Tight Poll Numbers Help Cornyn, Too
Last week two separate polls (Rasmussen and Research 2000) came out showing Democrat Rick Noriega just four points behind incumbent Republican US Senator John Cornyn. There are reasons to suspect those numbers, but the Noriega campaign proudly trumpeted both polls. Hey, a closer-than-expected race could convince on-the-fence donors to give.
But a "real race" helps Cornyn drum up the cash, too. Tonight, his finance director sent out the following message:
We don't put much validity in either poll, but Democrats certainly are. Liberal bloggers and Democrat partisans alike have pounced on the results, claiming they spell doom for Senator Cornyn this fall.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, lead by liberal New York Senator Chuck Schumer, proclaimed in an email that the polls show "John Cornyn in serious trouble..."
Ultra-liberal blogger Daily Kos, who commissioned and paid for the second poll, called the results "nothing short of remarkable," and claimed they "hint that this may be a top-tier race before long..."
No one can deny that our opponent and his allies are in desperate need of anything to help them raise resources and give national Democrats reason to invest untold millions into the race, and we must stop them.
Please contribute $10, $25 or $50 to help debunk the myths our opponent and his liberal allies are trying to tell about Senator Cornyn.
The facts are clear, the extreme left is energized and unscrupulous, and our opponent is shamelessly aligned with them and will say and do anything it takes to gain much needed relevance and resources.
Noriega's the one hurting for cash, but for both sides, I imagine any amount is helpful in a costly statewide campaign. (If that came out the wrong way, this is not intended to encourage you to donate.)
Sidelined by the Storm
Haven't updated today because I've been diverted by a crazy storm that sent what sounds like sideways hail through the Central parts of Austin. Politics took a back seat (well, not that much is going on right now anyway), but let's get back on track...
Ring My Beeeeeell.... Ring My Bell
As Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples prepares to head to Cuba, Texas Secretary of State Phil Wilson is hanging out with Texas business leaders in The Big Apple. He rang NASDAQ's closing bell.
When shifting from his position on the Governor's staff to Governor's appointee, Wilson retained his role as an economic development expert/liason for the state. According to Wilson's office, there are over 160 Texas-based companies listed on the NASDAQ exchange with a total market value of nearly $120 billion.
Ag Commissioner Headed to Cuba
...But will he find Scarface?
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples is making the first trip to Cuba by a statewide elected official in more than four decades. And he's bringing friends -- an entire delegation of folks from Texas to talk about expanding trade deals with the Caribbean country.
"This is a great opportunity to build long-lasting trade relationships with Cuba," Commissioner Staples said. "We want Texas producers to have access to this growing market and for Cubans to have the chance to enjoy the best agricultural products the world offers: Texas food and fiber."
You may be thinking, wait, we trade with Cuba? Yes, indeed. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Texas has exported well over $100 million in agricultural products to Cuba since 2000. That's when Congress partially lifted the trade embargo against the island nation (which was enacted under JFK).
Hutchison Makes the Elite Eight
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison has survived the second round of CQ Politics' VP Madness, in which online voters like you help John McCain select his running mate. Here are the results from Round Two, winners are on the left. (Governor Rick Perry was voted out in Round One.)
* Mike Huckabee (54%) vs. Condoleezza Rice (45%)
* Mark Sanford (53%) vs. Mitt Romney (46%)
* Tim Pawlenty (55%) vs. Colin Powell (44%)
* Kay Bailey Hutchison (52%) vs. Tom Ridge (47%)
* Sarah Palin (62%) vs. Sam Brownback (37%)
* Bobby Jindal (52%) vs. Michael Steele (47%)
* Rob Portman (60%) vs. Joe Lieberman (39%)
* Charlie Crist (60%) vs. John Thune (39%)
Now it looks like KBH will face Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. The winner of that matchup will head to the Final Four.
Make your picks here.
Are You in Good Hands?
Texas Allstate customers will get a total of $71 million in refunds after the insurance company settled with the Texas Department of Insurance , over the insurance company's excessive premiums*. Here's how it will affect you, if you are in "good hands":
Allstate will refund almost $37 million for new and renewal policies written between Dec. 1, 2004-April 23, 2006, a period when the state said its rates were too high.
Allstate also will reduce homeowners rates by 3 percent statewide for new and renewal policies written for one year beginning June 2. And it will credit or refund policy holders 3 percent between Aug. 20, 2007 and June 1.
The Texas Department of Insurance estimates as many as 700,000 policy holders will be affected by the settlement. Allstate is Texas' second-largest writer of homeowner policies and covers nearly 15 percent of the market.
Texas Watch head Alex Winslow isn't happy about the outcome because Allstate made no "meaningful" rate reductions. He is calling for lawmakers to step in.
"Today's settlement with Allstate smacks of a political ploy by TDI to defuse legislative and public frustration over the agency's failure to fulfill the promise of meaningful rate relief for Texas homeowners. TDI is set to undergo serious legislative scrutiny starting next month and lawmakers should take heed of the fact another $20 million of their constituents' money is going into the insurance industry's pockets," he said in a statement.
"The insurance commissioner should quit playing politics with Texas homeowners' hard-earned money. Texans are sick and tired of half-baked settlements that allow insurance companies to pad their bottom lines without meaningful rate reductions.
*But that dude from 24 who does the commercials is convincing
