Need a little help with the democratic supreme court options...

[Ilsa]

Justice, Place 7: Baltasar Cruz vs Sam Houston. "Sam Houston" sounds like a gimmick. I don't know anything about these two people, including who is more likely to carry in November.

Is Rick Noriega ahead of the others in the Senate poll?

[crispini]

1. Sam Houston is actually for real and has gotten endorsements.

The majority of them, I believe. :hi:

[Ilsa]

6. Thanks! Ineeded to know this. nt

[Justitia]

2. Vote for Sam Houston. He's the real deal and plenty of good Dems have endorsed him.

And yes, Rick Noriega leads the pack, far and away.

I'll also give a little shout out for Linda Yanez.

[Yanez Houston Jordan]

4. I agree 100%, the progressive ticket to win in November is Houston and Yanez for Texas Supreme Court

and Noriega for Senate.

[Ilsa]

7. Thanks! I needed to know this.

Yanez instead of Chriss? okay. It is helpful.

[Yanez Houston Jordan]

11. Yanez is the more experienced, more progressive, and more electable candidate for place 8. Here are

her endorsements:

Congressional

District 9 - Al Green
District 15 - Rubén Hinojosa
District 16 - Silvestre Reyes
District 18 - Sheila Jackson Lee
District 20 - Charlie Gonzalez
District 23 - Ciro D. Rodriguez
District 25 - Lloyd Doggett
District 27 - Solomon P. Ortiz
District 28 - Henry Cuellar



State Senators

District 6 - Mario Gallegos
District 13 - Rodney Ellis
District 19 - Carlos Uresti
District 20 - Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa
District 21 - Judith Zaffirini
District 23 - Royce West
District 26 - Leticia Van de Putte
District 27 - Eduardo A. "Eddie" Lucio, Jr.



State Representatives

District 31 - Ryan Guillen
District 32 - Juan Garcia
District 34 - Abel Herrero
District 35 - Yvonne Gonzales Toureilles
District 37 - Rene Oliveira
District 38 - Eddie Lucio III
District 39 - Armando "Mando" Martinez
District 40 - Aaron Peña
District 41 - Veronica Gonzales
District 42 - Richard Raymond
District 43 - Juan Escobar
District 45 - Patrick Rose
District 51 - Eddie Rodriguez
District 57 - Jim Dunnam
District 74 - Pete Gallego
District 75 - Chente Quintanilla
District 76 - Norma Chavez
District 77 - Paul Moreno
District 79 - Joe Pickett
District 80 - Tracy O. King
District 90 - Lon Burnam
District 95 - Marc Veasey
District 103 - Rafael Anchía
District 104 - Roberto Alonzo
District 106 - Kirk England
District 107 - Allen Vaught
District 110 - Barbara Mallory Caraway
District 111 - Yvonne Davis
District 116 - Trey Martinez Fischer
District 117 - David Leibowitz
District 118 - Joe Farias
District 123 - Mike Villarreal
District 124 - Jose Menendez
District 125 - Joaquin Castro
District 131 - Alma Allen
District 134 - Ellen Cohen
District 137 - Scott Hochberg
District 139 - Sylvester Turner
District 140 - Kevin Bailey
District 143 - Ana Hernandez
District 145 - Rick Noriega
District 147 - Garnet Coleman


Organizations

The Association of Women Attorneys
The Austin Black Lawyers Association
The Austin Progressive Coalition
The Bexar County Young Democrats
The Central Austin Democrats
The Corpus Christi Central Labor Council
The El Paso Tejano Democrats
The Harris County Women’s Political Caucus
The Hidalgo County Tejano Democrats
The Hispanic Bar Association of Austin
The Houston Black American Democrats
The Houston Stonewall Democrats
The Mexican American Bar Association of Houston
The Mexican American Democrats
The National Latino Police Officers Association of Harris County
The Nueces County Tejano Democrats
The Progressive Voters League of Dallas
The South Austin Democrats
The South Texas Tejano Democrats
The Southwest Austin Democrats
The Stonewall Democrats of Dallas
The Texas AFL-CIO
The University Democrats
The West Austin Democrats
The West El Paso Tejano Democrats


Newspapers

“Justice Linda R. Yañez convinced us that she's the better-suited candidate for this job.… Justice Yañez, 59, of Edinburg, was first appointed to the 13th Court of Appeals by then-Gov. Ann Richards and has since won election three times to the post, making her the court's senior justice. She holds a noteworthy list of honors and awards as a trail-blazing Hispanic lawyer and judge, including serving on President Bill Clinton's transition team.... Overall, we felt that Justice Yañez has a tighter grasp of the law and projects the more disciplined judicial demeanor, qualities that are mandatory for someone seeking a seat on the state Supreme Court.” -- The Dallas Morning News

