Texas Republicans lose State Senate supermajority.

Nine months before the November election, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick made headlines by suggesting that if Republicans lost their supermajority in the Senate, he would pursue a bold procedural move: further lowering the threshold that is required to bring legislation to the floor.

Now that the election has come and gone — and the GOP indeed lost its supermajority — it remains to be seen how serious Patrick is about the idea, which would strip Senate Democrats of the one tool they have to block legislation they unanimously oppose.

The lieutenant governor, who presides over the Senate, has not made any known public comments since the election about the potential rule change, and senators are being tight-lipped or saying they have not heard anything. The uncertainty comes less than a month and a half before the Legislature gavels in for the 2021 session — and each chamber takes up its rules as one of the first orders of business.

Right now, Senate rules require 19 members, or three-fifths of the body, to vote to bring legislation to the floor. With the reelection loss of Sen. Pete Flores, R-Pleasanton, this November, Republicans are set to begin the session with 18 members.



https://www.texastribune.org/2020/12/02/texas-dan-patrick-senate-three-fifths-rule/

Tennessee - yes, Tennessee - just elected out LGBT+ lawmakers for the first time

Democrat Torrey Harris and Republican Eddie Mannis have both been called as the winners of their races for the Tennessee state house of representatives, becoming the first openly LGBT+ people to ever hold seats in the state’s legislature.

Annise Parker of LGBTQ Victory Fund said: “Twin victories secured a long-elusive political milestone in Tennessee and will pave the way for a more representative state legislature next year.

“Both Torrey and Eddie sent a clear message that LGBTQ candidates can win in a deep red state while being their authentic selves.

“Their presence in the state legislature can dilute the most toxic anti-LGBTQ voices and lead to more inclusive legislation.”

Mannis, now one of only a handful of out Republican lawmakers nationwide, tweeted: “Thank you District 18! I look forward to representing each and every one of you in Nashville.”




https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/11/04/tennessee-out-lgbt-lawmakers-torrey-harris-eddie-mannis/

Mauree Turner Wins, Will Be First Muslim Lawmaker In Oklahoma

Mauree Turner won her election for state House in Oklahoma’s 88th district, making history as the first Muslim person elected to the state’s legislature.

The 27-year-old political newcomer beat out Republican Kelly Barlean for the seat. In the heavily Republican state, Turner’s district, which includes Oklahoma City, leans solidly Democratic.

Turner told HuffPost last month that she was running because Oklahomans with her “shared lived experience” — someone who was raised in “a single parent household because one parent was incarcerated” and ”had to live off SNAP benefits” — have not been represented.

“That was my upbringing, and it’s not a unique one,” said Turner, who is Black and queer.

Turner, a community organizer, had secured an upset win over Democratic incumbent Rep. Jason Dunnington in the June primary. Her progressive platform is centered around criminal justice reform, a higher minimum wage, and access to affordable health care.





https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mauree-turner-wins-oklahoma-first-muslim-lawmaker_n_5f8f25f9c5b6dc2d17faca32

Ga. Sen. Elena Parent (D) receives death threats, asks for additional police protection

Decatur, GA — State Sen. Elena Parent is requesting additional police protection after attending hearings about allegations of voter fraud, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.

The Senate hearings held Thursday. Someone doxxed the senator – publishing her personal address online – and threats were made against her life.

“A thread on one far-right internet message board posted photos of Parent captured during Thursday’s hearings, misidentified her as an election worker and asked users to vote on what the appropriate form of punishment should be,” the AJC reported. “The most common responses called for sexual violence to be committed against Parent and/or her execution.”

Parent didn’t immediately return a message from Decaturish seeking comment about the story.

Other members of the House have been urged to protect themselves before a hearing slated for next week, the AJC reported. To read the full story, click here.

Baseless claims of voter fraud pushed by President Donald Trump in the wake of his loss to Joe Biden have also prompted threats against Republican officials who wouldn’t endorse their claims.




https://decaturish.com/2020/12/report-sen-elena-parent-receives-death-threats-asks-for-additional-police-protection/

Jason Williams wins New Orleans DA race, promising new era in prosecutors office

Shrugging off federal tax fraud charges and opposition from much of the city’s political establishment, Jason Williams clinched victory Saturday in the Orleans Parish district attorney’s race with a call for massive changes to an office that's been dogged by allegations of prosecutorial overreach.

With all 351 of the city's precincts reporting late Saturday, Williams had received 58% of the vote compared with 42% for former judge and onetime interim district attorney Keva Landrum.

The first district attorney without prior experience as a prosecutor in at least half a century, Williams has pledged to make a sharp break with the policies of current District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro, a traditional "tough on crime" city prosecutor who did not seek reelection.

The City Council president and criminal defense attorney has said that as district attorney, he’ll divert or decline more cases from prosecution, cease using the state’s habitual offender law to raise sentences and never prosecute juveniles in adult court. Williams has also pledged to create a civil rights division to review old cases for prosecutor misconduct or excessive sentences.


https://www.nola.com/news/courts/article_f044cf7a-368a-11eb-ac4b-0bbdab4e0c09.html

Trump just urged Doug Collins to run for Governor.

AZ: Gabriella Czares-Kelly is the first Native American elected to a Pima Countywide seat

n September 2019, Gabriella Cázares-Kelly was sitting on a bus in Tucson on her way home when she read that Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez would be retiring after 28 years of public service.

That meant the office would be open at the next election. As she read through the article, she looked for the names of possible candidates, knowing she'd end up teaching whoever was elected what they needed to know about the Tohono O'odham Nation and Native voters.

But by the time Cázares-Kelly finished reading the article, it dawned on her that she could run for the seat. It was something she'd thought about often and was always encouraged to do. If she was elected, she wouldn't have to teach anyone about the voting issues that impact her community and other underserved communities in Pima County.

So in November 2019, Cázares-Kelly filed her candidacy as a Democrat and in November 2020, she won.

"I knew I needed to have a go and I needed to at least make an attempt to try to win this thing," Cázares-Kelly said. "We didn't know we would be this successful though."

With her victory, Cázares-Kelly became the first Native American to hold a countywide seat in Pima county.

Cázares-Kelly drew 289,932 votes, defeating her Republican opponent, Benny White, who received 203,631 votes, according to results.



https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/12/03/gabriella-cazares-kelly-makes-history-pima-county-election/6353273002/

Tweet of the Day

My Five Top Television Shows of 2020

1. Lovecraft Country (HBO)
2. Umbrella Academy Season 2 (Netflix)
3. Mrs. America (Hulu)
4. The Mandelorian Season 2 (Disney Plus)
5. Killing Eve Season 3 (BBC)

Moses Sumney - Me In 20 Years