More Endorsements and the First Declared

The Chron E-Board continues to roll out their endorsements.  Today’s nods go to At-Large 1 CM Stephen Costello and former CM Brenda Stardig in District A.  Commentary is not surprised.

Here is the Costello endorsement.

Here is the Stardig endorsement.

The most interesting part of the Costello endorsement is this:

Costello readily acknowledges he plans to run for mayor following his council service. We would recommend that the best way for someone in his position to reach the big office on the third floor at City Hall is to be the best at-large councilman he can be if elected to a third two-year term.

I guess CM Costello becomes the first declared 2015 Mayoral candidate.  He better start voting in Dem Party primaries.

San Luis punched their ticket to the NLCS last night.  Last year San Luis retired the Numero 10.  Who wore the Numero 10?

Here is another exercise in exercising.  RNC Hispanics and AG Abbott and former State Rep.  Errant Pena are putting together a GOP outreach to Latinos voters – YAWN! 

Here is the Tribune story on the outreach that is going nowhere.

It is about issues.  It is about immigration reform.  It is about health care.  It is about voting rights. 

Commentary received a Zeph Capo for HCC mailer yesterday.

Forty years ago today Vice-President Spiro Agnew resigned.

Tony La Russa of course wore the Numero 10 for San Luis.

Here is from the ‘Stros website:

Astros owner Jim Crane said last week the team would be in position to increase its payroll next year, and on Tuesday he provided the first indication of just how much money could be spent on players in 2014.

Crane said the Astros’ payroll, which was at about $13 million to end the season, could be between $50-60 million next year regardless of whether the club is able to settle its dispute with television partner Comcast.

We will see.

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Houston Elections,Houston City Council Elections,Houston Astros,Major League Basball,Illegal Immigration Reform

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One More E-Board For

Today’s Chron E-Board endorsement goes to District B CM Jerry Davis.  That is expected.

Check it out here.

In Sunday’s Chron there was a story written by the SA Express News’ David Saleh Rauf and Peggy Fikac on South Texas turnout being key to a Sen. Wendy Davis victory.  I don’t have a problem with that.  It would be nice though to see a piece about Houston area Latinos also being a key.  Stay tuned!

The Dodgers advanced to the NLCS last night after beating The ATL in four.  The Dodgers last won the World Serious in 1988, taking the A’s in five.  Name the 1988 World Serious MVP.

A shout out goes to Laura and John Arnold for plunking down $10 mil of their own dough to help keep Head Start running during the GOP federal government shutdown.

Here is the Chron story.

Graci Garces led District I candidates in money raised during the last reporting period.

Ben Hall gave money to Gary Polland  and his Texas Conservative Review which means Hall will be getting Polland’s endorsement. 

Dodger pitcher Orel Hershiser of course won the 1988 World Serious MVP.

The ‘Stros hired a new pitching coach yesterday so now they have to go get them some bullpen pitching

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Houston Elections,Houston Politics,Graci Garces Campaign,Houston Mayoral Election,Texas Politics,State Senator Wendy Davis

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More For from E-Board

Yesterday the Chron E-Board endorsed Bill Frazer for Controller.  Commentary is not really surprised considering the stories the Chron has written in the past about Controller Ron Green.

Check out the Frazer endorsement here.

On Saturday the Chron E-Board endorsed Anthony Robinson for H-Town City Council District D.  That was kind of surprising.

Here is the Robinson endorsement.

Name the stadium the Pirates called home from 1909 – 1970?

Yesterday my friend Bill King wrote about doing away with H-Town Mayoral, Controller, and City Council term limits because the current governance structure doesn’t encourage council to deal with long term financial issues.   Blah, blah, blah…….   I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  If you want to do away with term limits get out there and put together a serious grass roots campaign and get signatures on a petition.

Here is Bill’s column,

Also yesterday H-Town CM C.O. Bradford and HCC Trustee Carroll Robinson co-wrote an Op-Ed calling for a City Charter Review Commission to look at how city government is run.  They want the Commission appointed right after the election so they can have recommendations ready to the November 2014 election.  I don’t know about that.  I think we need to have a good discussion first as to why we need a Review Commission.  I am also thinking that Trustee Robinson should maybe focus on putting together an HCC Review Commission.

http://www.chron.com/opinion/outlook/article/Bradford-Robinson-Houston-s-governance-process-4872142.php

The “SNL” spoof Saturday night on Speaker Boehner, Michelle Bachman, and the GOP federal government shutdown was deservedly brutal. 

