Tx Capitol Report

El Pasoans on Perry's finance team

Gov. Rick Perry today released the names of more than 500 Texans on his campaign fundraising team. Among the names listed are several well-known and influential El Paso business leaders.
Ted Houghton, a Perry appointed to the Texas Transportation Commission, was named to lead fundraising in West Texas. 

 

(Houghton is at the podium in this El Paso Times file photo)

Other El Pasoans on Perry's fundraising team are:

Paul Foster - Perry appointee to many boards, including currently the University of Texas System Board of Regents.

Rick Francis (on the left above) - Perry appointee, former chairman and current member of the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents

Woody Hunt - Perry appointee to many boards and commissions, including formerly the UT System Board of Regents
Harold Hahn - Perry appointee to lead the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority
Maria Teran - Perry appointee to the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors and a current member of the Public Service Board
Jon Abrams - Civil construction contractor whose company is building Spur 601
Fred Loya - Fred Loya Insurance
Charles F. 'Paco' Jordan, III - Chairman of the board and founder of Jordan Construction

You can check out the entire list here: Download 06-29-09 GRP-Finance Team

Money-making starts

Now that the regular legislative session is all done with, lawmakers can get back to raising campaign money.
I called around to most of the El Paso lawmakers this week to see if they're worried about opponents in the 2010 election cycle and if they have any fundraisers coming up soon.
All five House members and state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh are up for re-election this time around.
Rookie state Rep. Marisa Marquez said she was trying to plan her fundraiser around the upcoming special session, which Gov. Rick Perry announced will start Wednesday.
She said she's not aware of anyone who has said they would challenge her, but Marquez said she has heard rumors that indicate someone might run. She wants to be ready just in case.
"We’re not going to take it for granted," Marquez said. "If there is an opponent, we’ll be well prepared."
State Rep. Joe Moody, the other El Paso rookie, said he's got a fundraiser in Austin scheduled for Tuesday.
Moody said he expects to have an opponent, but no one has committed publicly to the race.
"That’s nothing I have control over," he said. "What I have control over is the work I did during session, work we’ll continue to do during the interim."
Michael Moore, chairman of the El Paso County Republican Party, said someone would likely run against Moody. The GOP lost that seat in 2008 when businessman Dee Margo defeated longtime Republican state Rep. Pat Haggerty in the party's primary election and then lost to Moody in the general election.
"I am sure we’re going to have someone running in district 78,"Moore said. "I just don’t know who that is going to be at this point."
Shapleigh is planning a fundraiser for July 4. I guess he's pretty confident Perry's three-day session plan is going to work out.
Shapleigh last faced re-election in 2006, when he also went up against Margo.
The senator said he's prepared for another opponent.
"We view anyone who wants to run as a worthy opponent, and I hope really that good people do run," he said. "El Paso needs many more good people to run for office."
Just to get an idea of what kind of money local lawmakers already have in the bank, here's a list of what they reported in cash on hand in their January campaign finance reports:

State Rep. Norma Chavez - $43,308.00
State Rep. Marisa Marquez - $38,221.86
State Rep. Joe Moody - $27,463.46
State Rep. Joe Pickett - $98,726.83
State Rep. Chente Quintanilla - $39,672.55
State Sen. Eliot Shapleigh - $98,020.71

EP state lawmakers in DC this week

State Rep. Norma Chavez and state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh were in Washington, D.C., this week to support President Barack Obama's plans to reform health care, including the public health insurance option.
Chavez went to D.C. with a delegation that included state Rep. Elliott Naishtat, D-Austin, Joe Arabie of the Texas AFL-CIO and Sergio Esquivel of ACORN, among others.
The group planned to meet today with Texas Reps. Henry Cuellar, Silvestre Reyes, Lloyd Doggett, Chet Edwards, Charlie Gonzalez and Ruben Hinojosa.
“Health care affects us all and is at the very core of our well being," Chavez said in a prepared statement. "In the last nine years, the cost of health insurance has risen 120% while wages in Texas have only increased 29%. Texas leads the country in the number of uninsured and this is not acceptable."
Shapleigh said he attended a border health conference Thursday with Reyes.
"The border will be the region in America that is most benefited from health care reform," he said.
Shapleigh said he didn't see Chavez while they were in D.C.

