Bit of breaking news. From a press release I just got:
Democratic nominee for Texas Land Commissioner Hector Uribe successfully performed CPR on a man who had apparently collapsed with no pulse or respiration while jogging earlier today.
Uribe was walking to his office at 11th and Congress early this afternoon when he noticed a crowd gathering on a Capitol driveway near 11th Street. When Uribe walked over and saw a man on the ground, he joined other onlookers in assessing the man, could not detect a pulse or respiration, and that his eyes were rolled back in his head. Uribe began performing CPR on the man, and a couple of minutes later, the man gasped and began breathing on his own.
State Trooper Husain Roussel, who was recently in the news himself when a gunman fired shots on the Capitol grounds, was among those who arrived at the scene and witnessed the incident.
"I'm all for Texas turning blue, but not like this," Uribe said. "I was very glad to help, grateful that I knew CPR, and I wish the gentleman the very best of health."
The other week, Democratic Land Commissioner candidate Hector Uribe sent out an email that replied to a voter who had sent him a message earlier in the month with regard to a lighthearted Cinco de Mayo message. The man, Thomas Lake, wrote the following.
In the email, referring to both Linda Chavez-Thompson (the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor) and me, I wrote the following phrase:
"Linda and I are both running so that we can represent all Texans."
We received hundreds of responses. Nearly all were positive. A few were not. One reply from a Mr. Thomas Lake, asked, "So, who exactly are you representing, and are they legal?"
You can read Uribe's full reply which is posted here, but I'll focus my discussion here on a couple lines of Uribe's response which I have posted below.
The Texans I said I want to represent? They're Texas Texans. Texans are Americans. Americans are, in the context you mean, legal citizens of the United States of America. Even citizens like you, Mr. Lake, are legal - at least unless they outlaw hate.
Lately, it has been hard to miss the fact that people who share Mr. Lakes's obvious views seldom pass up the opportunity to display their obsession with race and culture, couched in terms of citizenship status. Frankly, Mr. Lake, I'm sick of it. So are a lot of other Texans who agree with me that it's high time we focused on tackling the very real challenges Texas families are facing.
...
Mr. Lake, I will not apologize for my heritage, my ethnicity, or my culture. I am a proud Texan, following in my family's footsteps since the 1800's. But if my ethnicity bothers you, sir, I encourage you to not vote for me - because I'm proud of it.
I will not apologize for wishing folks a happy Cinco de Mayo, which incidentally, Mr. Lake, is in large part a uniquely Texas celebration, much more so than in Mexico.
I general agree with Hector Uribe here, and certainly there are plenty of folks out there that will against (and for) him simply because of his race or some perceived notion of which candidate they feel is more in line with their values, be that "Texan" values or otherwise. We have seen this already when Republican primary voters blindly vote against qualified Hispanic candidates like this spring when they tossed out incumbent Railroad Commissioner Victor Carrillo for no apparent reason other than he was "brown". Of course, Democratic primary voters are equally apt to vote in favor of Hispanic candidates in low information downballot races.
But that's getting away from the point I wish to make which is centered around the bolded sentences above. When Uribe writes "The Texans I said I want to represent? They're Texas Texans. Texans are Americans. Americans are, in the context you mean, legal citizens of the United States of America." he's drawing a path that defines being a "Texan" to legal U.S. Citizen. That's certainly a starting point, and maybe that's the extent of Uribe's definition for inclusion of the Texans he wishes to represent.
But what defines someone as a Texan is more complex. What's to say of those with permanent residency status, those with green cards, who have not been naturalized? Sure, many of those in Texas are from Mexico, but there are plenty from southern and eastern Asia. Growing up, I had relatives who had lived in Texas for decades who were permanent residents with German citizenship but who most certainly describe themselves as Texans. They don't have a vote, but neither do millions of unregistered Texans and everyone under 18. We expect our officials to represent all of these groups, not just those that are eligible to vote, or bother to actually cast a ballot.
What is it to be Texan? Is it simply living here? Is it working here? Does it have to do with birth in this state or length of residency? Is it about an identification with a particular cultural heritage? And which heritage is Texan heritage or culture?
These are complex questions which reflect our complexity, and diversity, as a state. If the United States is the melting pot of the world, we must recognize that Texas is as much a part of that national identity. It is born out of the peoples who pre-dated the birth of our nation and state, shaped by those that settled here be they Spanish, Mexican, German, Czech, or American, and enhanced by those who continue to move here from Latin America and Asia.
