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Texas Democrats: Still Chicken vs. Egg

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For all of the buzz that has surrounded Wendy Davis’ candidacy for Governor, eventually Texans are going to have start looking down at the rest of the 2014 ballot. For Democrats, this remains a particularly unsettling task. As Noah M. Horwitz of the Texpatriate blog justly points out, it’s some pretty ‘slim pickins’ thus far.

Todd J. Gillam of the Dallas Morning News voiced the situation appropriately. The root problem for Texas Democrats is that we’re caught in a “chicken vs. egg” scenario. Which comes first… the candidate or the funds to support the candidate? You can’t have one without the other. I’m sure if we had a few mega-rich folks walk up to Trey Martinez-Fischer or Ana Hernandez Luna and say “If you’ll run statewide, I’ll fund every penny”, they’d probably be in with little hesitation. But the problem for Dems right now is we keep asking these people to drink from a dry well. Less than one year ago, former State Rep Paul Sadler decided to walk the plank and run for US Senate, and he did so getting outspent by now Senator Ted Cruz 20 to 1. We see how great a decision THAT turned out to be for the rest of the country, and it all could’ve been prevented with a stronger Democratic apparatus in the state. Did we seriously think Sadler could run a statewide campaign in Texas on less than $1 million dollars?

Part of the reason that Texas is viewed as such a heavily Republican state has much less to do with the low-performing voters, and much more to do with the color of our money. No matter how we may split at the ballot box, our affluent population is deep red. This is the first great hurdle that Texas Democrats face… how to raise enough money to even get close to the Republican coffers. This is why I was pretty sure Wendy Davis would run for Governor after her big June Filibuster. She is the rare exception among Texas Dems that actually has some big-money friends, most notably Ft. Worth oil tycoon Sid Bass. Combine that with a slew of national recognition (and hopefully some national money), and you get a path to viability for Davis’ run. BTW Off the Kuff has done some great writing on this particular subject, so I suggest you check it out.

As mentioned above, the second great hurdle for Texas Democrats is some serious name ID… both inside and outside of the state. You need the outside name ID to generate press attention and money sources. You need the inside name ID so voters will have a clue who to vote for. These are burdens that the GOP side don’t have to bear, as they’ve already got a well-tested apparatus in place. At present, the people possessing this precious resource can all be counted on one hand… Davis, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, his twin brother Congressman Joaquin Castro and Houston Mayor Annise Parker (thanks to the whole ‘1st GLBT mayor of a major American city’ thing). They’re the only ones that CNN will bump a story for.

The final great hurdle? You have to have an army of volunteers in every corner of the state. It’s the only way to connect with the “Silent Majority” in the Texas electorate. Everyone knows that the potential voters are here, but they’re probably not registered, and they likely have no clue that there is an election happening in 13 months, and definitely don’t know why they should care about it now.

I know this all sounds like Politics 101, but to be frank, that’s where the Democratic Party in Texas is right now. While I agree with Horwitz’s sentiment and also hope for a “full-slate” of viable candidates to run in 2014, it’s important to take all of these factors into account before getting frustrated at the lack of movement. Democrats in Texas have to build from the ground up. Even if we were to “sweep” the statewide ballot, there still aren’t enough candidates running just in State House and Senate Districts to actually flip power of the state government, and the filing deadline is approaching fast.

But Wendy Davis’ campaign is a start… and a great one at that. Her election as Governor, even with Republican (possibly even TEApublican) majorities in both Houses of the Legislature could still be a big step towards expanding Medicaid, investing more in Texas schools, and protecting the rights of Texas women to make their own health decisions. So even if we’d have to put all the eggs in one 2014 basket, it’s a lot better than no basket at all.

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We Need the REAL Republicans Back

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Hopefully you know that this is a Left-leaning blog. On a whole range of issues, Texas Leftist espouses what most would consider to be “Liberal” values, and those values tend to be more on the Democratic side of the current political spectrum.

