Larry Joe Doherty, Democratic Nominee for Congressional District 10 of TX, speaking July 21st, 6pm-8pm, Travis County Democratic Issues/Policy Meet-Up
What: We'll network and present the issues and policies important to Travis County, important to TX, including Barack Obama's policy. We'll share, learn, frame the issues, and market them. 1st hour is "Democratic Citizen Communication" where you present your issues important to you as a Democrat! 2nd hour Larry Joe is speaking about Veteran's issues and other issues important in his Congressional race!
When: Mon., July 21st, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Where: Travis County Democratic Party Coordinated Campaign Headquarters, 1107 N. I 35 (next door to CVS, in old Safeway Building at 12th and I-35)
Who: Anyone interested in networking with fun, cool, energizing, like-minded Democrats, and learning about the policies and issues important to our city, our state, and our nation heading into the November TX elections. 1st hour is a "Democratic Party Town Hall Meeting".
Cost: FREE
You're welcome to bring food/drinks to share and bring your laptop (Laptop not mandatory).
Best,
David Kobierowski
Travis County Democratic Party Issues Committee Chair
512-413-0286 Cleanair999@yahoo.com
Phil mentioned the first of what seems like very good numbers for Democrats.
With the TexBlog PAC endorsed Chris Turner mind blowing fundraising coming in at nearly a quarter million dollars, it seemed like he was the House candidate to beat. Well, Juan Garcia has done just that.
Garcia is announcing $520,000 cash on hand.
"I'm deeply gratified by the strong support I'm receiving from people who want to continue moving forward, not backward," Garcia said.
Garcia's contributions for the reporting period from January through June of this year came from 409 individual donors, with more than 90 percent raised in Texas, he said.
The largest single donation came from HEB chief and public education champion Charles Butt, who donated $75,000 during the first half of this year and $25,000 in the previous reporting period, for a total contribution of $100,000 in the current re-election campaign.
Donors who gave Garcia $1,000 or more this period include such business leaders as Tony Lamantia, CEO of L & F Distributors; developer Duane Scheumack of Scheumack Investments; restauranteurs Woo Sung Lee of Boat and Net restaurants and Randy Maldonado of Pete's Chicken-N-More; Sam Susser of Susser Holdings; CPA Scott Turner; engineers Dan Leyendecker and John Michael; and architects Bibiana Dykema and Raymond Gignac.
Sixteen medical doctors from House District 32 have also donated to Garcia's campaign, reflecting his strong support for health insurance reform. He has also been endorsed by the influential Texas Medical Association, which represents more than 42,000 physicians around the state.
In addition, State Senator Carlos Uresti, U.S. Congressman Charlie Gonzalez, and former Lt. Governor Ben Barnes also made contributions.
Austin State Rep Donna Howard has some impressive numbers too.
State Representative Donna Howard today filed her latest financial report, showing nearly $161,000 cash on hand as she heads toward the traditional start of the fall campaign season.
[...]
Howard's report shows that she raised $89,915.08 from 190 individual contributors between January 2008 and June 2008. She has $160,868.91 cash on hand and has scheduled numerous fundraisers to make sure she has the resources for a winning re-election campaign.
Our State Senate candidates seem to be doing well too. Joe Jaworski had an early present when a poll revealed fewer than one-third of voters in SD 11 approve of "Toxic" Mike Jackson's job performance. The same poll showed the race in a statistical dead heat and also that Jaworski is commanding a margin of more than 20 percent among independent voters, a critical component of the electorate this year.
Now Jaworski is reporting some solid fundraising numbers.
Texas Senate candidate Joe Jaworski today said that he will report raising more than $801,000 from 1,267 individual contributors in his race thus far, capping another successful fundraising period.
[...]
Jaworski will report a total of $801,218 raised to date, including $345,209.50 during the first six months of this year. His latest report shows more than $410,390 cash on hand after winning his primary race in March.
Larry Joe Doherty had some great numbers to report too. First some good poll numbers came out for LJD, then the Cook Political Report upgraded the race for Democrats, and now Doherty has some cash to spend going into the summer months.
Larry Joe Doherty, Democratic nominee in the 10th Congressional District, will report receiving over $247,000 in campaign contributions from 520 individuals since March 31st, more than doubling his cash-on-hand from the previous reporting period to $259,792.
[...]
Two recent polls put McCaul's lead in single digits. Doherty's internal campaign polling by Goodwin Simon Victoria Research, found McCaul's job approval at an anemic 28%, with 47% of constituents not recognizing McCaul's name. The poll also found George Bush with a disapproval rating of 70%. Full analysis is available here.
The filing deadline is just moments away, and it looks like we are going to have a lot of good news going into Netroots Nation.
Thanks to our supporters from Texas and especially the Burnt Orange Report. This is one of our favorite state sites and on all our blog rec lists.
To show our appreciation we have added three Texas Congressional candidates in our next The Progressive Electorate pick a candidate contest
Our rules are a little bit different this time and the amounts that will be contributed to the winners are based on contributions that we receive over the next few weeks towards our other candidates.
You do have to sign up to register. But it takes less than 60 seconds.
