All posts by L. Wayne Ashley

Thanks for visiting!! My name is Wayne, and I live in Houston, Texas. I wouldn't consider myself a "diehard" liberal activist, but I definitely have a Progressive view on most issues. I'm a proud Millennial, and I feel like the voice of my generation in Texas gets overshadowed by the older, more established groups. This is my effort to change that. Please come back and read when you can.
Houston Politics

Houston Region Prepares For New Era With Harris County Judge-Elect Lina Hidalgo

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We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again… Elections have consequences.

Speaking on Election Night 2018 after her incredible victory, Harris County Judge-Elect Lina Hidalgo reflected briefly on another recent election…

Like thousands of women across the country this year, I decided about 15 months ago that I wasn’t just going to let things be.  That I was going to do things myself.  I never thought I would work in politics.  I never thought I would run for office.  I thought I would continue my career working, pushing for the system to work better from the outside.

But I had to step up.  And truth is, with the turnout we saw this year, we’ve all stepped up.  We realized that Democracy depends on our participation.

And because she stepped up, Hidalgo will now be the top government official of the third largest County in the country… a county larger in population than 26 states.

To many, the result is something of a surprise.  Even this very blog endorsed Judge-Elect Hidalgo’s opponent Ed Emmett, largely based on his record of service and his ability to put the needs of citizens largely above politics.

But with the race now settled, Texas Leftist looks forward to Ms. Hidalgo’s leadership, and many possible changes to come.

One change is already clear.  Joining Hidalgo will be Commissioner-apparent Adrian Garcia (at present Commissioner Jack Morman has yet to concede the race) and Commissioner Rodney Ellis, which marks the first Democratic majority in charge of Harris County in over a generation.

And what can we expect to see under Judge Hidalgo’s leadership??  Issues highlighted during her campaign were to create a county government that is “proactive, not reactive” when it comes to flood protection, disaster preparation, comprehensive public transportation, education and government transparency.

Check out this wide-ranging interview done with political blogger an media strategist Egberto Willies.  For those with any doubt, this should make it perfectly clear that Judge-Elect Hidalgo is ready to lead the 4.6 million residents of Harris County.

 

Texas Politics

Operation Think Swing Texas 2018: At Long Last, We’re A-Swingin’!!!

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Just before the 2014 Election, I wrote a post about how Texas was inching ever closer to Swing State status. Battleground Texas was hard at work, and as a result, Voter Registration had reached historic highs for a mid-term Election Cycle.  Then-Gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis was hard at work, especially in her home District of Tarrant County, while then- Lt. Gov. candidate Leticia Van de Putte was giving impressive stump speeches across the state.    Democrats were hopeful to at least see some Progress.
And then came Election Night.  Any hope from the surge in voter registrations quickly faded, as it was clear that all those new and infrequent voters just didn’t show up.  With voter participation at historically low levels, Republicans victory swept through the Lone Star State yet again.

But the path to Swing State status never actually changed.

Here’s some information from my 2012 post, the original “Operation Think Swing Texas”.  Notice that just 6 years ago, even Harris County was not nearly as dependably blue as we’ve seen in the last few cycles…
Tier 2 we’ll consider these “swing” counties. These flipped to vote for Obama by a smaller margin such as Harris (Houston), Jefferson (Beaumont) or Bexar (San Antonio). But you can also consider other counties that held for McCain, but by a rapidly decreasing margin… Hays, Fort Bend, Williamson and Nueces (Corpus Christi). Texas Democrats should work hard to keep Harris county in the blue and try to flip Hays, Williamson or Fort Bend. If one of those were to flip in 2012, it would mark the first time a substantial suburban county went blue. The impact of this could not be understated because it would show that Texas follows the same model as any other swing state… The cities become heavily Democratic, rural areas lean Republican, and the election battle is fought and won in the suburban counties.

It just took a bit longer than some may have expected, but at long last, Texas is finally stepping into Swing State territory.  After seeing an historic number of voters registered (step 1), and then followed up by impressive turnout (steps 2-1,000), the 2018 Texas Electorate has now finally proved a fertile ground for good Democratic candidates.  Thanks to turnout  which was nearly double that of the 2014 contest, any possibility of Republican statewide candidates winning by 20 percentage points was wholly eradicated.