While Thomas Lake's question of "So, who exactly are you representing, and are they legal?" was likely posed with a tone of ill-intent, providing an acceptable and encompassing response is actually a bit of a challenge. The answer is similar to how most politicians promise after their election to serve "all of the people" of their jurisdiction. If "all" is simply an enumeration of each physical living body present within a given geographic political boundary, that could define "Texan" as including every man, woman, and child present inside of the boundaries of our state, regardless of citizenship status or cultural identity. But if "Texan" is defined by some shared culture or identity, the line is far more fuzzy, cutting across state lines, legal status, and longevity of residency.
For instance, I might more precisely identify as a Texas German even though the German in my family line is not from the settlers over 150 years ago, instead, just a quarter century old with grandparents that still live in the Bavarian countryside outside of Munich in Germany. I am also a Fredericksburger and tied to my hometown even if I am not a voting member of that electorate like my dad the Mayor is. I am also an Austinite, mostly Central, but also Eastern in nature.
I am a Texan, not just because I was born here or have lived here 95% of my life or identify with any number of elements of our oversized cultural ego. I am Texan because I am all of those other things as well. To be Texan, as it is to be American, is to be pluralistic. It's not about putting Mom's apple pie over Tia's enchiladas or Oma's goulash. It's about accepting all of those as part of what makes us Texan and recognizing that the oversized Texas ego wouldn't be possible without the grandiose personalities of all those that came before us, inclusive of race, ethnicity, and prior cultural identities.
We were a little nervous as the filing deadline approached and the only announced Democratic candidate was former Henderson County Justice of the Peace Bill Burton. While Republican incumbent Jerry Patterson is one of the only tolerable, albeit eccentric, Republicans in elected statewide office, voters deserved a legitimate choice on the November ballot. Luckily, voters will have a real choice, one that is a vast improvement over Burton as well as the 2006 Democratic nominee VaLinda Hathcox.
We endorse and encourage Democrats to support Hector Uribe for Texas Land Commissioner.
While Uribe has had a light hearted entry into the race, befitting of the banter often expressed by Patterson, there are serious points of contention with which we side with Uribe on. Commissioner Patterson's General Land Office has repeatedly attempted to sell Texas' public lands to private interests, something which Uribe opposes.
Patterson's insistence on selling the 9,269-acre tract follows other controversial attempts by the state to sell public land to private interests. Last year the General Land Office presided over the proposed sale of 400 acres at Eagle Mountain Lake in Fort Worth, and in 2005 the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department tried to sell 46,300 acres at Big Bend Ranch State Park to a wealthy developer.
Hector Uribe promises to run a real campaign, something his primary opponent Bill Burton can't hope to do. And given the added importance of the office of the Land Commissioner (it is one of the 5 seats on the Legislative Redistricting Board) we believe Democrats will be best served by nominating, and then hopefully electing Hector Uribe as the next Land Commissioner of Texas.
I have never seen tiny type used to make asides in a news release before, but obviously Harold Cook is on something ... I mean, on to something.
For immediate release Contact: Harold Cook
January 11, 2010 (512) XXX-XXXX
In Stunning Move, Land Commissioner Candidate Hector Uribe Already up on Statewide TV
(Austin) Democratic candidate for Texas Land Commissioner Hector Uribe announced today that he's already on TV state-wide, when the USA cable network aired "No Country For Old Men" on January 6, and twice during their programming yesterday. Uribe had a speaking role in the film, which garnered four Academy Awards...for other actors. Uribe, for his part, managed to become one of only a few actors in the film to achieve the vaulted status of not being violently murdered by the end of it.
This surprise move makes Uribe the first candidate for Land Commissioner to be up on TV state-wide this election season.
"This is the kind of publicity that makes people. Things are going to start happening to me now," said Uribe,
shamelessly pilfering a line from another movie, "The Jerk."
Uribe's campaign will focus on maximizing revenue from state lands to help fund neighborhood schools, while also concentrating on how the state can best promote renewable energy.
Meanwhile, Uribe's Republican opponent threatened to shoot him last week.
Uribe said he isn't at all disturbed by the empty threat, explaining that if he can survive a Coen Brothers script, he can survive Jerry Patterson.
More big filing news for statewide candidates: Democrat Hector Uribe, a former State Senator from Brownsville, has filed to run for Texas Land Commissioner.
From his press release:
“The current Republican leadership is short-sighted. Texans want our state leaders to help address the real threats to our environment, but many of our current state leaders continue to minimize the importance of having clean water to drink and clean air to breathe,” Uribe said.
“National and international environmental policies on global warming have serious impacts on long-term state education funding. The Republican leadership should be concerned about any negative impact on education funding. Instead, they deny the existence of global warming, deny the science that CO2 emissions contribute to global warming, and instead they fan the fires of secession. That’s not responsible leadership, that’s failed leadership. They claim that pro-environment policies will negatively impact our economy and education funding. That’s not an answer, that’s a cop out,” he added.
