I’m still here
One of these days I really need to give this blogging thing a try.
For all you folks living in Houston City Council District H who have no clue who to vote for in order to stop Hector Longoria from winning…
I met 3 of the candidates in the race so far.
Richard Cantu, who is a longtime Democrat. Very brief, nice to meet you and good luck type of conversation.
Adrian Garcia, also a Dem. Seemed like a nice guy.
And the current get donkey! favorite…
Diana Davila Martinez– used to be a state Rep (1995-1999), Harvard Grad, and a Dean supporter. Stopped by the group of us marching in yesterday’s Heights Festival parade for a brief chat.
I did not get to meet Gonzalo Camacho, though I did just find his website this morning, and am interested in finding out more since my local coffee shop/hangout is supporting him (well at least they have signs out front).
In other news, I am still alive. I have been lurking a lot more than posting lately, mostly because I feel like I don’t have anything new to contibutribute what with the other bloggers of the world doing such an excellent job. Additionally most of my free time has been consumed with working on Dean stuff, and I don’t want this space to become a Dean blog (although I may be posting on a new Dean for Texas campaign blog soon).
I expect this place to be pretty quiet between now and the Texas Democratic primary if it is still held on March 2 (which isn’t looking to good right now). I’ll try to stop in now and again to keep the page from going totally blank. I’m also planning on posting my endorsements for the upcoming Houston election, although I bet there are all of four people who are even remotely interested in hearing who I support.
Oh, before I forget. Many months ago, a man by the name of Nathan Rudy asked me to post a link to his campaign site. Unfortunately his email got buried in a sea of spam, and I didn’t find it again until I cleaned out my inbox this weekend.
Nathan and his running mate Kimberly Francois are running for Freeholder in Somerset County, NJ.
According to Mr. Rudy, “a County Freeholder is primarily responsible for managing county parks and roads, and also for setting the budget and public policy priorities for the county. The latter job is pretty much setting the
$$s that go to the County Clerk, Sherrif, Prosecutor and Surrogate to
run their offices’.
If Nathan wins, it will be the first time a Democrat has held the office in 24 years.
So whether you live in Somerset County or not, please swing by Nathan’s site, and see what he is all about.
And Nathan, I apologize that it took me so long to post the link.
Until next time, that’s all from your get donkey! internet funtime pal.
Rob, I didn’t know that you had a blog.
Comment by Ted Barlow | 10/8/2003
Isn’t Diana Davila Martinez married to Former State Representative Roman Martinez, the same Roman Martinez who is endorsing Orlando Sanchez for mayor. I heard the were both party flippers. Not so sure she is as strong a Decorate as she may claim to be. I for one am not sure sold on her, I also hear she took some Bob Perry money, lets just hope it is not her and Longoria in a run off. http://www.orlandosanchez.com/JoinTheTeam/Content.aspx?ArticleID=223
Comment by C. REED | 10/19/2003
Oh wow. I hadn’t heard that. The group of us actually spoke to Roman at some length and it never came up that he was supporting Sanchez. He was pushing the Democratic Wing of the Democratic party type stuff. Okay, this is making me lean more toward Camacho, especially since he lives in my neighborhood. Thanks for the info, C. Reed!
Comment by Rob Humenik | 10/20/2003
Charles Kuffner over at http://offthekuff.com/mt/ just posted this on the District H race. It makes for good reading. I think I am going to support Adrian in hopes this race avoids a run off all together.
Endorsement in District H
I just got some feedback regarding my dilemma about who to vote for in the District H City Council race. The following is from an email from Diane Mosier, President of the Greater Heights Democratic Club, which has made an endorsement in the race:
ADRIAN GARCIA has been endorsed by every local democratic elected official, Harris County Tejano Democrats, AFL-CIO, HGLPC, Houston Police Officers Assn, Harris County Council of Organizations, and many, many other progressive organizations.
The other candidates are: Diana Davila-Martinez, whose husband has been on the Orlando Sanchez website as an endorsee; Richard Cantu, who is a Democratic Precinct Chair but who has very little connection to other areas in District H except the east end; Gonzalo Camocho, who would not declare himself to be a democrat at our last democratic club meeting. Gonzalo has been a U.S. citizen for one year and told me that he has never voted. I asked him point blank if he leaned toward democratic or republican issues and he said that he is neither. He is very nice and well meaning but we felt that he not quite ready for the rough and tumble of city politics. Then, there is Hector Longoria, the republican who switched races. He initially raced $75,000 for an at-large position and then moved into District H which is a historic district. $30,000 of his money comes from the Bob Perry family… that would be high-density builder, Perry Homes.
Bob Perry isn’t just a developer of evil soulless lotbusting townhouses, he’s also a major Republican and tort “reform” donor, meaning he’s just exactly the kind of person we want influencing historic neighborhoods. Not that I was ever in danger of voting for Hector Longoria, mind you.
So there you have it. That’s a good enough reason for me to punch the chad by Adrian Garcia’s name. Let’s hope he can make it to the runoff against Longoria.
Posted by Charles Kuffner at 12:11 PM
Comment by C. Reed | 10/20/2003
Thanks Again. I have seen a rash of Garcia signs pop up lately and I was wondering why. If Diane Mosier and GHDs are backing him, that’s good enough for me. So scratch everything else I wrote. Looks like Garcia is the guy.
Comment by Rob Humenik | 10/20/2003
First and foremost I must say that not all homework is being done!
