Author: Must Read Texas

Abbott has 3 to 1 Cash on Hand Advantage; Wendy has Two $1M Donors;
Scott Turner for Speaker?; Dewhurst “Plans” to Serve only One More Term;
George P. Bush Continues Strong FR; Rick Perry Headed to Davos?
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Good evening from Austin.
Thank you for your patience.

Let’s get you caught up.
Here’s the “almost” end of week brief:

Your absolute must clicks:
> Greg Abbott’s cash advantage (behind paywall) is 3-1 over Wendy Davis.  Wendy had two $1 million contributors.
> Todd Staples, Dan Patrick have (behind paywall) more cash on hand than David Dewhurst.
> State Rep. Scott Turner (R-Frisco) filed for Speaker.
> U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) launched his first statewide TV ad.
  > Without a competitive primary or general election, George P. Bush continues a torrid fundraising pace.
  > Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) is reportedly headed to Davos next week.

Tweets worth reading: Continue reading “Must Read Texas – January 16, 2014”

1st Cornyn Campaign Tv Ad, “Astonishing”;
RRC Porter Says TX RRC is Hiring Quake Specialist;
Davis Attacks Abbott on Payday Lenders;
DMN: Dunn Provides 99% of Empower Texans’ Funding;
Branch Will Report $4.9M Cash on Hand;
Emmett Backs Simpson over Woodfill for Harris County GOP Chair
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Good morning from The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island.
The honeymoon continues.  Fortunately for you, dear reader, Suzanne takes a very long time to get ready!

Here’s the end of week brief:

Your absolute must clicks:
> The re-election campaign of U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) released its first TV ad this morning, “Astonishing.”
Continue reading “Must Read Texas – January 10, 2014”

Texas Abortion Law Facing Federal Court Review;
TT: Rift Among Pro Life Groups;
Business Group Plans Tea Party Counter
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Good afternoon.
Suzanne and I had a magical weekend — thank you everyone, for everything.

Here’s the brief:

Your absolute must clicks:
> The Texas abortion law is being reviewed by a federal court.
> TT reports on the “rift” between pro life groups.
> DMN’s Christy Hoppe reports that a business group plans to counter balance the tea party in this year’s elections.

#txlege Continue reading “Must Read Texas – January 6, 2014”

AP on Democratic Women-Led Statewide Ticket;
Perry Obamacare DMN Op Ed;
DMN on Harold Simmons’ Legacy;
AP: Barbara Bush Remains Hospitalized;
Mackowiak & Stanford on Political New Year’s Resolutions
*****
Good morning from Austin.
Thanks for your patience.

At long last, the Tomlin-Mackowiak wedding weekend is upon us.  I just received word that in honor of theSaturday celebration, banks will be closed in Austin on Sunday.

Here’s the end of 2013, start of 2014 brief:

AP ON POTENTIALLY ‘HISTORY MAKING’ FEMALE DEMOCRAT TICKET

Continue reading “Must Read Texas – January 3, 2014”

Harold Simmons, Jack Blanton Pass Away;
DMN’s “Texans of the Year”: Heroes of West;
AP: 2014 to Bring Political Change;
Sunday Talk: U.S. Sen. Cruz on ABC, U.S. Rep. Castro on NBC
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Good morning from Dallas.
Let me know if you’re headed to the Alamo Bowl tonight.

Here’s the weekend brief:

TWO TEXAS TITANS PASS AWAY: BLANTON, SIMMONS

1. Here’s the AP story on the passing of Jack Blanton:
Civic leader, oil tycoon and philanthropist Jack Sawtelle Blanton Sr. died Saturday. He was 86.

Blanton passed away peacefully in his Galveston home, according to Peter Wareing, Blanton’s son-in-law.

Continue reading “Must Read Texas – December 29, 2013”

Nandita Berry Appointed Secretary of State;
Chron: Annise Parker to Marry Partner in January?
Best Ted Cruz Quotes of 2013; Cruz to Headline Gridiron Dinner;
Van de Putte’s Heritage; Mackowiak & Stanford in Monday’s AAS;

Good evening from Austin.
Yes, we took an unexpected break.  Thank you for your patience.

