Politics: Local

Miller backs strong-mayor change
Faced with a City Council uninterested in strengthening mayoral power, the mayor said she sees little choice but to support the plan she once opposed -- a measure that eliminates the city manager position and that will probably appear on the May ballot.

12/06/2004

City manager finalist withdraws his name
Another finalist for Dallas' vacant city manager position says he's withdrawing his name from consideration, citing in part Mayor Laura Miller's desire to strengthen her office's control over city affairs.

12/03/2004

Frost-Sessions contest was year's most expensive race for U.S. House
It's official: Texas' 32nd Congressional District race is the year's most expensive U.S. House contest – and the third-most expensive in U.S. history.

12/01/2004

Some want city manager search put on hold
Some Dallas City Council members are ready to hit the brakes in the search for a new city manager, saying the growing push to install a strong mayor form of government may be hurting the hunt for qualified candidates.

11/30/2004

Uncertainty slows city manager search
Faced with the prospect of filling a job that might not exist in six months, several City Council members said Tuesday that they want to delay Dallas' search for a new city manager.

11/22/2004

Parkland approves contract
Ending months of acrimony, Parkland Memorial Hospital's board of managers approved a $77 million contract Monday with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.

Senate confirms N. Texas chief prosecutor

Richard B. Roper

The Senate has unanimously confirmed Richard B. Roper III as the new chief federal prosecutor in Dallas, Sens. John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison announced Monday.

11/19/2004

Frost's post-House future uncertain
Martin Frost will cast his last vote on the House floor either late tonight or tomorrow. After that, the 26-year veteran of Capitol Hill politics remains a Congressman in name only as Washington prepares to open the 109th legislative session in January.

11/16/2004

Fantroy will fight downtown proposal
Forming a local government corporation, one of the key suggestions included in consultant McKinsey and Co.'s report on city governance, has drawn some criticism from city leader.

11/15/2004

Consultant: Infighting holds Dallas back

IRWIN THOMPSON/DMN

If Dallas is to progress, officials such as Mayor Laura Miller, Don Hill (left), and John Loza must try to see eye to eye, or at least respectfully disagree, a consultant has said.

Dallas City Council members vowed, especially for the sake of implementing many of the economic development recommendations contained within McKinsey's report, to improve how they relate with one another and those who seek the council's counsel.

11/08/2004

Bowles petition considered
A state district judge said Monday that a bid to have Sheriff Jim Bowles removed from office didn't meet the legal threshold, but he gave the group that filed the petition an extra week to obtain additional testimony.

2 more officials leaving Arlington
Three days after City Manager Chuck Kiefer announced his resignation, two of his deputy city managers said they will retire at the same time.

11/07/2004

Strong-mayor petition drive faulted
A Dallas City Council candidate's petition to strengthen the mayor's power by eliminating the city manager's post is under fire after some residents say they were fed misinformation in return for signatures.

11/06/2004

Political novices, campaign pros
They were a motley crew. They had virtually no political campaign experience. They had relatively little money to work with. And they won. The group of political novices who coalesced around Democrat Lupe Valdez -- the sheriff's candidate who squeezed out a stunning victory over the better-financed, better-known, better-connected Republican Danny Chandler -- lacked political expertise.

11/03/2004

Dallas County gives Dems reason to smile
The shift from a Republican-dominated electorate mirrors a sharp demographic shift in Dallas County.

Turnout strategy propelled Sessions
Residents of Republican-friendly areas within the 32nd Congressional District voted in droves for Pete Sessions, while Martin Frost suffered from low turnout rates in neighborhoods he considered strongholds, according to a precinct-by-precinct analysis of district voting patterns.

It's all about location now for stadium
Supporters of a new home for the Dallas Cowboys took a short breather on the sidelines Wednesday, a day after Arlington voters easily approved financing for a new stadium. They won't be able to rest for long.

