Campaign News
08/31/2017

Laubenberg Retiring and Other Election News for August 31

TXElects

Redistricting: As expected, the state has requested the U.S. Supreme Court stay a lower court ruling invalidating nine Texas House districts pending appeal. The high court has already granted a similar stay of a decision made by the same three-judge panel invalidating two Texas congressional districts.

HD56: Woodway archaeologist Katherine Turner-Pearson established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of Rep. Doc Anderson (R-Waco). Recent political contributions she has made indicate she would be running as a Democrat.

HD89: Rep. Jodie Laubenberg (R-Wylie) announced she would not seek re-election. Laubenberg has served eight terms since she was first elected in 2002. She has chaired the House Committee on Elections for the past two legislative sessions. She is the third representative to announce retirement plans, joining Reps. Larry Gonzales (R-Round Rock), who announced his plans earlier this week, and Mark Keough (R-The Woodlands), who is running for county office. Candy Noble, a Lucas community volunteer and State Republican Executive Committee member, is considered a leading candidate for the seat.

HD102: Dallas resident Scott Kilgore established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of Rep. Linda Koop (R-Dallas). We were unable to determine his occupation or political affiliation conclusively. We located a Facebook page for his campaign, but it appears to be a placeholder. His name is similar to frequent candidate Larry Scott Kilgore — currently going by Larry SECEDE Kilgore – which makes it challenging to find definitive information about the Scott Kilgore running for HD102.

Voter ID: U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has stayed her ruling striking down the state’s Voter ID law for local special elections scheduled for September 9. Early voting for those elections was underway at the time of her ruling. The stay does not apply to the November general election.

©2017 Texas Election Source LLC

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Texas Political Spotlight
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Texas Sen. José Menéndez is defending a 2023 law that lets cities like San Antonio reinvest state tourism and hotel tax revenue into major projects, including a proposed $1.3 billion Spurs arena, saying it keeps the city competitive with others that have used similar funding to spur growth. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico, speaking in Fort Worth recently, cast himself as an independent voice challenging both parties and billionaires’ influence, as his tight primary race with Colin Allred gains national attention. Meanwhile, Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued Indiana resident Malcolm Tanner, accusing him of trying to take over Loving County by luring out-of-state residents with false promises of free homes in unsafe desert conditions.

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Texas Political Spotlight
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Austin-based energy startup Base Power announced it has raised $1 billion in new funding to expand its residential battery leasing business, positioning itself at the center of Texas’ fast-growing clean energy sector as demand surges nationwide. Meanwhile, Gov. Greg Abbott has authorized hundreds of Texas National Guard soldiers have been deployed to Illinois to assist federal immigration authorities in Chicago. And in education, Texas selected Odyssey, a national tech firm, to design and administer its new $1 billion school voucher program, the Texas Education Freedom Accounts.

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TXBIZNEWS
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Walmart has announced plans to eliminate synthetic dyes and over 30 other ingredients from its U.S. private brand food products such as Great Value, Marketside, Freshness Guaranteed, and Bettergoods, with a target completion date of January 2027, as outlined in a recent corporate statement.

The Details:

  • The initiative removes 11 synthetic dyes, such as Red No. 40 and Yellow No. 5, along with preservatives and artificial sweeteners, responding to customer demand for simpler ingredients while maintaining taste and value.
  • The move affects all Walmart U.S. food private brands, supporting a more transparent food system and aligning with evolving health-conscious trends.
  • Walmart President and CEO John Furner said, “Our customers want products with familiar ingredients, and we’re delivering on that promise.”
  • The transition will leverage natural alternatives, with the company collaborating with suppliers to meet the 2027 deadline.

“Our customers have told us that they want products made with simpler, more familiar ingredients - and we’ve listened. By eliminating synthetic dyes and other ingredients, we’re reinforcing our promise to deliver affordable food that families can feel good about.”

- John Furner, President and CEO, Walmart U.S.

Why It Matters:
This shift could set a new standard for the U.S. food industry, boosting consumer trust and influencing market trends.

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