House hunting, last minute prep for my wedding on 1/4/14 (find us on the Knot!), the Christmas holidays and family considerations all proved a wonderful distraction.
But, enough about me.

Now let’s get you caught up in a fairly short brief.
Here we go:

Your absolute must clicks:
> Houston Lawyer Nandita Berry, the wife of Houston-based talk show host Michael Berry, is the first Indian American Secretary of State in Texas history.
> The Houston Chronicle reports that Mayor Annise Parker (D-Houston) will reportedly marry her longtime partner in Palm Springs, CA in January.
> The 74 best quotes from U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in 2014.
> Sen. Cruz will headline the fancy Gridiron Dinner in Washington in March.
> A DMN report on the heritage of State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio) and how it may affect her race for Lt. Gov.

COMING MONDAY: OPPOSING VIEWS: MACKOWIAK AND STANFORD

Continue reading “Must Read Texas – December 27, 2013”

Sales Tax Receipts Sharply Up;
Sebelius, Sessions & Issa on DMN Opinion Page on ACA;
AP on Dealing with the Multi-Billion Pension Shortfall;
AP: George P. Moves Away from Bush Name;
NPR on Cornyn; DMN’s Gillman on Stockman;
Mackowiak & Stanford on the War on Christmas;
Texas Secretary of State John Steen to Resign in January
Arnold Garcia Retires; TT Hiring a Development Officer
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Good afternoon from Austin.
Let’s get you caught up as we’ve been a little behind.

Here we go:

SALES TAX RECEIPTS WAY UP

Here’s TT’s Aman Batheja with the news:

The oil drilling boom’s impact on Texas coffers continues to outpace officials’ expectations, according to a report released by the Texas comptroller’s office on Thursday.

Continue reading “Must Read Texas – December 15, 2013”

Stockman-Cornyn Begins;
My Analysis on the TX-SEN Primary Race;
Burka on Late Filings and Top Primaries;
Education will be Major Issue in TX-GOV Race;
1996 Stockman Profile Re-surfaces
*****
Good morning from Austin.
A lot has happened since our last brief.

Here we go:

STOCKMAN V. CORNYN BEGINS

On Monday night U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX), who represents Texas’ 36th congressional district and was elected to Congress in 2012 after winning a GOP primary runoff (he served one term in Congress in the 1990s), shocked nearly everyone and filed for the U.S. Senate with one minute left before the filing deadline.

The filing garnered a lot of coverage.
Here’s a sampling:
> Here is today’s AP story on the race.
> TIME Magazine’s Jay Newton-Small reports on the primary.
> DMN’s Todd Gillman reports on the latest developments.
> Chron’s Mike Tolson reports (behind paywall) on the hurdles Stockman faces.
> The Hill spoke to several lawmakers who think Sen. Cornyn will win.
> Roll Call’s Kyle Trygstad and Abby Livingston report on the six hurdles that Stockman faces.
> TT’s Aman Batheja reports that a couple candidates for Stockman’s congressional seat appear to have seen it coming.

Continue reading “Must Read Texas – December 10, 2013”

Dewhurst Calls for $60M for Border Security; Davis Earned $284k in 2012;
TT Asks All Statewides for Tax Returns; MRT on TV
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Good morning from Austin.
Here’s the quick brief as it’s a busy time:

Your absolute must clicks:
> Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (R-TX), who is seeking reelection, called for $60 million in border security funding.
> Gubernatorial candidate and State Sen. Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth) earned $284,000 in 2012, according to her just released tax returns.
> The Texas Tribune asked all the statewide candidates to release the last three years of their tax returns.  Here’s the report on how the candidates responded.

MRT ON TV

Continue reading “Must Read Texas – December 4, 2013”

Abbott Focuses on Education; Perry in South Carolina Today;
New Web Videos from Dewhurst, Branch, Hurd, Carnes;
Mackowiak & Stanford on TX v. CA
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Good morning from Austin.

Here’s the brief:

ABBOTT FOCUSES ON EDUCATION

TT’s Jay Root and Morgan Smith report:

Attorney General Greg Abbott will spend most of the next month talking about education, signaling that he won’t cede any ground on the issue to state Sen. Wendy Davis, who is making her support of public schools a calling card in the governor’s race.

Continue reading “Must Read Texas – December 2, 2013”