Please come support Michael Skelly, Larry Joe Doherty and Glenn Melancon. They all have a chance to be voted in as the next The Progressive Electorate candidate contest.
Back in March, shortly after the Democratic primary and when for perhaps the first time he realized that he will have some serious competition in November, Congressman Michael McCaul decided that it was time to put on the pork patch and end his addiction to earmarks.
As the Houston Chronicle reported, McCaul sponsored or co-sponsored nearly $20 million in earmarks between October 1, 2007 and March 28, 2008 alone. The Chronicle also produced a full list of his McEarmarks, detailing the breakdown of the projects and names of the co-sponsors (fellow addicts like Congressmen Culberson and Sessions, equally-vulnerable Republican incumbents who will have some 'splaining to do in the fall). At the time, while also making it clear that he would not seek earmarks if elected in November, Democratic challenger Larry Joe Doherty told the Chronicle, "Michael McCaul has gone into rehab over earmark addiction."
Now, like most recovering addicts, McCaul is out of rehab and has been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
(The author of this new site has done a great job on highlighting some of our Texas candidates. Head on over, create and account, and share your thoughts! - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
I'm beginning search for round two of my Progressive Electorate Candidates.
Melancon, Skelly and Doherty have all been mentioned. I'm only going to take one for Round Two. Also scanned over something on the Pete Sessions race. But haven't heard from anyone on that.
Give me your thoughts: I just did an article on Skelly.
Will try and do one with Melancon and Doherty later this week or early next.
More good news in the Texas 10th Congressional District. In a recent poll conducted by Goodwin Simon Victoria Research, CD-10 is now very much in play.
Our recent poll results indicate that voters in Texas' 10th Congressional District may be willing to head in a different direction in 2008. Democratic candidate Larry Joe Doherty has a compelling personal narrative, incumbent Republican Mike McCaul is vulnerable because he has failed to make any meaningful connection with his constituents, and Democrats have a real chance to take this district in November.
This poll shows that the initial trial heat for Republican incumbent Mike McCaul gets only 43% of the vote and Democratic challenger gets 34% of the vote (down 9%). The main point here is that McCaul fails to get even close to the 50% plus 1 benchmark. In a generic Dem vs. Rep the Democrats gets 41% and Republicans get 45%. This indicates two points, one McCaul underperforms the straight Republican ID which means McCaul is actually underperforming the straight Republican ticket and two, LJD will see a huge bounce among both Democrats and Republicans once he begins outreach.
The poll also indicates that Doherty could move voters rapidly if they have the opportunity to hear his message.
After hearing one positive statement about Doherty and nothing critical of McCaul, voters are quickly able to reevaluate the congressional race, preferring Doherty over McCaul by 46% to 38%. After hearing considerable information about both candidates voters prefer Larry Joe Doherty by a 50% to 36% margin over McCaul. This again underscores how potentially fluid this electorate is.
The other scary point is how negative CD-10 feels about native son, President George W. Bush.
Bush's job rating is 70% negative here (in Texas) and 69% of C.D. 10 voters think the country is seriously off on the wrong track.
These numbers are good news for Democrats in Austin, Houston, and the counties in between. What we need to remember though is McCaul is independently wealthy and has strong family ties to the Clear Channel conglomeration. If LJD can't get both small and large donations, this will be a hard race to win.
To read the full polling memo, click here. The 400-person survey of likely voters in the 10th Congressional District was conducted May 27-31.
Make sure to donate today and volunteer at the Travis County Democratic Coordinated Campaign.
Over on The Texas Blue this week, Josh Berthume interviewed Larry Joe Doherty about his CD-10 bid against Bush rubber-stamp Congressman Mike McCaul. Berthume starts with a great question -- "So how'd you get started in politics?" -- which segues into Doherty's 37 years of malpractice law that allowed him to watch firsthand the unraveling of our Constitution as well as our civil rights, particularly for those who make up the misrepresented constituency of CD-10.
The interview highlights some of Doherty's comprehensive knowledge of and innate compassion for the environment. This to me has always been one of Doherty's major strong suits, since water and land conservation have been important to him since before they were an inconvenient truth.
Doherty also touches on the economic as well as societal factors of the quagmire in Iraq, and the travesty of the current CD-10 Congressman really hits home when McCaul's voting record comes into play.
If you happened to watching the proceedings of the U.S. House on Wednesday, what you saw wasn't a pretty sight--especially if your mother was watching, too.
Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Austin) voted against against H Res 1113 "Celebrating the Role of Mothers in the United States and Supporting the Goals and Ideals of Mother's Day. " Now this was a pretty stupid vote. Politicians often talk about how they won't vote against something because doing so would be like voting against mothers and apple pie. But this politician actually did vote against mothers! (His decision on apple pie is pending a higher campaign contribution from the apple pie lobby).
Sure it was just a vote on a ceremonial resolution, but it was emblematic of McCaul's atrocious voting record on the issues that matter to mothers, fathers, families, and children across America. For instance:
* McCaul voted AGAINST a resolution honoring the contributions of mothers and Mothers day.
