A Viewer’s Guide to the Supreme Court Case
From http://txredistricting.org
The start of a “January to remember” kicks off Monday afternoon at 1 p.m. (ET) with arguments in the Supreme Court about the interim legislative and congressional maps drawn by the San Antonio panel.
Here’s a preview of the case:
What will the Supreme Court decide?
There are three interlinked core issues.
The first, and most basic issue, is whether the San Antonio panel abused its discretion in drawing interim maps that did not hew closely enough to the maps adopted by the Texas Legislature.
Then, if the Supreme Court concludes that was the case, the court will have to explain to the San Antonio panel what it needs to do to fix the maps – or how it should draw new ones.
Related to that, the Supreme Court will need to decide whether there is enough time to fix any problems that it finds in the interim maps or whether it should just order the elections to go forward on the state’s maps (as the state argues) or the court-drawn interim maps.
Mixed in with those more pedestrian issues is the lurking and potentially explosive issue of whether the preclearance process under section 5 continues to be constitutionally viable nearly 50 years after enactment of the Voting Rights Act.
Read More at TxRedistricting.Org
Candidate Filings
For a complete list of Tarrant County candidate filings please follow this link:
Candidate Drawing Delayed by Courts
Due to the orders related to redistricting by the San Antonio District Court, the candidate drawing for a place on the ballot will not occur until after after February 1st. Stay tuned for more updates.
Adrian Murray Files for County Chair
Adrian Murray
817-991-9604
ajmurray2004@sbcglobal.net
Fort Worth businessman and grassroots conservative activist Adrian Murray announced today that he has filed as a candidate for chair of the Tarrant County Republican Party. The office is being vacated by Stephanie Klick, who has resigned her position to seek another elective office.
In a statement, Murray said: “2012 will be the most crucial election in America’s history. Next year will require all hands on deck and all boots on the ground if we are to reverse the ‘fundamental transformation’ of America that is occurring before our eyes. This is not a time for timidity or uncertainty. It is a time for strong, determined leadership with a vision to achieve electoral victory in 2012. I believe I possess those qualities of leadership, organization and motivation which these times require.”
For two years Murray led the Fort Worth 912 Project which successfully worked with members of the Tarrant County GOP to fill vacant precinct chairs ahead of the 2010 primaries and which resulted in an overwhelming Republican victory in the general election that fall.
Murray is president and owner of Painless Performance Products, a Fort Worth-based manufacturer with 55 employees. The company produces wiring harnesses and other brand name products for the classic car, hot rod and racing industries. He is active with the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, having served on its Executive Committee and currently serves on the board of the East Area Council, which focuses on educational and economic empowerment issues in East Fort Worth.
Updated Filings
Tarrant County Republican Filings through 12/12/11
The candidates listed below are running in district wholly contained within Tarrant County and have filed for a place on the ballot with the Tarrant County GOP.
