Tomorrow is the Texas primary elections, in which voters will have a chance to rid themselves of such scourges to public education as Don McLeroy and Ken Mercer. Cynthia Dunbar is, thankfully, leaving the Board, as is Rick Agosto. Bob Craig, a right-wing Republican, is being challenged by someone even farther to the right.
So, my suggested votes in the Republican primaries. As always, these are my own opinion, and do not reflect the views of NCSE or any other organization.
District 1: Rene Nunez has filed for re-election and runs unopposed in the primary, as does his presumptive Republican challenger. Probably a safe seat in the general election.
District 3: Probably safe Democratic seat. Vote for whichever Republican, I guess, as it's hard to believe Democrat Michael Soto will lose the general election.
District 4: Lawrence Allen is running unopposed in both the primary and general election.
District 5: Anything to be rid of incumbent Ken Mercer, who is opposed in the primary by Tim Tuggey. I haven't seen anything disqualifying about any of the Democrats in this race, but the Austin American Statesman's endorsement of Rebecca Bell-Metereau over Daniel Boone, Josiah James Ingalls, and Robert Bohmfalk seems pretty sensible. Boone did testify handily against creationist language at the SBOE hearings in January, which earns him major cred.
District 9: I rather liked the cute baby alien butâ¦Â oh, Texas' District 9: Someone had to stand up to the anti-intellectual, anti-science, anti-history Don McLeroy, and Thomas Ratliff seems to be doing a great job of it. No Democrats have filed in this race, so the primary is the general election.
District 10: Dunbar is not seeking re-election. Judy Jennings us running unopposed for this seat covering part of Austin, and the Republicans are choosing between Rebecca Osborne, Brian Russell, and Marsha Farney. Russell is Dunbar's "heir apparent," and authored a creationist platform for the Republican Party. The other two have no clear record on creationism or evolution, but Rebecca Osborne's campaign feels more educationally serious.
District 12: Geraldine "Tincy" Miller is an experienced member of the board and deserves to keep her seat against George Clayton's Republican primary challenge. No Democrat has filed.
District 15: Bob Craig brings intellectual heft to Board discussions that easily bests the combined wits of at least half of the board, and deserves to win the Republican primary against Randy Rives. No Democrat has filed.
Texans, go vote!
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I voted this morning in the Republican primary. Although I'm in Austin and will likely vote for mostly Democrat politicians, a lot of the wider elections are Republican dominated, so the only real chance to cast a vote that could make a difference is in the primary.
I really hope Mr. Mercer and Gov. Perry get the boot. I'm more hopeful that Mercer will lose than Perry, though.
On a side note, there were a series of referendums to vote on, one of which was:
Ballot Proposition #4: Public Acknowledgement of God
The use of the word "God", prayers, and the Ten Commandments should be allowed at public gatherings and public educational institutions, as well as be permitted on government buildings and property.
*facepalm* The others weren't as bad, but still really awful ideas.
Now why does that sound familiar . . . ?
Oh, yeah. . . . Coakley. (ouch)