvia Garcia (D), who beat six candidates back in March to secure her spot on the fall ballot

Aronoff has my undivided attention because of the transphobia he unleashed to get into this GOP runoff, and you know I want him to go down in flames.   But then again Texas GOP primary voters have repeatedly shown their racist tendencies when an Anglo candidate goes up against a Latinx one.

Montiel is a former Miss Venezuela who emigrated to the US.  Even if she beats the odds and winds May 22, Garcia will be a formidable opponent. 

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Early voting starts today and runs through May 18.   If you don't handle your electoral business this week, you'll have to wait until May 22 to do so. 

But whether you do it this week on on May 22, just do it.   Exercise your right to vote.       

Texas 2018 Democratic Gubernatorial Debate

I missed this when it happened on Friday because I was traveling to Dallas.   Now that I've found the video for it I'm posting it for you peeps who are trying to make up your minds which person you wish to see take on Greg Abbott in November.

This is the one and done debate between Lupe Valdez and Andrew White that occurred on Friday evening in Austin.  It was moderated by Dallas Morning News reporter Gromer Jeffers, and as you probably suspected, got testy at times, especially since early voting for the May 22 runoff election starts today and runs through May 18 

So who am I supporting in this race?   I voted for Valdez in the primary in large part because I didn't like White's donation to the Kentucky Republican Party and his self description as a 'conservative moderate Democrat.' and I will be voting for her again in this runoff.

We need real Democrats, not Democrats-lite in these Trumpian times. 

 So handle your electoral business.

Handle Your Election Business, GA 6

Today is the runoff election in the Georgia 6th Congressional District between Democratic Candidate Jon Ossoff and Republican Karen Handel.

Last month Ossoff just missed winning this congressional seat outright on April 18, getting 48% of the vote to Handel's 18% in a crowded field,  This was a seat that was once held by Newt Gingrich for 20 years and hasn't been held by a Democrat since Jimmy Carter lived in the White House.

And both sides want it badly.   The Democrats want it because it'll put them one seat closet to taking back control of the House in 2018 along with the psychic satisfaction of taking away a seat that once was a GOP bastion.    The Republicans are just as determined to keep it, and that has resulted in both sides spending $56 million in this race.

After all the ads, the campaign stops in the district, the ground games and canvassing for both sides being unleashed, it's all in the hands of the GA 6 voters to decide who gets the seat and momentum toward the 2018 midterm elections as the nation and national news media awaits the results.

So if you live in the GA 6th Congressional District, go handle your electoral business .  This one is extremely close and your vote could decide this election.   You have until 7 PM EDT to cast it, so go do so and take a few friends to the polls with you.

Handle your election business GA 6.

San Antonio Mayoral Runoff In Early Voting Stage

Just west of me in San Antonio is a mayoral runoff election taking place that not only has the eyes of Texas on it, but the national TBLG community as well. 

The mayoral election was back on May 9, and pitted embattled interim mayor Ivy Taylor against 13 candidates including former Texas state senator Leticia Van de Putte and former state rep Mike Villarreal.

'Poison Ivy' as she is sarcastically called by the San Antonio LGBT community has been under fire for saying that the San Antonio NDO's TBLG  protections are 'a waste of time.    She repeatedly snubbed the local BTLG community that had serious reservations in the first place when she was appointed by council to fill HUD Secretary Julian Castro's unexpired term to become San Antonio's first African-American mayor..  She was one of the NO votes when the San Antonio NDO passed back in 2013.

Sen Van de Putte on the other hand is the political polar opposite.  In addition to recently running for lieutenant governor, she has been a longtime supporter of our community.  She supported the San Antonio NDO, and filed legislation to add sexual orientation and gender identity to Texas non discrimination statues in the areas of employment and housing.

Senator Van de Putte led all candidates on election night by garnering 25,952 votes or 30.3% of the 85,370 votes cast in the May 9 election, with interim Mayor Taylor close behind with 24,235 votes, or 28.40% of the total votes cast.   Rep Mike Villarreal just missed the runoff with 22,246 votes, 26.06% of the votes cast.