“Yañez has a strong work ethic, is widely respected in the legal community and has the practical experience formulating legal opinions that is the mainstay of a job on the state's highest court for civil matters.” -- The Houston Chronicle

“… Justice Linda Yañez of the 13th Court of Criminal Appeals is our recommendation.… Yañez is an exceptionally good candidate. ... Yañez's 15 years of appellate experience is excellent preparation for the Supreme Court. She has written 850 opinions. The studious, serious judge is a former Harvard Law School instructor… Yañez is the Democrats' strongest option in this race.” -- The San Antonio Express-News

“Yañez says that the current justices are too like-minded …. Yañez, 59, started her career as a legal aid lawyer, worked for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and has taught at the Harvard law school's immigration clinic and trial advocacy workshop..... The Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends Linda Yañez in the Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 8.” -- The Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Yañez's experience as an appellate jurist makes her the candidate best qualified for the job of civil high-court justice. Gov. Ann Richards first appointed Yañez to the bench in 1993, making her the first Latina appointed to the court and the first woman to sit on a Texas appeals bench. She has served well, developing a reputation as a reasonable jurist. Yañez's experience earns our support." -- The Austin Chronicle

“The Editorial Board believes the best choice is Judge Yañez, senior justice on the 13th Court of Appeals in Corpus Christi.… As a youngster, she picked cotton in South Texas, went on to become a teacher, lawyer, and judge. She was an instructor at Harvard Law School and has lectured at a university law school in Valencia, Spain. She served on President Bill Clinton's transition team and was first appointed to the 13th Court by Gov. Ann Richards, becoming the first Hispanic woman named to any appellate court in Texas.... Yañez would make a strong addition to the Texas Supreme Court.” -- The Corpus Christi Caller-Times

“She has the judicial experience with a proven appellate record and the temperament to serve on the state supreme court. We recommend Justice Yañez." -- The Victoria Advocate

"Yañez … has … a level of experience that far outweighs that of her opponent.… Yañez has garnered support across the state…. If Yañez can win the general election against Republican incumbent Justice Phil Johnson, her vow to engage the court with a fresh point of view would be a great asset. That is why we recommend Democrats vote for Yañez in the primary.” -- The Longview News-Journal

[Yanez Houston Jordan]

3. Sam Houston was born Sam Jones, but his mother remarried a man named Houston when Sam was two years

old, and Houston adopted Sam and he has been known as Sam Houston ever since.

It is no gimmic -- it is his name since he was two years old.

Sam is clearly the candidate of choice.

Sam Houston has the following endorsements (among others, I'm sure):


State Senators

District 6 - Mario Gallegos
District 13 - Rodney Ellis
District 14 - Kirk Watson
District 15 - John Whitmire
District 19 - Carlos Uresti
District 20 - Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa
District 29 - Eliot Shapleigh



State Representatives

District 23 - Craig Eiland
District 34 - Abel Herrero
District 37 - Rene Oliveira
District 39 - Armando "Mando" Martinez
District 143 - Ana Hernandez
District 147 - Garnet Coleman
District 148 - Jessica Farrar



Local Officials

Harris Co. Commissioner - El Franco Lee
Harris Co. Commissioner - Sylvia Garcia
Brooks Co. Dem. Chair - Michael Guerra
Cameron Co. Dem. Chair - Gilberto Hinojosa
Hidalgo Co. District Attorney - Rene Guerra
Hidalgo Co. Judge - J.D. Salinas
Mayor of La Joya - Billy Leo



Democratic Organizations

The Association of Women Attorneys
The Austin Black Lawyers Association
The Austin Progressive Coalition
The Capital Area Asian American Democrats
The Central Austin Democrats
The Harris County Democrats
The Hidalgo County Tejano Democrats
The Houston GLBT Political Caucus
The Mexican American Democrats
The North by Northwest Democrats
The Nueces County Tejano Democrats
The Progressive Voters League of Dallas
The South Texas Tejano Democrats
The Stonewall Democrats of Dallas
The Texas AFL-CIO
The University Democrats
The West Austin Democrats



Newspapers

“Sam Houston, Place 7.... He says the high court is stacked with justices who take a "results-oriented" and "activist" approach to the cases they review and cites legal studies showing large corporations are far more likely to win favorable rulings than the individuals who challenge them. A Baylor Law School graduate, Houston says he will work to restore balance by working hard and following the law.” -- The Houston Chronicle

“e're comfortable recommending Houston attorney Sam Houston, whose law partnership and background in business-related legal affairs equips him for the types of cases that dominate the Supreme Court's docket…. This race boils down to judgment and judicial temperament. Mr. Houston has it, and Mr. Cruz clearly lacks it.” -- The Dallas Morning News

