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March 07, 2006
Predictions Anyone?
Well, today is primary day in Texas, and it's a day of interest only for political junkies. Despite numerous important contests around the state, if early voting is any indication, not many Texans seem to care much.
On the Republican side, a number of legislative races are up for grabs. Most interesting will be to watch five State House GOP primaries where James Leininger, a San Antonio doctor, businessman and conservative ideologue, has bankrolled challengers to established incumbents. Dr. Leininger has poured over $2 million into these five contests, hoping to further his pet issue in Austin -- school vouchers.
Here in Harris County a couple of nasty judicial races have taken shape on the GOP side, and three candidates are vying for the nomination to replace Joe Nixon in State House District 133. But the marquee race is for the nomination to replace retiring State Senator and former County Judge Jon Lindsay.
Local talk radio personality and former sportscaster Dan Patrick is the frontrunner, and the drama centers around whether or not he can be forced into a runoff. Conventional wisdom of late says Patrick will win the race on the first try, a notion that must cause heartburn for the state's Lieutenant Governor and frequent Patrick punching bag David Dewhurst.
And of course, there is Congressional District 22. Now former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay faces three challengers on tomorrow's ballot, and given his ongoing legal and political troubles, DeLay needs an outright win. We'll see.
On the Democratic side, the governor's race gets top billing, but it has been a decidedly low-key affair. Chris Bell and Bob Gammage have traded barbs over the Internet, but neither has much money to actually reach voters. The only public poll recently done by the Dallas Morning News, showed Bell with a significant lead, but 60% of primary voters undecided. Bell looks to have the edge, but with abysmally low turnout, who knows for sure? South Texas also sports interesting races for Congress and State Senate.
Locally, while there is a race to challenge John Culberson for U.S. Congress, it is a State House race in an African American district that has garnered the most interest. Longtime incumbent Al Edwards faces challenges from two impressive and considerably younger candidates. We do have a recommendation is this race.
While most Texans won't even notice there's an election tomorrow, we politically wretched wait in anticipation.
Posted by houtopia at March 7, 2006 02:22 AM