All that being said, I really miss the old Republican Party. These folks used to be real politicians, and they used to care about actual issues. The Reagan-era GOP had vigorous disagreements with Democrats, but at the end of the day, they got together, laid all of the harsh rhetoric aside, and came up with common-sense solutions to our problems. Sure, both parties have always had extremes, but there used to be enough sanity in the Republican Party to do the real work of government. This is not the case today, as the Republican party has devolved into a phony coalition between scared Republicans and TEA party members carrying the party name, which I prefer to call TEApublicans. Whatever you choose to call them, one thing is clear… the Republican Party as we know it is over. It’s this takeover of the GOP that has led to most of the dysfunction in Congress, and in many ways is the whole reason for the current government shutdown and default. Now that’s not to say that there aren’t still sensible people on Capitol Hill, but those precious few wouldn’t dare oppose the TEApublican caucus.

In the Senate, slightly more sanity abounds. But even there, most Republican members live in such fear of drawing a primary challenge that even they can’t always do what they know is best for their constituents. So we have to count them in the TEApublican camp too.

But thankfully, there remain a few people on the Right that have both common sense and political courage. In the midst of complete government chaos, Texas Leftist felt it was time to highlight said lawmakers, and remind readers that things don’t have to be the way they are now. One REAL Republican came to mind.

And that Republican is Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski.

To be clear, I don’t agree with Senator Murkowski’s views on everything, but I have often admired her courage on Capitol Hill. She’s on record wanting to repeal the Affordable Care Act… we’re never going to agree with that. But what Senator Murkowski was not willing to do? Shut down the government because she didn’t get her way. Here’s a quote from the Fairbanks News-Miner…

“As bad as I believe this health care law is for our nation, shutting down the government means lost paychecks for gas, rent and grocery money for thousands of Alaskans who work for the federal government and vital services for our veterans, seniors, children and disabled,” Murkowski said in a statement late Monday. “My opposition to the Affordable Care Act doesn’t mean we stop legislating.

“We need to get work. Shutting down the government doesn’t help anybody — and it has a harmful ripple effect on the larger economy,” she said. “It is time for the president and Senate and House leaders to come together and find a solution to fund the government.”

Again, for the record, I support the Affordable Care Act and it’s implementation… I am not advocating Senator Murkowski’s position here. But I am thankful that she is courageous enough to stand against the TEApublican caucus and speak from a point of common sense.

Of course Murkowski has earned the ability to be independent. The true TEA party faction within Congress is a small number of lawmakers, but most Republicans will not oppose them because they fear a “nightmare scenario” of drawing a Primary challenger for the next election. In essence they care more about their own reelection than they do about what is best for their constituencies, which is why we’re in this shutdown/ debt ceiling mess in the first place. But that nightmare scenario is one that Senator Murkowski has already endured. In 2010, she lost the Republican Primary to Joe Miller, a TEA Party challenger and favorite of Former Governor Sarah Palin. Knowing now that Miller had the full support of the Republican Party establishment, almost everyone concluded that Murkowski’s political future was over. But they were wrong… Murkowski launched an historic write-in campaign to keep her seat, and won the election without even being on the ballot. Instead of being controlled by the voices of extremism, the Senator put her constituents first. Whatever your political ideology, you have to admit that it took some brass to do this. Brass that is decidedly missing from the TEApublicans of the 113th.

We spend a lot of time on the Left painting the GOP with one broad brush… all of them are terrible, all of them are intransigent, all of them are dangerous… and sure, a bunch of that criticism is deserved. But I suspect that if more people in Congress were like Senator Murkowski, the government would not be the train wreck that it is today. Let’s hope more messages like hers start to sink in. If they don’t, we’re all in trouble.

Thanks for the leadership Senator.

Houston Politics

Texoblogosphere: week of October 14th

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The Texas Progressive Alliance thanks Sen. Ted Cruz for his hard work making the Republican Party more unpopular than ever as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Off the Kuff connects a flap over reduced tuition at UTSA for same-sex spouses of active military members to the 2014 campaign.

Horwitz at Texpatriate reports on the Houston Mayoral debate, noting that, no matter who you thought the winner was, the real losers were Houstonians themselves.

Of all of Greg Abbott’s mistakes, one stands out like a sore thumb: he birthed Ted Cruz. Then again, Democrats should really thank “Poop” for what he’s accomplished recently on their behalf. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs knows you have to take a little bad news with the good when it comes to Abbott and his protege’.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme thinks picking turncoat Aaron Peña to do Hispanic outreach for republicans is ludicrous. Good luck with that.

