Must Read Texas – October 16, 2013

Davis Raising $ in DC & NY Next Week; Chron Ed Board: We Miss KBH;
Effort to Repeal SA’s Non-Discrimination Ordinance Falls Short
Good (early) morning from Houston.
Here’s the brief:

DAVIS RAISING $ IN DC, NY NEXT WEEK

Politico reports that gubernatorial candidate and State Sen. Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth) is raising money in DC next week on Thurs, Oct. 25.
On Monday, she will raise money in NYC for Battleground Texas.
The Chron reports some additional details and context.

Out of state fundraising all week?

CHRON ED BOARD: WE MISS KBH

This morning’s Chron editorial caught our eye (I am a former KBH staffer):

Does anyone else miss Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison?

We’re not sure how much difference one person could make in the toxic, chaotic, hyperpartisan atmosphere in Washington, but if we could choose just one it would be Hutchison, whose years of service in the Senate were marked by two things sorely lacking in her successor, Ted Cruz.

For one thing, Hutchison had an unswerving commitment to the highest and best interests of Texas at all times. This revealed itself in a thousand different ways. Hereabouts, we miss her advocacy for NASA, the Port of Houston and the energy industry. And we know she worked just as hard for Dallas, San Antonio and a hundred smaller Texas cities and towns.

And dare we say it? We miss her extraordinary understanding of the importance of reaching across the aisle when necessary. Neither sitting Texas senator has displayed that useful skill, and both the state and the Congress are the poorer for it.

One reason we particularly believe that Hutchison would make a difference in these hectic days is that if she had kept her seat, Cruz would not be in the Senate.

When we endorsed Ted Cruz in last November’s general election, we did so with many reservations and at least one specific recommendation – that he follow Hutchison’s example in his conduct as a senator.

Obviously, he has not done so. Cruz has been part of the problem in specific situations where Hutchison would have been part of the solution.

We feel certain she would have worked shoulder to shoulder with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, in crafting a workable solution that likely would have avoided the government shutdown altogether.

But we’ll never know.

While we’re on the topic, we’d like to think our first choice to succeed Hutchison in the Senate, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, would have been more amenable to following Hutchison’s example than Cruz has been. But these days, we’re not so sure. Dewhurst, long considered a moderate in the Texas GOP, clearly was rattled by his unexpected loss to Cruz for the Senate seat.

Since the defeat, the lieutenant governor has attempted a full-blown political makeover designed to make him the darling of the conservative wing of the Texas party.

Faced with the impossible task of outflanking three strong conservative challengers, the traditional moderate Dewhurst does not seem like a man comfortable in his own skin. It’s painful to watch.

NON-DISCRIMINATION REPEAL EFFORT FAILS TO QUALIFY FOR BALLOT

An effort to place San Antonio’s newly passed non-discrimination ordinance on the ballot this November failed to meet the 10% signature threshold, with about 20,000 signatures turned in by the deadline and a little over 60,000 required.
SAEN’s Abe Levy reports.

#txlege
– Three state lawmakers discussed the politics of water on YNN Austin’s Capital Tonight.

2013 / 2014 / 2016:
– Chron’s Stewart Powell reports (behind paywall) on the “win” for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on the shutdown, but the potential loss for the GOP.
– The FWST editorial board 
calls (behind paywall) Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst’s (R-TX) call for President Obama’s impeachment “desperate.”
– SAEN’s Scott Huddleston 
reports (behind paywall) Lt. Gov. candidate and Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson will host and headline a gun rights rally on the Alamo grounds on Saturday.
– The Ted Cruz Victory Committee 
raised over $800,000 in the 3rd quarter.

Other stories of interest:
– The AAS reports (behind paywall) that the effort to add one toll lane on each side of MoPac in Austin will begin in December and be ready by late 2015.

Lighter clicks:
– Could modern medicine have saved Bo Jackson’s career?
– Is it really true that only 8% of every dollar given to the NFL’s Breast Cancer efforts ends up in research?
– Thursday night NFL double headers all year next season?
– The faith of Philip Rivers.
– Ray Lewis tries to inspire USC to beat Notre Dame.
– Will Adidas really offer Andrew Wiggins a $180 million shoe contract (after this year)?
– Now we know where Cal Ripken’s toughness comes from.
– We’re gonna need a bigger boat.

Your Daily Source of Inspiration:
– The salute seen ’round the world.
– Angels among us.