Sen. Van de Putte says she won't run for governor but Sen. Watson should

After months of speculation about her political aspirations, San Antonio Democratic state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte said today she has decided not to run for governor in 2010.
Van de Putte's name has been bandied about as a potential candidate since she took a leading statewide role in the Obama campaign in 2008, even speaking at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.
But Van de Putte said she declined to put her family through the "scorched earth 'say anything to win' vicious attacks" that would come from a Republican campaign from Gov. Rick Perry or Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.
She apparently wouldn't mind, though, if her Democratic colleague state Sen. Kirk Watson, of Austin, put his family through that.
Van de Putte called Watson a "bipartisan pragmatic leader" and said Democrats should look for someone like him to lead the statewide ticket.
Here's the full text of Van de Putte's statement:

Senator Van de Putte authorized the release of this statement today, regarding her plans for the 2010 elections:

“Five months of speculation  regarding the possibility of me running for Governor has, quite frankly, been surprising. It started with nothing more than me not immediately saying ‘no,’ unlike in past election cycles, when asked if I would consider such a run. The reactions of thousands of Texans who encouraged me to give it serious consideration has been flattering.

“I have, indeed, given it very serious thought, and while I would love to believe, tongue firmly planted in cheek, that this pent-up desire on the part of so many Texans for me to run for governor is solely because of some perceived superior leadership ability and vast intellect of mine, I have to reluctantly admit that it’s not as much about me as it is about Republican failures.

“This is about Texas’ stunning lack of current leadership. Large and growing numbers feel betrayed by the Republicans they voted into statewide office, and who can blame them?  While Texas families remain concerned about genuine priority issues, Republicans led by Rick Perry continue to instead obsess about hyper-partisan issues, in order to grab more power for themselves.

“Texans still pay the highest homeowners insurance premiums in the country. Texas still has the highest percentage in the country of those without access to health care. Texas still has the second highest rate of teen pregnancy in the nation, and the highest rate of teens with a second pregnancy. And after years of Republican ‘leadership,’ not only has Rick Perry failed to address these challenges, but he and his minions have done everything they can to avoid addressing them in any meaningful way. Rick Perry, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and others in the Republican leadership have turned their backs on 25 million Texans, instead opting to curry favor with a handful of fringe Republican primary voters.

“If I believed for a second that it would result in a healthy debate of the issues of most importance to Texas families, I would today be announcing my candidacy for Governor of Texas. But we have all watched over the years as Perry, Hutchison, and other Republican politicians have launched their scorched earth ‘say anything to win’ vicious attacks against political opponents. To mask their utter lack of leadership, they’ll do so again, and I decline to put my family through it. That I am a Latina would only serve to amplify their attacks.

 “I will gladly work hard to ensure that a Democrat prevails in the election for Governor, so that Texas families can have a better shot at having a state government focused on the needs of Texans, instead of state Republican leadership obsessed with their own political futures, at Texans’ expense.

“Prominent Democrats must put personal ambitions aside and very pragmatically nominate the person best equipped to win in November. Just because one can win the Democratic nomination for Governor doesn’t mean one should, unless he or she is best positioned to defeat the Republican nominee in the fall.

“That’s why I think Senator Kirk Watson should raise his sights and run for Governor. I’ve watched as Senator Watson has emerged as a leader in the state Senate on the issues of most importance to Texans. While staying true to Democratic values, he is a bipartisan pragmatic leader solidly focused on addressing the priorities of all Texans. I intend to lobby Senator Watson to run for governor, and I’ll wholeheartedly support him if he does. But if he declines, Democrats should recruit and support someone who, like Watson, is energetic, pragmatic, focused, and smart; and who can fully energize Democratic supporters while also attracting a broad range of independent voters in every region of the state.

“The Republicans have had their day, and Texans have realized that the Republicans can’t lead. I will be working hard to elect a Democrat to the Governor’s office.”

Margo says he won't decide until Labor Day whether to run again

I talked a little bit today with JDW Insurance CEO Dee Margo, who has campaigned in El Paso for the state Senate and the state House. I was hoping to get a little insight into whether he plans to try a third time for a seat in the Legislature.
Today, marked the end of the campaign fundraising prohibition for the legislative session. The prohibition for legislators ended when the governor's veto period ended yesterday. It's another step toward campaign season, so it seemed a good time to check in with Margo.
In 2006, he lost a state Senate race to incumbent Democrat state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, who is up for re-election again in 2010.
Last year, Margo beat GOP state Rep. Pat Haggerty in a contentious and expensive primary race, but then he lost the general election to Democrat state Rep. Joe Moody, who plans to run for re-election.
Margo said he hasn't decided yet whether he'll run again.
"I have given it thought, but I haven’t made a decision," he said, adding that he doubted he would decide until Labor Day.
What factors will he consider in making that decision?
"It’s a compilation of everything I’ve been through the last couple of years," Margo said. "I'll weigh it all, what it requires, and then I’ll make a decision."

Rep. Chavez goes to Washington

El Paso state Rep. Norma Chavez will head to Washington next week to lobby for President Barack Obama's plans to reform health care, including the public health insurance option.
Chavez, who worked on the Obama presidential campaign last year, was one of more than 600 state legislators who signed a letter this week supporting Obama's health care plan.
Next week, Chavez announced in a press release, she will go to Capitol Hill with state Rep. Elliott Naishtat, D-Austin, Bexar County Commissioner Chico Rodriguez and LULAC Council President Henry Rodriguez.

