For the first time, the @TexasTribune's early voting tracker includes data from *all 254 counties* in the state. Look up early voting turnout — in context with 2012 and 2016 numbers — for the entire state here:https://t.co/emfyBsI13Q
— darlacameron (@darlacameron) October 22, 2020
By @MandiCai w a scraper from @carla_astudi
Republican consultants in red counties are scared, scared.
24.1% of Collin County voters have no voting history.... that is a scary scary number. #txlege
— Luke Marchant (@_Luke) October 23, 2020
Today's the last day to request a mail ballot. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully, and don't let an uncareful signature cause its disqualification.
A federal judge ordered Texas in September to give voters a chance to challenge rejected ballots, but an appeals court overturned the ruling. https://t.co/z6fGCw6Yyo
— KENS 5 (@KENS5) October 23, 2020
In yesterday's latest legal development:
BREAKING: Texas Supreme Court has rejected a challenge from Texas Republican Party to halt drive-thru voting in Harris County. https://t.co/KGwny4WPa4
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) October 22, 2020
This came as extraordinarily good news, particularly following the SCOTUS' rejection of a similar case from Alabama earlier in the week (which might portend Ken Paxton's next move).
Speaking of:
Confirming @byjayroot: @txag fired two whistleblowers, Lacey Mase and Blake Brickman, on Tuesday — a move employment attorneys say may walk @KenPaxtonTX directly into a whistleblower lawsuit. https://t.co/aVlJzAl0yn
— Emma Platoff (@emmaplatoff) October 22, 2020
The latest Q poll shows a familiar photograph of Texas at the top of our ballots, with less than two weeks left: a toss-up between Trump and Biden, and a slight edge to Cornyn over Hegar.
New Quinnipiac Texas poll, likely voters (MOE: +/- 2.9%):
— Alexandra Samuels (@AlexSamuelsx5) October 21, 2020
Trump 47
Biden 47
Cornyn 49
Hegar 43https://t.co/p0D1wbDGJT
Despite Trump canceling TV airtime and sharply reducing his Facebook advertising expenditures in the Lone Star State (according to the WhoWhatWhy), Beto O'Rourke and Julian Castro are fuming that Biden is neglecting us. Downballot, blue prospects were looking brighter even before Trump cashed out (as posted here Monday).
In Texas House fight, Democrats bet big on health care, while Republicans emphasize police support.@cassi_pollock and @PatrickSvitek https://t.co/5Z2BDFJqn1 pic.twitter.com/ROIXS0008M
— darlacameron (@darlacameron) October 21, 2020
For the first time in a decade the Texas House—and influence over redistricting—is in play. Will it slip out of the Democratic party's grasp once again?
— Texas Monthly (@TexasMonthly) October 22, 2020
From the November issue of Texas Monthly, out now: https://t.co/kiazaDWU16
Harvey Kronberg at Quorum Report eagerly awaits a contest for statehouse speaker.
Who will be the next speaker of the #TX House?
— Mark P. Jones (@MarkPJonesTX) October 21, 2020
1 place to look is among the most centrist Ds & Rs (see the figure) in the #txlege, since whether Ds or Rs hold the majority, it will be narrow, with the party's centrists the pivot players. h/t to @rossramsey for the idea. #tx2020 pic.twitter.com/esHbKSPNos
Update:
Breaking: Democratic state Rep. Senfronia Thompson has filed to run for speaker of the Texas House.
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) October 23, 2020
Ahead of the November election, Democrats are nine seats away from regaining control of the House for the first time in nearly two decades. #txlege https://t.co/6haU910b1Y
Congressional races, likewise, have received close scrutiny as the polls are tight, the campaign funds flow in and out like the tides, and excitement -- or trepidation, as the case may be -- builds.
Sixteen candidates—including @mjhegar and @JohnCornyn, @RepDanCrenshaw and @SimaforTX, and @TonyGonzales4TX and @GinaOrtizJones—on policing and the Black Lives Matter movement. https://t.co/vF3jZgVeoC
— Texas Monthly (@TexasMonthly) October 22, 2020
Texas Monthly has profiled several US House elections at their "Battleground Texas" page. David Collins, the Texas Green on your ballot for US Senate, revealed his answers to one of the more detailed candidate questionnaires he's received.
Trump and Biden's final face-off had a greater-than-anticipated focus on climate, and Texas wound up in the spotlight ... which wasn't necessarily good news.
Candidates not-withstanding, we had an explosion this year, two chemical fires last year, a massive blaze during Harvey, and a methyl mercaptan leak in 2014.
— St. John Barned-Smith ⚔️ (@stjbs) October 23, 2020
We covered all of them. https://t.co/HOHvTEjbfR
Trump also criticized Biden for opposing fracking. Biden denied taking such a position. He did oppose fracking in the Democratic primary, but his campaign staffers walked back those comments, saying he only opposed fracking on on federal land.
Moderator Kristen Welker of NBC also pressed Trump on Texans living near refineries who fear pollution is making them sick.
“The families that we’re talking about are employed heavily, and they’re making a lot of money, more money than they’ve ever made,” Trump said. “If you look at the kind of numbers that we’ve produced for Hispanic, for Blacks, for Asians, it’s nine times greater the percentage gained than it was under, in three years, than it was under eight years the two of them, to put it nicely. Nine times more.”
