Former Mayor Sylvester Turner (right) should never be elected to another public office again, and certainly not the 18th Congressional District of Texas. PEOPLE ON THE MOVE... Jacquie Baly-Craig (seated left), her husband James Craig (standing left), State Senator Paul Bettencourt (standing right), and his wife Susan Sladic, are pictured above from a couple of years ago at the Greater Houston Council 60th Diamond Anniversary Luncheon. It’s not a secret that Jacquie Baly-Craig votes conservative. However, with “STRAIGHT-TICKET VOTING” abolished in Texas, Baly-Craig and many other African Americans in Texas are beginning to be real difference-makers at the ballot box. However, the mainstream media outlets are not telling you this, but African Americans are becoming wiser, more intelligent voters as the Tuesday, November 5, 2024, Presidential Election draws nearer.
Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner could ultimately go down in history as one of the most corrupt mayors in history and has no business running for the United States Congress for the 18th Congressional District of Texas when Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee goes home to glory or relinquishes this coveted Congressional seat sometime very soon.
Kyles Scott and Ericka McCrutcheon, the two Conservative candidates running for HCAD, At-Large, Place 2, and HCAD, At-Large, Place 3, should be well on their way to winning the "HCAD RUNOFF" election on Saturday, June 15, 2024, in Harris County, Texas. However, 27,350 absentee mail ballots must still be filled out and returned to the Harris County Clerk's Office. The Harris County Clerk mailed out 38,393 absentee mail ballots to eligible voters, but only 11,043 have been returned.
I’m Aubrey R. Taylor, the Houston Business Connections Newspaper publisher and investigative reporter. I have conducted investigations in Harris County, Texas, since the 1990s and plan to closely monitor the “ABSENTEE BALLOT FLOW” between now and Tuesday, November 5, 2024, for the upcoming Presidential Election in Harris County, Texas.
Jacquie Baly-Craig and State Sen. Paul Bettencourt Will Be Closely Watching the HCAD Runoff Results; Not Sure About Turner
AUBREY R. TAYLOR REPORTS©
I believe “THE BLACK VOTE” is the most misunderstood in America. From what I can see, nobody is trying to understand the thinking patterns of Black people and how they arrive at the decisions they make when inside the voting booth.
Inherently, Blacks are conservative by nature, but many don’t realize it. Why not?
For the most part, the mainstream media has used creative broadcasting strategies to keep information out of the hands of Black folks while using the power of their networks to shape false narratives.
African Americans in Texas, for the most part, haven’t been taught that our ancestors established the foundation of the Texas Republican Party. Throughout Reconstruction, African Americans comprised about 90% of “GOP” Membership, and 44 African Americans served in the Texas legislature as members of the Republican Party.
During Reconstruction, the first-ever state "REPUBLICAN CONVENTION," was held in Houston, Texas. On July 4, 1867, about 150 African Americans and only 20 Anglos attended the first Republican convention in Texas.
Since the Reconstruction era, Black leadership at the state house and senate has dropped considerably. From 44 African Americans holding public office in Austin, Texas, there are now only 17 members in the state house: 16 African American Democrats and one Republican named State Rep. Charles Cunningham, who represents House District 127.
Regarding the Texas Senate, there are currently only two: State Senator Borris L. Miles (Senate District 13) and State Senator Royce West, who represents Senate District 23.
As I said, 44 African Americans were in the Texas legislature during Reconstruction, but in 2024, only 19 served in the state house’s upper and lower chambers.
What am I trying to say?
The way African Americans have been playing the political game since Reconstruction is all wrong. And if something doesn’t change in quick order, Blacks are going to become irrelevant in “THE GAME OF POLITICS” in Texas within ten years.
We cannot continue to allow “DO-NOTHING” politicians like former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who didn’t do anything for "OUR PEOPLE" during nearly three decades in the Texas legislature, to get elected to any more elected positions in the future.
From what I understand, “SLY” has set his sights on the 18th Congressional District seat that Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee could relinquish very soon – but the devil is a lie.
I also hear that other Blacks, like former Councilman Dwight Boykins, state Rep. Jolanda Jones, former vice chair of the Texas Republican Party Carla Brailey, state Rep. Jarvis Johnson, Pastor James Dixon, TSU Board Member Richard Johnson, and a few others may already be setting their sights on the 18th Congressional District seat should Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee relinquish go on to glory, or relinquishes it.
As for former mayor Sylvester Turner, he looks to be in worse shape than Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. What in the hell is he thinking? Turner needs to sit his tail down somewhere and get out of the way.
“THE POLITICAL GAME.”
Politics in Texas is evolving at a much quicker pace than many people realize. However, as things change, Black folks continue to play the political game according to the rules set forth decades ago during the civil rights struggle. This lack of an ability to pivot with the changing times has caused the Black community in many regards to become stagnant and in a paralyzed state.
And with people like State Senator Paul Bettencourt and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick leading the charge for conservatives, the “GOP” appears to be set to make some serious waves in Harris County, Texas, and other parts of the Lone Star State, on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, as momentum shifts and African Americans explore their options.
Growing the “GOP” base and reclaiming Harris County, Texas, is very important to State Senator Paul Bettencourt. However, since taking over Senate District 7 from Patrick, one of his top priorities has been protecting taxpayers’ rights and ensuring that our elections are fair and accessible to all voters.
In a recent legislative session, State Senator Paul Bettencourt was successful in getting “SENATE BILL 2” passed. Senate Bill 2 was the Texas Property Tax Reform and Transparency Act of 2019 for those unfamiliar with the bill.
When passed, “SENATE BILL 2” was the first significant property tax legislation in almost 40 years and culminated nearly two decades of advocacy work spearheaded by Bettencourt.
In the Texas Senate, he (State Senator Paul Bettencourt) has become a “CHAMPION FOR CONSERVATIVE SOLUTIONS” in matters important to Texas property owners. Still, he’s most well-known for his advocacy on behalf of the taxpaying citizens of Texas.
“POLITICAL CAPITAL.”
It’s no wonder State Senator Paul Bettencourt has invested a whole heap of his political capital in the upcoming Saturday, June 15, 2024, (HCAD) Harris Central Appraisal District board runoff elections.
Kathy Blueford-Daniels spoiled Bettencourt's chances of winning all three elected (HCAD) Board positions. However, state Senator Paul Bettencourt could be well on his way to taking control of the "HCAD BOARD" if his endorsed candidates emerge victorious this coming Saturday in Harris County, Texas.
On Saturday, May 4, 2024, Kathy Blueford-Daniels defeated the toughest of Bettencourt’s threesome (Bill R. Frazer) by jumping out to an early lead with 8,983 absentee mail ballots. Her opponent, who Bettencourt endorsed, only received 4,488.
While Frazer was able to close the gap on Blueford-Deniels, he could not make up the deficit he suffered by falling so far behind in the absentee mail ballot category. However, Frazer put on a stellar “ELECTION DAY” showing to come within a few hundred votes of forcing a runoff.
Comparatively speaking, Kathy Blueford-Daniels received 27,661 votes, for 50.44%, Bill R. Frazer received 25,181 votes, 45.92%, and Ramsey Isa Ankar received 1,999 votes, 3.65%.
“H-TOWN SHOWDOWN.”
With election day falling on the “JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY,” an already dismal turnout in the “BLACK COMMUNITY” is expected to be even worse on Saturday, June 15, 2024, in Harris County, Texas.
Was this by design? Did State Senator Paul Bettencourt and his buddies in the Texas legislature pull a fast one on the Democrats when the runoffs for these “HCAD RUNOFFS” were set to fall on the Juneteenth Holiday? From the outside looking in, it seems as if the Harris County Democratic Party Chairman (Mike Doyle) allowed himself to get sucked into an "ELECTION BATTLE" that’s going to be very difficult for Democrats to win.
What was he thinking?
First, the Harris County Democratic Party has a severe voter engagement problem in 2024, but so do the Republicans – to a lesser extent. Democrats already hold nearly every countywide seat in Harris County, Texas. Still, the third largest county has turned light purple after the 2022 Midterms, and Republicans have been appointed to three new judicial benches late last year by Governor Greg Abbott.
So to enter into “A PISSING CONTEST” with Republicans during the middle of the summer to try and win three nonpartisan (HCAD) Board seats didn’t make any sense and could inevitably evolve into a severe tactical blunder on Saturday, June 15, 2024, if the e two Harris County Democratic Party endorsed candidate (Melissa Noriega and Pelumi Adeleke) get trounced by Kyle Scott and Ericka McCrutcheon.
Elections are about momentum, and Mike Doyle should have been a little more careful.
The Chairman of the Harris County Democratic Party (Mike Doyle) may have just handed over the momentum to the Harris County Republican Party Chairman (Cindy Siegel) if his two endorsed candidates don’t emerge victorious in Saturday’s runoff races.
“CLOSING THOUGHTS.”
The Harris County Democratic Party leaders must shift their strategy, win or lose, after the (HCAD) Runoff Election on Saturday, June 15, 2024. To a lesser extent, the Harris County Republican Party must also make a few tactical adjustments to expand its base. Why? Winning a low-voter turnout “HCAD RUNOFF ELECTION” in June is a lot different than gaining 800,000 to 1.2 million votes in a hotly contested November election, which will undoubtedly be the most consequential election of our lifetimes.
AUBREY R. TAYLOR COMMUNICATIONSEMAIL: aubreyrtaylor@gmail.com
957 NASA PARKWAY #251
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77058-3039
DIRECT CONTACT:
(281)788-3033
Kyle Scott (Republican), Melissa Noriega (Democrat), Ericka McCutcheon (Republican), and Pelumi Adeleke (Democrat) are the candidates running for HCAD, Director, At-Large, Place 2, and HCAD, Director, At-Large, Place 3, on Saturday, June 15, 2024, in Harris County, Texas.
The Harris County Democratic Party has endorsed Melissa Noriega in the race for (HCAD), Director, At-Large, Place 2. Melissa Noriega received 13,647 votes, for 24.97%, to finish as the runner-up in the general election and force a runoff in this race.
The Harris County Republican Party has endorsed Kyle Scott in the race for (HCAD), Director, At-Large, Place 2. In case you don’t remember, Kyle Scott received 25,416 votes, or 46.50%, to emerge from the general election in the first place.
The Harris County Democratic Party has endorsed Pelumi Adeleke in the race for (HCAD), Director, At-Large, Place 3. Pelumi Adeleke received 11,553 votes, for 21.30%, to finish as the runner-up in the general election and force a runoff in this race.
In the race for (HCAD), Director, At-Large, Place 3, the Harris County Republican Party has endorsed Ericka McCutcheon. In case you don’t remember, Ericka McCrutcheon received 22,365 votes, for 41.24%, to emerge from the general election in first place in this race.
AUBREY R. TAYLOR COMMUNICATIONSEMAIL: aubreyrtaylor@gmail.com
957 NASA PARKWAY #251
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77058-3039
DIRECT CONTACT:
(281)788-3033
