The Eric Manning Spreadsheet is out for 2024. Eric is with the Houston/Harris County Democratic club Southwest Democrats. (I'm a member!)
The spreadsheet details each Harris County & statewide Texas Democratic primary candidate. The list has what offices candidates are running for, their primary voting history for the past four election cycles & a link to their campaign websites. It's a great tool to see who is running which primaries are contested and if candidates have been reliable Democratic Party voters or not. The is work done by an active rank & file Democrat. (Just the type person Kim Ogg, who has been admonished by the Harris County Democratic Party, has been insulting recently.) Our best resource as we confront rising authoritarian threats from the right is each other. Check out the Manning spreadsheet as you inform yourself for 2024.
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Here are some Houston Democracy Project notes-- * The Houston Democracy Project segment on the Egberto Willie's Politics Done Right broadcast on KPFT 90.1 FM will continue through 2024. I'm on with Egberto for the full hour each Thursday at 6 AM. The show is then available on the Politics Done Right website. Thanks to Egberto for the privilege of being on the show. Each week we'll be discussing local politics and the fight from democracy in the Harris County. *Channel 11 used some pictures I took in their reporting about the recent meeting to admonish rogue District Attorney Kim Ogg. One of the pictures is above. You can see my photo credit if you have access to the Webb Telescope for the needed magnification. Photography is a big part of the Houston Democracy Project. * The front page of the Project has been updated for 2024. I'll be tinkering with it and updating it throughout the year. * I'm available to discuss the Houston Democracy Project at your club or organization meeting. I'm also happy to talk about the Project with anybody at all. I can be contacted at naa61840@gmail.com * The Houston Democracy Project takes time, effort and money. The project is possible because of skills and experience I have acquired over many years. It’s important and fair that people doing the work for democracy be compensated. I’m asking for contributions to be able to stick with this effort through 2024. I look forward to working with democracy advocates across all Houston and Harris County communities. Thank you. Here is what I said in my phone call to Houston-Area State Senator Carol Alvarado's Austin office today.
*The Senator still needs to apologize for comments at the recent Harris County Democratic Party Steering Committee meeting where she said the grassroots Democrats putting forth the Kim Ogg admonishment resolution were acting like anti-democratic Republicans. The resolution passed last night by a margin 129-61 at the County Executive Committee meeting. Those 129 votes came from loyal Democrats who have volunteered many hours to the party. *The Senator was not consistently active in recent Houston municipal elections for candidates beyond support of John Whitmire. She bears her share of responsibility for the loss of three Houston At-Large Council seats to Republicans. *With no primary opponent & a safe, gerrymandered district against a declared Republican General Election challenger in 2024, Senator Alvarado has good opportunity to generate turnout in Harris County. This turnout is needed to hold the county for Democrats and help defeat authoritarian Senator Ted Cruz. She can take part in and run block walks, raise money for the ticket, and ask Democratic candidates how she can be of help. Our elected officials are here to generate turnout for 2024. That is job #1. *None of this is about politics so much as about public policy. The Republican Party is anti-democratic. I prefer a public policy of democracy over a course of relentless attacks on democracy. What I'm saying here about Senator Alvarado could be said in essence about many of our elected officials. We should contact them and demand more & do so over and in 2024. The recent grassroots-led admonishment of rogue District Attorney Kim Ogg shows that we have a voice. The stakes are high and we need more from the people we support. Senator Alvarado's Austin office can be reached at 512-463-0106 & her Houston office is 713-926-6257. Here is the website of the Texas Senate if you'd like to call your Senator and ask what they are doing to protect democracy. The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County. The Project will continue through 2024 at the least. Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to naa61840@gmail.com. The Harris County Democratic Party has voted to admonish District Attorney Kim Ogg by a decisive vote of 129-61. Elected Harris County Democratic Precinct Chairs were the eligible voters at the quarterly County Executive Committee Precinct Chair meeting. Details of the resolution are below. Above is a picture of the meeting. Congratulations to my good friend Daniel Cohen who was an architect of the fully grassroots effort. Here is what DA Ogg told the Houston Chronicle after the vote-- “It's political drama within a party,” she said. “It’s the in-fighting that our American public has grown tired of. I would tell the public that this is damaging to the political process, and it hurts public trust. Anybody who pushed this is wrong.” No respect at all for the party faithful. No self-awareness or reflection. DA Ogg was at the meeting and has surely known many of the Precinct Chairs for years. She knows--or should know--that they are guardians of the political process. These are strong volunteers and active citizens. It is simply inappropriate for any elected official to speak disrespectfully to the people who sustain the party. This was an important process and an important vote. Two committees of the Harris County Democratic Party bravely moved the admonishment resolution forward despite pressure from DA Ogg and her ally State Senator Carol Alvarado. The clear 2/3's vote of Precinct Chairs was a resolute statement that the active rank and file of the party have the right to tell elected officials that enough is enough. This strong voice