But Biden said that workers’ health should be a priority.
“The fact is, those front-line communities, it doesn’t matter what you’re paying them, it matters how you keep them safe,” Biden said.
At one point, Trump directly asked Biden whether the former vice president would “close down” the oil industry.
“I would transition from the oil industry, yes,” Biden said.
Trump called that a “big statement” and Biden call the oil industry a significant environmental polluter. He also said he wouldn’t support giving that industry federal subsidies.
“It has to be replaced by renewable energy over time. Over time,” Biden said.
Trump said that “in terms of business,” that was “the biggest statement.”
“Basically what he’s saying is he’s going to destroy the oil industry,” Trump said. “Will you remember that Texas? Will you remember that Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Ohio?”
‘Will you remember that Texas?’ @tombenning runs down some of the most memorable moments from Thursday night's final Biden-Trump presidential debate. #Debates2020 #energy #oil #Texas #nashvilledebate #Election2020 #vote https://t.co/B6e75b7ep6
— John Gravois (@Grav1) October 23, 2020
Update:
-- "Joe Biden's fossil fuel remarks at last debate put Texas Democrats on the defensive, even as recent poll shows Trump falling behind"
And while (US Rep. Colin) Allred and (US Senate challenger MJ) Hegar defended Biden, one Democrat in the state has already broken with the candidate.
Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, who's running for reelection in Houston, said the former vice president failed to "address the complexity of our energy needs and plan for the future."
*facepalm*
Here's a few more ecology stories unrelated to last night's debate. First, Environment Texas writes about the "forever" chemicals in McDonald's food packaging.
PFAS is a dirty word, as one Texas airport executive recently told me. Perhaps more than a dirty word, since even the FDA has acknowledged that there is scientific evidence that it causes serious health conditions. These so called Forever Chemicals are proven to be linked to cancer, liver damage, thyroid disease and development issues in wildlife and humans.
So a few weeks ago, I asked McDonalds if they’d banned PFAS from their food packaging. Their customer contact center replied that they had eliminated 2 PFAS—out of the nearly 5,000 PFAS out there. Sigh!
To be fair they also mandate, I quote, that their suppliers not use any perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). How do they enforce this? It remains to be seen.
An investigation by the TCEQ in response to an Austin neighborhood's complaints turned up some really foul air and water issues. And a new report indicates that the state's unauthorized air pollution has more than doubled from 2015 to 2019.
There'll be coronavirus surge updates as well as criminal and social justice posts in next Monday's Wrangle. Here's a couple of those items that intersect with Texas public education.
Emily McCullar points out that a history textbook published in 2016 is woefully inadequate in telling the stories of Black and Latino/a Texans.
After several miscarriages over the last few years, Joy Tucker is finally pregnant with her third child at the age of 37.
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) October 22, 2020
At her doctor’s recommendation, she turned in a note asking her school if she could work remotely. Her request was denied. https://t.co/ohzqubzvHV
Houston ISD teachers from at least 35 campuses called in sick today to demand a safe reopening. We stand with teachers and workers across our city. We must #ProtectStudents #ProtectEducators and #ProtectSchoolStaff.
— Houston DSA (@HoustonDSA) October 22, 2020
There will be a wake this afternoon, funeral services tomorrow, and a GOTV rally on Sunday to honor the life of nationally acclaimed Houston trans-activist Monica Roberts.
Funeral services announced for Houston transgender rights activist Monica Roberts https://t.co/6ErTrA595m
— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) October 21, 2020
Cordelia Casso Flores wrote a touching eulogy for her sister, Mapy Casso Uranga, at LareDOS.
She hosted “The Mapy Casso Show” for KGNS and later worked as assistant society editor for The Laredo Times. She and (her husband) Nacho met at the newspaper, when he came from El Paso to become the editor of the Spanish section of The Times.
Update: From Friday night ...
2020 can kick rocks. Jerry Jeff Walker was an artist I knew of but didn’t fully appreciate until taking over the live music program. With that, here’s my favorite Gonzo country tune. #RIPJerryJeff https://t.co/J3KQpLUNks pic.twitter.com/Q8J5bdkAsu
— Sarah Rhodes🐥 (@DoctorRhodes) October 24, 2020
I'd like to close with some postings about Sacha Baron Cohen's movie. Not that one.
Aaron Sorkin's #TheTrialOfTheChicago7 is #CertifiedFresh at 94% on the #Tomatometer, with 157 reviews. https://t.co/p19N3YrupG
— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) October 16, 2020
Judy Gumbo at YippieGirl blogged about her first-hand experience at the trial. Nancy Kurshan for Counterpunch was also in the room where it happened. Jonah Raskin at The Rag Blog wishes the film had been more historically accurate. And on the theme of 'some things since the '60's haven't changed a single bit', Pages of Victory shares a few political cartoons.
A new documentary looks at the automobile and African Americans: how it unlocked a world of mobility, possibility and danger in segregated America. We’ll talk to “Driving While Black” author Gretchen Sorin. https://t.co/g4A05AuYBt
— Texas Standard (@TexasStandard) October 18, 2020
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