Sheriff's Department on edge about new boss
On Wednesday, stunned department employees who supported Republican Danny Chandler argued the new sheriff, Lupe Valdez, would have to earn their loyalty by aggressively following through on her promises of change.

With voters' OK, city to issue pension bonds
One day after city voters approved a measure to rescue Dallas' employee retirement plan, the city manager said staff members are preparing to issue pension obligation bonds to recover the fund's $535 million shortfall.

Local voters fine with small delay in presidential race
Sen. John Kerry's concession didn't come until late Wednesday morning, but some North Texans already were certain their native son had been re-elected.
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Lupe Valdez: A break from tradition

COURTNEY PERRY/Special Contributor

Lupe Valdez overcame a lot of obstacles to become Dallas County's first new sheriff in 20 years.

The obstacles Lupe Valdez faced in getting elected Dallas County sheriff seemed obvious: Woman. Hispanic. Democrat. Gay. Outsider, even.

Dallas sheriff: Valdez scores historic victory
Democrat Lupe Valdez became Dallas County's first female and first Hispanic elected sheriff last night, edging out a three-decade veteran of the sheriff's department.

Arlington to help fund Cowboys stadium
The Dallas Cowboys scored their biggest victory of the season Tuesday as Arlington voters approved a $325 million proposition to help build the team a new stadium.

Collin County: 3 GOP legislators retain their seats
Collin County voters returned three Republican incumbents to the Legislature. State Reps. Ken Paxton and Jodie Laubenberg and state Sen. Craig Estes easily defeated Democratic rivals. All three are in their first terms.

Congressional incumbents have no trouble keeping jobs
Incumbents cruised to victories Tuesday night in all but one of the local congressional districts. Only the 24th District is sending a newcomer to Washington.

Dallas County: Dems gaining ground
With almost all precincts reporting, four Democrats were leading Dallas County judicial races Tuesday night – seizing a political foothold in a county dominated by Republicans for three decades.

Tarrant, Denton counties: Incumbents hold seats in Mid-cities
Incumbents hold onto seats in Fort Worth, Arlington, Grand Prairie and Mansfield.

11/02/2004

Rain can't keep area voters from polls
Even deep in the heart of Texas, where a Bush win was nearly waterproof, North Texas voters flooded the polls despite long lines and driving rain.

11/03/2004

House incumbents hold places
Tuesday was Incumbents' Day in area Texas House races.

Rockwall County: Bonds OK'd for library, roadwork
Rockwall County voters easily approved $17.25 million in bonds for road projects and $11.5 million for a larger library but balked at incurring $29 million in debt to build a new county courts and government complex.

11/02/2004

Sessions ends Frost's career
He promised to become Republicans' "worst nightmare" despite running in a district designed to end his congressional career. But the nightmare on Election Day belonged to U.S. Rep. Martin Frost.

Arlington to help fund Cowboys stadium
The Dallas Cowboys scored their biggest victory of the season Tuesday as Arlington voters approved a $325 million proposition to help build the team a new stadium.

Rare Dallas rally draws thousands
Thankful crowd, protesters show up as Bush stumps at SMU.

Sessions gets boost from Bush
The president implored Texas voters to elect Republican congressional representatives, including Arlene Wohlgemuth, who is running against Democratic Rep. Chet Edwards.

11/01/2004

Your turn to be heard

AP

Only one will be smiling after voters have their say today.

President Bush has returned to the ranch. Sen. John Kerry has predicted a come-from-behind victory. But today it is the voters who make the final decision -- for president and in an array of more local matters: who will represent them in Congress and the Legislature, whether the Dallas Cowboys get to use taxpayer money to build a football stadium in Arlington, who will run the Dallas County jail system.
• Find your polling place
• Polls close at 7 p.m. Return online then for results.

Kerry wins student mock election

NATALIE CAUDILL / DMN

Students (from left) Angel Long, 14, Janie Alberto, 13, and Diana Amador, 13, watched the results of a mock presidential election.