from so many of the people who do the work, will be essential in demanding our elected officials show up for us in 2024. We must keep Harris County under Democratic Party control and work to defeat authoritarian Senator Ted Cruz. Here are details of the resolution that was passed by such a large majority of some of the most informed and committed Democrats in Harris County: In June 2022, in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Ogg noted that she would prosecute Gov. Greg Abbott’s abortion ban, the most extreme in the nation, “on a case by case basis.” Ogg has joined Republican officials in repeatedly making demonstrably false claims that Harris County democrats on Commissioners Court are “defunding law enforcement.” Ogg continues to oppose efforts by democrats to reform our broken criminal justice system by working to oppose efforts by democrats to fix the cash-bail system, intimidating public servants working to enact community and gun violence prevention programs, lobbying for republican legislation fueling mass incarceration that disproportionately impacts black and brown communities, and directly attacking elected democratic judges advocating for fairness to our criminal justice system. In November of 2022, at the behest of State and local republican Officials, Ogg initiated a partisan criminal investigation against local election workers - an investigation premised on debunked conspiracy theories, lies, and unproven innuendo. Ogg also pursued a criminal investigation against Hervis Rogers for voting in the March 2020 primary. Rogers is a 64-year old black man who was already arrested and prosecuted by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a politically motivated investigation designed to add credence to “the big lie.” In August of 2023, Ogg broke a major campaign promise to support decriminalizing low-level drug offenses, which disproportionately impact people of color, by reversing her own policy. The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County. The Project will continue through 2024 at the least. Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to naa61840@gmail.com. Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee has filed for re-election for Texas U.S. House District 18.
Congresswoman Jackson Lee recently lost the race for Mayor of Houston. She lost by a decisive margin and was unable to generate turnout in the 18th Congressional District that she has represented for many years. Three of the five At-Large Houston City Council seats won by Republicans. A more energetic campaign by Rep. Jackson Lee might have saved some of those seats. We are told over and over by our political leaders that our vote is our voice. When we peacefully protest we are over-policed. Our Democratic elected officials tell us it is essential we elect them to fight anti-democratic Republicans. Most of our elected Democrats are in safe gerrymandered districts. They don't care about turnout. And they are frequently missing in action when it comes to working to boost overall Democratic turnout. We need high Democratic turnout in Houston and Harris County in 2024 to hold Harris County, beat authoritarian Ted Cruz and defeat anti-democratic Republicans. Rep. Jackson Lee's leading primary opponent to retain her Congressional seat is former Houston Councilwoman Amanda Edwards. Ms. Edwards was running for mayor, but got out to make room for the Congresswoman. It seems Ms. Edwards has had enough of that and is staying in the District 18 primary. Ms. Edwards has campaigned hard so far. She knows she needs every vote. Maybe she can act with the urgency required to address the prospect of a would-be dictator or authoritarian very possibly elected president in less than 11 months. A prospect made all the worse by Ken Paxton as Texas Attorney General and local police unions that appear more than happy to support election-deniers. I believe Ms. Edwards will campaign hard if she wins the primary even though it is a safe district for a Democrat. Her own self-interest to not live in a terrible future might encourage her to work aggressively to boost the full Democratic ticket. We are less than a year away from the possible loss of our most basic civil liberties. We already have an authoritarian Texas state government that forces women out of state for needed medical care. We must be clear-eyed about the threats ahead. Our candidates and elected officials are here to generate voter turnout and to work to protect us from the political right. If they are doing that then we should support them. If they show that they cannot adequately respond to this authoritarian moment, then they need to move on. The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County. The Project will continue through 2024 at the least. Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to naa61840@gmail.com. The Harris County Democratic Party meeting that will discuss the justified admonishment of rogue District Attorney Kim Ogg is Tuesday, December 12th. Though elected Precinct Chairs will be able to vote, that does not mean your presence is not important. Above are details about the meeting from Indivisible Houston leader and Precinct 272 Chair Daniel Cohen. I am not a Chair, but I will be at the meeting. Daniel has been a big part of the effort. DA Ogg has said the initiative comes from her Democratic primary opponent Sean Teare. But that is just not so. It's a grassroots deal all the way. Below are some of the reasons for the admonishment motion. On thing not mentioned is DA Ogg's open support of Republican At-Large 3 City Council candidate Twila Carter in her narrow win over Democrat Richard Cantu. From the motion:
Today was municipal Election Day in Houston. The results are coming in as I type this post! The Houston Democracy Project will have commentary in the days ahead about where today's results leave us as we work to protect and expand democracy in 2024. For today though we'll have this picture of Houston City Hall lit up this evening for the third night of Hanukkah. Happy Hanukkah to all who observe. Saturday, December 9 is Houston municipal runoff election day. Please vote and tell others about the election.