NEWS

AP: Report tallies Texas nuclear plant violations (10/16/13 1:15am)

DMN: Dallas execs with GOP ties call for compromise to avert U.S. default (10/16/13 1:10am)

DMN: Parkland airs 160-page report on its progress — and challenges (10/16/13 1:10am)

DMN: Judge tosses subpoenas of Levario, another judge in probe of contempt case against Dallas DA (10/16/13 1:09am)

DMN: Mark Cuban insider trading case goes to the jury (10/16/13 1:08am)

FWST ($): Energy Future Holdings says unsecured creditors not participating in restructuring talks (10/16/13 1:04am)

FWST ($): Dewhurst calls for Obama’s impeachment at Bedford forum (10/16/13 1:03am)

FWST ($): Fort Worth school bond package includes a performing / fine art school (10/16/13 1:03am)

CHRON ($): Shutdown a win for Cruz, but at what cost to the GOP? (10/16/13 1am)

CHRON ($): Supreme Court to review greenhouse gas limits (10/16/13 12:59am)

CHRON ($): $50 million donation, maintenance pact to boost Greenways project (10/16/13 12:59am)

CHRON: Wendy Davis headed to New York, Washington for fundraisers (10/16/13 12:57am)

SAEN ($): Friedman to run again for Ag post (10/16/13 12:34am)

SAEN ($): Gun rally on Alamo grounds triggers debate (10/16/13 12:31am)

SAEN ($): The specter of default looms large for nation (10/16/13 12:31am)

SAEN: Bias-ordinance repeal bid lacks signatures (10/16/13 12:26am)

KTBC FOX AUSTIN: Debating Dewhurst’s call for Obama’s impeachment (10/16/13 12:13am)

AAS ($): UT researcher’s Antarctic study frozen during federal shutdown (10/16/13 12:09am)

AAS ($): Travis County increasing money for social services (10/16/13 12:08am)

AAS ($): MoPacalypse? Toll project starts in December (10/16/13 12:07am)

KERA NPR DALLAS: Pauken Says Abbott Hiding From Media, Talks About Funding Education (10/16/13 12:01am)

POLITICO: Ted Cruz, Mike Lee missing from GOP lunch (10/15/13 11:55pm)

POLITICO: Rick Perry hits Barbara Boxer ‘offensive’ remarks (10/15/13 11:54pm)

YNN AUSTIN: Capital Tonight: Lawmakers dive into political realities of water (10/15/13 11:54pm)

ROLL CALL: Ted Cruz Victory Committee Raises $800K in Third Quarter (10/15/13 11:18pm)

CBN: Brody File Video Exclusive: Ted Cruz Prays for God’s Will to be Done (10/15/13 11:16pm)

VIDEO: U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) on Fox Business’ “Cavuto” (10/15/13 10;45pm)

VIDEO: U.S. Reps. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) on Fox News’ “The Kelly File” (10/15/13 10:42pm)

VIDEO: Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” (10/15/13 9:16pm)

EDITORIALS

DMN: Mayor Rawlings’ campaign to stop domestic violence goes on (10/16/13 1:12am)

DMN: Renewed focus on southern Dallas schools (10/16/13 1:11am)

FWST ($): On amendments, four easy choices (10/16/13 1:06am)

CHRON: Vote for the Dome (10/16/13 12:55am)

CHRON: Our take on the proposed constitutional amendments (10/16/13 12:54am)

CHRON: Why we miss Kay Bailey Hutchison (10/16/13 12:42am)

SAEN: Judicial panel should have more options (10/16/13 12:29am)

SAEN: Houston fans an embarrassment (10/16/13 12:28am)

AAS ($): PUC member hints at adopting mandatory power reserves (10/16/13 12:10am)

AAS ($): Slaughterhouses a poor fit in single-family neighborhoods (10/16/13 12:10am)

BEAUMONT ENTERPRISE: Cruz should accept shutdown results (10/15/13 11:17pm)

BLOGS (from the left)

BOR: Greg Abbott At Odds With GOP Lt. Gov. Hopefuls Over In-State Tuition For Undocumented Students (10/16/13 12am)

THINK PROGRESS: Texas Spends Millions To Detain Non-Violent Immigrants In Local Jails (10/16/13 12am)

BOR: Rick Perry Tells Texans They May Get Health Care If They’d Just Get A Job (10/15/13 11:53pm)

KIRK WATSON: Something we all agree on (10/15/13 3:28pm)

JJ: The Dew Jumps Into The Pits of Hell (10/15/13 3:11pm)

BLOGS (from the right)

NEWSMAX: Gov. Rick Perry: Do Like the States (10/15/13 11:54pm)