“We don’t have to choose between a clean environment, and maximizing the return on state lands to fund our neighborhood schools. We can do both, and as Land Commissioner, I intend to do both,” Uribe said. “Our campaign will focus on how best to serve both objectives.”
More on his biography, which was also included in the press statement:
Uribe served as a Texas state Senator from Brownsville from 1981 until 1990, and represented the counties of Brooks, Cameron, Hidalgo and Jim Wells. Prior to serving in the Senate Uribe served in the Texas House of representatives for about three years.
As a state Senator he wrote the Texas Enterprise Zone Act, designed to create new businesses and jobs in economically distressed areas. He also wrote the Protective Services for the Elderly Act to guard against elder neglect and abuse as well as legislation establishing the University of Texas at Pan American in Edinburg and Brownsville.
During his final session in the Texas Senate he served as Chair of the Natural Resources Standing Subcommittee on Water that wrote the first colonias legislation and created a bond package to assure clean water and sewer facilities for colonia residents. As a member of the Natural Resources Committee he voted to create a super fund to clean up contamination left by leaking underground gasoline storage tanks. As Vice-Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, he authored legislation to regulate and require indoor air quality in public buildings and to regulate asbestos removers.
I had the good fortune to talk with Uribe just after he filed. He is a very personable man, whose commitment to addressing the environmental concerns facing Texas is both genuine and welcome. We now have an opportunity -- both with Bill White and, should he win, Hector Uribe -- to discuss the critical environmental challenges facing Texas in a credible and intelligent way, which is something Texas Republicans have refused to do throughout their past decade of failure.
In fact, up and down the ticket, Democrats are running not just credible candidates that can compete in their respective elections, but candidates who would -- across the board and without question -- be better public servants in their elected office positions than the Republicans currently in charge.
We welcome Hector Uribe into the race, and look forward to hearing more from his campaign in the coming weeks.
Lost in the hubbub of today's announcements by Bill White that he's getting in the Governor's race and Hank Gilbert that he's getting out and switching to running for Ag Commisioner was a statement from Kinky Friedman that he too is re-evaluating his candidacy and will have an announcement on Monday.
"I think that all of these things are good for the party and good for the ticket. We all want new leadership in Austin and I think each candidate should be evaluating how best to achieve that. Everyone on the ticket or thinking of joining the ticket should be thinking about what will be best for Democrats in November. We will take the weekend to visit with all of the candidates, my advisors, and many of my supporters and have an announcement about how I believe I can best support our party on Monday."
Don't be surprised if he moves to another race. And don't forget that one of the people in this particular smoke-filled room is former Texas Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower, who knows a little something about one of the agencies on the ballot.
I was aware that a high level meeting with Hightower had been set but missed the statement from Friedman's campaign that indeed, they are going to take the weekend to evaluate what the best role is for him to assist the Democratic ticket.
Don't be surprised if you see him exit the Governor's race Money. And don't be further surprised if you see him announce he's running for Land Commissioner.
Former Henderson County Justice of the Peace Bill Burton will seek the Democratic nomination for Texas State Land Commissioner, the Malakoff News reported.
According to a recent article from the Athens Daily News, Burton has long had his eye on running for Land Commissioner. With his announcement, Burton becomes the first Democrat to enter the race but may not be the last.
If he wins the nomination, Burton will likely face Republican incumbent Jerry Patterson, who was first elected Land Commissioner in 2002.
In an interview with the Athens Daily News, Burton conceded it would be difficult to defeat Patterson in a conventional campaign given that the incumbent will have millions of dollars to spend.
“We’ve been in several counties already, and we plan to contact every county in Texas,” he said. “It will be a grass roots approach.”
Burton plans to make use of technology, too.
“The computer is my best friend,” he said. “I’m going to take advantage of the information age. I have a web site under construction.”
He wants to make the General Land Office a “household word.”
“I love the state of Texas, and I feel it’s my duty to serve the people of this great state,” Burton said.
Whether Burton ultimately becomes the Democratic nominee or not, it is good to see somebody step up to fill an important spot on the statewide ticket.
In the first few days of his candidacy for Governor, it has been notable how Hank Gilbert has signaled his intention to recruit an entire slate of statewide candidates. What is perhaps more notable, of course, is that the Gubernatorial candidates who have been running since the spring were not already doing that.
This is Part I of an ongoing series that will take a look at the prospective candidates for the 2010 statewide races.
The Republicans
Two-term incumbent Jerry Pattersonhas publicly said that he may run for Lieutenant Governor. However, if Attorney General Greg Abbott (who has the biggest campaign warchest among statewide office holders) enters the Lt. Governor's race or David Dewhurst runs for re-election, he would probably opt for re-election instead of waging what would be uphill battles in both potential matchips. In the end, I expect Patterson to run for re-election.
