Hate Campaign Against Harris County Democratic Chair Lane Lewis—Texas Democratic Primary Is Tuesday May, 29

Above you see hate literature circulated by a Keryl Douglas who is running for Harris County Democratic Chair against incumbent Lane Lewis.

I’m sorry even to mention this issue.

But it may not fully be out there that this is the type of campaign that this Ms. Douglas individual is running.

With the Democratic Primary to be held this Tuesday, May 29, people might be focusing on the some of the contested races for the first time.

You see here that Ms. Douglas is running a campaign in no way consistent with the best values of the Democratic Party. If in the unlikely event she were to win, how could she lead the party after having conducted such a campaign?

Here are three other Democratic primary races in which I feel compelled for various reasons to make an endorsement. I feel a liberal or progressive could be comfortable enough with these choices.

* I support Lissa Squiers in U.S. House district 7 to face incumbent Republican John Culberson.  Ms. Squiers is energetic and progressive.

* I support Sean Hubbard to represent the Democratic Party in the race for the open U.S. Senate seat. Mr. Hubbard offers Texas Democrats the best hope for the future, and has run a reasonably progressive campaign  within the context of two-party politics.

* I support incumbent  Steven Kirkland in the 215th Harris County District Court primary. The only reason that well-qualified  Judge Kirkland has an opponent is because he is gay. Judge Kirkland has done nothing to merit a primary challenge. With so many judicial seats held by Republicans, why did not  Judge Krikland’s opponent  seek to win one of those Republican seats instead?

Fellow Houston and Texas blogger Charles Kuffner has the best rundown of the Democratic primary candidates here in Harris County, and about other contested Texas Democratic primary fights as well. 

Fellow Houston and Texas blogger Perry Dorrell has written about the Green Party slate in Harris County and in Texas at his blog Brains & Eggs.

Four Endorsements A Liberal Could Be Comfortable With For Harris County And Texas In 2012 Democratic Primary

Voting is ongoing in the Texas Democratic primary.

Early voting runs through May 25. Primary Election Day is May 29.

I have early voted here in Houston, Harris County.

Above is a scene from outside my early voting location. Democracy is often a mess.

Here are four races in which I feel compelled for various reasons to make an endorsement. I feel a liberal or progressive could be comfortable enough with these choices.

* I support Lissa Squiers in U.S. House district 7 to face incumbent Republican John Culberson.  Ms. Squiers is energetic and progressive.

* I support Sean Hubbard to represent the Democratic Party in the race for the open U.S. Senate seat. Mr. Hubbard offers Texas Democrats the best hope for the future, and has run a reasonably progressive campaign  within the context of two-party politics.

* I support incumbent  Steven Kirkland in the 215th Harris County District Court primary. The only reason that well-qualified  Judge Kirkland has an opponent is because he is gay. Judge Kirkland has done nothing to merit a primary challenge. With so many judicial seats held by Republicans, why did not  Judge Krikland’s opponent  seek to win one of those Republican seats instead?

* I support incumbent Lane Lewis to remain as Chair of the Harris County Democratic Party. Mr. Lewis has drawn an opponent who has responded to campaign disputes with threats of lawsuits against active Democrats. She is not fit to run the Harris County Democratic Party.

Fellow Houston and Texas blogger Charles Kuffner has the best rundown of the Democratic primary candidates here in Harris County, and about other contested Texas Democratic primary fights as well. 

Fellow Houston and Texas blogger Perry Dorrell has written about the Green Party slate in Harris County and in Texas at his blog Brains & Eggs.

Texas Democratic Primary Is May 29—Kirkland And Fertitta Lack Credible Opponents In Two Harris County Races

The Texas Democratic primary will be held this month.

Primary Day is Tuesday, May 29. Early voting runs May 14-May 25.

The time by which you must register to vote to take part in the primary is already past.

Who may vote in this primary?

Any registered Texas voter may vote in the Democratic primary with the exception of those who have signed a ballot access petition for a Green or a Republican in 2012.

Here are some additional facts about the primary from The League of Women Voters of the Houston Area.

There are contested Democratic primaries in Harris County, and for all Texas on the upcoming ballot.

I have written about one of these contested primaries so far on the blog.

Highly-rated incumbent Harris County judge Steven Kirkland has a primary opponent for no other reason than that Judge Kirkland is gay.

Another easy race to call is the primary for the Democratic nomination for Harris County District Attorney.

Lyold Oliver has run for office a number of times before in Harris County as a Republican. He has also voted in Republican primaries.

Zack Fertitta is the only credible candidate on the Democratic ballot for DA.

Fellow Houston and Texas blogger Charles Kuffner has the best rundown of the Democratic candidates here in Harris County, and about other contested Texas primary fights as well. 

You might feel that the two-party system is broken and in the hands of the rich.

You might be torn over the fact that while there are clear differences in many respects between the two major parties, that it is also so both parties ignore the poor, and are both leading us to a police state in which the super-wealthy call all the shots.

Fellow Houston and Texas blogger Perry Dorrell has written about the Green Party slate in Harris County and in Texas at his great blog Brains & Eggs.

I will be voting in the Democratic primary.

I guess that is what I should do. It’s what I have done before.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be endorsing candidates in other contested Democratic races.

Maybe I’ll even find a real liberal someplace along the way.

The Only Reason That Well-Qualified Incumbent Democratic Harris County Judge Steven Kirkland Has A Primary Opponent Is Because He Is Gay

The only reason that well-qualified incumbent Democratic Harris County 215th District Court Judge Steven Kirkland has a primary opponent is because he is gay.

Above you see a yard sign for Judge Kirkland that I came across while out and about in Houston.

Judge Kirkland’s opponent is black. The assumption is that black people will vote for Judge Kirkland’s opponent because she is black.  Or that some black voters will make a special point to vote against Judge Kirkland because of the way God made him.

When all is said and done, this will not be the case. Judge Kirkland is going to win this primary as he moves towards reelection this November.

Here is the full list of supporters that Judge Kirkland has in his primary bid. Every segment of the Democratic base of support in Harris County is well-represented. A broad cross-section of the entire county is represented.

There is simply no reason that this well-regarded  incumbent Judge merits a primary.

Should not the focus be on picking up new judgeships instead of a fight that has no helpful purpose?

Wouldn’t making progress towards new Democratic judgeships  be the best use of time and efforts of Judge Kirkland’s opponent?

The freedom of all people is connected.  We can’t lose a good judge for no valid reason.

Primary Day is May 29. Early voting runs May 14-May 25.

My fellow blogger John Coby at Bay Area Houston has more on this issue.  Houston blogger Charles Kuffner has a rundown on all the Harris County Democratic primary races.