Burnt Orange Report

Byron,

Correction: It's Abel Herrero, not Herrera.

Also, Veronica Gonzales pulled off a win tonight in House District 41 tonight. That's good news, no doubt. But while everyone seems to have been harping on the Gonzales-Gutierrez race, Democrats should be far more relieved that Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles defeated Rep. Gabi Canales in State House District 35. Canales was far more of a threat to the standing of the Democratic party in the long term than Gutierrez ever was simply because he was a conservative. Canales was an embarrassment. She sure didn't win any ethics awards during her first term. An attorney, she used her legislative power to get delays for clients' trials during the session. She was also charged with drunk driving. Gutierrez wasn't causing THAT much trouble. I don't know if you've given Canales a pass because she was a good soldier and went to Ardmore or if you just didnt think this race was as worthy of mention. Either way, Canales needed to be out.

p.s. Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles will be facing conservative former UT Student Body Vice President Eric Opiela in the general election. I'm sure she would appreciate the support of your readers. :-)

My apologies regarding Herrero. It's been corrected. I'm glad Canales lost as well. I'll mention it.

Democrats Sam Nunn, Lee Hamilton, J.F.Kennedy and even B. Clinton would not be very welcomed in this crowd. Look at all the legislation passed and signed in the 90's with a democratic minority. You need to work with the other party. You guys don't get it...too much Austin air i guess. Look at Idaho, your party only fielded 45 people for 135 statewide post. Even let the first term senator run without a democrat challenger.

I'm all for working with the other party, but Speaker Tom Craddick led from the far right wing. Democrats have no business working with him...

Sam Nunn, Lee Hamilton, J.F.Kennedy and Bill Clinton are all welcome in my company. They are all good Democrats and good Americans, but I doubt that any of them would put up with the crap that the Craddick House leadership pushes through.

Byron is right.

Bipartisanship does NOT mean signing up for extreme Right-Wing legislation. If Craddick were sensible on some things, Democrats should have worked with him. Instead, Craddick was taking marching orders from the "owners' box," and the Democrats had no business going along. Sometimes, a legislator has to realize NO legislation is better than SOME legislation when the nuts are running the show.

The argument against Gutierrez was not just that he was Rick Perry's go-to Hispanic for education cuts. He also had a bad habit of not paying his taxes, at one point owing more than half a million dollars in business and personal income taxes. The man was a sad old joke.

How is useing Idaho as an example relevant? We get our butts kicked in Utah as well. I don't think we're one bipartisan awakening away from winning over the entire Mormon religion.

This is the same thing thats happening the Northeastern states. People who are moderates are asking whats the point of electing moderate Republicans to the house if all they ever do is shore up right wing fanatic Delay party line votes.

Bipartisan spirit was killed in the 1990's by the GOP. To expect the Democratic party to try to resurrect it in the face of an opposition that consitently lies and deceives to win is not going to work.

Glad to read about this happening, its about time.