Commentary was impressed by “SNL” guest host and musical act Miley Cyrus’ performance.  She is an entertainer for sure and currently owns the number one song on the charts.

I don’t think the Texans will go 13-3.  We are definitely not prime time material. 

Forbes Field of course is where the Pirates played from 1909 – 1970.

No that wasn’t the ‘Stros playing in Candlestick last night.

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Houston City Hall,Houston City Council Elections,Houston Politics,Texas Politics,Houston Elections

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For Anna Eastman

The Chron E-Board candidate endorsements continue to be rolled out.  Today they endorsed HISD trustee candidates including District 1 Trustee and Board President Anna Eastman.  Check out this laurel and hearty endorsement:

District 1: Anna Eastman, the board president, has been a thoughtful leader and a strong advocate for tightening the board’s ethics policy. We heartily endorse her re-election.

Eastman, an HISD parent, joined the board four years ago. She believes that the turnover among the district’s best principals and teachers is too high, and that HISD needs to pay more attention to retaining and developing its staff, and not focus only on non-renewal of low performers: "You can’t fire your way to excellence."

She argues that openness is the best way to fight graft. "Corruption isn’t overt," she says. "You don’t see bad people lurking in the corners. It’s far more subtle, an assumption about the way that influence works. The best way to fight it is to make as much as possible accessible to outside third parties."

About Apollo 20, she says, "The program has noble, worthy origins, and I think it’s done an incredible job at changing school cultures. But it’s very, very expensive. The analysis that we’ve done to date shows that its biggest impact comes from the math tutors, which are the expensive part, but we haven’t seen whether their effects last beyond a year. Are there sustained performance gains?"

Way to go Anna!

Check out the rest of today’s HISD endorsements here.

The ATL got beat by the Dodgers in the NLDS opener last night.  How many World Serious titles does The ATL have?

Talk about running scared.  This is from an AP story on AG Greg Abbott saying Wendy Davis supporters worshipped the devil during her filibuster:

"It was a spectacle. There were people walking around the Capitol chanting ‘Hail Satan,’" Abbott said. "I don’t think that’s representative of where mainstream Texas is."

Don’t forget they were also carrying out bags of doo-doo.

Here is the story on the devil worshippers,

Quite a few TV stations across the state covered the Davis announcement live during their 5 pm newscast yesterday.  Perception is going to count a lot in this election.  Stay tuned and stay engaged!

I think someone over at the nonpartisan local League of Women Voters office forgot they were nonpartisan when they sent out the following tweet right before Sen. Wendy Davis announced:

LeagueOfWomenVotersH‏@LWVHouston

I’m with Wendy! Join me and support @WendyDavisTexas for the next Governor of TX! http://www.wendydavistexas.com #TXGov #TeamWendy

Oops!

The ATL has three World Serious titles of course:  1995 in The ATL, 1957 in Milwaukee, and 1914 in Boston.

The ‘Stros sent us a note yesterday saying things would be better next season.

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Anna Eastman Campaign,Houston Politics,Texas Politics,State Senator Wendy Davis

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For Adriana Tamez

The Chron E-Board started rolling out their candidate endorsements today.  The HCC Board of Trustee candidates are first up including Commentary’s client Adriana Tamez for HCC District 3.  Check this:

District 3: To finish the remaining two years of an unexpired term, we recommend Adriana Tamez. The Denver Harbor native combines intimate familiarity with the southeast Houston district and strong credentials as an education professional. We believe her presence would be a particular help in changing the board tone and direction.

Way to go, Adriana!

Check out all the Chron E-Board HCC endorsements here.

Name the only numero 53 jersey to be retired in MLB?

Tea Party Sen. Ted Cruz is getting blasted big time by his GOP colleagues.  Check this from Politico from a closed door meeting of GOP senators yesterday:

“It was very evident to everyone in the room that Cruz doesn’t have a strategy – he never had a strategy, and could never answer a question about what the end-game was,” said one senator who attended the meeting. “I just wish the 35 House members that have bought the snake oil that was sold could witness what was witnessed today at lunch.”

