Fourth of July under attack in Houston

In fact it's nearly the entire "pinko nanny" Great State that is imposing individual mandates on freedom-loving Texans this holiday season. Via Kate Shellnutt, Stephen Colbert:

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

*cocking shotgun* "Texas: you'll get my fireworks when you pry them from my cold, dead, fingerless hands."

Texas Republican comings and goings

It's still Williams v. Williams for a DC seat, just a smaller one.

Weatherford car dealer Roger Williams switched from the U.S. Senate race to a race for Congress this morning, finishing up a swap that began last week with calls to supporters in and around the new CD-33.

He's the second candidate to jump. Former Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams switched to the congressional race last week, opting out of the crowded GOP pack seeking to replace Kay Bailey Hutchison in the Senate.

Roger Williams is a former Texas Secretary of State and has been a successful fundraiser for other candidates while never seeking office himself. The new district includes all of Parker County and part of Wise County, but the biggest part of the population is in the portion of Tarrant County that's included. It's one of four new seats in Congress coming to Texas because of its population growth over the last decade. Williams started with endorsements from Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief, Arlington City Councilman Robert Rivera and state Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford.

The bats are already out. On the eve of the announcement, opponents circulated a flier with news clips about Patty Williams, the wife of the candidate and the president of the family's car dealership, lobbying Congress to win federal bailouts for Chrysler and other car manufacturers in late 2008.

Moncrief is *gasp* a former Democratic state senator. Expect that to be a point of contention in this GOP primary.

The Texas Senate adjourned sine die this afternoon, but Robert Miller posted these rumorings last night about Republican state senators and their wannabes shuffling about. I'll embed more links to the various players later on as your scorecard.

1. SD 5 -- Although no final decision has been made, the odds are that Sen. (Steve) Ogden retires and does not seek reelection. Rep. Charles Schwertner is eyeing the seat.
2. SD 7 -- We will know soon whether Sen. Patrick's exploratory committee for the U.S. Senate has been successful. If Patrick files for the U. S. Senate, former Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt will run for SD 7 and perhaps Rep. Patricia Harless.
3. SD 10 -- This seat was drawn to elect a Republican, and Sen. Wendy Davis is highly unlikely to be reelected if she runs. Rep. Kelly Hancock is certain to run, and Rep. Vicki Truitt, Rep. Mark Shelton and Dee Kelly, Jr. are considering it.
4. SD 11 -- Sen. Mike Jackson is taking a hard look at running for Congress in the new CD 36. If he does, expect Rep. Randy Weber to run for his Senate seat and perhaps Rep. Larry Taylor.
5. SD 25 -- Sen. Jeff Wentworth has long been rumored to be retiring after the legislative session. If Sen. Wentworth retires or does not seek reelection, expect Rep. Lyle Larson to run.

Weasel/turncoat Aaron Pena defies my predictions and opts to stay in the Texas House. Update: Former NFL offensive lineman Seth McKinney, also the son of recently-resigned Texas A&M chancellor Mike McKinney, declared his campaign to replace Fred Brown in HD-14 within moments of Brown's announcement at the conclusion of Wednesday's special session that he would retire. Update II: And just like that *snap* ... McKinney drops out. Must be a record for shortest campaign ever. Rebecca Boenigk and former Brazos County Tax Assessor-Collector Buddy Winn are also in.

I wonder if there are any Democrats running for anything (besides Sen. Davis running to keep her job, that is). Eddie Lucio isn't. Oh yes, here's one: Julian Castro accepts the task that Tom DeLay could not complete; take out Lloyd Doggett.

Anything else on the Dems? Maybe we should ask the new executive director of the Texas Democratic Party, Bill Brannon. Bill?

Tea Bags versus Money Bags

Or as South Texas Chisme put it: Republican bigotry meets Republican greed, and greed won. This from Jason Embry (and more recent Tweeted updates in my feed in the right-hand column):

Legislation to bar sanctuary cities in Texas is “all but dead,” according to a source close to negotiations at the Capitol.

Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House speaker Joe Straus had agreed to put language in Senate Bill 1, a fiscal matters bill, that would financially penalize any Texas city that has a sanctuary city policy.

[...]

The language appears to be dead because Senate negotiators, led by Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, don’t want it in Senate Bill 1, the source said. And with the special legislative session set to end Wednesday, supporters believe there is not realistically enough time left to pass the sanctuary cities ban using another legislative vehicle.

That would mean that "Swift Boat" Bob Perry and Charles "Laughing My" Butt "Off" have trounced the Tea Party Caucus of the Republican Party of Texas, which means a whole bunch of Republican legislators are going to get primaried from the right in 2012.

Mark Jones' premise -- that defeat of the sanctuary cities legislation means Rick Perry is #winning, Charlie Sheen-style -- remains intact. Though the NALEO attendees in San Antone last week might not be buying that.

It just amazes me that the Teas continue to allow themselves to be used like dishrags by the Republicans. I think they still believe they can take over the party from the rich right-wing freaks.

That's simply delusional.

It's long past time that the Tea Party break off from the TX GOP, but they don't have the sense or the gumption to get that done. They'll just keep marching in lockstep, punching a straight ticket then sneaking into HEB to buy groceries while claiming their boycott of Perry Homes is working because they're not buying one.

It's still difficult to believe there are so many ignorant and lazy Texans out there actually doing the voting.