Perhaps most telling were the dramatic shifts in voter preference for the big urban and suburban county populations.  Here’s more on that from Alexa Ura, Chris Essig and Darla Cameron of the Texas Tribune…

Counties that haven’t voted for a Democrat in decades turned out for Beto O’Rourke in his unsuccessful bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, and he picked up enough support in ruby red Republican counties to force Cruz into single-digit wins.

It could all be a blip — a year of Democratic enthusiasm spurred by a shiny candidate or vitriol toward President Donald Trump. But with margins narrowing over time in some of the GOP’s longtime strongholds, Tuesday night’s results suggest that the Republican firewall in the suburbs could be cracking.

In Central Texas, O’Rourke broke the electoral status quo in Hays and Williamson counties, rapidly growing bedroom communities taking in new — likely liberal — residents from Austin.

Hays County, home to Texas State University, hadn’t voted for Democrats at the top of the ticket since 1992. But Republicans’ control of one of the fastest-growing counties in the country has been weakening for years. Last night’s results indicate the county is trending blue. It swung hard toward the Democrats, giving O’Rourke a 15.3 point margin and narrowly opting for Gov. Greg Abbott’s Democratic challenger Lupe Valdez despite the 9-point margin of victory Abbott claimed over Democrat Wendy Davis in 2014.

The flip to blue was less all-encompassing in Williamson County. O’Rourke claimed a 2.8 margin of victory, which was notable given how Republicans have long maintained a strong advantage there. Abbott easily held onto the county, but another statewide Republican — Attorney General Ken Paxton — lost there.

From Central Texas gaining blue ground, to the second time Fort Bend County managed to flip in Southeast Texas, to Tarrant County, for the first time in decades, joining the Light Blue club in North Texas… well, let’s just say the Cruz-O’Rourke map looked mighty similar to what Texas Leftist postulated 4 years prior…
Knowing that rural voters would continue to lean heavily Republican, and urban voters would become more Democratic, the fight for Texas would eventually come down to the suburban counties. 2018 proved that to be absolutely true. Beto won every single county that he would’ve needed to garner victory, he just didn’t win them by quite a large enough margin. With HIGHER VOTER TURNOUT in any number of the state’s largest counties, or simply closer margins in some of the suburban areas, Texas could easily be celebrating a Senator O’Rourke, an Attorney General Nelson, and even an Ag. Commissioner Olson. 
The answer, as always is HIGHER VOTER TURNOUT…
So no statewide races just yet, but some important victories just the same and encouraging movement for the future.  Welcome to Texas– Swing State style.
Texas Politics, United States

Project Veritas Lies, Targets Beto O’Rourke Campaign Staffers

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November SURPRISE??

James O’Keefe, right-wing extremist, Project Veritas Action founder and architect of the infamous 2009 ACORN sting, is at it again.  And this time, his target is the Beto O’Rourke campaign, along with other prominent Democratic operations like those for Andrew Gillum in Florida, and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia.

Here’s more from Christal Hayes of USA Today…

WASHINGTON – Activists with the right-wing group Project Veritas embedded with campaigns of unknowing Democrats across the country ahead of the midterms. And in most cases, candidates didn’t know they were a target until they saw the finished videos.

So far, the controversial group led by founder James O’Keefe, has posted undercover videos with liberal campaign workers or candidates in six tight races. And O’Keefe says more are to come in the days leading up to the midterms.

“It’s trying to get as much done in the short amount of time we have,” O’Keefe told USA TODAY in a phone interview. His goal, he says, is to “expose what these people really believe and think.”

O’Keefe’s tactics of secretly recording targets to expose them have attracted a barrage of criticism over the years and many of the group’s previous videos have been discredited partly because of the edits and cuts, allegations O’Keefe denied while talking to USA TODAY.

 

In the case of O’Rourke’s Senate campaign, Project Veritas claims that El Paso- area campaign staffers used campaign funds to assist undocumented immigrants, including providing transportation services and assistance for charity relief efforts.

The videos are always heavily edited, and each time the format is similar.  A Project Veritas inbed asks a barrage of questions to the campaign staffer, looking for any possible way to catch them in a lie.  And yes, of course, the aka impersonators are always recording.

