Pete Gallego VICTORY!

Yes, and more reasons to be hopeful than just that (0.00 / 0)

- Wendy Davis was reelected in the Texas Senate.  
- Democrats gained 7 seats in Texas House, to 55.  This comes at a time when Democrats lost seats in most legislatures in the South.  Democrat Joe Moody defeated incumbent Dee Margo in El Paso.
- Democrats again won the major urban counties that they won in 2008, including Dallas and Harris Counties.
- Noticed Paul Burka giving recognition to Julian Castro's achievements continuing to build, with his Pre-K referendum passing in San Antonio.
- Nick Lampson didn't win a seat in Congress, but Jefferson County (Beaumont) still voted strongly for him and voted for Barack Obama like it did in 2008, despite Bill White failing to carry it in 2010 and the fears that a Republican tide had washed over this area of Southeast Texas for good.  I'm still glad Bill Clinton went to visit there!

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by: jfung79 @ Thu Nov 08, 2012 at 07:25:29 AM UTC

Some things went well in Texas...others not so much (0.00 / 0)

3 cheers for our success in electing Pete Gallego, holding onto Wendy Davis' seat, and passing some important progressive initiatives. Dallas and Harris Counties stayed blue, as did Travis and South Texas. We gained a seat in the State Board of Education (which will now have 5 Dems, 4 sane R's, 5 crazy R's, and a semi-crazy R, compared to 4 Dems, 5 sane R's and 6 crazies on the last SBOE). But the rest of the picture is pretty bad.

During the legislative redistricting, most people expected the Republicans to try to hold onto 90 or so seats, writing off the rest of their 2010 gains as unsustainable. They held onto 95. Either they did something right, or we did something wrong, or Texas is just heading in the wrong direction.

The Republicans swept the 3rd Court of Appeals races, and now hold a 5-1 majority.  Ouch! On other courts, Sharon Keller and the other ethically-challenged GOP judges won easily.

In the presidential race, we lost by 16 points. It sure doesn't look like Texas will be in play in 2016. And we just elected Ted Cruz as Senator -- by 16 points.

It will take a long time, and a lot of work, before we have a state government that we can be proud of.  

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by: LSadun @ Fri Nov 09, 2012 at 23:16:37 PM UTC