Political Note #136 Colin Allred TX CD 32

Post published:June 26, 2018
Post category:Federal Elections Win General Election 2018 US Congress Year Result State US Congress 2018 Type of Election Political Notes Texas

Colin Allred brings to the table a life transformed by his reading Barack Obama's Dreams of My Father. He was moved by the experiences of a man like him -- a mixed race child raised by his white, single mom, confronting his aspirations and his identify. He changed his career interest from medicine to public service. His first career interest, though, was football. He played outside linebacker for the Tennessee Titans for five years. After law school at the University of California, his legal focus was civil rights.

Political Note #128 Lizzi Pannill Fletcher TX CD 07

Post published:June 2, 2018
Post category:Federal Elections Win General Election 2018 US Congress Year Result US Congress 2018 State Type of Election Political Notes Texas

Lizzie Pannill Fletcher is a tough, colorful, corporate lawyer. Her firm describes her as someone who wins cases. She has progressive positions on every issue except unions. Her law firm has opposed unions for corporations, which she does not disavow.

Political Note #118 Gina Ortiz Jones TX CD 23

Post published:April 28, 2018
Post category:Federal Elections General Election Lose 2018 US Congress Year Result US Congress 2018 State Type of Election Political Notes Texas

Ortiz Jones grew up poor. She was raised in public housing by her single mother, an immigrant from the Philipines. She became Director of Investment for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative under President Obama and, briefly, under President Trump. She has attracted a national following. If this were a special election, she would be the next big thing.

Political Note #95 Joseph Kopser TX 21

Post published:January 20, 2018
Post category:General Election Federal Elections Win Lose US Congress Primary 2018 Year Primary run off Result State US Congress 2018 Type of Election Political Notes Texas

Joseph Kopser volunteered to serve in Iraq. Convinced the Bush administration did not have a plan to succeed there, he hoped to be part of a plan that would succeed. He helped organize elections to replace the old regime. Those elections were not a solution. Genuine elections turned out to be impossible. So he sought combat. He joined the First Cavalry Division, fought, and lost friends in Iraq and Afghanistan. He carried on, dismayed with America's leadership in the war. When he returned home and to civilian life, he co-founded a technology company (for commuter navigation), served as CEO, sold it to Daimler Benz. Not long after that, he turned to politics.

Political Note #29 Beto O’Rourke TX US Senate

Post published:May 23, 2017
Post category:Federal Elections General Election Lose US Senate 2018 Year Result State Type of Election Political Notes Texas

Beto O'Rourke is just plain interesting as a candidate for the US Senate. He's not a liberal Democrat or a conservative one. He favors infrastructure, supported rebuilding downtown El Paso, and was accused of ties to his father-in-law's construction plans. In Congress, he has urged reconsideration of the War on Drugs and supports the legalization of marijuana. He has proposed legislation supporting children in foster care and education for veterans. He not only pressed for a vote on modest gun control legislation, but joined the Democratic sit-in to attempt to force a vote. When the Republican leadership turned off C-SPAN's coverage of the sit in, BetoO'Rourke was one of two congressmen to transmit cellphone videos to C-SPAN so it could continue coverage.