Burnt Orange Report

A House Update

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

With Rick Perry's special election just weeks away (early voting starts on Monday if you can believe it), I have the great misfortune of being out of town. I'm currently back home in Fredericksburg, enjoying the tales of local politics from Councilman Musselman, eyeing the "medium density residential housing" complex going up down the street from our house, reading the almost final draft of the City Comprehensive Plan, watching Season 7 of Stargate SG-1 on my laptop, sleeping until after 1 every day, and enjoying not being online for an entire week for the first time in years. Of course, seeing 166 unread messages in my inbox (one of 3 anyways) made me reconsider even coming back online this once to check to see how things were doing.

In any case, this update should more more about the Texas House than my own, so let's meander back there. With Andy Brown out of the HD-48 Special Election, University Democrats held an online endorsement election, the first in its history which I had the great honor of creating as my last act as the outgoing webmaster. It officially endorsed, "No Endorsement", for what use that was, not that anything would have been terribly important as most UDems members like myself won't be in town to do much for the election.

Glen Maxey, who was helping the Andy Brown campaign, is now coordinating some efforts for those who want to do what they can to help a Democrat (be it Rider or Howard) take the seat or force a February run-off which would allow us to regroup and win the race. In speaking to him, there has been an agreement reached that if either Howard or Rider wins the Special Election seat, Brown and the other Democrat would refrain from running in the March primary.

In the meantime, Donna Howard is launching TV ads which you can view here. In low turnout elections (and this one could be a record breaker for the "huh-what election" factor), name ID and some TV time can have a effect as Austinites saw in last year's city council Place 3 race where Jennifer Kim made an unexpected second place in the May election, allowing her into the run-off which she won, thanks in part to her effective use of her Firefighter's endorsement on TV.

On top of that, Howard has now been endorsed by the Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA) as well as the People for Efficient Transportation. Those Press Releases are included in the extended entry.

But the important thing to remember, is that even though this Rick Perry Special Election was designed to hurt us, we can turn the tide and just like in Minnesota, Democrats can pull through.

The following are the Press Releases for the endorsements of Howards's campaign.

The Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA) is proud to announce its endorsement of a strong supporter of public education and public school employees, Donna Howard, in the January special election for the District 48 seat vacated by resignation of Todd Baxter.

"I am honored to have Texas teachers on board this quick special election campaign," Howard said. "They work long hours and still have the energy and commitment to back a candidate who knows firsthand that no profession is more important to our future."

“We are confident that Donna Howard will be a strong voice for improving the salary and benefits of active and retired public school employees,” Haschke said.

TSTA President Haschke urged all those in District 48 who value our public schools and our children’s education to turn out to vote for Donna Howard.

"Donna Howard will fight to stop those who want to take our tax dollars away from public schools to pay for the private education of a privileged few to attend private schools, and we know she will work to provide our public schools the funding they need to give all our children an opportunity to succeed," Haschke concluded.

PETPAC

People for Efficient Transportation Political Action Committee (PET PAC) has endorsed Democrat Donna Howard for State Representative District 48 in the Special Election that begins Jan 3rd (early voting). PET PAC is a nonpartisan, grassroots group of Texans focused on keeping tolls off roads we've already paid for.

“Donna Howard understands the tremendous negative impact that freeway tolls will have on our local economy,” said Sal Costello, founder of PET PAC. “In addition to freeway tolls creating an unaccountable bureaucracy that only serves the special interests, they actually make our traffic worse, as our Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization's own numbers prove” Costello added. “PET PAC believes Donna Howard will work the hardest to keep toll tax collection booths off our public highways”

Donna Howard was born and raised in Austin and has spent her adult life working to help strengthen her community. A recognized expert on public education, Howard was an elected member of the Eanes ISD board in West Austin from 1996 to 1999. She was a cofounder of Advocates for Eanes Schools, a parent organization, and helped start the Texas Education Crisis Coalition, a grassroots group of parents and community leaders.

Based in Austin, People for Efficient Transportation Political Action Committee enhances its members’ abilities to improve accessibility, quality and cost-effectiveness of transportation for all Texans.

Contact:
Sal Costello
Founder of People for Efficient Transportation PAC