Good news out of TX-23. As of today, all of Ciro Rodriguez's former Democratic challengers in the open primary for TX-23 have now endorsed his campaign. Third place finisher Lukin Gilliland has offered up his northside campaign headquarters and staff.
"Henry Bonilla simply hasn't done his job to provide fresh ideas on how to protect our troops and bring an honorable peace to the war in Iraq. This runoff represents the people's chance to make changes in our Iraq policy and bring our troops home. Bonilla continues claiming to support our troops and yet he continues to send them into harm's way," said Albert Uresti.
"The Republican leadership has failed, as signaled by the November elections. Uniting the Democrats behind one democrat in this Congressional election is important so that we may continue the change of direction in our country," said Uresti.
The Urestis' endorsement is an important lynchpin in Rodriguez's plan to unite Democrats to defeat Republican Congressman Henry Bonilla. Senator Carlos Uresti represents a district that mirrors the boundaries of the 23rd Congressional District and Albert Uresti garnered the second most votes among Democrats in the special election contest that ended November 7, 2006.
Both brothers declare that Bonilla has not represented the concerns of the people of the 23rd Congressional District and believe Rodriguez provides an opportunity toward a new direction that puts people above the powerful special interests that have created a failed Republican government in Washington.
This is from a source with ears open and listening in San Antonio. Consider this the initial list of anyone who could potentially run and may be looking at their options, not a list of those that will end up in the much smaller list that we should have settle over the weekend.
Julian Castro (former City Councilman and Mayoral candidate), State Rep. David Leibowitz, former Congressman Ciro Rodriguez (for sure), SA City Councilman Art Hall (Dem who gave the opening invocation at the state convention in June, and who represents the North/Northwest portion of CD-23 in Bexar County), SA City Councilman Richard Perez, current candidate Rick Bolanos, and attorney Rene Barrientos.
Names are being thrown around like crazy right now. I can tell you for sure that SA City Councilman Roland Gutierrez is out (he's gonna be our next mayor... you heard it here first) and some crazy bastard just told me that Madla is thinking about running. My major question is, where is West Texas and border Rep. Pete Gallegos gonna stand?
Seriously, this is the first time in forever that we've had an open opportunity for a SA Dem to move up to Congress so they are coming out of the woodwork right now.
Early speculation? Ciro has early money, but I don't know if anyone else gives to him. I think that the two strongest candidates are Gallegos and Castro. And we need to be worried about too many Dems hopping in this race, fighting amongst themselves and letting Bonilla rise above the fray and take 50% plus 1 on November 7.
Absent from that is State Sen. Carlos Uresti. While his senate district almost exactly overlaps the new 23, he just got out of the primary beating incumbant Frank Madla this spring. While I'd love him, there is far less chatter about him. Now Pete Gallego in HD-73 which covers the western half of the district is certainly one I'll keep an eye on too... Remember, it's open filing and the prior filings are void. That means candidate Rick Bolanos has to physically refile if he wants to run; it doesn't automatically switch over.
But if you asked me right now, the short list I'd give you (in order) are Julian Castro, Ciro Rodriguez, and Pete Gallego...
Some of you may not believe it but I like positive ads WAY more than negative ads. Tell me why to vote for you not just why to vote against the other guy....
It looks like Carlos Uresti will be releasing a final salvo of ads today and tomorrow. To watch the ad online without worrying about format, watch it here.
Otherwise they are also available in Quicktime (download Quicktime here)
It doesn't end. The Senator who wants to keep Democrats in his trunk goes out of his way to accommodate Republicans. Let's review.
The Cowardly Madla turns Criminal. PinkDome reports on Madla more or less violating the Texas Ethics Code, and not Chris Bell style with forgetting to file something on time, but omitting over half a million dollars from some of our favorite Republican moneymen, none other than Texans for Lawsuit Reform. But it gets better.
"We knew Frank was living high on the lobby tab in his personal life," Uresti said. "Now we know he is also using their rightwing resources to pay for his false attacks on me in this campaign."