I'm voting for the straight Democratic ticket in the Houston Municipal runoffs. These candidates are Chris Hollins for Controller, Melanie Miles in At-Large #1, Nick Hellyar in At-Large #2, Richard Cantu in At-Large #3 & Letitia Plummer in At-Large#4. Shelia Jackson Lee is the best of the choices we have for Mayor. (Here are Houston Democracy Project 2023 Houston runoff recommendations.) There were something like 248,000 votes for mayor in the first round of voting. A lousy 17% turnout. There was a drop down to around 198,000 votes in the at-large council races. So if you know somebody who is not voting--Tell them to please vote. If you know somebody who plans to vote--Ask them if they are voting in all the races. The Houston Democracy Project will have a lot more to say after the election. This posts details the need for a Democratic straight ticket vote even if some of the candidates are weak. Best of luck to all of us. Houston Police Officer's Union Each Day Has Opportunity To Side With Pro-Democracy Leaders12/6/2023 The Houston Police Officer's Union often criticizes Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee as she runs for Mayor of Houston. That's fine. They have every right to do that.
What they don't appear to criticize is rallies where anti-democratic Donald Trump uses Texas Department of Public Safety officers and border patrol officers as props or the openly-stated intent of Donald Trump to take authoritarian powers if back in the White House. The national Fraternal Order of Police endorsed Donald Trump in 2020. With Trump threatening democracy, are HPOU officials talking to the national FOP to say they'll oppose another endorsement of Trump in 2024? There is no public safety without democracy. How would people in the most diverse city in America be safe in a second Trump term? How would people of opposing political views be safe in a second Trump term? The top law enforcement official in Texas is the Attorney General Ken Paxton. HPOU supported Mr. Paxton in 2022. Mr. Paxton appears to represent what law and order looks like in the view of the HPOU. The people of Houston and Harris County have a right to be safe from the political right. The top domestic security threat to our nation is a Republican Party led by Donald Trump. Each day affords the HPOU the opportunity to consider the proper course. As authoritarian threats come closer to reality, the people of Houston and Harris County must evaluate who will keep them safe. The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County. The Project will continue through 2024 at the least. Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to naa61840@gmail.com. Whitmire Must Demand Anti-Democratic Supporters Like Bettencourt Support Multi-Racial Democracy12/5/2023 As you see above, Senator John Whitmire has the endorsement of far-right and anti-democratic Texas State Senator Paul Bettencourt in his race for Mayor. Everyone on this card is Republican other than Senator Whitmire. The issue is not bipartisanship. There is nothing wrong with bipartisanship in a more normal politics. The issue is the damage Senator Bettencourt has done to our elections & the fact that the Republican Party remains tied to Donald Trump is who is openly planning the suspending of our rights. Of course the suspension of our rights is a local Houston/Harris County issue. Local elected Republicans are eager to be part of this radical agenda. If Senator Whitmire is going to accept the support of people like Paul Bettencourt, he must insist Senator Bettencourt and his fellow Republicans are dully committed to multi-racial democracy. It is not a difficult ask. There is no public safety without democracy. Senator Whitmire's willing acceptance of anti-democractic support puts us all at risk. If Senator Whitmire wins the election, it'll likely be with a strong majority of Republican voters supporting him. Brought to office by voters intending to support an anti-democratic figure for President & who routinely back our authoritarian State of Texas government, Senator Whitmire would begin his term as Mayor of Houston in a compromised position in terms of protecting our freedom. The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County. The Project will continue through 2024 at the least. Please share word of the Houston Democracy Project and support the effort with your contribution. If you have a question about the Project or a suggestion, please send an e-mail to naa61840@gmail.com. |
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