Democrat State Rep. Who Fled To DC Seeks Congressional Seat

[#TexasPolitics365]

Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas) has endorsed Democratic state Rep. Jasmine Crockett to take her seat just days after announcing her intentions to retire.

Crockett, a first-term state representative, made headlines in July as part of the group of Texas lawmakers who fled to Washington, D.C., in an attempt to block a vote on the state Republicans‘ elections integrity bill, which eventually passed and was signed into law in September.

(Full story here.)

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McConaughey Won't Run For Governor In 2022

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Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey said Sunday that he is not running for governor of Texas in 2022.

Speaking in a 3 1/2-minute-long video posted to Twitter, the 52-year-old said that as a small-town kid from Uvalde, Texas, he never thought he’d be mentioned as a legitimate candidate for public office.

The actor had been floating a candidacy for governor for months, and in recent polling was doing quite well against incumbent Governor Greg Abbott. 

But much was not known about him, including his stands on controversial issues that may have affected his future polling, and it was unknown what party banner, is it any, he would have run under.

McConaughey, who teaches courses on the arts at the University of Texas in Austin, has been talked about as a possible candidate for mayor of Austin next year. Mayor Steve Adler is term-limited and won't be on the ballot.

(Full story here.)
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Governor Calls For Biden To Withdraw Nominee For Comptroller's Name

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is calling on President Joe Biden to “immediately” withdraw a Cornell Law professor as his nominee for Comptroller of the Currency over concerns he has about her policy positions on the banking and oil and gas industries.

Saule Omarova testified Thursday before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee.

Omarova has openly suggested that her goal to reach climate change objectives includes bankrupting small oil and gas operators.

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Biden Admin. Reinstates "Remain In Mexico" Asylum Policy

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President Biden will start turning asylum seekers back to Mexico as soon as next week under a reinstated Trump-era "Remain in Mexico" program — but with one major difference: the Biden administration will offer them the option to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, says Axios.

Under court order, the president will force asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico ahead of their immigration court hearings in the U.S. — as long as Mexico accepts them.

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Beto Doubles Down On AR-15 Confiscation Threat

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Democratic Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke says he stands by his controversial 2019 comment that "we're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47."

Asked by co-host Dana Bash on CNN's "State of the Union" if he would stand by his vow if elected governor of Texas, O'Rourke said, "I still hold this view."

"Most of us here in Texas do not want to see our friends, our family members, our neighbors shot up with these weapons of war. So, yes, I still hold this view," O'Rourke said.

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Fort Worth Schools Host Teacher Training For Critical Race Theory

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The Fort Worth, Texas, public school district has insisted that its schools do not teach critical race theory, but a document and videos suggest that the school district has inculcated the key tenets of CRT into its teacher trainings and practices, even giving teachers and staff a class introducing them to critical race theory.

The course offers "a working understanding of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and its central tenets" including "the permanence of racism, whiteness as property," and "critique of liberalism." It also offers "an understanding of the endemic nature of racism and white supremacy to US society at its founding and into the present" and "the ability to read, understand, and apply CRT as an analysis tool in their current roles."

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Court Reverses Lower Court's Freeze Of Abbott's Mask Mandate Ban During Appeals Process

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A federal appeals court has reinstated Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on school mask mandates while it weighs whether the edict violates the rights of students with disabilities.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday granted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s request to put a lower judge’s order striking down the ban on hold while it considers the state’s appeal. 

The administrative stay was granted without explanation by a three-judge panel that includes two appointees of former Pres. Donald Trump.

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Abbott Leads O'Rourke By 6 Points, GOP Rivals In Single Digits, In New Poll

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is leading former Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D) by 6 points in the Lone Star State's gubernatorial race, according to a poll taken days after O'Rourke officially launched his bid for office in his home state.

The poll, conducted by the Dallas Morning News and the University of Texas at Tyler, found that in a head-to-head match-up between the two candidates, 45% of registered voters said they support Abbott, while 39% said they are backing O'Rourke. 

Sixteen percent of respondents said they would vote for a different candidate for governor.

Like previous surveys, this poll shows Gov. Abbott far ahead of his Republican rivals in the GOP Primary race.

He was favored by 65% of those surveyed, with 6% supporting Lt. Colonel Allen West, 6% supporting comedian Chad Prather, and 3% supporting former State Sen. Don Huffines.