The supreme irony of O’Keefe’s tactics??  He’s always quick to try and point out violations done by a particular campaign or candidate, yet conveniently wants to omit the fact that his “journalists” are often the ones that initiate the controversial actions in the first place.  Such is the reason why the organization and its founder always seem to end up in court once a new round of these sting videos surface, and that is likely to be the case again for the O’Rourke campaign and his other targets.

Stay tuned, but at least now you know what the Far-Right will be up-in-arms about this weekend.  And, it serves as a reminder to all the folks working hard over these last few days.

Be careful.

Texas, Texas Politics

Despite Racist Attacks From Opponent, Sri Kulkarni Runs Transformative Campaign for Congress

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In Houston and other parts of Southeast Texas, Diversity is often considered a strength.  As home to both the most Diverse City and one of the most Diverse Counties in the United States, people in this Texas community are a window into the country’s future.

One person that may represent that future more than anyone in 2018 is Sri Kulkarni, Democratic nominee for Texas’ 22nd Congressional District.  As Ella Nilsen of Vox shares, Kulkarni is running a competitive race against incumbent Pete Olson, and doing it in a transformative way…

 

When Democrat Sri Kulkarni started campaigning in the deep-red Texas district once represented by Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, consultants told him not to even bother trying to get the district’s Asian-American vote.

“I was told, ‘Don’t chase after Asian voters, they don’t vote,’” Kulkarni said in a recent interview with Vox, adding: “Maybe they don’t vote because we don’t bother.”

Kulkarni, a 40-year-old former foreign service official under the Bush and Obama administrations, is doing the opposite of what the consultants told him. “Why don’t we try reaching out in other languages, not just English?” Kulkarni thought. He’s running a campaign with volunteers speaking to voters in 16 languages — aggressively trying to convince the district’s Asian-American voters to cast their ballots for him.

[…]

It’s a simple premise: greeting a voter in his or her native language builds a relationship with that voter and opens a door to the community. Kulkarni already proved it worked in the primary, emerging on top in a field of five candidates. His campaign’s internal numbers suggested their outreach had dramatically increased Asian-American primary turnout, from 6 percent in 2014 to 28 percent in 2018.

“This thing that was a waste of time resulted in a 12-fold increase in people coming out in the Asian community,” Kulkarni told Vox.

 

That dramatic increase in turnout is key to a potential path to victory for Kulkarni.  Which is why it’s no surprise that his Republican opponent, like President Trump, is resorting to fear and racism as a response to this unique campaign.

Here’s more on that from India West…

Rep. Pete Olson, a Texas Republican who is engrained in a contentious battle for the 22nd Congressional District, won’t say why he called his Indian American Democratic challenger, Sri Preston Kulkarni, an “Indo-American carpetbagger.”

In a video of an Oct. 23 campaign meet-and-greet obtained by HuffPost, Olson reminisced about a political rally President Donald Trump held in Texas.

“Out of nowhere Texans stood up and said, ‘CNN sucks, CNN sucks,’” Olson recalled, prompting laughs from his supporters.

Pressed by a voter on whether those shouts were appropriate, Olson shrugged. “Sometimes we have to have fun,” someone in attendance called out, the report said.

But in an era where voters are paying attention like never before, it’s quite possible that Olson’s shameful comments could backfire.  Kulkarni is not only working hard to reach out to the district, he’s  also not afraid to play hard ball with the incumbent’s disappointing legislative record.

As is the trend across Texas’ largest counties, those in Fort Bend are voting at historic highs for a Mid-Term election.  And part of that vote may just be motivated by Kulkarni’s wise campaign strategy, then Congressman Olson should be concerned.

Whatever the results, Texas is a better state for campaigns like the one being run by Sri Kulkarni.

Politics, Texas, Texas Politics

Texoblogosphere: Week of October 29th

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The Texas Progressive Alliance urges everyone who has voted to work to get more people to the polls as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Off the Kuff looks at the potential ticket-splitters in this year’s election.

SocraticGadfly does some number-crunching on the early voting surge and offers a quick hot take on what it might mean for the Cruz-O’Rourke Senate race.

