Burnt Orange Report

"To you Senators Lucio and Madla in particular, the next time legislation comes up that strikes at the heart of your Hispanic contituants."

Karl, they're sleazy, but you're better than this. I'm wondering why the word Hispanic was necessary in the above sentence. "Constituents" would have sufficed.

I don't think it's necessary to threaten (even rhetorically) to sell out a minority group just because two sleazy senators betrayed your minority group. We've had enough of that type of language on the House floor this session.

I believe that ALL of Madla and Lucio's constituents - Hispanic and gay and otherwise- are taking note of their senators' duplicity and will vote accordingly in the next election.

Yeah, KT - attacking "Hispanic constituents" is not the way to go. Don't forget that Barrientos, Van de Putte, Zaffirini and Hinojosa have been solid supporters of the GLBT community.

However, next time Madla or Lucio need support on an issue where I would otherwise have no stake - I really don't care. It's not just GLBT issues. Madla and Lucio time and time again sell out to the highest bidder on all sorts of Democratic issues. If we really wanted to do something effective, someone should start a PAC dedicated to recruiting a challenger in the primary to one or both of them, and use that PAC to support the challenger / attack Madla/Lucio.

Byron I would strongely suggest Rep. Jim Solis D-San Benito challenging Sen. Lucio. I don't know if he's interested, but he is soooo popular down here and is very supportive of progressive issues. I'm going to pester him about it when he gets back from Austin.

Edward... you get him to run, then tell us where to send our checks...

Ive had some dealings with Jim Solis though the legal profession, and he is a GREAT guy.

Kudos to Barrientos, Van de Putte, Zaffirini and Hinojosa- all the Hispanics who voted against it. I urge KT to remember this, even though it is disheartening that thses two senators flipped. It has been such a bad session for all minorities: racial, women, and glbt.

Lamar Smith won by 26 points and almost 90,000 votes last year. What a waste of time to challenge him when others who are vulnerable go without opposition.

Lamar Smith faced an opponent last year (the first time in his newly reconfigured district) that spent almost no money and was by most standards, not a serious candidate. Given that, he almost lost the Travis Country third of the district. Ideally, someone with a good campaign and some money should have run against him last year, his district is mostly new to him, and more Democratic than his old one. But as part of DeLay's Texas Team (and being on the Ethics Committee, etc.) he's the guy that needs to have someone run against him to expand the anti-delay reform message. Plus, he overlays one of Patrick Rose's counties and it would be nice in the mid-terms to have that crossover going on. If Democrats can regularly start winning over voters in the San Marcos region, it will be better for the state-wide candidates.