And:

“He kept trying to change the subject because he never could answer the question,” the senator said. “It’s pretty evident it’s never been about a strategy – it’s been about him. That’s unfortunate. I think he’s done our country a major disservice. I think he’s done Republicans a major disservice.”

Here is the entire Politico piece on the Cruz-out-of-control.

Don Drysdale of course had his numero 53 retired by the Dodgers.

The Tribe are out of the playoffs and nothing of importance to report from The Yard.

 

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UNNECESSARY REMOVAL

In Saturday’s Chron there were punches being thrown in the Mayoral contest.  I think that is going to be the norm over the next few weeks so don’t even bother to stay tuned.

Check out Kuffer’s interview of HISD Board Prez Anna Eastman here.

Kuffer also mentions that Kim Ogg will be running for Harris County DA as a Dem. I am all in for that and think she will be an outstanding candidate.

Check it out here.

As expected the Chron E-Board endorsed saving the Dome.

Check it out here.

The ‘Stros set the MLB record for most strikeouts in a season.  Guess how many?

The ‘Stros announced yesterday that our two preseason games at The Yard next season will be against Rojos del Aguila from Veracruz from the Mexican Baseball League.  I’m OK with that.  We have had puny crowds the last few seasons for the two exhibition games.  I’m thinking folks of the Mexican persuasion will show up at The Yard to check out the games.  We should have good crowds.

A couple of weeks or so ago I got an anonymous email about the letter to District I candidate Ben Mendez from Rev. Bill Lawson letting Mendez know  that Lawson was pulling his support from Mendez’s campaign.  It turned out the letter was true.  The same anonymous source sent me and others an email Saturday with a copy of a letter from former District I council member Ben Reyes to Mendez telling Mendez to stop saying that Reyes is supporting Mendez.  We will see if the Reyes letter is genuine.

Commentary has heard that Reyes is playing in a few local campaigns this campaign season.

Commentary watched Sen. Ted Cruz yesterday lamely try to put the government shutdown blame on Majority Leader Harry Reid.  Nobody’s buying it.

Over 100,000 showed up for the weekend with Yankees.  We got to see Andy Pettitte pitch a complete game Saturday night.  We got an apology from Mariano Rivera yesterday saying he wanted his last time on the mound to be at Yankee Stadium.  Some folks booed The Rocket.  The ‘Stros set the strikeout record yesterday, and yesterday’s game went into extra innings.  We got swept and a lot of Yankee fans were there.

Saturday night I tweeted this:

Got run out of my seats for interfering with ball hit down the line. #MLBReplay.

Here is what happened.  Robinson Cano smashed one down the right field line.  I thought it hit foul and I thought the umpire called it foul.  I reached over hoping to snag my seventh of the year. It zipped in and out of my lid.  The ball was fair and the ump called interference so the security folks escorted me out of my seat.  I was met on the concourse by six or seven security folks and they wrote me up on some MLB form so now I’m on some sort of MLB offenders data base. 

I was then escorted by a security guy to the fan accommodations booth where I was handed off to another security pair. After a few awkward seconds they asked me what I there for.  I told them that I was there to pick up my two Insperity Club tickets for Sunday’s game.  They looked perplexed and I walked off.  What a joke!

Yesterday when I showed up one of the security guys that wasn’t involved Saturday night told me that the play was reviewed after the game and it turns out that the Yankee fan sitting next to me reached over me and touched the ball first so there was no reason for me to be removed.  Of course they didn’t offer to apologize.

The ‘Stros now own the MLB strikeout record of course with 1,535 Ks thanks in large part to Chris Carter 212.

Well we ended the miserable season on a 15 game losing streak.  It was awful, awful, awful!   They better get them some better players.  I feel good about our future starting rotation but we need better bullpen arms.  I don’t feel so good about the position players.  Other than Jason Castro and Jose Altuve, I really can’t tell you who deserves to be in MLB.  We still have a long way to go.

I was presented with a cool looking baseball bat yesterday for being a loyal fan.  I am. 