Hutchison names campaign chairmen for EP, Big Bend area

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, today announced the names of her campaign chairmen for El Paso and the Big Bend region.
Even though she hasn't "formally" announced she's running, Hutchison is running for governor in the 2010 GOP primary against Gov. Rick Perry. It's expected to be a rousing political matchup the whole nation will watch.
In a press release today, Hutchison said county chairmen would help organize and mobilize local supporters.
"She understands the unique challenges faced by our region while also understanding its great importance to the success of our state,” Oscar Javier Ornelas, an El Paso chairman, said in the campaign's prepared release. “Texas is lucky to have a leader like Kay and I fully support her candidacy for Governor.”
Here's the list of chairmen for the region:
Rondell Sanders, Brewster County
Oscar Ornelas, El Paso County
Patty Bruce, El Paso County
Alice Hack, Jeff Davis County
Lloyd Hughes, Pecos County
Rudy Garcia, Presidio County

Marquez office opening tomorrow

Freshman state Rep. Marisa Marquez is hosting a grand opening of her El Paso district office tomorrow. Here's the info in case you're looking for something to do tomorrow night. It doesn't say whether there will be any musical dedications.

Rep. Marquez Celebrates The Grand Opening Of The District 77 Local Office

 EL PASO, TX—State Representative Marisa Marquez (D-El Paso) will hold a celebratory opening of her El Paso district office on Wednesday, June 17th.  She is looking forward to welcoming her constituents to their new center of contact, which will be operated and sustained with the help of Ms. Alice Rosas, Rep. Marquez's District Director. 

 WHO: Open to the Public

WHAT: District Office Grand Opening 

WHERE: 1444 Montana, Ste 100

WHEN: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

 Marquez is serving her first term in the Texas House of Representatives.  She represents District 77, which includes downtown El Paso, UTEP, and neighborhoods near Fort Bliss.  She sits on three committees: Corrections, County Affairs, and Rules & Resolutions.

Marisa Marquez, Norma Chavez on the Fox Jukebox

NOTE: The following is a guest post from El Paso Times assignments editor Jay Koester.

Those listening to the much-loved Fox Jukebox show yesterday were treated to yet another strange moment in the Marisa Marquez-Norma Chavez saga. (I refuse to call it a feud when it seems only one side is looking to fight.)

The host of the Jukebox, Mike Guerrero, was pleasing fans of the oldies as always on Sunday when El Paso state Rep. Marisa Marquez called in to make a dedication.

Marquez made a quick dedication to her father and some other relatives and was on the air for only about 30 seconds.

But that must have been 30 seconds too long for one listener, because guess who quickly showed up at the studio? That's right, El Paso state Rep. Norma Chavez.

Chavez stuck around for about 30 minutes, making a few dedications and chatting with Guerrero. She didn’t say anything negative about Marquez, but certainly listeners noticed the timing of her visit.

I spoke with Guerrero today and he certainly noticed the odd timing of Chavez’s visit, though he was quick to add that it was cool. He said he’s received call-in dedications in the past from both Marquez and Chavez.

“I like them both,” Guerrero said, perhaps practicing for a career in politics himself.

Of the dedications Chavez made during her visit to the studio, perhaps the one that raised the most eyebrows was the one she sent out to “(State Senator) Eliot Shapleigh and all the other men at the Capitol:” “You Don’t Own Me,” by Leslie Gore.

You can listen to the Fox Jukebox from noon to 7 p.m. each Sunday on KFOX, 92.3 FM.

EP officials sign letter urging Obama to stop border fence building

The Texas Border Coalition, a group of elected officials and business leaders from the Texas-Mexico border, sent a letter this week to President Barack Obama, calling for a stop to the construction of the border fence.
There isn't much left to stop, according to this Associated Press story. About 630 miles of the planned 670-mile fence have already been built.
The biggest chunk of unfinished fencing, though, is in the Rio Grande Valley, where opposition to the structure has been strongest.
In the TBC's letter dated June 9, the group asked Obama to make good on promises to review the fence-building strategy and stop construction in places where it wasn't necessary.
"We ask you to direct the Department of Homeland Security to stand down and carry out the review of border security policy that you suggested would be conducted at the beginning of your term.  Without such an order, construction will proceed, wasting billions of taxpayer dollars on a border security tactic that fails its basic purpose in defiance of realistic, proven alternatives that your Administration should  study and consider," the group wrote.
Among the 31 officials to sign the letter are El Paso Mayor John Cook, El Paso County Attorney Jose Rodriguez and El Paso state Rep. Norma Chavez.
Read the entire letter here: Download Letter to Obama 9 June 2009