* McCaul voted AGAINST a bill that would repeal the tax breaks given to big oil companies. Meanwhile, working mothers driving to work and moms driving their kids to the soccer game pay more at the pump while the companies make record profits.
*McCaul voted AGAINST expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
*McCaul voted AGAINST beginning to bring our sons and daughters home from Iraq.
*McCaul voted AGAINST raising the federal minimum wage for working mothers across the country.
*McCaul voted to CUT funding for federal assistance for working mothers and student loans.
And the list goes on. McCaul managed to score a paltry 9 percent rating from the National Organization for Women, and scored 0 percent in 2006 from the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce, a leading advocate for women on economic issues.
If these aren't reasons enough to support Larry Joe Doherty for Congress, I don't know what is. This Mother's Day, spend time with your mother, make her dinner, send her a card, or just let her know you love her. Then, donate $25 or whatever you can spare to Doherty, whose mother was a grocery clerk. Volunteer or tell your friends. Because one of the best things we can do for our mothers and our families is to make change happen and return responsible representation to Congress.
In the latest "McCaul Minute" (plus or minus the cumulative amount of time Congressman Mike McCaul has spent thinking of his constituency for the month), I found this paragraph rather telling:
As with millions of Americans, I am shocked by the cost of filling up with gasoline. In Texas, the average cost of gasoline is $3.53 per gallon. A number of factors contribute to the soaring gas prices. Regardless of the reasons, working families are being hit hard by record prices at the pump.
First of all, "filling up with gasoline?" Are you eating gas now? You're missing a noun in there. Secondly, that last sentence makes no sense. Fire your communications director, Congressman. "Working families" (we could say "all families" but let's move on) are being hit hard by record prices at the pump precisely because of the reasons that you are so quick to disregard. And since when is it acceptable to glaze over the actual issues that are causing these prices to go up? These "working families" would probably rather have their Congressman address those very "factors" rather than once again hearing the usual "drive slower" and "carpool" suggestions that McCaul segues into.
And how about those "working families." Do you mean the ones who work in labor and industry, Congressman McCaul? Because it seems to me that in the very same hot minute that it took you to compose your newsletter, you also voted against the Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Act (H.R. 5522) which your colleagues (at least on the D side) voted for in a 247 to 165 vote.
This act would, as McCaul mentions in his Minute, "require [the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's] OSHA to issue an Interim Final Rule (IFR) within 90 days of enactment, which covers every facility 'in which combustible dust presents a hazard.'"
McCaul goes on to say that he opposes the "preemptive legislation" because:
"OHSA should complete its investigation first and also because an expedited interim standard is unrealistic, confusing and creates a one-size-fits all standard, which ultimately fits no one, making workplaces more unsafe."
Hm. Okay. However, a March press release announcing this bill being introduced states:
In 2006, following a series of fatal combustible dust explosions, the [US Chemical Safety Board] CSB conducted a major study of combustible dust hazards. It identified 281 combustible dust incidents between 1980 and 2005 that killed 119 workers, injured 718 others, and extensively damaged industrial facilities. Nearly a quarter of the explosions occurred in the food industry, including several at sugar plants.
Seems like if the CSB has had enough time to review 25 years' worth of dust incidents, it might be time to act. Another sentence from the press release points out something McCaul failed to mention in the minute he took to review what he's been up to:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration already has the authority to issue such a rule without Congress passing new legislation, but the agency has failed to act despite the fact that the dangers of combustible dust have been well known for years.
Congressman McCaul, you should be worried. You should be worried and ashamed. You are a Congressman who preaches about "working families" paying more at the pumps but you choose to disregard the reasons why. You endanger these same "working families" in their workplace and then try to convince them that you did this because the safety measures are too "confusing" and "preemptive." Too bad for you that these "working families" are the ones who are going to be voting for someone with their best interests in mind in the fall. Your opponent Larry Joe Doherty isn't afraid to get to the root of the "reasons" why gas prices are soaring and isn't daunted by "confusing" safety standards that might be unpopular with your Republican cronies.
It's never too soon to start planning for your retirement, Congressman. In fact, you're more than a minute late.
Texas is becoming increasingly competitive. We have gained seats in the Texas House two cycles in a row, flipped Dallas, solidified Austin, and have challengers building strong campaigns for U.S. Congress while incumbents continue to hold our ground.
The rankings were determined by dividing the challenger's cash on hand (CoH) by the incumbent's CoH to arrive at a "competitiveness" percentage for each race. David articulated a clear reason why back in 2006 when he said:
If you've got $500K, that's all well-and-good - but your opponent has $2M, then you've got a lot of ground to make up.
Under this equation the second most competitive non-open seat in America is CD-7 between Michael Skelly and Republican John Culberson with Skelly's race having a 246% competitiveness rating. The other high profile challenger in Texas, Larry Joe Doherty, makes the cut. LJD ranks a respectable 42 with a 38% competitiveness rating after a hard fought and expensive primary.
As for the Republican challengers, well, Lyle Larson and Pete Olson don't even crack the top 75, due to their primaries draining their campaign accounts.
It probably goes without saying, it's a good time to be a Democrat in Texas.