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Houston Elections,Houston Politics,Anna Eastman Campaign,Texas Politics

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Good Sport

I don’t know if I have anything political to mention as we will spend the weekend watching the Tea Party GOP members of Congress try to shut down the federal government.  Some folks will be talking about next week’s big announcement from Sen. Wendy Davis.

The Mayoral contest is getting a bit lively as both campaigns are throwing punches.

Check it out here.

This one is in today’s Chron.  Mariano Rivera has never pitched at The Yard in the regular season.  He pitched an inning here in the 2004 MLB All Star Classic.  He has faced us six times and all in New York.   Only one ‘Stro has ever gotten a hit off of Rivera.  Name him?

Rockets CEO Tad predicts all 41 home games will be sold out this year. That would be cool and would also be good for some eateries and bars Downtown.   It might also get the TV done deal.

This Sunday the Texans QB will have the opportunity to silence his critics and he has a bunch these days.  Of course in three games the Texans have yet to cover the spread and are three point underdogs against the Seahawks.

The MLB Commish Bud Selig says he retiring in in January of 2015.  He will probably most be remembered to expanding the playoffs and instituting the Wild Card. 

I think he went too far on the current Wild Card format.  Each league now gets two Wild Card teams that play in a one game playoff and then the loser goes home.  I don’t think that is right.

We still have the NL Central and Wild Card order to sort out this weekend and the Rays, Tribe, and Rangers go for the two AL Wild Card slots.

Brandon Barnes of course got a ninth inning single off of Mariano Rivera back on May 1 in Yankee Stadium

90,000 plus will make it to The Yard this weekend to see the 108 loss ‘Stros take on the not-playoff bound Yankees.  Andy Pettitte will get honored this evening.  Tomorrow is Latino Heritage Day and Pettitte will start for the Yankees.  Sunday is the tribute to the best closer of all time – Mariano Rivera.  The Rocket and former Yankee skipper Joe Torre will be there.  There is a rumor that Rivera might get some time in center field.

BTW:  On Sunday Commentary and a few other fans will be given token gifts for being loyal fans and they are supposed to put us on El Grande – cool.

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Houston Mayoral Race,Houston Politics,Houston Elections,Texas Politics,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Houston Texans

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The Tea Party Twerker

You have to hand it to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz for having stones.  He gets to move up quite a few slots on the GOP 2016 ladder with his talkathon.  He’s twerking the GOP establishment and loving every minute.  Commentary doesn’t agree with any of Sen. Cruz’s position but I will say that his act is the real deal.  In the process he’s making his colleague, Sen. John Cornyn, look like a real wuss. 

Only four ‘Stros have 100 plus base hits this season.  Name the four?

Ben Hall will be airing attack ads against The Mayor starting today.  I don’t know how long the ads will air and I don’t know how much they are spending on the ad buy.  I also don’t know if the ads will be effective.

Check it out here.

Will the ‘Stros be better next season?  I don’t know.  I really don’t know.  The team is high on Jonathan Villar even though he does not have a whole lot between his ears.  What do they say about part of the game being mental?  Earlier in the season the Skipper was high on Chris Carter if he could only cut down on striking out – not gonna happen.

You can place the 108 losses to date on the Crane-Luhnow strategy.  They thunk it up or should I say stunk it up.

KC is now out of the playoff hunt.  Cinncy can’t win the NL Central and San Luis can if they win one of their last three or the Pirates lose one of their last three.  Thanks to the Crane-Luhnow strategy the Rangers are hanging in.

Jose Altuve (175), Matt Dominguez (130), Jason Castro (120), and Chris Carter (112) of course are the only ‘Stros with 100 plus base hits.

The ‘Stros are expecting 90,000 plus for this weekend’s series against the Yankees that means nothing. 

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Houston Mayoral Race,Mayor Annisse Parker,Ben Hall,Houston Politics,Houston Elections,Ted CruzHouston Astros,Major League Baseball,Texas Politics

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On Votes and Polls

Here they go again.  Some folks at H-Town City Hall want to change the City run-off election day from Saturday to Tuesday to save some dough.  That’s cool if you want voter turnout to go from 8% to 4 % or something like that.  Let’s get voter turnout up first before we start talking about moving dates of the election.  I’m thinking it would have the effect of keeping lower salaried folks away from the polls if you ask me but again they didn’t ask me.  Bad idea!

