Voter ID: The Senate refused to concur in House amendments to Senate Bill 5 and appointed a conference committee comprised of Sens. Joan Huffman (R-Houston), Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola), Eddie Lucio Jr. (D-Brownsville) and Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound). Huffman said a conference committee was necessary to sort out the House’s amendments and “compare them to the roadmap” established by the court.
Sen. Joan
Huffman
Meanwhile, when the House passed Senate Bill 5, the Voter ID fix, to third reading, we reported that Rep. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio) was the lone Democrat to vote for the bill. The House Journal for that day was made available online (pdf) this afternoon. It included a statement from Rep. Gutierrez that he intended to vote no. Our story has been updated to reflect that statement.
Voter Fraud: A collection of conservative and Tea Party groups have asked Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session on election integrity. The groups raised several issues in a letter authored by Aaron Harris, executive director of Direct Action Texas, and signed by dozens of other groups, conservative activists and local Republican Party officials:
- “Restore the ability of Texas to participate in programs such as Interstate Crosscheck” to ensure voters are not on multiple voter rolls;
- “Increase penalties for election crimes”; and
- “Address the issue of organizations that harvest ballots by enacting a conspiracy statute.”
Signers include Dallas Co. Republican chair Phillip Huffines (and SD8 candidate), Empower Texans’s Michael Quinn Sullivan, former Texas Eagle Forum President Cathie Adams. NE Tarrant Tea Party President Julie McCarty and Nueces Co. Clerk Kara Sands.
HD92: Bedford IT manager Steve Riddell filed paperwork establishing a campaign committee for a potential challenge to Rep. Jonathan Stickland (R-Bedford) as a Democrat.
SEN: Houston attorney Stafano De Stafano filed paperwork establishing a campaign committee for a potential primary challenge to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R).
CD21: Austin tech entrepreneur Joseph Kopser filed paperwork establishing a campaign committee for a potential challenge to U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-San Antonio) as a Democrat. We previously reported Kopser’s steps toward exploring a run for the seat.
Dallas: The Dallas Morning News reiterated its endorsement of incumbent Erik Wilson in the D8 runoff.
San Antonio: The San Antonio Police Officers Assoc. endorsed Mayor Ivy Taylor in her runoff against council member Ron Nirenberg.