Stace at Dos Centavos reports on the weekend’s voting and cultural activities in the Northside and The Heights.

==========================

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

Sanford Nowlin reminds us that some Christians do support progressive ideas and politics.

The TSTA Blog begs teachers to support public education at the ballot box.

Rick Casey votes No on a license plate honoring Confederate soldiers.

YesNoBlog suggests we pay attention to the security of our GPS systems.

Paradise in Hell ranks Donald Trump’s favorite dictators.

Out in SA warns of a threat to San Antonio’s non-discrimination ordinance.

 

Pictured is the incredible #BetoWallHTX in Houston’s 2nd Ward.  Created by Anat Ronen and Melissa Eason, the work has been an instant (or maybe we should say “Insta”) favorite for curious Houstonians.  Be sure to check it out!!

Houston, Houston Politics, Texas, Texas Politics

Voter Suppression 101: Why Are Harris County Voters Subjected To Limited Hours, Locations?

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It may not be top of mind for most visitors, but the city of Houston and its surrounding region is something of an educational powerhouse.  With nearly 100,000 students in the area’s public and private universities, Greater Houston is a regular destination for young adults seeking higher education advancement.
As most can tell by now, interest in the 2018 election is high across the board, including college students, which have traditionally proven to be a less than dependable voting population.  As Sammy G. Allen of DIVERSE- Issues In Higher Education reports, that interest has hit a fever pitch for Texas’ Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs…

The U.S Senate campaign of Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke has motivated students at historically Black colleges and universities in Texas, resulting in thousands registering to vote, rallying for the right to vote on campus, and encouraging others to do the same.

O’Rourke, who is an El Paso congressman, has crisscrossed the state, visiting all 254 counties in an effort to unseat incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Along the way, he has stopped by numerous community colleges and universities, including four of the state’s nine HBCUs.

“The pollsters and political consultants would never tell you to visit Paul Quinn College, Texas Southern University and Prairie View A&M University in the last month of the campaign. With so few days left, with limited time and resources, they would say spending that time with young people is a waste. That’s exactly why this campaign doesn’t use pollsters or consultants,” O’Rourke said. “My campaign is about showing up to every community and not taking anyone for granted.”

O’Rourke’s platform includes prison and judicial reform, supplying school districts with needed resources and increasing Pell grants for students who want to attend college.

Students at Paul Quinn College in Dallas, and Prairie View A&M (which, as Rachel Maddow pointed out on her show, is in fiercely discriminatory Waller County) will be able to exercise their right to vote between classes on campus, as both institutions will have an on-site Early Voting location, for at least part of the state-sanctioned early vote period.

Sadly, the same cannot be said for Texas’ largest historically black university, as Texas Southern University students do not have an Early Voting location on campus.

The very same is true outside of the HBCU sphere.  The University of Houston happens to be the largest institution in the state of Texas that DOES NOT have an Early Voting location on campus.  UH, as well as other system institutions University of Houston- Downtown, University of Houston- Clear Lake and University of Houston- Victoria all lack access to Early Voting on campus.  This is in marked contrast to other similarly-sized schools, like UT-Austin , Texas A&M  and UTSA, which all have at least one Early Voting site right on their campus.

As a reminder, Harris County has a population of 4.6 million people… the third largest county in the United States.  While 46 Early Voting locations may seem copious when compared to other Texas Counties, this year’s long lines would suggest that it may be time for the county to consider further expansion of their sites.  For example, Dallas County has 47 Early Voting locations for it’s 2.6 million residents, and nine more “temporary locations” employed for the 2nd week of voting.

So if you compare much larger Harris County to our neighbors to the north, you can expect longer lines and a less convenient experience getting to and through the polls, as many Houston area voters have already seen.  Compound that by the continued practice of Harris County Voters having reduced hours for the first week of Early Voting, which can further depress turnout, even if from the inconsistency of hours.

 

Folks… this is Voter Suppression.  Some may find it more subtle than aggressive Voter ID laws, or downright intimidation.  But restricting hours, limiting voter access of certain populations and having fewer locations in general than the population demands can all serve as a deterrent to voters.  And just let it sink in for a second… the third largest county in the United States doesn’t even employ MOBILE Early Voting centers?!?!  Wouldn’t this election be the year to start??

