Results tagged “election2010”

• The explains what Saturday’s Longhorn Game really meant in the grand scheme of things.
• Dell Children’s Medical Center has so many flu patients that they are setting up outside tents to deal with the overflow!
• Political Smackdown: Governor Goodhair vs. Senator Goodhair.

Kinky Friedman made the rumors official this week when he announced that he plans to run for Governor again, this time as a Democrat. While the Democrats aren't receiving as much attention as Perry and Hutchison, the number of people planning to run in the Dem primary has slowly grown. The list Friedman is joining includes Tom Schieffer, teacher Felix Alvarado, former candidate for Ag Commissioner Hank Gilbert, and former candidate for Railroad Commissioner Mark Thompson. Kinky and his pal Willie Nelson already have a fundraiser planned for mid-September. [Politico]

Former Austin mayor and current State Senator Kirk Watson, who had been rumored to be planning a run for governor, has formally announced that he wants to stay in the State Senate. "There’s been a lot of speculation about my plans for the next election. Well, I’ve decided what I’m going to do. . . I will run for re-election to the Texas Senate in 2010," he said in a statement released this afternoon. So far the Democrats running for governor haven't captured as much attention as the GOP matchup between Perry and Hutchison; without Watson, the biggest name in the Dem race is Tom Schieffer (Bob's brother), with rumors of former Travis County AG Ronnie Earle or past Independent candidate for governor Kinky Friedman possibly running in the Democratic primary also. [Austin Chronicle]

A recent statewide survey shows that Governor Rick Perry is still the favored candidate versus Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison in next year's Republican primary—though not by much.

The Paramount Theatre will play host Wednesday night to a forum involving candidates for mayor and City Council. All the mayoral candidates and City Council candidates are invited to take part in this event, where they are expected to address the status of the arts in Austin and their ideas for the future of the arts in Central Texas. The forum is sponsored by many local organizations, including the Austin Film Festival, Austin Lyric Opera, Conspirare, and the Paramount & State Theatres.

• Voter ID bill will be slow-going in State Senate.
• Your candidates for Austin City Council and Mayor.
• Treemont Homeowners Association suing a resident for his installation of an energy-saving metal roof.

Tom Schieffer, brother to Bob (host of ) and friend to Dubya, will be traversing the state over the next few months to gauge interest in his possible run as a Democrat for the governor's office. Schieffer most recently served as US Ambassador to Japan, after he served as US Ambassador to Australia from 2001-05. He made an announcement of sorts today, on Texas Independence Day, commenting on the disappointing state of Texas' educational system and saying that he is filing paperwork to form an exploratory committee towards joining in the race for governor. [KUT]