The poll, conducted Nov. 9-16, surveyed 1,106 registered voters in Texas. The margin of error is 2.9 percentage points.

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Matt Krause Drops Out Of Attorney General Race

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Rep. Matt Krause (R-Fort Worth) said Monday that he will be dropping out of the crowded Republican primary for Attorney General and will instead run for the open seat for Tarrant County District Attorney.

Krause said a formal announcement will come Tuesday.

In the two months since Krause announced his campaign for Attorney General, the Fort Worth Republican struggled to build name recognition statewide. In a November University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, only three percent of respondents said they would vote for Krause in the Republican primary

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Texas Democrats Field Whites; Republican Field Racially Diverse

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For decades, Texas Democrats have banked on the growth of voters of color, particularly Black and Latino voters, as the key to their eventual success in a state long dominated by Republicans.

But with less than a month left for candidates to file for statewide office in the 2022 elections, some in the party worry Democrats could see their appeal with those constituencies threatened by a Republican Party that is rapidly diversifying its own candidate pool.

The GOP slate for statewide office includes two high-profile Latinos: Land Commissioner George P. Bush and former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman, who are both running for attorney general. It also includes two Black candidates who have previously held state or federal office: former Florida congressman Allen West and state Rep. James White, who are running for governor and agriculture commissioner, respectively.

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Progressive Group Endorses Rep. Cuellar's Primary Opponent

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The Sunrise Movement, a progressive Group championing action on climate change, has announced its endorsement of progressive Jessica Cisneros in her primary challenge to oust Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar in Texas' 28th Congressional District.

Human rights and immigration attorney Cisneros in August launched her campaign to primary Cuellar for a second time after she narrowly lost to the incumbent in the 2020 primary election, though newly redrawn maps mean the district now has different boundaries.

Cuellar, who's represented the South Texas district since 2005, has strong backing from the Democratic Party establishment. But progressives note that  he has a 47% lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters, has been described by the Texas AFL-CIO as "not on working people's side," and was recently criticized by NARAL Pro-Choice America for being "the last anti-choice Democrat in the House."

Founded in 2017 by climate change activist

Varshini Prakash, the Sunshine Movement has made a name for itself by pushing elected Democrats to embrace climate change as a key issue.

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Beto Raises $2 Million in First 24 As Candidate; Abbott War Chest Is $60 Million

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Democratic Texas gubernatorial hopeful Beto O’Rourke raised more than $2 million in his first 24 hours as a candidate this week, breaking records, his campaign said.

The former El Paso congressman raised over $80 million for his U.S. Senate race three years ago — and, through his failed presidential bid and recent leadership of voter-registration drives, amassed an enviable donor list.

Critics note that O’Rourke raised more than $6 million online in the first 24 hours after announcing his presidential campaign in 2019.

Abbott spokesman Mark Miner called O’Rourke’s rollout unimpressive, despite the fundraising.

“It was an extremely lackluster campaign announcement,” Miner said. “He’s already trying to reinvent himself and run from his open-border and defund-the-police policies.”

Abbott’s also a relentless, highly successful fundraiser. On Thursday, his campaign announced that he had raised nearly $5 million in the latest reporting period from Sept. 7 to Oct. 19. 

The $5 million would put Abbott over the $60 million mark for a campaign war chest.

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San Antonio Church Under fire After "Let's Go Brandon" Chants

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A San Antonio church is coming under fire over video showing people inside the place of worship chanting the viral anti-Biden phrase, "Let’s Go Brandon." 

"A euphemism for, you know, less than well wishes for the president of the United States and it has become a kind of a radical conservative rallying cry," Oklahoma pastor Jeremy Coleman said of the video showing people within the nondenominational Cornerstone Church chanting the phrase. 

"It was gut-wrenching and heartbreaking," Coleman added, according to News4SA. 

An outside group held a "ReAwaken America" conference at the facility, which is run by televangelist John Hagee, from Nov. 11-13, where allies of former Pres. Trump, such as Michael Flynn and My Pillow CEO Michael Lindell, spoke, Newsweek reported. 

San Antonio Democratic congressman Joaquin Castro condemned the rally.

"This is not a church service. It’s a political rally. It’s also a prime example of why more people are turned off by and leaving organized religion," Castro said on Twitter. 