Madla may have ignored the filing requirements, but an analysis of reports filed by the Republican lobby group, Texans For Lawsuit Reform, showed that Madla took at least $735,000 from them in direct and in-kind contributions through February 25. San Antonio voucher advocate Leininger contributed $25,000 to the group during the same period. An additional $125,000 came from Houston homebuilder Bob Perry, another reliable Republican donor.
Earlier, we heard reports that Madla is claiming the endorsement of groups that, well, haven’t endorsed him and actually support his opponent Rep. Carlos Uresti.
Madla has distributed campaign material that leaves the impression that Communications Workers of American (CWA) is supporting his candidacy.
"In fact, the CWA endorsed me and is working hard to help me bring new leadership for a new direction to our communities," Uresti said.
Madla's campaign also has distributed materials that leave the impression that the Central Labor Council AFL-CIO has endorsed him when in fact the group is officially neutral in the race.
San Antonio CWA President Ralph Cortez said "our group enthusiastically backs Uresti and is definitely not endorsing Madla."
Walter Hinojosa, a top official with the Texas AFL-CIO, said that labor rules and regulations state: "It is illegal for a candidate that has not been endorsed to use the union logo as if he has been endorsed."
Madla has still not filed his 8 day out report with the Texas Ethics Commission. You can see that here and wait for it if you like. And we are now only 4 days out...
Madla had to ask permission from Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst to attack the Republican Party. Madla is supposed to be a Democrat; he shouldn’t need permission.
Madla's campaign continues to misspell the names of other Democratic state officials that have endorsed him.
And of course Madla spends the money of hard working Democrats from his district on excessive pleasures.
Well even if the San Antonio Express News can't figure out what is common sense to everyone else in the battle between Ciro Rodriguez and Henry Cuellar, they went bold and endorsed Rep. Carlos Uresti in his primary challege to Sen. Frank Madla.
Although Madla's seniority in the Texas Senate is valuable, it's time for a change.
We recommend challenger Carlos Uresti in the Democratic primary. A state representative from Bexar County's District 118 since 1997, Uresti displayed bold leadership. As chairman of the House Human Services Committee, he strived to boost the state's overburdened Child Protective Services. Uresti has earned a promotion.
He spearheaded efforts to oppose House Bill 2292 in 2003. That bill, which eventually passed in the Republican-controlled Legislature, cut funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program and lowered the personal needs allowances for nursing home residents.
Although Madla voted against the final bill, his critical vote to bring the measure to the floor for debate allowed its eventual passage. The district's constituents need a leader in Austin they can rely on when it comes to caring for the state's poor, young and elderly.
And in a snubby op-ed piece, the SAEN has leant their support to Chris Bell in this rousing endorsement.
Bell served on the Houston City Council before moving to the U.S. House, where his tenure was cut short by redistricting.
He will be an able spokesman for a Democratic approach to governing Texas.
The Houston lawyer has promised a bold vision for the state and an effort to move out of the "partisan trenches."
He is offering plans to improve the skills of the state's work force and provide ethics reform. Bell also supports a nonpartisan redistricting process for the state.
Democratic voters should give Bell a chance to make the case for his ideas in November.
Is "give Bell a chance to make the case for his ideas" SAEN speak for "we really think both of these Democrats are nothing better than sacrificial lambs even to the unimpressive Perry"? Ugh, we've got a long way to go as a Party.
Some people have written me to say they can't view this clip. Be sure you have Windows Media Player or something that will read .wmv files. Or try right clicking and saving it is just not automatically playing for you, I'm not sure what's wrong. Anyone?
From an e-mail:
Just got this in from a friend of mine who has WAAAY too much time on his hands. The "trunk" clip has been picked up by a number of blogs, the Express-News and the local ABC affiliate (KSAT-TV).
We've gotten numerous phone calls from disgusted Dems who have come off the undecided fence and are now supporting us because of it AND from Madla supporters who are throwing their Madla yard signs away and asking us to put up a Uresti sign in its place. Good times.
Watch the new Star Wars version of the Sen. Frank "I lock the Democratic Party in my trunk" Madla here.
Watch the original "I lock the Democratic Party in my trunk" Madla video here.
Carlos Uresti needs volunteers.
Carlos Uresti needs you to donate (paypal).
State Sen. Frank Madla says he's the victim of dirty politics after a six-second video clip shot at a recent fundraiser made its way onto several political blogs last week.