Though we often take them for granted, streets are vastly important to our communities. They’re the true lifeblood of any community. Whether we’re are traveling to work, visiting friends, or any reason that we need to get from Point A to Point B, that journey starts and ends with our streets. Which is why Texas Leftist was glad to hear of a landmark initiative for Complete Streets in Houston. It’s been a long time coming.

Neil at All People Have Value said this week that the things you had ordered from Amazon have arrived. All People Have Value is part of NeilAquino.com.

At TexasKaos, Libby Shaw tells it like it is in Deadbeats, Bums, Extortionists and Saboteurs.Give it a read.

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

Egberto Willies prints a letter to Rep. Ted Poe from one of his constituents.

The Texas Monitor implores Latinas to run with Wendy.

Letters from Texas wants you to give your money to Wendy Davis.

Juanita shows what real political junkies do on their weekends.

Nancy Sims evaluates the Houston mayoral debate.

Rep. Mike Villarreal explains how to get help with the health insurance exchange.

The TSTA blog observes that the Rainy Day Fund is in excellent shape.

AzulTX reports from the immigration reform rally in Houston.

Houston Politics

Parker Makes Complete Streets a Houston Priority

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Some fantastic news out of the Mayor’s office today…

Mayor Annise Parker Announces Visionary Complete Streets Policy for Houston

At the site of Texas’ first certified GreenRoads projects in Midtown, Mayor Annise Parker today unveiled a transformative new approach for Houston streets that will accommodate the needs of all users, not just those behind the wheel. The mayor’s Complete Streets and Transportation Plan is meant to provide safe, accessible and convenient use by motorists, public transit riders, pedestrians, people of all abilities and bicyclists. The new policy, detailed in a draft executive order from the mayor, will be achieved over time as improvements to existing roadways and redevelopment occur.

“This executive order is a major first step forward,” said Mayor Parker. “Many groups have worked hard to get us to this point, including The Complete Streets Coalition, Scenic Houston, AARP and BikeHouston. I am thankful for their input and steadfast commitment. Houston is a city that embraces its diversity. This Complete Streets policy applies the same approach to our mobility system by meeting the diverse needs of all Houstonians while also creating more accessible and attractive connections to residential areas, parks, businesses, restaurants, schools and employment centers.

The Complete Streets and Transportation Plan recognizes that all streets are different. The function of the road, current and projected adjacent land use and travel demands, availability of right-of-way, community input and the level of vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle traffic must all be considered in decisions regarding enhancements. The ultimate goal, where appropriate, is walkable and bike-friendly neighborhoods with amenities such as trees and landscaping, public art and street furniture.

“As we work to build a healthier community, it is more important than ever to reimagine our approach to streets, sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, public transit, bike trails and lanes,” said Mayor Parker.

Mayor Parker intends to sign the executive order following a City Council briefing on the plan. Houston is joining other cities that are already utilizing a Complete Streets approach including Chicago, Baltimore, San Antonio, San Diego, Sacramento, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and New Orleans as well as the U.S. Department of Transportation and numerous state transportation agencies.

The Plan will build upon and utilize tools such as the city’s Mobility Planning already underway. It will create new definitions found in the city’s Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan Policy Statement and the Infrastructure Design Manual. The city’s Rebuild Houston program will also ensure that all future roadway construction utilizes the principals contained in the mayor’s Complete Streets Executive Order.

The City of Houston’s Planning and Development Department, Public Works and Engineering Department and METRO will be responsible for administration of the plan. There will be annual reporting to City Council to ensure transparency and accountability.

Houston’s transportation infrastructure spans 640 square miles and consists of 6,000 center lane miles of streets, 1,100,000 traffic signs, 2,450 signalized LED intersections, 1,600 school zone flashers, 180,000 streetlights and 1,800 freeway lights.

As someone who frequently rides a bicycle on Houston’s streets, I can attest that this is sorely needed. Some Houstonians may be skeptical of the need for such an “expensive investment”, but to the naysayers I issue a challenge… Go for a walk on a major thoroughfare like Westheimer or Richmond. Walk the sidewalk, or bike along the far lane. Then try that same activity on the Greenroads projects of Bagby or Pierce. Once you spend some time outside of the car and actually experience these places in human contact, the need for complete streets is obvious. 

