Texas Megathread

[TX Conservative Dem]

How about some TV Ads from both Abbott and Davis in the summer?

[jimrtex]

Davis pushes Abbott to clarify his position on equal pay legislation.

1) He defended the state in court against an A&M University professor suing over her pay, and in particular exploited holes in the federal Ledbetter law to win the case.

The professor was at Prairie View A&M, and she alleged discrimination on the basis of race (she is non-black) and sex.

The issue was whether Texas law automatically incorporated changes in federal law made after the claim was filed.

The SCOTUS had ruled that federal law required a claim had to be made within 180 days of the date the alleged discriminatory decision was made.  In response, federal law was changed to require a claim to be made within 180 days of an act in consequence of the alleged discrimination (ie when you last were paid).

But the SCOTUS decision, and the change to federal law was made after the claim under Texas law was made.

The bill that Governor Perry vetoed would have changed state law to match federal law.  Perry said that a state law was not needed, since the federal law was available and had not been used.

The reason the state process is cheaper is because there are alternate procedures when the pay claim is recent (ie employer paid employee for 15 hours, when they worked 20), and can be used in cases where there is not a need to hire expensive lawyers.

[TX Conservative Dem]

Folks, former Fort Bend County Democratic Party chairman Steve Brown (D) is a rising star in Texas statewide politics. How do ya'll rate his chances in the Railroad Commissioner's race ?

[badgate]

Davis pushes Abbott to clarify his position on equal pay legislation.

1) He defended the state in court against an A&M University professor suing over her pay, and in particular exploited holes in the federal Ledbetter law to win the case.

The professor was at Prairie View A&M, and she alleged discrimination on the basis of race (she is non-black) and sex.

The issue was whether Texas law automatically incorporated changes in federal law made after the claim was filed.

The SCOTUS had ruled that federal law required a claim had to be made within 180 days of the date the alleged discriminatory decision was made.  In response, federal law was changed to require a claim to be made within 180 days of an act in consequence of the alleged discrimination (ie when you last were paid).

But the SCOTUS decision, and the change to federal law was made after the claim under Texas law was made.

The bill that Governor Perry vetoed would have changed state law to match federal law.  Perry said that a state law was not needed, since the federal law was available and had not been used.

The reason the state process is cheaper is because there are alternate procedures when the pay claim is recent (ie employer paid employee for 15 hours, when they worked 20), and can be used in cases where there is not a need to hire expensive lawyers.

>thinking all that makes it okay for Abbott to oppose equal pay

[Sol]

Does Van De Putte have any chance if Patrick wins the runoff?

[CatoMinor]

Folks, former Fort Bend County Democratic Party chairman Steve Brown (D) is a rising star in Texas statewide politics. How do ya'll rate his chances in the Railroad Commissioner's race ?

D + Present TX = ~41%-46%

[ElectionsGuy]

Does Van De Putte have any chance if Patrick wins the runoff?

Little, but yes she actually does have a small chance should Patrick make many fringe comments (which, he will).

And Patrick will win the runoff. Dewhurst's numbers are unbelievably bad.

[jimrtex]

Davis pushes Abbott to clarify his position on equal pay legislation.

1) He defended the state in court against an A&M University professor suing over her pay, and in particular exploited holes in the federal Ledbetter law to win the case.

The professor was at Prairie View A&M, and she alleged discrimination on the basis of race (she is non-black) and sex.

The issue was whether Texas law automatically incorporated changes in federal law made after the claim was filed.

The SCOTUS had ruled that federal law required a claim had to be made within 180 days of the date the alleged discriminatory decision was made.  In response, federal law was changed to require a claim to be made within 180 days of an act in consequence of the alleged discrimination (ie when you last were paid).

But the SCOTUS decision, and the change to federal law was made after the claim under Texas law was made.

The bill that Governor Perry vetoed would have changed state law to match federal law.  Perry said that a state law was not needed, since the federal law was available and had not been used.

The reason the state process is cheaper is because there are alternate procedures when the pay claim is recent (ie employer paid employee for 15 hours, when they worked 20), and can be used in cases where there is not a need to hire expensive lawyers.

>thinking all that makes it okay for Abbott to oppose equal pay

Could you attempt to express your thoughts in complete sentences?

[Indy Texas]

Folks, former Fort Bend County Democratic Party chairman Steve Brown (D) is a rising star in Texas statewide politics. How do ya'll rate his chances in the Railroad Commissioner's race ?

D + Present TX = ~41%-46%

I will be voting for Ryan Sitton (R) in that race if he's the nominee; probably the only statewide race where I'll be going GOP this year.