Dallas schools apparently aren't a part of Bush Country. Democratic challenger John Kerry won by a landslide when students voted Monday in a mock election. With 61,566 students voting, the Massachusetts senator received 72 percent of the vote over President Bush, carrying all eight geographical areas in the district.

10/31/2004

Frost and Sessions are pulling out all the stops
As in a real-life game of Risk, Reps. Pete Sessions and Martin Frost are striking deep into the core of each other's support centers in hopes of stealing votes.

Frost operation counting on door-to-door effort
The scratchboard at Martin Frost's North Dallas headquarters reads, "What we need: votes, lasagna." The food is easy enough to get. But mining votes in the hotly contested 32nd Congressional District is more difficult.

Sessions campaign not willing to concede rival's stronghold
Rep. Pete Sessions says Dallas Hispanics are ripe for a Republican conversion after decades of Democrats taking their votes for granted. And Evette Olivarec, Jose Sanchez, Alberto Bazan and Dulce Pedorze are key cogs in the four-term congressman's neighborhood-level strategy to rustle voters from the historical stronghold of Rep. Martin Frost, his Democratic rival in the race to represent the 32nd Congressional District.

10/30/2004

A bitter campaign nearing finish line
For nearly a year, U.S. Reps. Martin Frost, D-Dallas, and Pete Sessions, R-Dallas, have battered each other from one end of Texas' newly drawn 32nd Congressional District to the other.

Frost wants to be judged on what he's done for people
Even after 26 years in elected office, Mr. Frost talks about his job with the exuberance of the fifth- and sixth-graders so curious about what he does when he's half a continent away in Washington, D.C.

Sessions pushes for tax changes and doesn't duck the extreme
A self-proclaimed "extreme" Republican, Mr. Sessions typically proudly wears his brand of conservatism like an exquisitely tailored suit. In his race against Democratic Rep. Martin Frost to represent Texas' 32nd Congressional District, faux moderation isn't in his game plan.

Be prepared before you vote
The electronically challenged will have a pleasant surprise when they enter their polling places on Election Day. Those occasionally cantankerous touch-screen voting machines used during the two weeks of early voting will be locked away, out of service.

10/29/2004

Frost puts reporters on notice for election party
U.S. Rep. Martin Frost, a former newspaperman who last week decried government censorship of the news media, will not allow reporters to interview guests at his Election Night party in Dallas unless they're accompanied by a campaign representative.

Insider Chandler has earned trust in department
Jail riots are among the most dangerous incidents sheriff's deputies face. Danny Chandler worked several riots when he started with the Dallas County Sheriff's Department in the 1970s.

Outsider Valdez says she hopes to lead by example
Lupe Valdez is the Democratic candidate for Dallas County sheriff, and she argues that to help restore the Sheriff Department's morale, it needs an outsider, namely herself, to clean up the mess.

10/28/2004

Frost, Sessions getting personal
As Election Day nears, it appears Democrat Martin Frost and Republican Pete Sessions are more likely to touch voters than touch gloves.

Chandler criticizes Valdez's backing by gay organization
With just days left in the Dallas County sheriff's race, Republican candidate Danny Chandler on Thursday attacked Democratic opponent Lupe Valdez's endorsement by a national organization promoting gay and lesbian candidates.

Early voting to be 'a madhouse' Friday
Call in late. Take an extended lunch break. Friday is the last day to participate in early voting - and elections officials say it's going to be a doozy.

10/27/2004

More facts presented against sheriff candidate
The controversy over the race for Dallas County sheriff had both political parties throwing punches on Wednesday. Democrats are calling for Republican Danny Chandler to resign, while Republicans continue calling the attack on Chandler "sour grapes".

National sales tax proposal gets 32nd degree from Frost
Only days before Election Day, a national sales tax proposal that some political observers give little chance of ever passing has become a central rift in Texas' 32nd Congressional District battle between Reps. Martin Frost and Pete Sessions.