The order also fulfills part of the promises made regarding Council’s passage of significant changes to the city’s development code, better known as Chapter 42. The complete streets initiative will prove to be a critical need as Houston becomes a denser city, and more people seek a range of transportation options other than their cars. In my opinion, complete streets are safer, healthier and better for all. It’s to see these projects starting on Pierce and Bagby… and even better that the Mayor recognizes these projects shouldn’t be the exception, but must become the norm. 

Houston Politics

Hope in Haltom City

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Hope was born in Haltom City, Texas.

Last week, on the very same stage that she received her high school diploma, Texas State Senator Wendy Davis took a huge leap of faith, and entered the race for Texas Governor. She did this already knowing the basic facts of the race, and of the right-leaning Texas electorate. She did this knowing that a Democrat hasn’t won a statewide office in Texas for 20 years. She did this knowing that Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, with $25 million cash-on-hand and the ability to raise upwards of $80 million, could out-spend her into the next millennium. Wendy Davis knows that in the Governor’s race, the odds are against her.

But Wendy Davis has beaten the odds her entire life. She was a poor, single mother at the age of 19, with no college education. Even then, Davis saw that her life could be more than her immediate surroundings. She put herself through community college, earned a scholarship to Texas Christian University, graduated with High honors, and went on graduate from Harvard Law School. All the while, raising a family. After becoming a successful lawyer, Davis felt the call to public service, and was elected to the Fort Worth City Council. When she finally decided to run for State Senator of District 10, Davis once again faced a tough road. As a Democrat in a solidly Republican district, she beat the male, Republican incumbent Kim Brimer in a nail-biter race. Also worth noting, her former City Council seat is currently held by the wildly popular LGBT politician Joel Burns.

So that’s how Davis became a State Senator in 2008. Most GOP operatives blamed her victory on the “Obama wave” (eventhough John McCain clearly won her district) and saw Davis as a novelty that would be easily beaten in 2012. They of course thought wrong. Senator Davis won reelection in 2012 from a tough campaign battle. Here’s an excerpt from the Texas Tribune’s 2012 election night article…

State Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, narrowly clung to her seat on Tuesday night, fending off Republican state Rep. Mark Shelton in the most-watched legislative race of the Texas election…

Her win kept Republicans from coming within one vote of the two-thirds majority needed to render Democrats virtually powerless in the upper chamber. And it gave hope to Texas Democratic Party officials, who see Davis as a rising star and a potential a statewide candidate.

The Tarrant County district was hardly a certain bet for either candidate. It has traditionally leaned Republican: Gov. Rick Perry won the district in the 2010 gubernatorial race; U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., won the presidential vote there in 2008.

“I think it’s really a reflection of people wanting a bipartisan voice,” she said. “People rose above partisanship in the way they voted tonight. They voted for integrity, for a fighter.”…

What is critically important for Texas Democrats, and national Democrats to understand… thanks to the make-up of HD 10, Wendy Davis is well-practiced for a statewide race. The district is virtually a microcosm of Texas as a whole, and she has figured out what Democrats need to do in order to win there. That’s why you’re not going to see her spewing hardcore “left-wing” ideology. Instead Davis carefully speaks about Texas values, and limited, but effective government. She has carefully crafted a message that allows her to appeal across party lines and political philosophies. This is exactly why I wrote back in February that Davis is the top Democrat prospect for a statewide victory. She’s a pro at this stuff.

Just imagine all of the hope that started last week… hope for a true pathway to LGBT equality in Texas, with no more living in the shadows, or being second-class citizens. Hope for millions of Texas families to have healthcare through the Federal Medicaid expansion, and not have to live in fear of financial ruin if they get sick. Hope for Texas women to be able to make their own family planning decisions without the interference of big government. Hope that our children’s education will be a viewed as a top priority for Texas, instead of a budget line-item awaiting the chopping block. In Haltom City, all of these seedlings of hope were planted.

