Texas progressives salute the start of early voting

Texas Progressives wonder what the start of early voting will show on turnout tea leaves while giving you updates in local, state and national political and other news.

Brains offers his initial glance, leading off with thoughts on the Donkeys' Senate nomination race.

Meanwhile, on Twitter, I saw not a BernieBro, but a BernieBarbie, engaging in what could indeed be considered stereotypical conspiracy thinking:

Uhh, grow up.

Texas has official laws on ballot order listing on a county-by-county basis, Bernie cultists.

For this Bernie stanner and all others retweeting this as "proof" of "shenanigans against Sanders" in the #TexasPrimary, try learning the law. https://t.co/uWWM90wICk https://t.co/92M2u5ByPs

— Nevada Caucus ChairThrower for Dolores Huerta 🚩🌻 (@AFCC_Esq) February 19, 2020

Yes, I'm in the media, so I know about ballot order issues. But, if you don't know? It's called "asking," not going off half-cocked (or less).


Texas politics

The cult of Bob on a Knob O'Rourke and his new PAC has both upsides and downsides for Texas Democrats.

Austin Merikan Stateless, now under the ownership of Craphouse, endorses ConservaDem MJ Hegar in the Dem Senate race. San Antone endorses ModeratoDem Amanda Edwards. I presume the hometown Chronic will do or has done the same.

The Observer anti-endorses incumbent DAs Kim Ogg in Harris County and Margaret Moore in Travis County. (Your blogger thinks both counties needs more prosecutorial reform, but sides with the more moderate challengers in both cases and rejects the idea of a blanket refusal to pursue any felony drug cases.)

Paradise in Hell interprets Sen. John Cornyn. The Texas Signal comments on Cornyn's low name recognition.


Texana

Socratic Gadfly had more sad trombones for Texas sports, this time just for Dusty Baker worried about Cheating Astros players getting beaned, even as Commissioner Rob Manfred appeared determined to show he could do worse PR than Astros owner Jim Crane.

Claytie Williams is dead of pneumonia at 88. I hope he laid there and enjoyed it.

Following up on last week's article about lung-clogging shit-laden Panhandle feetlot pollution, the Observer notes that photojournalism groups say state law forbidding drone photography of feedlots is unconstitutional — and they're suing.

The Lunch Tray takes a closer look at Unilever's decision to mostly end child-directed marketing of ice cream.

The Rag Blog talks about an Underground Railroad route in Texas.


Dallas

Oh, Lordy! Pun intended! Dallas' top Trump ass-kisser, and possibly Protestant ministry's top Trump ass-kisser, Robert Jeffress will be interviewing Sarah Sanders during Sunday, March 1, worship services, while continuing to claim he's not a political stooge.

Jim Schutze calls out the Snooze for refusing to run a piece that eventually dropped in the StartleGram about DART bleeding money. He then calls out former Snooze sister WFAA for a totally wrong story on Jim's Car Wash.


Houston

Mayor Sylvester Turner showed he's full on ConservaDem with his endorsement of Mike Bloomberg. Sly has since claimed that Mini Mike apologizing for stop and frisk was why he endorsed him. Really? Julian Castro surely has it right in noting the apology came just before the former Republican decided to seek the Dem nomination.

Houston is one of the cities where the Border Patrol will embed with ICE, and new thuggishness will likely result. Keep the ugly word "tonk" in mind.

Off the Kuff interviewed three candidates for Harris County District Attorney: Kim Ogg (the incumbent), Carvana Cloud, and Audia Jones.


National/Texas politics

Brains notes that Bernie now leads in Dem polling in Texas; he also snarks well on Sylvester's Sellout as part of Bloomberg buying up everything and everyone in sight.

Gadfly raised eyebrows at a former GP state co-chair getting into Jill Stein-for-Bernie territory by stanning on Twitter for specific Dems even while part of a Greens ballot access lawsuit.

Jenny Rollins looks at Sen. Mitt Romney's lone Republican vote to convict Donald Trump in the impeachment trial through a Mormon lens.


National

Robert Nagle endorses Elizabeth Warren for President.

Mustafa Tameez criticizes the Trump administration’s recent attacks on so-called “sanctuary cities.”