House speaker stumps for Hall
Just eight days after a supporting appearance by former President George Bush, U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall welcomed a visit Wednesday from the speaker of the House. Does the use of such big guns indicate Mr. Hall -- a Democrat until he switched to the GOP in January -- is afraid of losing the 4th District seat he's won 12 straight times?

Dallas smoking ban stands
City Council members decided Wednesday not to dilute Dallas' smoking ordinance, narrowly defeating efforts to give privileges back to bingo parlors and hotel meeting rooms.

Some say Arlington ballot confusing
Some early voters in Arlington said they cast their ballots without ever voting on the stadium issue. Turnout in Arlington has been heavy since early voting began, and some are worried about the possible impact of the confusion.

10/26/2004

Frost, Sessions both invoke Bush
Both Democrat Martin Frost and Republican Pete Sessions have produced spots that attack the other for being out of touch with the mainstream, while attaching themselves to the president.

Bowles files campaign rules complaint
Sheriff Jim Bowles has filed a complaint with a federal agency accusing County Auditor Virginia Porter, Republican sheriff's candidate Danny Chandler and other county officials of misleading federal investigators about whether Mr. Chandler violated federal rules during his election campaign.

National parties pour it on in race
National political interests are burying residents in Texas' 32nd Congressional District under a million-dollar cash avalanche in the final days before voters send either Rep. Pete Sessions or Rep. Martin Frost into retirement.

10/25/2004

Sessions not only one getting trips
U.S. Rep. Martin Frost repeatedly highlights his congressional campaign opponent's 2001 trip to Malaysia as proof Mr. Sessions cares more about "exotic trips and luxury vacations" than his North Texas constituents. But since Mr. Sessions first entered the U.S. House of Representatives in 1997, both congressmen have logged weeks worth of travel to domestic and foreign destinations.

Council to review ban on smoking
City Council members will vote Wednesday on whether to amend the nearly 2-year-old ordinance to allow smoking in bingo parlors and private hotel and motel meeting rooms.
• Tell Us: What changes would you make to the Dallas smoking ban?

10/24/2004

D-FW counties reporting brisk pace of early voters
It seems that for voters, the earlier the better. Early voting continued briskly over the weekend in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, following a national trend of increased balloting before Election Day.

Trinity bridge funds tied up in Congress
In June, Dallas officials made a mad rush to Washington, D.C., imploring legislators to put differences aside and pass a federal transportation bill before the November election. But when Congress recessed this month, they left the reauthorization bill unfinished – and construction dollars for Dallas' Trinity River bridges tangled up in the mix.

10/23/2004

Where the cash is coming from for Sessions, Frost race
When U.S. Reps. Pete Sessions and Martin Frost count the money they've raised during their historically expensive congressional campaign, they'll send thank-you notes to a wildly different set of financial backers.

Tell them apart on gambling
State Rep. Linda Harper-Brown says voters should send her back to the Texas House because she's good at solving problems and building coalitions. Her opponent, Mike Moore, says he would represent Irving residents, not special interests, if he were elected.

Differing views for Legislature
Ray Allen and Katy Hubener -- candidates for the state House District 106 race -- agree that revamping public school financing and restoring Children's Health Insurance Program funding are crucial issues in Austin next year.But who engineers the legislative locomotive toward solutions and how they get there is where differences abound.

Police chief cries foul on card
Sessions campaign to apologize for photo seen as an endorsement

10/22/2004

Frost, Sessions argue over Barton
For a candidate debate featuring Reps. Martin Frost and Pete Sessions, they did an awful lot of sniping over another congressman.

10/21/2004

Frost fires back over 'child molester' mailer
Just before Wednesday night's 32nd Congressional District debate froze to a close, Democratic Rep. Martin Frost decided to boil it back up. "My opponent sent out a racially divisive piece of mail in the Hispanic community in this district last week, in which he criticized me," Mr. Frost suddenly said of his Republican opponent, Rep. Pete Sessions, who was seated next to him.