Smithville, Tx–At a gathering for barbecue and brand-building Saturday, Bastrop County Democrats staged a showcase for candidates in next year’s party primaries in advance of the Nov. 2010 general election for county and state offices.
Smithville’s American Legion Hall was the scene of the gathering Oct. 3 when the festivities were highlighted by local standard bearers including incumbent Bastrop County Judge Ronnie McDonald, Pct. 4 Commissioner Lee Dildy, County Treasurer Kathy Schroeder, County Clerk Rose Pietsch and District Court Clerk Cathy Smith. All have announced bids for re-election next year.
But the meeting also made clear that it will not be a free ride for all incumbents in the party primaries next year. Dildy, the senior Democrat holding a Bastrop County office, for instance, will be challenged by Michael Flowers for the party’s nomination next year.
Also on hand was Dickie Henderson of Bastrop, who is seeking nomination for the Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace post currently held by Judge Bill Weddle. Henderson is the brother of Pct. 3 Constable Matt Henderson. Both are sons of the late Bill Henderson who once served as Justice of the Peace for both Pct. 1 and Pct. 3 at the same time.
Also on hand for the event were veteran Texas Dist. 25 U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, along with candidates who hope the bear the Democratic banner next year in a race for a U.S. Senate seat. Those hopefuls included former State Sen. John Sharp ( whose district included Bastrop County at the time) who later served a term as state comptroller and narrowly lost an election as Texas lieutenant governor. Also represented was Houston Mayor Bill White, who also hopes to be the Democratic nominee for the senate seat being vacated by GOP Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Hutchison is challenging Gov. Rick Perry for another four-year term.
White was reported as flying to the Smithville gathering but unable to land his airplane because of stormy weather.
Organizers estimated the Saturday crowd in Smithville at about 200.
Tags: Democrats
Texas Democrats need to field candidates for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. That Court, the highest State Court for criminal appeals, has become a disgrace under the leadership of its Republican majority. At least one or two seats there are vulnerable. Democrat candidates with excellent credentials as attorneys and/or judges could win one of those seats.
Apparently the only judicial candidate to show his face with local Democrats on Saturday is a lawyer named Kurt Kuhn who’s looking for a seat on the 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin.
Any insight?
I do not know Mr. Kurt Kuhn. But he may be related to Bob Kuhn, an Austin Lawyer with roots in Bastrop County.
Doran makes a good guess but doesn’t win the teddy bear. Kurt Kuhn is not related to the Kuhn family from Paige, which includes the well known Austin lawyers Robert and John Kuhn. At least that’s the testimony of 423rd District Judge Chris Duggan of Bastrop County, who is related (by marriage) to Robert and John Kuhn, who are father and son.