All this to say, it’s time for the citizens of Harris County to speak out and call attention to these issues.  Yes we MUST vote in the 2018 election.  But while you’re waiting in line, it’s a perfect time to call or tweet Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart and ask him why Harris County is so far behind when it comes to making Early Voting accessible for all.  This is a problem that can be solved.

Election Day 2018 is Tuesday November 6th, and Early Voting runs from October 22nd through November 2nd.  For Houston area voters, here’s early voting information for Harris County, Fort Bend County, Brazoria County, Montgomery County, and Galveston County.  For other areas, visit the Texas Secretary of State’s Elections Page for your county information.

DON’T LET THEM SUPPRESS YOUR VOTE!!!  

Houston Politics

Harris County Early Voting– With Bus and Rail Info!!

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With Day One of Early Voting for the General Election concluded in Harris County, (and what a day it was, with record-shattering turnout for a Mid-Term Election), Texas Leftist has compiled a list of Harris County Voting locations, and added the nearest Metro Bus and Rail routes.  This could be a big help to voters that take public transportation, and possibly the difference for some that are on the fence about voting.  Some may not be aware of an Early Voting location near to their transit route.

Check it out, and please share!!

 

 

1)    Harris County Law Library- Conference Center (Downtown)

1019 Congress Ave, Houston, 77002

Metro Red Line, Green/Purple Line

 

2)    Moody Park Community Center (Near Northside)

3725 Fulton Street, Houston, 77009

Metro Red Line

 

3)    Kashmere Multi-Service Center (Kashmere Gardens, Greater Fifth Ward)

4802 Lockwood Drive, Houston 77026

Bus 003, 080

 

4)    Ripley House Neighborhood Center (Second Ward)

4410 Navigation Boulevard, Houston, 77011

Bus 080

 

5)    Houston Community College- Southeast Campus (Gulfgate)

6960 Rustic Street, Parking Garage, Houston, 77087

Bus 076

 

6)    Young Neighborhood Library (Third Ward)

5107 Griggs Road, Houston, 77021

Metro Purple Line, Bus 005, 080, 087

 

7)    Fiesta Mart- Houston (Astrodome/NRG)

8130 Kriby Drive, Houston, 77054

Bus 084, 014

 

8)    Metropolitan Multi-Services Center (Montrose/ Neartown/River Oaks)

1475 W. Gray Street, Houston, 77019

Bus 032

 

9)    Harris County Public Health Bldg (Galleria)

2223 West Loop South Fwy, 1st Floor, Houston 77027

Bus 032, 082

 

10)  SPJST Lodge #88 (The Heights)

1435 Beall Street, Houston, 77008

Bus 027

 

11)  Northeast Multi-Service Center (Trinity Gardens)

 9720 Spaulding Street, Bldg #4, Houston, 77016

 Bus 003, 045, 077

 

12)  Sunnyside Multi-Service Center

 9314 Cullen Boulevard, Houston, 77051

 Bus 029, 087

 

13)  Hiram Clarke Multi-Service Center (South Houston)

 3810 W. Fuqua Street, Houston, 77045

 Bus 014

 

14)  Bayland Park Community Center (Southwest Houston)

 6400 Bissonnet Street (near Hillcroft), Houston, 77074

 Bus 047, 065

 

15)  Tracey Gee Community Center (Near West Side, Beltway 8 & Richmond)

 3599 Westcenter Drive, Houston, 77042

 Bus 025, 153

 

16)  Trini Mendenhall Community Center (Spring Branch)

 1414 Wird Road, Houston, 77055

 Bus 072

 

17)  Lone Star College- Victory Center

 4141 Victory Drive, Houston, 77088

 Bus 079

 

18)  Acres Homes Multi-Service Center

6719 W. Montgomery Road, Houston, 77091

Bus 044, 064

19)  Harris County Scarsdale Annex

 10851 Scarsdale Boulevard, Houston, 77089

 Bus 088

 

20)  Alief ISD Administration Bldg

 4250 Cook Road, Houston, 77072

 Bus 002, 151

 

21)  Nottingham Park

 926 Country Place Drive, Houston, 77079

 Bus 162