The video shows the three-term senator standing with family, wagging a finger and earnestly telling a group behind the camera: "When I get to the state Capitol, I lock the Democratic Party in my trunk."
Madla said he was addressing supporters at a Jan. 10 fundraiser where Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, a Republican, was a featured guest.
To that, Carlos Uresti responded...
"If (Gov. Rick) Perry said, 'I lock the Republican Party in the trunk of my car,' he wouldn't be re-elected by the Republican Party," Uresti said.
Madla has his defenders.
Several Democratic heavyweights turned out Monday to vouch for his bona fides, endorsing him at a media conference at the Menger Hotel. They included former Mayor Henry Cisneros, County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson, City Councilman Richard Perez, Constable Ruben Tejeda and Madla's Senate colleague, Leticia Van de Putte.
"I need Frank Madla in that Democratic caucus," said Van de Putte, head of the party's Senate caucus. "He carries (in) him the heart of a Democrat."
Yes, Sen. Madla has a heart of a Democrat. We just wonder who he took it from.
Madla is well known as the go-to guy for Texas Republican Senators, case in point, the first vote they flipped when the Texas Marriage Amendment came before the Senate (where we could have actually stopped it) among other issues which we can dig up. The Red State has excellent SD 19 coverage, and Matt has covered the recent flap over the (convenient) timing of the newly renamed Frank Madla Elementary school. Check them out.
Sen. Madla's primary opponent is current San Antonio Rep. Carlos Uresti from San Antonio. This Senate district is huge, running (pdf) from San Antonio to El Paso. SD-19 went 53% for Bush in 2004, though other state wide judicial Democrats like JR Molina won it with 55%. Rep. Uresti's House District (the portion that is in it in San Antonio) went 73% Democratic for Uresti. The whole of Uresti's district went 55% for Bush in 2004, though Uresti won it with 57% of the vote.
The last polling in the district was done in December of 2005...
The survey of 400 likely Democratic primary voters in the district showed that if the election were held today, 41 percent would cast a ballot for Madla and 23 percent would vote for Uresti.
...certainly in dangerous territory for an incumbent Senator, and that was before candidates had even filed. The Jeffersonian in San Antonio had this to say about the potential of the race at that time.
Madla goes on to say that he thinks it would take Uresti about $3 million to win. I don't see where he pulls that figure from. Over 33,000 people voted in the 2002 Dem primary in SD-19, which would make it about $100 per total vote if Madla's figure was correct. And while SD 19 is expansive (pdf), taking in good chunks of both Henry Cuellar and Henry Bonilla's districts, it's not that bad once you start taking a look at where the votes come from.
Over 11,000 votes came from Bexar County that primary, with another 12,000 or so coming from Val Verde (Del Rio), Maverick (Eagle Pass), Edwards, Kinney, Real, Uvalde, Bandera, and Medina counties. Or, 23,000 out of the 33,000+ votes in the 2002 primary were within a four-hour drive from each other. Uresti also benefits from having over 15,000 of his 21,000+, 2004 general election votes in Madla's district.
Madla hasn't had a Republican challenger in any of the last 3 election cycles 2002, 1998, or 1994 (Texas Senators serve 4 year terms). While there are two Republicans filed this year, Dick Bowen seems to have no online references and Darrel Brown's website may give you a clue to the type of candidate he is.
PinkDome highlighted this week an example of Sen. Madla's close ties to the Republican 'leadership' in the Texas House.
In Sen. Eliot Shapleigh's words, "the first vote that the (Senate) Republicans go to get is Frank Madla's".
Sen. Frank Madla is running in a primary against Rep. Carlos Uresti.
Sen. Shapleigh endorsed Rep. Uresti.
Sen. Madla hosted Lt. Gov Dewhurst at a fundraiser.
Dewhurst boots Shapleigh off the powerful Finance Committee and puts Madla in his place.
Burnt Orange Report has previously interviewed both candidates as part of Phillips 40/40 Project. Here is the interview with Rep. Carlos Uresti and Sen. Frank Madla. Here was our report on the background of the district and the candidates.
Come get it right here at BOR, your sneak peek of the Carlos Uresti ad against 
