In 2011, 7 new Council Members were elected and they took office in 2012. This was the largest freshman class in a very long time and it has created an interesting Council.
For 2013, we are absolutely certain that there will be at least 3 new Council Members due to term limits. Council Member Melissa Noriega, At-Large Position 3, is term-limited. Council Members Wanda Adams, District D and James Rodriguez, District I are also term-limited.
These three vacancies are already creating a beehive of activity for their communities. The At-Large Position 3 opening has generated 7 candidates and there will likely be a few more. These candidates truly reflect the make-up of Houston. We’ll provide a candidate list and discuss in more detail in an upcoming post.
District D has a bustling field of candidates and signs are already up across much of the community. Dwight Boykins is running and he has previously sought office for At-Large positions. Georgia Provost is a well-known civic leader in the area. Assata Richards is making her way. She is a grass-roots community activist and involved with Project Row Houses. There will likely be other candidates as well but these appear to be the top 3. Look for this one to go to a run-off and to be a hard fought battle.
District I has garnered a slew of candidates that are already aggressively campaigning. Gracie Garces, Chief of Staff to the incumbent is seeking the position as well as Ben Mendez, a well-known city-wide Latino leader. Neighborhood activist Robert Gallego is a contender along with Leticia Ablaza. There is a guarantee of a run-off for this seat.
We’ll look at incumbents facing challengers in an upcoming post.
Lessons learned from earlier City Council contests are to never judge the fields too early. Candidates have appeared late in the game that can change the dynamics of a district Council race with lightening speed. The early front-runners are definitely not assured winners.
Stay tuned to Ponderings to keep up to date on these local races.
In District I, at this point I predict Graci Garces will be the front runner with Gallegos and Mendez working for second place, which will probably be a run off. Mendez has been working it hard while Gallegos, while strong in a small section of the district, struggles to gain ground outside his Houston Country Club Place fiefdom. Leticia Ablaza is busy trying to hide her tea-party roots in a heavy red district and is not really a contender.
I had something forwarded to me on Ablaza, case # 2716539 from 1991. Not too flattering!
This race will come down to:
-Robert Gallegos
-Graci Graces
-Leticia Ablaza
-Ben Mendez
Graci did not get the traction Marc Campos, Carol Alvarado and James Rodriguez wished and hoped for.
WARNING!! READ BETWEEN THE LINES!!
The GRACI GARCES CAMPAIGN is based on these behind the scenes past scandals!!! ALERT NOTICE!!!
Diana Davila Martinez is the Campaign Manager to the Graci Garces Campaign. These Political People have been out to Politics for years and are now trying to make Graci Garces their puppet!!!
Please Read the past information on these BEHIND THE SCENES X-POLITICIANS WHO ARE THE BACKERS OF THE GRACI GRACES CAMPAIGN.
1994-DIANA DAVILA WAS A LEGISLATIVE AID AND THE MISTRESS OF THEN STATE
REPRESENTATIVE ROMAN MARTINEZ. WHO RAN AGAINST MARIO GALLEGOS. IT WAS A
BITTER ELECTION! A FLYER WAS SENT OUT DURING THE GALLEGOS-MARTINEZ ELECTION ABOUT THE FACT THAT ROMAN MARTINEZ WAS MARRIED AT THE TIME AND LEFT HIS WIFE AND 2 CHILDREN FOR YOUNGER DIANA DAVILA. WHERE THEY LATER MARRIED.
1994-ROMAN MARTINEZ LOST THE SENATE RACE TO MARIO GALLEGOS.
1992-ROMAN MARTINEZ LOST THE SENATE RACE TO JOHN WHITMIRE.
2004-DIANA DAVILA MARTINEZ LOST IN A RUN-OFF FOR CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT H RACE TO ADRIAN GARCIA.
City Hall shakeup over payroll scandal
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Houston News: Mayor Pro Tem Carol Alvarado Bonus Scandal
The scandal at city hall is heating up reports Houston News. On February 15, Mayor Pro Tem Carol Alvarado’s office was raided, the locks changed, and four workers in her office were suspended, accused of taking improper bonuses.