Candidates running statewide and in multi-county districts are required to file with the Republican Party of Texas. Those filing can be viewed at www.texasgop.org
Downloadable PDF of 2012 Candidates Who Have Filed- through12.12.11 SOS spreadsheet with contact information
| RACE NAME | CANDIDATE NAME |
| Congressional District 33 | Bill Lawrence |
| Constable Pct 1 | Richard Bo Aldridge |
| Constable Pct 1 | Dale Clark |
| Constable Pct 1 | Tommie Hathorn |
| Constable Pct 2 | Robert J McGinty |
| Constable Pct 2 | David Woodruff |
| Constable Pct 3 | Darrell Huffman |
| Constable Pct 3 | Jason L McCaffity |
| Constable Pct 4 | Dub Bransom |
| Constable Pct 5 | Dan Chisholm |
| Constable Pct 6 | Tim Hotchkin |
| Constable Pct 6 | Joseph Ortega |
| Constable Pct 6 | Jon Siegel |
| Constable Pct 7 | Clint C Burgess |
| County Chair | Bob McGrath |
| County Chair | Adrian Murray |
| County Commissioner, Pct 3 | Gary Fickes |
| District Judge, 153rd District Court | Kevin Carey |
| District Judge, 153rd District Court | Susan McCoy |
| District Judge, 17th District Court | Melody Wilkinson |
| District Judge, 213th District Court | Louis E Sturns |
| District Judge, 342nd District Court | Wade Birdwell |
| District Judge, 348th District Court | Dana Womack |
| District Judge, 352nd District Court | Bonnie Sudderth |
| District Judge, 396th District Court | George Gallagher |
| District Judge, 48th District Court | David Evans |
| District Judge, 67th District Court | Don Cosby |
| District Judge, 96th District Court | R H Wallace Jr |
| District Judge, Criminal Court No. 2 | Wayne Salvant |
| Family District Judge, 360th Judicial District | Mike Sinha |
| Sherriff | Dee Anderson |
| State Representative District 101 | Dick Elkins |
| State Representative District 91 | Barbara Nash |
| State Representative District 91 | Kenneth M Ken Sapp |
| State Representative District 91 | Lady Thombs |
| State Representative District 92 | Jonathan Stickland |
| State Representative District 94 | Diane Patrick |
| State Representative District 96 | Mike Leyman |
| State Representative District 96 | Bill Zedler |
| State Representative District 97 | Craig Goldman |
| State Representative District 97 | Susan Todd |
| State Representative District 98 | Giovanni Capriglione |
| State Representative District 98 | Vicki Truitt |
| State Representative District 99 | Charlie Geren |
| Tax Assessor-Collector | Ron Wright |
| Texas Senate, District 10 | Mark M. Shelton |
AG Abbott Asks Court for Clarification
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott issued a press release this afternoon stating that he will ask the San Antonio panel on Monday to clarify that all filing deadlines related to the state house, senate, and congressional seats are stayed pending action by the Supreme Court. Abbott takes the position that all other candidate filing should continue.
Here’s his press release:
Attorney General Abbott To Ask For Stay of Candidate Filing Period for Texas Senate, Texas House of Representatives and U.S. House of Representatives Elections
Stay only applies to congressional and state legislative elections; county and statewide elections are not affectedAUSTIN — Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is seeking immediate clarification from the three-judge panel in San Antonio regarding the candidate filing period for the 2012 Texas Senate, Texas House of Representatives and U.S. House of Representatives elections. Currently, the deadline for these candidates to file for office is December 15, 2011. On Monday, Texas will file a motion with the San Antonio panel asking the court to stay all deadlines and requirements governing candidate filing and administration of the 2012 elections for the Texas House of Representatives, the Texas Senate and Texas’s congressional districts, until further order by the three-judge panel in San Antonio or the U.S. Supreme Court.
This request furthers the Texas Attorney General’s stated goals of reducing uncertainty surrounding Texas’ 2012 elections and protecting the integrity of Texas elections. Neither the State’s request for a stay of the filing deadlines nor the stay issued Friday by the U.S. Supreme Court relate to or delay the filing periods or elections for any other office. Only the Texas Senate, Texas House of Representatives and U.S. House of Representatives elections are affected.
Joe Chow files for Congressional District 6
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact December 7, 2011
(972) 342-2932
media@chowforcongress.com
A PROVEN LEADER HAS EMERGED IN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6
FORMER ADDISON MAYOR JOE CHOW FILES HIS CANDIDACY FOR U.S. CONGRESS
Waxahachie, TX – December 7, 2011 – Joe Chow filed his candidacy for U.S. Congressional District 6 on Wednesday. The successful businessman and former Mayor of Addison brings to the table a record of cutting taxes, fiscal responsibility, and proven conservative leadership.
“I have had the honor of serving the people of Addison, Texas as Mayor, and it would be a great honor for me to serve the people of Congressional District 6,” said Chow. “District 6 is in need of a new leader who will fight for conservative values and who will take integrity and fiscal discipline to Washington.”
