The Weekly Wrangle

The Texas Progressive Alliance is thankful for the mothers in their lives as it brings you this week's roundup.

Off the Kuff has a Q&A with Robert Ryland, the founder of the Texas County Democratic Campaign Committee, whose mission is to help get more Democrats elected to county offices in Texas.

As the end of the legislative session draws near the threat of a special session looms. WCNews at Eye on Williamson tries to discern what it all might mean, in The special dance begins and "conservative" confusion.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme notes John Cornyn is caught in his own obvious hypocrisy. In the Cornyn whacko stupid party world, up is down and down is up. In reality, John Cornyn is a liar.

George P. Bush, Republican candidate for Texas Land Commissioner, has a quasi-rap sheet in Florida. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs observes that the heir to the Bush dynasty is either a creepy ex-boyfriend or a stalker. It's difficult to tell from just the police report.

At TexasKaos, Libby Shaw explains that the Texas GOP Lawmkers Walk Back Its War on Women. For now. Give it a read.

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And here are some more posts of interest from Texas blogs.

Brewed and Never Battered assures us that the craft beer bills are still on track in the Lege.

BOR reminds us that Texas' Senators are a big part of the reason why Texas has so many federal judicial vacancies.

TFN Insider notes that despite some recent bursts of sanity, our State Board of Education still has a lot of loons on it.

Concerned Citizens laments the anemic turnout in the San Antonio municipal elections.

Nonsequiteuse discusses the Streisand effect and how it relates to a kerfuffle involving a Planned Parenthood event in Houston.

Texas Vox explores the connection between lax regulations and ghost towns in Texas.

And the TPA congratulates Amy Valentine for successfully turning her blog on surviving breast cancer into a book about surviving breast cancer.

Sunday Funnies

Parker kicks off

(Mayor Annise) Parker greeted, hugged and chatted with many of the more than 100 supporters and volunteers who gathered under the shade of a white tent swollen with the sounds of 1980s dance hits, clicking cameras and intermittent cheers. The mayor even put down a few moves between photos and handshakes.

Former City Attorney Ben Hall has announced his intent to oppose her, but Parker dismissed his campaign at the event.

"I've been asked if I have an opponent," Parker said, members of the crowd yelling back, "No."

"I have an opponent, but I don't have competition," she said to louder cheers.

Just as it was in March, that is precisely where things stand with six months to go before election day. That's also what the polling reflects (such as it is). Update, 5/15: The conserva-freaks circulated that link around and turned the tables on the mayor, and that was after she sent out a blast e-mail asking her supporters to vote. Ya gotta hate it when that happens.

Ben Hall's Gene Locke strategy is still in a holding pattern somewhere over IAH, and Don Cook is ... well, garnering the same amount of attention he traditionally has.

If the mayor only comes in for criticism as harsh as this, then it's going to be smooth sailing for her. The race to replace Helena Brown and the council seats being vacated due to term limits will be more competitive (and interesting). Charles also has a similar take on yesterday's pep rally.

Update: Worthy of note is that a perennial Green candidate for mayor in a large Texas city finished second -- with 13% of the vote and ahead of four others -- to a very popular Democratic incumbent just yesterday. Mr. Cook would exceed conventional expectations if he did half as well.