Burnt Orange Report
News, Politics, and Fun From Deep in the Heart of Texas
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Burnt Orange ReportNews, Politics, and Fun From Deep in the Heart of Texas |
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January 21, 2006Perry Calls HD 106 Special Very Close To PrimaryBy Vince LeibowitzUpdate: I'm a little off on this one, as I didn't check the Election Code (hey, give me a break, it's Saturday!). More on that and other good stuff (like Smith being unable to run in the special) in the comments, so check them out.) February 28 will be the date for the special election in HD 106 following Ray Allen's early departure from the Lege. That's seven days before the March Primary, not counting the special election day itself. Early voting will begin February 13. Given the fact that Democrats faired well in the recent Special Election in HD 48, I'm not surprised that Perry has set the date so far out and so close to the March Primary. In fact, if I remember my dates correctly, early voting for the regular primary begins Feb. 21, meaning that both elections will essentially be going on simeltaniously to some degree. So, why did Perry pick such a date? I think it's for two reasons. First, because Kirk England is the GOP establishment favorite in HD 106, and he's got a primary opponent in Edward Smith. I'm thinking that, if England bests Smith and he and Katy Hubener go into a runoff at the same time a primary is going on (wouldn't that be wierd?) Smith would likely drop out, meaning it may make things easier for England. Second, I'm sure they want to set forth enough time to allow England to raise some cash. Finally, and it's a little sad, but I'm thinking that Perry hopes voters will be suffering from "election fatigue" or confusion and that perhaps some Democrats won't vote in the Special Election but rather in the Primary only, especially since election day overlaps with early voting for the primary. Strange, I know, but who knows what is on their minds. Candidates have until January 30 to file for the special election. Early voting will begin Feb. 13. Given all this, please go help out Katy Hubener. You can contribute online, and she'll need everything she can get to defeat whatever the GOP will throw at her for the Special. Posted by Vince Leibowitz at January 21, 2006 12:54 PM | TrackBackComments
The inside scoop is that Perry did NOT want Allen to resign and that Allen did anyway because he is flat broke and needs to lobby to earn a living. Perry tried to talk him out of it to no avail. Perry told the England camp about the 2/28 date before he made it public. England is also using City facilities (his dad is mayor) to solicit support from those that have business before the City of Grand Prairie. Nice to now that corruption and insider dealing is alive and well in the Texas Republican party. Posted by: WhoMe? at January 21, 2006 01:19 PMBy the way, Smith is not eligible for the Special. He will not have lived in the District at least one year before the Special election. It is a England v. Hubener affair unless an unknow jumps in, and anything is possible in a Special election. Posted by: WhoMe? at January 21, 2006 01:20 PMUnder TX law, once an election is declared an emergency, a governor has to set the election for a Tuesday or Saturday between 36 and 50 days after the vacancy is created. By my math, that means every available date in that time period coincides with early voting for the primary. (Please keep in mind that the election code prohibits a special election from being held on the day of the primary.) In truth, this is not a date "so far off." It's one of the earliest avaiilable dates. Also bear in mind that if a runoff is needed, it would take place roughly 30 days after the date of the special election. That means end of March, just in time for the court mandated special session. Posted by: legal eagle at January 21, 2006 01:22 PMIf what legal eagle says is true, it's nice to know that Perry is being so responsible about filling Allen's seat in time for the special session, just like he did for Joe Moreno's seat. Oh wait. Posted by: Ramey at January 21, 2006 04:47 PMsince the lege was still in regular session when the election for moreno's seat was called, no one had any idea that a special session would be called when it was. Posted by: bob at January 21, 2006 05:40 PMBob, you and legal eagle can go straight to hell. That nobody knew defense is the biggest crock of shit. Perry wasn't required by law to fill Moreno's seat, so he didin't. Decided to take advantage of the death of a House member to help his vote advantage. The fact that you hide behind the law to defend Perry's chicken-shit decision is pitiful. For all of Perry's praise of religion and God and morality, he knew what the right thing to do was. Had it been a Republican seat, there's no f*ing way he would have left the election until November. Once he oredered the special for November, he could have issued a second executive order to change the election date to mid-June, and HD 143 would have had a Representative for the second special session (and the end of the first). I'm sure no one in HD 143 would have minded actually having a Representative in the House for some of the most important votes of the past year. Posted by: txgirl at January 21, 2006 08:36 PMSorry, I got so ticked off that my days were wrong. Perry could have ordered the speical election on June 18. That's the same day he ordered the first special session. June 18 + 36 days (per legal eagle) = July 24. The major HB 2 and HB 3 votes of the second session came on July 26. HD 143 residents deserved to have a Representative in the House on that day. But they didn't, because Perry hid behind the law and took advantage of the death of a Democrat to help his vote total in the House. Posted by: txgirl at January 21, 2006 08:46 PMPost a comment
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