Why? Because Sitton is an engineer with a background in oil & gas and Steve Brown comes across as a political hack with no relevant experience.

But if it's Steve Brown vs. Wayne Christian, I will certainly vote for Steve Brown. Because Wayne Christian is just a horrible, fundamentalist, racist, regressive from the Hezbollah wing of the Texas GOP and he's so awful his own district voted him out of office in the primary in 2012.

[badgate]

Does Van De Putte have any chance if Patrick wins the runoff?

Little, but yes she actually does have a small chance should Patrick make many fringe comments (which, he will).

And Patrick will win the runoff. Dewhurst's numbers are unbelievably bad.

A lot of organizations, business, etc, will probably withhold support for a while to see what happens. The primary has made people wary. But it would still take a lot of stupidity on Patrick's part to lose.

[jimrtex]

Wayne Christian ... his own district voted him out of office in the primary in 2012.

More likely his district changed radically,

dropping Nacogdoches, Jasper, and San Augustine;  -110K

keeping Shelby and Sabine; 35K

and adding Panola, Harrison, Marion, and Cass.  +130K

and his opponent was the mayor of Marshall.

[TX Conservative Dem]

I'm going to laugh if Steve Brown (D) wins the open Railroad Commissioner's race in November

[badgate]

The 5th Circuit has upheld Texas' 2013 anti-abortion laws.
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20140327-u.s.-appeals-court-upholds-tough-new-texas-abortion-restrictions.ece?8

[TX Conservative Dem]

Van de Putte plans on doing a bus tour across the entire state until April 7th.

[The Mikado]

Setting the over-under at Abbott 56%, Davis 43%.  Does Davis do better or worse than this?  Discuss.

[MATTROSE94]

Setting the over-under at Abbott 56%, Davis 43%.  Does Davis do better or worse than this?  Discuss.

That seems about accurate in my opinion, though Davis could do a bit worse if some of the more conservative Democrats decided to either sit out the election or vote for Abbott due to her strong pro-choice positions.

[Joshgreen]

Setting the over-under at Abbott 56%, Davis 43%.  Does Davis do better or worse than this?  Discuss.

That seems about accurate in my opinion, though Davis could do a bit worse if some of the more conservative Democrats decided to either sit out the election or vote for Abbott due to her strong pro-choice positions.

Y'all are underestimating the BG TX folks. They will pull this race to single digits.

[CatoMinor]

I think Wendy will get between 52% and 54% But I really do not see her getting any new non-base voters. I kind of wish Bill White was running.

[Reginald]

I think Wendy will get between 52% and 54% But I really do not see her getting any new non-base voters. I kind of wish Bill White was running.

For what it's worth, Davis got quite a few Romney voters in 2012; Obama only pulled about 45 percent total in her district. But of course this was before SB 5. That's a rather enormous caveat.

Anyway, I don't see her pulling off 54% ever.

[TX Conservative Dem]

Bill White would have been more stronger against Abbott this year than Davis.

I've got Abbott still beating Davis though somewhere between 57%-40% or 65%-33% considering Abbott's 5 statewide victories, he's blown his opponents out by big double digits.

[Joshgreen]

Bill White would have been more stronger against Abbott this year than Davis.

I've got Abbott still beating Davis though somewhere between 57%-40% or 65%-33% considering Abbott's 5 statewide victories, he's blown his opponents out by big double digits.

Thank you. We really value your projections.

[Indy Texas]

Bill White would have been more stronger against Abbott this year than Davis.

I've got Abbott still beating Davis though somewhere between 57%-40% or 65%-33% considering Abbott's 5 statewide victories, he's blown his opponents out by big double digits.

Abbott has 5 statewide victories, but none of those contests have been anything close to being contested.

I don't see Wendy Davis doing any worse than Bill White did in 2010. ~42% is her floor.

[TX Conservative Dem]

You're betting Abbott gets the same 55-42 margin of victory that Perry got in 2010. Out of 254 counties, how many will Abbott carry against Davis ?

A.) 226-same that Perry carried in 2010.
B.) 218
C. 236
D.) 207

[Joshgreen]

You're betting Abbott gets the same 55-42 margin of victory that Perry got in 2010. Out of 254 counties, how many will Abbott carry against Davis ?

A.) 226-same that Perry carried in 2010.
B.) 218
C. 236
D.) 207

Who cares?

[badgate]

Van de Putte plans on doing a bus tour across the entire state until April 7th.

Brown's been doing very well seizing on the issue of earthquakes in Azle. Residents there are quite shaken up, literally. But obviously, his fortunes are tied to the candidates at the top of the ballot.

I think Wendy will get between 52% and 54%

Beautiful prediction