Here is the Chron.com piece.

Seriously, I think the folks at the City ought to be talking to the folks that run the campaigns and not just the folks that run the elections. There is a big difference.

Kuffer talks about the poll that was released a couple of days ago.

Check it out.

To runoff or not to runoff.

Everybody knows that Blummer is now part of the ‘Stros TV crew and everybody knows that he was on the White Sox team that swept us in the 2005 World Serious.  How many Serious games did Blummer get into in 2005?

Now we have us a poll on Save the Dome.  There are more folks undecided in the Mayor’s race than in the Save the Dome race.

Check out the story on this poll here.

I have to hand it to Sen. Ted Cruz for lasting this long. 

Here is from the  ‘Stros website on this Sunday’s tribute to Mariano Rivera at The Yard:

To honor one of the most respected and lauded closers in MLB history, the Astros will hold a special pregame ceremony on Sunday, September 29 with scheduled appearances by former Yankees teammate and current Astros Special Assistant to the General Manager Roger Clemens, former manager and current Executive VP of Baseball Operations for MLB Joe Torre, Astros President Reid Ryan, and emceed by Astros Hall of Fame broadcaster Milo Hamilton. The Astros will also present Rivera with a special gift commemorating his career.

Be there!

Blummer only got into Game 3 of the 2005 World Serious and in one at-bat smacked a dinger of course at The Yard.

I really don’t want to talk about 107 losses and counting.  The Yankees are out of the playoffs so this weekend is just about……….I don’t know!

 

Technorati Tags: Marc Campos,Campos Communications,Houston City Hall,Houston Mayoral Race,Houston elections,Houston Politics,Houston Astrodome Controversey,Houston Astros,Major League Baseball,Ted Cruz,Mayor Annisse Parker,Ben Hall

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The Big Question

This is from last night’s story by Channel 11’s Doug Miller on a poll they conducted:

Annise Parker seems headed for a runoff in her campaign to keep her job, but she commands more than twice as many supporters as her leading challenger in a newly released poll commissioned by KHOU 11 News and KUHF – Houston Public Radio.

Still, just six weeks before Election Day, roughly half of all surveyed voters either didn’t know or wouldn’t say how they’re going to vote.

Parker leads the pack of candidates at 34 percent, with former city attorney Ben Hall at 14 percent. About 48 percent of voters are classified as undecided, indicating the incumbent mayor will have to fight to keep the post to which she was narrowly re-elected two years ago.

“I don’t see the mayor losing this race,” said Bob Stein, the KHOU political analyst who conducted the survey. “I’m not certain she’ll win it in the general election, like she did in 2011. But the mayor, who tends to get high marks as a mayor, simply doesn’t get what I’d call great public support as a candidate.”

Here is the entire story.

So the big question is to runoff or not to runoff.  

Should the 48% undecided surprise folks in the know?  Well, has anyone seen a TV ad lately or a piece of mail?  Enough said!

The Pirates are in the playoffs after 21 years.  Their record is 90-67.  What was their regular season record in 1992 – the last time they made the playoffs?

According to the ratings, absolutely nobody in the H-Town area watched the ‘Stros this past Sunday.  I didn’t because I had the football game on.  What else did you expect?

It is just wild.  I’m talking about the Wild Card races in the AL. The Rays and The Tribe are being chased by the Rangers, KC, Yankees and B’More.

Here is how it looks for the next six days.  The Rays are at Yankee Stadium for three then close out the season with three in Toronto.

The Tribe host the White Sox for two then close out the season in Minnesota with four.

The Rangers host the ‘Stros for two and host the Angels for four.  They have a shot.

Here are the long shots.  KC has two in Seattle then close out with four in Chicago against the White Sox.

The Yankees host the Rays for three then visit The Yard for three.

B’More host the Jays for three then host the Red Sox for three.

In the NL, the playoff teams are set with three teams battling for the NL Central title – San Luis, Cinncy and the Pirates.

San Luis host the Nats for two and then host the Cubbies for three.

Cinncy host the Mets for two and host the Pirates for three.

The Pirates are at Wrigley for two then head to Cinncy for three.

The 1992 Pirates were 96-66 of course.

We’re 51-106 and stink real bad.

 

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