But since no one got 50% of the vote to win the seat outright, the runoff is being contested between Van de Putte, who has served the city as a state rep from 1991-1999 and a state senator from 1999-2015 and the interim mayor fighting for her first full term she promised not to run for when she was elevated to the interim mayor spot..

The runoff election to decide San Antonio's next mayor will take place on June 13, but the early voting phase of it started yesterday and will run until June 9.   Polling stations will be closed on Sunday June 7, but reopen on June 8-9.

It'll be interesting to see which one of these women emerges victorious on June 13, and the TBLG community hopes it will be Sen Van de Putte.

Paula Sophia Falls Short In Oklahoma Legislative Runoff

All 12 precincts have reported in the Oklahoma House District 88 runoff race between Paula Sophia and Jason Dunnington and the winner and new representative of that OKC area legislative seat is:

Jason Dunnington.

In a razor thin race, Dunnington garnered 990 votes to Sophia's 968.  An agonizing 23 votes separated her from the win and trans political history.

According to Sophia's Twitter feed, she will ask for a recount and for the provisional ballots to be counted as well. 

If that doesn't cut into the narrow 22 vote margin of Dunnington, he will be the representative-elect for House District 88 since no Republican filed in this race..

Will keep y'all posted.

Paula Sophia Makes It To Runoff For Oklahoma Legislative Seat

Paula Sophia gets a step closer to making history and becoming the first out transperson elected to a state legislative seat.

Tuesday night the Desert Storm vet and retired OKC cop advanced through the Democratic primary field in House District 88 to make it to the August 26 runoff election.

She will be competing against businessman and former pastor Jason Dunnington in that runoff election.  Because there is no Republican opponent in the HD 88 race, whoever wins the runoff will become the representative for that district.

If it's Paula, she would not only become the first transperson ever elected to the Oklahoma state legislature, she'd become the first out trans person nationally to accomplish the feat and be the first sitting trans state legislator since Althea Garrison did so in Massachusetts in 1992.

Good luck Paula, and hope you win that seat.
 

Don't Vote For Kesha Rogers In This Runoff Election Either

Early voting started yesterday for the primary runoff elections in Texas yesterday.   While most of the media will be focused on GOP side and the nasty battles between Lt Governor David Dewhurst and Sen. Dan Patrick and the Paxton-Branch race for the Republican Attorney General nomination, we Dems also have an important choice to make.

And it's a no-brainer.

David Alameel is in the runoff for the Democratic nomination for US Senate to square off against Sen John Cornyn.  Unfortunately, so is LaRouchite Kesha Rogers.   Once again Texas Democrats, in that US Senate race, DON'T vote for Kesha Rogers. 

You have until Friday from 7 AM-7 PM to vote in the early voting phase.   If you voted in the March primary, you will not be able to crossover vote.  If you didn't, then you will be able to choose which party's runoff election you will participate in.

So handle you electoral business during the early voting phase while you have multiple locations to choose from.  On May 27 you will be restricted to the location designated for your precinct.

And yeah, the odious Texas voter suppression law will be in effect.

But go handle your electoral business.  It's the first step in having a Texas with nice things in it.

Early Voting For Texas Primary Runoff Elections Begins Today

Lone Star State voters, early voting for the primary runoff elections begins today and runs through Friday.  If you don't get it done this week at a location of your choice and wait until July 31, on that date you'll have to go to your precinct location to cast your ballot.

Remember all you'll need to cast your ballot is your yellow voter registration card, the Texas Voter Suppression law is NOT in effect.  

For those of you who live in State Board of Indoctrination Education Districts 2, 10 or 12, you may have an SBOE runoff race on your ballot.   Very important considering the GOP controlled SBOE majority in the last five years censored what students will learn in their history classes, rejected established science and ignored the recommendations of teachers and respected scholars while doing so.

Since redistricting happened in 2011, all 15 seats on the SBOE were up for reelection this year.

In addition to the Sate Bord of Education, there are other local races in your area that require your attention.  The candidates involved would like for you and need you to do your civic duty and participate in the process.

So handle your electoral business and use your ballot power before the Republicans take it away from you.