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- Political news: Wise County's long-time state house representative, Phil King, has announced he is running for the new redrawn state senate district 10 if the new map is adopted (it will be). That redrawn district is in orange below, and he thinks he can win it because he's a Parker County boy. (Wise County, as I mentioned last week, goes into district 12 currently held by retiring Jane Nelson.)
- You know who was the chair of the Redistricting Committee in the legislature for the last two years? Phil King.
- But King's departure would leave us with an open house representative seat in house district 61 in the Texas legislature. Currently, that district is composed of just Wise County and Parker County. You know what I first thought? Here's an opportunity for our own county judge J.D. Clark. Depending on who Parker County could serve up, I think he could he win it.
- But here's the problem: Just the other day, Phil King said that once the new state house district map is released (we've only seen the state senate map), that Wise County would be cut out of his district 61 and put in with "other rural counties." I think that means we would get shoved into massive house district 68 which is held by newly elected, and Jacksboro's own, David Spiller. I don't think anyone runs against Spiller. If J.D. Clark had been waiting for King to move on, this re-districting is a bad break. (Note: This is all speculation on my part. I've never talked to Clark about his future plans, if any.)
- More redistricting news: We are getting hit with new re-districting maps so we need to keep it straight. We've seen the new state senate map (above), have not seen the new state house map, but yesterday we got the new congressional house map. Here's the old one where most of us in Wise Count were in Ronny Jackson's district (13) with a smaller portion being in Kay Granger's district 12:
- Here is the just-released proposed map where Granger's district 12 is gone from Wise County and the lower half of Wise County is now put in Rep. Michael Burgess district (26). The rest of the county is still blue and in Jackson's 13th district.
- I think that new map puts Decatur in the 26th (Burgess) and Bridgeport in the 13th (Jackson), but I can't tell. I haven't seen a new really detailed map for Wise County. Here's just a normal map so you can do your own eyeball test:
- This is really getting in the weeds, but 538.com put this graphic out showing how redistricting was done with the obvious purpose to make Republican districts stronger. Basically, it ensures that all the districts (except one straggler) now lean 20% or more towards Republican. That second to the right column is more important than the far right column.
- The "improper relationship" trial going on in Tarrant County went to the jury yesterday afternoon. There is not yet a verdict. This trial sure isn't getting much press, but the last Star-Telegram story from Friday said she took the stand in her own defense. And look what the jury wasn't allowed to hear: "After the jury left the courtroom, Hathaway said the [alleged victim] and a girl three years his junior began a sexual relationship in spring 2017. When the girl told Hathaway about it, she made a report in fall 2017 [since it could be a crime]. The defense said the report could have been a possible motive for the man making claims about Hathaway."
- Fox News graphic: When you want to make a 12% reduction look like a 66% reduction.
- Someone tell Jodi Foster.
- You can buy it legally in 19 states.
- I don't know if this long read is any good, but that is one heck of a tease:
- I don't know what lot this is for, but I don't doubt that this is real. (From Cowboy game last night.)
- It's bad enough for Trump to give a speech on Saturday with black guys strategically placed behind him for the camera, but do they have to go further and have them wear "Blacks for Trump" shirts?
- Wise County city secretary chaos: Bridgeport's resigned yesterday after she was placed on the agenda for last night, and New Fairview went into closed session yesterday evening and spent two hours discussing their city secretary but took no action.
