• Gov. Rick Perry was true to his word and was a no-show at the KLRU co-sponsored gubernatorial candidate debate Oct. 19. Perry left the stage open for Democratic challenger Bill White, Libertarian Kathie Glass, and Green Deb Shafto to blast his record.
• If you distrust Travis County’s electronic voting machines, too bad, at least until 2013. On Tuesday, the Commissioners Court voted to support the recommendations of the county’s Election Study Group – to continue using the machines as is through that date but to “move away from an all-electronic voting system to one that offers electronically counted paper ballots.” Activists calling for hand-counted paper ballots blasted the recommendations to no avail.
• Rep. Valinda Bolton, D-Austin, is getting an unexpected boost from Libertarians, who have attacked her Republican opponent Paul Workman for running what they call “sleazy” campaign spots attacking the incumbent for her opposition to Jessica’s Law. The U.S. Supreme Court has already ruled the sections of the bill allowing the death penalty for repeat child sex offenders unconstitutional.
• Williamson County Democratic Party Chair Gregory Windham confused House District 52 voters on Oct. 19 by quitting his leadership post, then endorsing Republican Larry Gonzales over Democratic incumbent Diana Maldonado. The Maldonado campaign quietly noted that the party had actually asked for his resignation six months ago due to his “erratic behavior.”
• Gov. Perry’s handling of the Texas Emerging Technology Fund remains a campaign question, with Democrats asking how Convergen LifeSciences Inc. – owned by Austin entrepreneur, two-time bankruptcy filer, and Perry donor David Nance – managed to bypass two application stages and still receive $4.5 million. White’s campaign has called the TETF “a ‘Second Chances Fund’ for [Perry’s] friends.”
This article appears in October 22 • 2010.