FYI:Roman Martinez is not running for City Council Dist H. I mean just because your married doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to order the same dish at a restaraunt, nor eat from the same plate. Its just courageous that a female stepped up to the plate against these males.
Richard is a grass roots candidate that is starting out in the political scene, and I commend him for that.
Hector is an Aggie…enough said!
I must commend Camacho on running the first time he is going to vote!
Garcia……Its unfortunate that under the given situation he feels so threatened by some of these candidates that he has to directly attack some of them. Not have enough of his own to prove he’s fit! (Just look @ the graffiti everywhere in Dist. H)
Carlson, don’t know too much about him.
Davila Martinez, well she’s the only one who has the experience that I think we need in Dist.H.
My vote is for her, not because she’s a female, but because she is the only one that has proven herself as a public servant!
In response to all of the other negative comments about her husband, do you and your spouse believe in all the same things and act upon them at all times??………………I didn’t think so!!!!
Comment by A Female in Dist H | 10/22/2003
Well said Mrs. Martinez, your campaign manager could not have said it better herself. I am assuming this is you, or at least one of your campaign staff. Your post is just another rehash of all the things you’ve been saying at your many appearances in district H forums.
Yes you are the only women in the race and yes that does make you different, but not in anyway better. Your attacks on Adrian Garcia and the graffiti in the neighborhood may be a bit misplaced. As residents of district H it is all of our responsibility to look out for vandals, and to pass the buck onto law enforcement is irresponsible.
Comment by C. Reed | 10/22/2003
Adrian’s mailer boasted that his shinning educational achievement was that in High School he was voted the best auto mechanic in the State.
Yeah, this is the person I want representing me at City Council!
I’m voting for the Harvard grad.
Comment by F. Laskos | 10/22/2003
Look just vote for who you want. whether its a male, female, educated or not. This is ridiculous that all of you bad mouth all of these candidates. Just say the good that “your” particular candidate can offer. My gosh, There is no need to bring up people that aren’t even candidates. You all know what district H needs, vote for the qualified individual, not for who you like, dislike, is married to whoever, has a degree, or not!
& by the way, there is nothing wrong with the local coffee shop goers, I am one. GO CAMACHO!!!!!
Comment by martha menouski | 10/22/2003
If you look at the Resume, the choice is simple! A former elected offical who has a track record of community service and involvment. Aside from the Harvard degree, Davila-Martinez is the clear choice to represent Dist H.
Comment by M.picolindo | 10/24/2003
Diana Davila-Martinez is the best councilperson available in District H. She is an intelligent woman who happens to be a mother, wife and community leader and thank God, a Democrat. I wish I lived in District H and could vote for a responsible person. Politics can be exciting! There is even another woman using Diana Davila’s name running for school board. She must know a winner when she hears the name!
Comment by R. Blanco | 10/24/2003
Things we find in the internet on a Sunday morning.
Lets be for real. Houstonians have problems, major problems, such as traffic congestion, transit, and flooding. Who is most qualified to deal with them but a registered professional engineer who has been working with civil engineering issues for over 15 years.
Do you think Metro’s referendum and light rail is an issue for Houston? Who could be more qualified to deal with light rail issues than a transportation engineer who has worked in the Dallas light rail?
There is only one candidate for district H with these qualificaitons. Gonzalo Camacho, P.E.
http://www.camachoforhouston.com
Comment by Gonzalo Camacho | 10/26/2003
Gonzalo:
If only Houstonians had the “mobility plan” and metro to worry about!
Comment by M. Picolindo | 10/28/2003
What are you trying to say Picolindo? What could be more important? There is only one candidate for district H, Gonzalo Camacho, P.E.
http://www.camachoforhouston.com
Comment by Gonzalo Camacho | 10/28/2003
hey, you all slow down here. the posting on october 28 signed “gonzalo camacho” was not posted by me.
in any case: air, water and transportation. these are the elements that make life in an urban area possible.
houston already has one of the worst air problems in the US.
we already pay hundreds of dollars every year to our insurance companies because of flooding.
and on the average houstonians pay $9,700 per year to have the right to use a car…
so, lets talk about other issues you have in mind…
gonz.
Comment by gonzalo | 10/30/2003
No postings since 10/30? Anyway, Looks like the Dist. H race is going to be very interesting. Gracia and Martinez are both good people but, Martinez has the resume and the direct political experience that the people in the district need.
Comment by picolindo | 11/5/2003
Everyone who supports Martinez always brags about her Harvard degree. Does anyone know what her Major was? I think everyone would be surprised?
Comment by Pizza | 11/6/2003
Careful, Pizza, you’re leaving your comments on a website owned by someone with a degree in Cultural Anthropology : )
Comment by Rob Humenik | 11/6/2003
Way to go Humenik, all of us who have degrees in “Social Science” know that to earn one at any university is a challenge. By the Way, since you mentioned it Pizza, I’m surpried I can’t recall, so help me. What University and degree does Garica have? Oh, and to everyone out there who has earned a degree, go ahead and BRAG about it!
Comment by Picolindo | 11/7/2003
I can’t seem to recall any significant legislation Davila-Martinez carried while in the Texas Leg. I am worried that Diana’s husband is heading up Democrats for Sanchez, and they have given his campaign thousands of dollars. I wouldn’t spend that kind of money without support from my partner. The campaign finance reports are posted on the http://www.cityofhouston.gov website. We’ve already had our District H councilmember flip on us, we don’t need it to happen with another.
Comment by Larissa | 11/9/2003