But Wendy can only become Governor if Texans take a stand and commit to the cause. She definitely cannot do it alone. So today affords you, loyal readers an opportunity. Texas Leftist is honored to participate in a blog fundraiser for Wendy’s campaign. Together, by spreading the word, and giving of our time, money and service, we can get Wendy elected. If you’d like to donate to the Wendy Davis campaign, you can do so right here via Act Blue. The more people like Wendy Davis we bring to office in Texas, the less chance we’ll have of ever going through another government shutdown, or threatening the livelihood of millions thanks to immature political brinksmanship. It starts right here, right now. Along with your gift, please share this blog post with your friends, and use the hashtag #GiveToWendy on Facebook and Twitter. If you’d like to learn more about Wendy, check out the video below.

It’s time for a real change in Texas. Wendy Davis FOR THE WIN!!

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Wendy Davis, Annise Parker hold Press Conference

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State Senator and Gubernatorial Candidate Wendy Davis appeared at Houston City Hall with Mayor Annise Parker, Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia, and City Council members Wanda Adams, Ed Gonzalez, Ellen Cohen and Mike Laster. The Press Conference was not broadcast live, but all local media outlets appeared to be present.

The Press Conference with Senator Davis and City leaders was to announce some major news… the City of Houston no longer has a rape kit backlog, according to the Houston Chronicle. Further Twitter reports from reliable sources are as follows

From the AP’s Juan Lozano, here’s the full article…

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s success in clearing its backlog of untested rape kits should be held up as a model for other cities around Texas to follow, officials said Wednesday.

Houston has spent $4.4 million in federal and city funding to address its backlog of more than 6,600 rape kits, Mayor Annise Parker said.

The funding was used by the city to send its rape kits to two outside labs for testing. Parker said she expects the testing to be completed by the end of this year or early next year.

Parker said Houston’s approach wasn’t easy or inexpensive and it came during a difficult economic time but it was the right way to deal with a problem that had been decades in the making.

“My hope is other cities around the state can learn from our approach,” she said at a news conference.

Testing and reports have been completed on nearly 2,800 cases, with 464 cases yielding usable DNA that is being entered into federal databases. Parker said one charge and one arrest have so far resulted from the testing.

Parker said while Houston was able to pay for its testing of the backlog with the help of federal funding, she is hopeful other cities around Texas will be able to take advantage of $11 million in state funding that was appropriated during this year’s legislative session to pay for the testing of a backlog of about 20,000 rape kits around the state. Officials estimate the backlog around the county is about 400,000.

State Sen. Wendy Davis, a Democratic candidate for governor who helped secure the $11 million to address the backlog around the state, attributed Houston’s success in part to bipartisan cooperation at city, state and federal levels of government to secure funding to deal with the problem.

“The city of Houston is making remarkable progress in bringing victims of sexual assault closure, bringing perpetrators to justice, making our streets safer for families … and I’m pleased it is a stellar example of what a city can do when given the kind of partnership and resources that have been provided here,” Davis said.

Davis made sure to speak about Mayor Parker’s role in the success…

“Mayor Parker has been an incredible leader on this issue.” said Davis.

Houston Politics

TLCQ 2013: Annise D. Parker

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In the Fifteenth installment of the 2013 Texas Leftist Candidate Questionnaire, we hear from Hon. Annise D. Parker, current Mayor of Houston, and running for her third and final term.

Please note: Responses have been received directly from the candidate, and have been posted ver batim from the email received. This is done out of fairness to all candidates. Publishing these responses does not constitute an endorsement, but will be considered during the endorsement process.

TL: What is your name, as it will appear on the ballot?

AP: Annise D. Parker

TL: Are you a current or former elected official? If so what office(s)?

AP: I am currently Mayor of Houston.

TL: As a political candidate, you clearly care about what happens in certain levels of government. In your own words, why is government important?

AP: In order for human beings to live in concert with one another, you have to have government. It’s a mechanism for deciding what you do as a community. I have been frustrated that, as a country, we seem to be losing that focus on community in favor of a more consumer-driven focus on individuals wanting to pay only for the services they use. It is my hope that people will think more about how we can re-engage as a community and re-engage with local government in service of community. Government should be run efficiently and effectively. I have applied many approaches I’ve learned in the business world to achieve that. But ultimately, government is a service organization, not a business. It really is about making our communities stronger.

