Archive for 2001

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Wayne says what, Bosse out on Pct 2 and Chris Bell is in the race for the 25th

Tuesday, December 18th, 2001

A former member of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority. Wayne Smith has filed for District 128 in east Harris County. He’ll face Tom Butler and Reggie Gonzales in the GOP primary. The Gossips hear that when Wayne Smith was visiting with a group of business types selling himself as the candidate to support he said he was going to win because of his support from the business lobby and their support for Speaker Laney. Whoops you should not say that if your are a Republican. Could be an issue in the race say the Gossips.

And The Gossips hear that St. Rep Fred Bosse is now out of the Pct 2 race for Harris County Commissioner. That leaves City Council member John Castillo in the race for the Democratic nomination against City Controller Sylvia Garcia. Castillo may have problems in the primary due to his recent endorsement of Orlando Sanchez in the Mayor’s race.

And the Gossips hear that the list grows with Chris Bell’s announcement on Wed. for Congress in the 25th District. He joins another city Council member Carroll Robinson, former St. Rep Paul Colbert and Attorney Steve King to either announce or about to announce. This is for Ken Bentsen’s seat.

George gstrong@political.com _____________________________________________________________________ GEORGE STRONG and ASSOCIATES ** See Us At ** http://www.political.com Providing Government Relations-Political Consulting-and Political Buttons! Ph713-526-3606,Fax 713-528-3688

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Who wants to be Mayor in 2003, Look at the Chronicle’s List and our additions

Monday, December 10th, 2001

The Gossips say let’s hear it for John Williams at the Houston Chronicle for starting the rumor mill on who might run for Mayor in 2003. Here is his list:

Former Port of Houston Chairman Ned Holmes.

City Councilman Orlando Sanchez.

Banker Marc Shapiro. The former head of Chase Bank in Houston now lives in New York but maintains a home here.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee

Houston lawyer Arthur Schechter. The Democratic Party fund-raiser

City Controller Sylvia Garcia.

Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt.

Developer Ed Wulfe.

City Councilman Gabriel Vasquez

Democratic State Rep. Sylvester Turner.

Robert Miller, Metro Chair

State Sen. Rodney Ellis.

A very good list but the Gossips would add:

State Rep Garnet Coleman

City Councilman Carroll Robinson (if he does not win the seat in Congress, District 25

Robert Miller would have to move since he lives in South Side Place.

But he could move and so could Gary Polland, the GOP chair. He lives in Belliare but he could move if he loses the race for State Senate District 17.

The Gossips think sure to run as of now: Sylvester Turner and Sylvia Garcia. Congresswoman Lee has wanted to be Mayor. Put her next to the top of the list.

And what about Ken Bentsen and Chris Bell. If they are unsuccessful for their respective races for the Congress and U.S. Senate they could be possibles for Mayor in 2003.

Any others?

George gstrong@political.com _____________________________________________________________________ GEORGE STRONG and ASSOCIATES ** See Us At ** http://www.political.com Providing Government Relations-Political Consulting-and Political Buttons! Ph713-526-3606,Fax 713-528-3688

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Gary Polland, Gary Polland, There his name is right, but his comments are way off

Saturday, December 8th, 2001
Gary Polland, Chair of the Republican Party of Harris County says that the Mayor race was won by Mayor Brown due to ” dirty campaign tactics of Lee P. Brown and his apologists in the media”. Gary goes on to state that the Brown team “carried campaigning to a new low in this election” Others, including the media have said, “this was the most negative campaign in the history of Houston”. That is just plain not true. I have been involved or observed up close most of the Mayor’s races for almost thirty years and all most all of them have been negative when it came to the run-offs. Look at the 1991 runoff between Bob Lanier and Sylvester Turner. That was not negative! Or Kathy Whitmire against Sheriff Jack Heard. “Come on out and fight like a man” was one of the milder things that Kathy said. Or Fred Hofheinz against Dick Gottlieb in 1973. Gottlieb said “watch out for the block vote” and everyone knew what he meant. What about Louie Welch and the shoot the q—–s” remark when he was running against Kathy and with the “straight slate” during the AIDs scare in 1985. This was a spirited race and each candidate used what he could to get his voters to go vote. But did it leave lasting splits in the community? I doubt it. Polland lost and that is why he now whines about campaign tactics. Would each candidate like to take ack some of their remarks and signs and wanted posters? Sure. But politics is a contact sport and in this election hardly anyone got a bloody nose.

George gstrong@political.com _____________________________________________________________________ GEORGE STRONG and ASSOCIATES ** See Us At ** http://www.political.com Providing Government Relations-Political Consulting-and Political Buttons! Ph713-526-3606,Fax 713-528-3688

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Polland whines about the campaign.

Friday, December 7th, 2001

Gary Pollard, Chair of the Republican Party of Harris County says that the Mayor race was won by Mayor Brown due to ” dirty campaign tactics of Lee P. Brown and his apologists in the media”. Gary goes on to state that the Brown team “carried campaigning to a new low in this election”

Others, including the media have said, “this was the most negative campaign in the history of Houston”. That is just plain not true. I have been involved or observed up close most of the Mayor’s races for almost thirty years and all most all of them have been negative when it came to the run-offs.

Look at the 1991 runoff between Bob Lanier and Sylvester Turner. That was not negative! Or Kathy Whitmire against Sheriff Jack Heard. “Come on out and fight like a man” was one of the milder things that Kathy said. Or Fred Hofheinz against Dick Gottlieb in 1973. Gottlieb said “watch out for the block vote” and everyone knew what he meant. What about Louie Welch and the shoot the q—–s” remark when he was running against Kathy and with the “straight slate” during the AIDs scare in 1985.

This was a spirited race and each candidate used what he could to get his voters to go vote. But did it leave lasting splits in the community? I doubt it. Pollard lost and that is why he now whines about campaign tactics. Would each candidate like to take back some of their remarks and signs and wanted posters? Sure. But politics is a contact sport and in this election hardly anyone got a bloody nose.

George gstrong@political.com _____________________________________________________________________ GEORGE STRONG and ASSOCIATES ** See Us At ** http://www.political.com Providing Government Relations-Political Consulting-and Political Buttons! Ph713-526-3606,Fax 713-528-3688

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