If Patterson does not seek re-election, state Sen. Dan Patrick could enter the race. It is well known that Patrick has ambitions to run statewide in 2010 and this could be where he ends up.
While stranger things have certainly happened, it is hard to take the Friedman rumors too seriously. Rose may run for statewide office someday, but at 30 years old he is likely a cycle or two away. I could certainly be wrong, but neither Friedman or Rose seem likely to enter this race.
Ronnie McDonald would make a very interesting candidate and I'd like to hear what our readers from Bastrop have to say about him.
McDonald considered running for Robby Cook's old seat, House District 17, before Donnie Dippel got in the race.
Kuff quoted Capitol Inside's take on McDonald, who was first elected county judge in 1999, back when he was considering running for state rep.
Bastrop County Judge Ronnie McDonald is one of the first names to emerge in Democratic circles as a potential replacement for Cook on the ballot next year. McDonald, who's been county judge for almost nine years, considered a race for the House four years ago when Cook appeared to be on the verge of switching parties while being wooed by Governor Rick Perry and other high-level Republicans. But McDonald decided to stay in his current position after Cook spurned the GOP and filed for re-election as a Democrat.
McDonald has been a political trailblazer as Bastrop County's first African-American county judge. He was the first African-American yell leader in Aggieland before graduating from Texas A&M University and pursuing a career in government. McDonald worked for John Sharp in the Comptroller's Office before deciding to enter politics himself.
McDonald is a potential candidate for land commissioner to keep your eye on. Another name that has come up is VaLinda Hathcox, the 2006 Democratic nominee for land commissioner. Hathcox most recently lost the Democratic primary in the TX-04 congressional district.
These are not meant to be comprehensive lists and we invite you to suggest other possible candidates in the comments.
Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson says he will either run for Lieutenant Governor or seek re-election in 2010, according to a story by the Statesman's Asher Price.
If Patterson is able to win the Lieutenant Governor nomination (which could be a big "if" considering Attorney General Greg Abbott is considering the race and David Dewhurst could possibly run for re-election), he could be a good target for Democrats.
The Statesman seems to think his recent behavior has created a "distinctive political presence" that serves him well. While it will ultimately be up to the voters to decide, some of the things he has done are clearly out of the mainstream and might turn off moderates. and independents.
Patterson, one of the most controversial figures in the state as the Christmas Mountains debate raged, says he will run again, and maybe for higher office, in 2010. Democrats say he is vulnerable, but others say the imbroglio, far from injuring him, may have enhanced his image as a plain-talking, property rights-supporting, gun-toting personality, which goes down easy in many parts of Texas. At the Republican state convention in Houston this month, a video composed of photographs of Patterson aiming a gun, boarding a plane in his Marine flight suit, marching through the Christmas Mountains and posing with his family was broadcast as the Tom Petty song "I Won't Back Down" played in the background.
But the man who packs a pistol in his boot (he says he owns about a hundred guns) and appears to shoot from the hip is actually deliberate in his aim. He has built a political career as a contrarian who uses contrariness to his advantage, crafting a distinctive political presence that serves him well in a bluster-prone state like Texas ...
Democrats suspect that voters want somebody to be part of the solution, not part of the problem," Democratic consultant Kelly Fero said. "They want someone who can get along with others, make government work, rather than deliver ideological statements."
In an action that embodies Patterson's ability to invite both admiration and notoriety, he hands out unofficial business cards that feature the Texas flag as it was under the Confederacy. (A native of Houston, he is a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans; his great-grandfather served.) The father of 4-year-old twins, as well as two adult children from a previous marriage, he says he has sworn off running for a seat in Congress because he can't stand being anywhere north of Fredericksburg, Va., on the East Coast.
The article also speculates about a few Democrats who may be eyeing the race for Land Commissioner.
If Patterson runs for re-election as land commissioner, he will be a favorite against opponents who could include Democratic state Rep. Patrick Rose of Dripping Springs, Kinky Friedman or Bastrop County Judge Ronnie McDonald ...
I think Kinky Friedman's ego is too big and his experience too small to mount a serious bid for Land Commissioner. The other two mentioned candidates, however, are intriguing.
Rep. Patrick Rose is one of the rising stars of the party. He has made some votes that we probably don't all agree with, but he is extremely well-liked by his constituents and has turned what should be a Republican seat into a district where he received over 60 percent in 2006.
Rose is also one of the most prolific fund raisers in the House. If he is looking for a statewide office to run for in 2010, I think he would be wise to take a long look at the Land Commissioner's race. Rumors have also circulated about Rose and the attorney general's race for sometime. He would give Democrats a great chance in either race.
I don't know anything about Judge McDonald, but I'm hoping some of our readers, like Robert from Bastrop County, will be able to shed some light on his potential candidacy.
From his press release: