The Midday Brief: March 3, 2010

Your afternoon reading:

• “Coming later today on Texas on the Potomac: Ten reasons why Kay Bailey Hutchison should remain in the Senate.” — Ten reasons why Kay Bailey Hutchison should resign — Texas on the Potomac

• “3. Kay Bailey Hutchison, 2010. It takes a lot for a popular officeholder to turn a double-digit advantage into a double-digit defeat. That's what Kay Bailey Hutchison did in her ill-fated primary challenge to incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Perry. Another lesson: When you say you're going to resign, RESIGN!!! Weakness=Death in Texas politics.” — Our list: The ten worst campaign in modern Texas political history — Texas on the Potomac

• “Election day has come and gone. For the most part, the election went as predicted, although there were a few races that make you go, hmmm.” — Post Election Quick Thoughts — Big Jolly Politics

• “While everyone’s talking about the extreme Right’s trashing of Kay Baily Hutchison and Rick Perry’s easy victory, other results seem to indicate the Tea Party is weak (if poisonous) tea indeed.” — Some Notes on the Primary Election: Weak Tea — Dog Canyon

• “Seemingly lost in all the hoopla over metal detectors at capitol entrances are the bigger threats beyond the pink granite walls.” — Divisions among Governor, legislators over airport-style security at Texas capitol entrances — Grits for Breakfast

New in The Texas Tribune:

• “The board's balance of power is delicate. Though it’s had ten Republicans and five Democrats serving, seven socially conservative Republicans formed a reliable voting bloc that, with the swing vote of Democratic member Rick Agosto, gave them the power to advance a socially conservative agenda.” — The SBOE, Revised — The Texas Tribune

• “Voters who want turnover on the Criminal Court of Appeals have long known they’ll be disappointed this election cycle. None of that court’s incumbents facing reelection, all of whom are Republican, drew primary opponents. And only one of them, Michael Keasler of Place 6, has a Democratic challenger.” — The Supremes — The Texas Tribune  

• “Several incumbents, some who knew they were facing serious contenders and others who were blindsided, had the sun set on their current political careers as the vote totals from Tuesday’s Primary Election came down the pike.” — The Dead Incumbents Society — The Texas Tribune