Election TIcker: 60 Days and Counting

Monday, Sept. 10, is the deadline for candidates to file their personal financial statements, as required by state statute. Get those in, lest you be told you can't run!...

Union Strong: Add City Council District 3 incumbent Pio Renteria to the list of candidates recognizing unionization of their campaign staffs, organized by Austin-founded United Professional Organizers, who released a statement declaring Renteria "continues to walk it like he talks it" in supporting labor...

The "Austin Together" independent bond campaign kicked off at noon Wednesday, Sept. 5, outside City Hall. The PAC explains its support for the $925 ­million package of seven bond propositions at www.austintogether.com and on Facebook (@ATXtogether), where they say, "It's more important than ever before to invest in protecting the city we all love."...

The Austin Democratic Socialists of America voted Tuesday night to endorse Lewis Conway Jr. in the District 1 Council race. The group was set to endorse Conway in August, but that got derailed by allegations regarding a 10-year-old child custody case. The group mulled it over for a few weeks before throwing its support behind the Grassroots Leadership organizer...

According to online newsletter The Austin Bulldog, three Council candidates – Laura Morrison (mayor), Susana Almanza (D3), and Bobby Levin­ski (D8) – were in the audience for the Aug. 30 anti-CodeNEXT rally at Threadgill's World Headquarters, in support of Proposition J, that would require a lengthy waiting period and a citywide referendum before any future "comprehensive" revisions of the city's land use code. The candidates hope to piggyback their campaigns on opposition to Prop. J...

Last week, conservative think tank the Texas Public Policy Foundation offered Levinski a spot on an October panel discussion about Prop K – the independent auditor vote. Levin­ski has opposed the idea and taken aim at TPPF for trying to privatize city government, so expect a few sparks there. And in what looks like a lead-up to that battle, in a Twitter exchange last week, following TPPF's James Quintero's declaration that state governments "should MANDATE efficiency audits for all" municipalities, Levinski asked, "Are you saying if Austin voters reject Prop K, TPPF will push state [Lege] to mandate it anyways?" Quintero said "yes," his group will be asking lawmakers to consider requiring local governments to submit to a third-party audit, "much in the same way that Austin is considering now." He promised a "fair and balanced" discussion next month...

Democratic CD 31 candidate MJ Hegar made national news in June when she released her advertisement "Doors," about the ways she's fought for access throughout her life, and on Tuesday she released another, "Covered," about her tattoos (which "cover" the scars she picked up in combat) and health insurance (which she believes should be affordable). "Covered" was also directed by Cayce McCabe, who's making a name for himself on the congressional ad circuit. Hegar is up against GOP incumbent John Carter. CD 31 fans out off I-35 between Austin and Round Rock...

Fear of Beto: The odor of desperation continues to rise from incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz's campaign against surging Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke. Last week Cruz was posting photos of O'Rourke's teenage band (horrors!), and this week he's run an ad citing O'Rourke's occasional cussing on the campaign trail, and falsely accusing him of supporting flag-burning. Next from Canadian-born Cruz: Is Beto O'Rourke really an Irish immigrant?

For more Austin campaign buzz, check the Sept. 4 Facebook Live conversation on Decibel, KLRU’s news and politics show hosted by Judy Maggio and Ben Philpott – with guest Chronicle news writer Michael King.