Burnt Orange Report

Strayhorn Rumored to Announce This Saturday

By Andrew Dobbs

According to Quorum Report:

Reliable sources tell QR that Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn will announce her candidacy for the Republican nomination as Governor this Saturday.

We have not yet received direct confirmation from her campaign office but have enough confidence in our sources to run with this story.

Plans may change, but what we have confirmed are that calls are being made giving supporters a heads up about the pending announcement.

This might be the worst possible thing to happen to Kay Bailey Hutchison. I'd say that Strayhorn's chances of winning the GOP nomination are slim to none, but she'll suck off a sizeable chunk of moderate voters and suburban women who are the treasure trove for KBH. KBH is the worst thing Strayhorn could face as she's more popular with that same crowd.

Of course, Rick Perry will likely have to deal with two primary opponents bashing him, an independent and a handful of Democratic candidates all running against him. But with his base in the evangelical community (a sizeable chunk of the GOP primary) and rural voters (another nice demographic to hold) he should be able to make it to a runoff at the very least and will likely win outright. He needs to start attacking now and establishing his credibility. Were I him, within a week of the veto process ending, I'd announce my candidacy and run my first campaign ads.

Things are heating up... stay tuned to BOR for all your 2006 rumors and news.

Bell Conference Call

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

I didn't make the Chris Bell Conference Call last night with Texas bloggers as I was still finishing up a late dinner here at the Co-op where I'm living this summer, but the Panhandle Truth Squad was there as well as In The Pink Texas (ITPT as she is going now, total rip off of BOR, IMHO =) ) as well as StoutDem so check them out.

And just to clear things up, I poke fun at Bell's campaign at times, just like I do for everyone else. I believe that the instant politics lacks it's "fun factor" the little hope there is, will be lost forever. Also, while we all make cracks about Bell's perpetual "exploratory phase" one of the primary reasons is due to certain medical issues in the Bell family that won't be fully known/resolved until the end of next month. And because of the respect that Bell has shown for that family member, I think we can offer him that much respect in return by not demanding him to enter officially.

Playful ribbing is still game though.

Borris Miles taking on Al Edwards

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

Al Edwards, one of the Texas House's longest serving Reps, and most widely known for his Anti-Booty Bill. Save Texas Reps points out why, other than the obvious fact that it's time for a more Democratic behaving Rep to hold his Democratic seat, it may be a ripe time for us to support a primary challenger, like Borris Miles.

Greg makes the very succinct point that...

"I'm sure that once Borris Miles hits the campaign trail in earnest, there's going to be a fascinating debate over issues, ideology, and public service (ala Wilson v Allen). But for now, Borris Miles gets a good deal of street cred for the sole reason that he is not Al Edwards.

I respect his humble nature, and his fights in past years for civil rights. But I think he's forgotten those days, especially with comments calling homosexuality a "social ill".

But about Borris Miles. A little web investigation tells us that he owns an Insurance Agency, supports Peter Brown for Houston City Council At Large Place 1, and donated to a lot of Houston Dems, including about $3350 to none other than Chris Bell back in his Congressional Days. Barak Obama and Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee also got a couple thousand. Now those are some Black Democrats I wouldn't mind hanging with.

Oh I forgot, I already have once.

Adding it Up

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

Some fundraising numbers from around the state.

Chris Bell: $25,072 of his $30,000 mini-goal reached so far. Donate before tomorrow night.

Barbara Radnofsky: $450,000 of her $500,000 first quarter goal reached so far. What the heck has that gal been doing? “Trial Dialing” for dollars is my guess. Maybe the rest of the campaign staff will be soon to follow, heh.

Kinky Friedman: $12,000 goal fully reached to build his campaign "hat" trailer.

David Van Os: No idea about his fundraising status, though thank goodness his site is going under a makeover. You can donate here if you please.

Texas Young Democrats: $755 of $5000 for the 5K in June campaign. Please donate!

Thinking about Texas

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

This morning I had a chance to catch some coffee with Chris Bell blogger guy Jason Stanford on the Drag here in Austin. Being a bit late thanks to a cantankerous alarm clock, I didn’t recognize him at first but figured that it was one of the two guys sitting outside by himself.

In any case, it was refreshing to chat with him, about the nature of the Bell campaign, Texas strategy changes in this elections compared to last, and the importance of not taking the base for granted in Texas statewide elections anymore. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m more of a liberal Democrat when it comes to campaign candidates, styles, and strategies. I’m the kind of person that is attracted to campaigns that are innovative, grassrootsy, and maybe odd. I was a Deaniac, the closest thing to a Margot Clarke supporter on this blog, and someone who will sign Jennifer Gale’s ballot access petitions at 1:30 AM in the middle of the Drag for whatever race she may run.

But having spent some time around Byron and Andrew, as well as many of the Austin politicos, I have a greater respect for some of the more old-fashioned Democrats and campaign styles. It’s not that I think they are wrong; it’s just that I think that we keep trying them and losing. (See 2002 as Example A-F) In small local elections, be it out in the Hill Country or East Texas, getting some old LBJ family member or Texas legend to run and win can work and should be done. But the days are fading where we can continue to do that on a statewide level and hope that our never-changing strategy of huge turnout in the Valley and Urban Counties will give us a win over the other 230 counties in the state. Why? Because those two regions would be our base, and when campaigns are set up the way they have been, we offer very little for our base to get out and vote for.

Since the old way isn’t working, and we can only wait around so long for demographics to turn our way (while the GOP eats away into our traditional Hispanic support), why don’t we try something different? Let’s run against corruption in a mainstream to populist way (in a slightly less “Van Os”ian way). Let’s run Bell against Perry (like Kinky is). Let’s run a Courage against Smith. Let’s run primary challenges against turncoat/Craddickrats. On the state and federal Texas elections, let’s run on reform and good government. That’s not liberal or conservative. It’s just Good and Right. Run on that and you won’t have to worry as much about the social politics which always dog us.

To crib from Kinky, Why the Hell not?

Yes We Can!

By Jim Dallas

The Bell team is hoping to raise $30,000 by midnight on the 15th.

The Wong Answer

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

Via Quorum Report for the second time today.

Ellen Cohen, the President and CEO of the Houston Area Women's Center has decided to challenge incumbent Republican Martha Wong. Cohen will be filing her papers and naming her treasurer around the first of next month.

Huzzah for that. Just like I belive Kelly White's similar background would have made a great addition to the legislature, I hope that Ellen Cohen will incorperate that into her campaign. This should be an exciting woman on woman battle in which the gay community in that district should be heavily involved.

From the e-mail lists

By Jim Dallas

Kevin Anderson, who collected about 3,000 votes running as a Libertarian for Congress in the fourth district against Republican Ralph Hall and "very, very conservative" Democrat Jim Nickerson, is thinking about running again in 2006... as a Democrat. This could make for an interesting primary race should Nickerson try again (although I haven't heard anything to that effect).

Also, there is the Chris Bell conference call tonight, at 7 p.m. If you blog and haven't gotten the e-mail, zip me a note at jim - dot - dallas - at - gmail - dot - com before, oh, five or so and I'll forward the information.