TL: If elected, what is your top priority in office for the upcoming term? Describe how you plan to accomplish it.

AP: Continue to create jobs. We are seeing very good results from Hire Houston First, a program I started to give preference to firms that hire local workers when they apply for city contracts. I will continue the reforms we started in the Office of Business Opportunity – the former Affirmative Action Department. We expanded our overall city-contracting goal for small, minority, woman-owned businesses to 34 percent. We’ve helped secure more than $25 million in private funds for small business loans. We’ve provided incentives that have attracted more than $2.2 billion in economic development for the city. And we’ve worked with labor unions to provide apprenticeship programs on city-funded projects.

Continue to reduce crime and improve public safety. Since I became mayor, Houston’s overall crime rate is down more than 8 percent. We’ve modernized public safety, protected police officers from layoffs and increased the number of officers on the street. We’ve revamped the police radio and technology system, bulldozed 2,000 crack houses and dangerous abandoned buildings, opened our new Sobering Center so that police officers can focus more of their time on fighting crime, made substantial progress on creating an independent crime lab (separated from the police department), put a plan in place to eliminate the backlog of sexual assault kits and more.

Use resources available to the city to support our children’s education. Although the city is not charged with education in the traditional sense (setting the curriculum, hiring teachers, etc.) I’ve made sure that our resources are working to strengthen schools and help schoolchildren. In August we distributed 25,000 backpacks full of school supplies to children in need. I appointed a Chief Education Officer to coordinate city initiatives around education. We’re working to coordinate infrastructure projects near schools and keep our kids safe when they go to school. We’re building new libraries and funding after-school programs. We’re working with partner organizations to help children stay in school and gain the necessary skills to find good jobs when they graduate.

TL: With the exception of city government and some other select businesses, Houstonians can still be fired for being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender because we do not have a comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance for general employment. This lags behind other Texas cities such as Dallas, Austin, and Ft. Worth. Do you support a comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance for the city of Houston? If not, please explain why. If so, please explain how you would work to pass such a measure.

AP: I absolutely believe we should pass an anti-discrimination ordinance. Houstonians deserve those protections. Passing the ordinance will require agreement from all councilmembers, and when we have the support necessary we can move forward.

TL: There have been an alarming number of complaints filed against officers in the Houston Police Department, accused of unwarranted police brutality towards citizens. A disproportionate amount of this violence occurs in minority communities, and in the vast majority of these cases, officers have gone unpunished. As a result, these incidents cause a cycle of mistrust between Houstonians and the very officers sworn to protect them. What can you do to increase oversight of the Houston Police Department, and help ensure that these incidents do not continue?

AP: The Chief of Police, his Command Staff and I take very seriously any allegation of police brutality. That’s why it is simpler and easier than it has ever been before to bring a complaint against an officer. We revised the complaint process, removing language on the forms that threatened perjury charges for unproven allegations. We made complaint forms available for the first time through community organizations like NAACP, Urban League and LULAC. We created the Independent Police Oversight Board, whose community panelists review allegations of police abuse, use of force and all discharges of weapons. We have begun to deploy body cameras among patrol officers, with the goal of having all officers wear them as soon as financially possible. We are purchasing new TASERS that limit the duration of the electrical charge administered. And we have dealt swiftly and decisively in removing officers who have violated the rights of citizens.

TL: What makes you the best candidate for this office?

AP: Houston is leading the nation in job creation and the vast majority of ways that people rank cities. I’m running because I believe we can do even better. During my two terms as Mayor, Houston’s city government is borrowing less and doing more on a pay-as-you-go basis. We’ve created a dedicated fund for street repairs and flood prevention. We’ve secured funding for new libraries and laid the foundation for a parks and trails system that most cities can only dream of. We put more police officers on the street and are working to make our city safer. We’re demolishing crack houses and dangerous abandoned apartment complexes – and we’re modernizing our police and fire stations. I want to help the best city in America get even better.

TL: When not on the campaign trail, how do you like to spend your free time?

AP: Between my job as mayor and my campaign, free time is a real luxury! I spend as much time at home with my family as I can – and I relax by reading and working in the garden tending my cacti, succulents and orchids.

Thanks to Mayor Parker for her participation.

A Voice for the Rest of Texas