(Full story here.)
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Huffines Accuses Abbott Of Discrimination Against Whites, Asians In Covid Treatments

[#TexasPolitics365]

Republican candidate for governor Don Huffines is accusing state agencies of actively discriminating against White and Asian Texans attempting to receive monoclonal antibodies, and is calling on Gov. Abbott to end the practice immediately.

Huffines Twitter account and website posted videos of patients being denied the antibody treatment by nurses who explained that minority patients were at higher risk and were being prioritized above Whites and Asians.

Huffines demanded Abbott end the practice and fire the employees responsible. 

“It is outrageous that Greg Abbott’s state agencies are actively discriminating against White and Asian Texans—denying them monoclonal antibodies, which is potentially lifesaving treatment. This is a horrendous example of Critical Race Theory in action and a gross violation of Texas values. Greg Abbott must immediately stop this practice, fire the employees responsible, and apologize to Texans for this repugnant behavior.” 

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Congressional Candidate Accused Of Abusing Step-Daughter

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A congressional candidate has been accused by her ex-husband of abusing his daughter, reports The Hill.

Monica De La Cruz, a Republican running for the 15th Congressional District, is seen as a top choice for the South Texas seat among GOP leadership.

Johnny Hernandez, De La Cruz's husband, accused her in court filings for the couple's divorce of abusing his 14-year-old daughter, The Washington Post reported.

The couple have no biological children together, with Hernandez's daughter being from a previous relationship.

After incumbent 15th District Rep. Vicente Gonzalez announced he will seek reelection in a different congressional district, Democrats have struggled to find candidates to run for the seat he is vacating.

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Liberal State Legislator Who Fled To DC Joins Lt. Gov. Race

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Democratic state Rep. Michelle Beckley of Carrollton, who gained national attention for joining lawmakers who fled to Washington, D.C., to block a Republican election bill this summer, is running for lieutenant governor, expanding her party’s primary to three contenders.

In her campaign announcement on Tuesday, Beckley said she was running because Republican incumbent Dan Patrick is implementing policies that “hurt Texas business and make life harder for all Texans.”

She joins political commentator Matthew Dowd and Houston accountant and auditor Mike Collier, who was the Democratic nominee for the position in 2018.

State Democratic Party chairman Gilbert Hinojosa openly endorsed Collier last month after Dowd, a former Republican consultant, got into the race.

(Full story HERE.)
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BREAKING: Beto Jumps Into Race For Governor

[#TexasPolitics365]

After months of speculation, Democrat Beto O’Rourke announced this morning he will run for governor of Texas.

“I’m running to try to help bring this state together,” O’Rourke said. “To do the really big things that are before us right now and to get past the divisiveness, the extremism, and the real small politics and policies of Greg Abbott.”

The former congressman, popular in Democratic circles across the country, previously fell short in two previous runs for office, his bid for a Texas US senate seat and the Democratic nomination for president.

In early polling, he's pulling about even with Gov. Greg Abbott. Both O'Rourke and Abbott will have substantial funds in their campaign war chests next fall, assuming he wins the nomination.

Abbott was ready for beto's announcement, tweeting:

Beto wants to:

- defund the police

- kill good paying oil & gas jobs

- allow chaotic open border policies 

- support the failing Biden agenda

- impose socialism

- take your guns. 

Bring it."

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Federal Appeals Court Blocks Biden's Vax Mandate From Taking Effect

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The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Texas, sided with Texas and a number of other states on Friday, issuing a temporary order that blocked President Joe Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for businesses with over 100 employees from taking effect.

Gov. Greg Abbott hailed the "excellent news" on Twitter, saying, "Employees don't have to choose between a job and a jab."

(Full story here.)
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Tesla Energy Approved To Sell Electricity In Texas

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The Public Utility Commission of Texas has approved an application from Tesla Energy Ventures, LLC, to provide retail electricity “throughout the area served by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT),” according to the application.

That means the company can sell its energy to residential or business customers in places like Dallas-Fort Worth or Houston, but not to municipal or co-op areas like Bluebonnet, Pedernales, or Austin Energy service areas.

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Ag Commissioner Miller Recovering From October Heart Surgery

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Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is on the mend following heart surgery late last month.

On October 26, physicians performed a cardiac catheterization on Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller at a Fort Worth hospital. Three days earlier, he was admitted to Texas Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth after experiencing shortness of breath and chest discomfort.

Cardiologists inserted a stent into his left anterior descending artery to eliminate a blockage, the Texas Department of Agriculture reported.