When asked about his reasons for running for Congress, Joe expressed a sense of urgency. “The policies of the Obama Administration have taken our nation in the wrong direction for nearly three years,” stated Chow. “Obama’s economic policies have been detrimental to economic liberty, and he has brought intrusive government into the lives of Americans on an unprecedented scale. In 2012, we must restore conservative leadership to the White House and elect dedicated conservatives to Congress who understand the proper role of government.”
These are difficult times, and Joe knows it. “Everyone tells me the same thing: A 9.1% unemployment rate is not acceptable. A sky-rocketing debt is not acceptable. Obamacare is not acceptable. Our illegal immigration policy is not acceptable. And most people want term limits. I stand by our Constitution, our right to bear arms, our sovereignty as a nation, states’ rights, and freedom of the individual.”
For over 25 years, Chow has been a successful small business owner. He immigrated to the United States from Taiwan at age 23 and earned his MBA in 1980 before becoming a restaurant manager and eventually the owner of the May Dragon restaurant in 1986.
“I know what it means to operate within a budget, and I know what it takes to make hard choices,” said Chow. “As Mayor, I cut taxes twice and led Addison through the recession with a 40% rainy day fund.”
The recent redistricting process has dramatically altered political districts in North Texas. District 6 is now 70 percent new and contains most of Grand Prairie, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Cockrell Hill, Mansfield, and South Irving, as well as all of Ellis and Navarro Counties. The district has lost Arlington, southern Fort Worth, as well as all of the area south of Navarro County.
###
McGrath Files For Tarrant County GOP County Chair
JUDGE BOB McGRATH
Arlington, Texas 76012
judgemcgrath@gmail.com
817-905-0003
December 6, 2011
PRESS RELEASE
McGrath Files For GOP County Chair
Today retired Judge Bob McGrath filed to serve as the Tarrant County Republican Party Chair. The current Chair, Stephanie Klick, has indicated she will be a candidate for State Representative. When she officially files she will immediately vacate the position of chair and the Tarrant County Executive Committee – composed of all elected or ratified precinct chairmen – will name an interim replacement to serve until the winner of the March Primary takes office on the first Monday of June 2012. Judge McGrath has indicated he will also seek the support of the local precinct chairmen for the position of interim county chair.
Bob McGrath was elected to the 342nd District Court bench in 1992 and served for 17 ½ years. He retired in 2010 and served for a year as the legal advisor for the Dallas County Commissioners’ Court. Prior to his election as judge, McGrath maintained a private defense law practice and also served as in-house counsel for a major insurance company. He presently serves as a visiting judge and as a mediator, but has said he will no longer serve as a visiting judge if elected as the GOP County Chair.
McGrath has been active in local Republican politics since 1992, and previously served two years as president of the Arlington Republican Club.
When asked why he is running, McGrath said “I have been blessed with the support and confidence of the Republican Party for many years and now I believe I can be of service to the Party in this critical election year. With Chairman Klick retiring, it is vital that the Party has an experienced, also known as old, hand to conduct the Primary and to steer our way to victory in November.” Citing the decline of the economy and the level of unemployment under the current administration, McGrath stated “this year may very well be a turning point in American history. If we don’t put a conservative in the White House and elect more conservatives to Congress, it is frightening to think where the current rate of federal spending is going to leave the American economy. .We have all said before that ‘this is the most important election of our life,’ but that has never been truer than it is this year.”
McGrath, 60, graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1973 with a degree in Sociology and obtained his law degree with honors from the University of Texas in Austin. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Tarrant County Bar Association and the State Bar College. Bob and his wife Nancy have been married for 39 years and have 3 grown children and 4 grandchildren who occupy that special place in his heart.
—END—
Updated Tarrant County Filings
Tarrant County 2012 Filing Report2