“We strongly recommend Houston.… Houston's résumé has substance. He is a West Texas native who has been practicing law for 20 years and has a ‘mixed civil litigation background.’ Houston said the state's all-Republican high court rules almost exclusively for defendants, a complaint echoed by other Democrats seeking a job on the court.” -- The San Antonio Express-News

“Houston lawyer Sam Houston … has spent 20 years as a civil litigator … and has support from lawyers on both sides of the docket. He is board-certified -- meaning specialized education and testing -- in personal injury law and trial advocacy.... The Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends Sam Houston in the Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 7.” -- The Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"In the quest to unseat incumbent Justice Dale Wainwright on the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court and to begin the process of rebalancing the scales of justice, we support the candidacy of Democrat Sam Houston. Houston has more than 20 years of experience as a civil attorney in Space City and is board-certified in personal-injury trial law.... Houston's assessment that the Supremes have become "results-oriented" in their handling of cases, heavily favoring big-business defendants, is spot-on." -- The Austin Chronicle

“Voters have a rare chance to cast a vote for Sam Houston, an experience civil trial lawyer who has practiced in state and federal courts for 20 years.”-- The Corpus Christi Caller-Times

“Houston has practiced civil law for 20 years in Houston, having tried many cases ranging from personal injury to complex commercial cases. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and has been rated “AV” by Martindale-Hubbell. An AV rating means Houston’s professional ability is very high (as well as his ethics). It is the highest rating that Martindale-Hubbell awards. Martindale-Hubbell has been rating attorneys based on peer reviews for more than a century…. Texas Monthly magazine also labeled Houston a ‘Super Lawyer.’ We recommend Houston for the Place 7, Supreme Court judge position.” -- The Victoria Advocate

“Houston has the stronger legal background and can make a stronger case for his ability to challenger Republican incumbent Justice Dale Wainwright in the general election. That is why we recommend Democrats vote for Houston in the primary.” -- The Longview News-Journal

[Ilsa]

8. Thank you for the info. I hadn't kept up. nt

[sonias]

5. Sam Houston is the best choice

And he has an excellent record.

Vote for Rick Noriega too. Let's not send this race into a runoff please.


Sonia

[Ilsa]

9. Thanks! I needed to know this.

I already had Noriega selected, but didn't know about Yanez and Houston.

[sonias]

12. I voted for Yanez too.

Sonia

[Yanez Houston Jordan]

10. Clearly, Noriega is the best choice, but I wonder if a runoff would be such a bad thing. Rick

would get another month of free press, another round of universal newspaper endorsements, better name identification, etc.

I hope Rick wins outright, but I'm not going to fret if he gets into a runoff.

[merci_me]

14. There is an upside to a run-off

I was speaking with Rick last night and he pointed out something I was not aware of. Rick has a number of supporters who have already donated the maximum $2,300 for each the primary and general election, for a total of $4,600. However, if he's in a 30 day runoff with Gene Kelly, pretty much a sleeper, his max'ed out donors can contribute another $2,300, which many are poised to do.

Another thing, oddly enough, there was a poll out showing that most of Gene Kelly's support is coming from 18-39 year olds, probably because many are new voters, who are keyed into the presidential and don't know who Rick is. My feeling is those 18-39 year old presidential voters, will not be interested in coming out for the run-off and we'll be back to the longtime Dems, who know who the candidates are and show up to vote every time there's an election.

[thevoiceofreason]

13. Sam is a personal friend. He's outstanding

[Baltasar D. Cruz]

15. To learn about Baltasar D. Cruz, check out my website ...

at http://cruzforjudge.blogspot.com/

I also have plenty of endorsements and am the only candidate advocating judicial reforms, which are listed on my website.

I suspect that "Yanez Houston Jordan" is a paid political consultant for Yanez, Houston and Jordan.

[Yanez Houston Jordan]

16. I appreciate your willingness to put yourself forward as a candidate against the corrupt Texas

Supreme Court.

I am supporting Sam Houston instead of you in the race because I see what issues you raise as your top priorities and the issues Sam Houston raises as his top priorities, and I agree more with Sam Houston and believe that his focus is more on the main problem, and while I agree with most of your proposed reforms, I see the issues you focus on (like ad litem regulations) as a somewhat lower priority (but still an important issue). I also read published law cases where Sam Houston was involved in the case and where you were involved in the case, and it seemed to me that Sam Houston had broader and more relevant experience. My preference for Sam Houston is not intended as an insult to you.

With that said, I am still grateful to you for running.

I mention all of this as a preface for this point: I am not a paid political consultant for Yanez, Houston, Jordan or anyone else; I'm a concerned Texan who believes that our system of justice is gravely ill and it needs to be cured and this election is an opportunity to start the healing process by replacing the corrupt and incompetent Republican incumbents on the Texas Supreme Court (and Court of Criminal Appeals, too) with good Democrats.