"I have been told that I have a heart as big as Texas. Apparently, this blood clot was as big as an I-35 traffic jam," he told supporters this week.

Miller, 66, who is seeking re-election as agriculture commissioner, said in December that he had tested positive for COVID-19. “I can now add heart surgery to my list of medical mishaps and challenges which include numerous rodeo injuries, broken bones, hip, double knee replacement, shoulder surgery, West Nile virus, Covid and cancer. I guess that list just makes me Texas tough,” Miller wrote in a statement.

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Abbott Directs Texas Education Agency To Investigate Pornography In Schools

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is directing the Texas Education Agency to investigate any pornography that may be in public schools and to report it to law enforcement if it's accessible to students.

"I am directing the Texas Education Agency to investigate any criminal activity in our public schools involving the availability of pornography," Abbott wrote in a letter Wednesday to Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath.

"During this investigation, I ask the agency to refer any instance of pornography being provided to minors under the age of 18 for prosecution to the fullest extent of the law."

In Texas, it is illegal to provide pornography to anyone under the age of 18 according to Section 43.24 of the Texas Penal Code. 

Democrats in the legislature and reporters in media outlets often scoff at claims that there is pornography in schools, but parents across the state and across the country have recently read excerpts from books available in school libraries to school district officials in public. Some of the books describe graphic sex acts between underage children.

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Judge Says Abbott's Student Mask Ban "Violates ADA"; Paxton Says It's Not Over

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A federal judge ruled Wednesday that Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order prohibiting mask mandates in schools "violates the Americans with Disabilities Act" — freeing local officials to again impose mask mandates on students across the state.

The order comes after a disability rights organization sued Texas officials over whether the state was violating the 1990 law, known as the ADA, by not allowing school districts to require masks. U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel barred Attorney General Ken Paxton from enforcing Abbott’s order.

Paxton reacted to the verdict on Twitter Wednesday:

"I strongly disagree with Judge Yeakel's opinion barring my office from giving effect to GA-38, which prohibits mask mandates imposed by government entities like school districts.

My Agency is considering all legal avenues to challenge this decision."

Local school districts face a growing firestorm from parents, who oppose mandates for masks in schools. School districts have attempted to limit public comment time during public meetings and reduce attendance in the rooms during those comment times in order to avoid excessive parental criticism. 

A recent letter from the Biden justice department labeled parents as "domestic terrorists" for commenting publicly at school board meetings, claiming they were threatening school board members across the country.

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McConaughey Opposes Mandatory Vax For Kids

[#TexasPolitics365]

Actor Matthew McConaughey, rumored to be toying with an idea of running for governor of Texas in 2022, has made no official statement on his political future, much less what party label he would consider running under, but he did just make some bold statements against COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

''I couldn't mandate having to vaccinate the younger kids,'' McConaughey said, The Hill reported. ''I still want to find out more information.''

McConaughey denounced the political division of vaccines versus freedom, saying he is not anti-vaccine, but he is pro-choice when it comes to personal decisions.

He said both he and his wife are vaccinated but did not do so because they were told to do so by anyone.

The comments come as he seeks to position himself for a possible candidacy, either as a Republican, a Democrat, or an independent. While his mother is known to be a Republican, it is unclear how McConaughey himself votes, and how he would run.

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🚨 BREAKING: Rep. Louie Gohmert Gets Into Crowded AG Race

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Conservative U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert says he is joining the crowded GOP primary field for Texas Attorney General and is accepting donations for an exploratory committee, according to a website that went live Tuesday.

Gohmert told Fox News he is running. The website said Gohmert is seeking $1 million by Nov. 19.

He will face embattled incumbent AG Ken Paxton, Land Commissioner George P Bush, Former Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman, and State Rep. Matt Krause.

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Former GOP Strategist Running As Democrat Defends "Wokeness"

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A former Bush campaign adviser who is running as a Democrat in Texas’ lieutenant governor race said Sunday that Jesus Christ today would be declared "woke" by conservatives.

Matthew Dowd, who is seeking his party’s nomination to take on Republican Dan Patrick, said he came to the realization in church that today’s "wokeness" is just another term for human decency.

Dowd's comments came after Democratic strategist James Carville sparked the ire of progressives for blaming Democrat Terry McAuliffe's loss in Virginia on "stupid wokeness" and the progressive agenda.

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