MILLIONAIRE BUSINESSMAN, A FIRST TIME CANDIDATE, WINS HOUSTON MAYOR'S RACE

The Houston Chronicle ^ | 6 December 2003 | Michael Graczyk

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

HOUSTON (AP) - A businessman who used his millions to help bankroll a first-time run for political office easily beat out a former city councilman Saturday in a runoff election to become Houston's next mayor. With 74 percent of the precincts reporting, Bill White had 113,583 votes to 68,720 for Orlando Sanchez, or 62 percent to 38 percent. White, 49, a former chairman of the Texas Democratic Party, spent some $2.2 million of his own fortune as part of a record $8.6 million effort in the race against Cuban-born Sanchez, a Republican making a second bid to become Houston's first Hispanic mayor.

The race was officially nonpartisan but White's election would give Democrats a rare victory in President Bush's home state, where Republicans hold every major statewide elected office. White topped eight other candidates in last month's election with 38 percent of the vote, falling short of the 50 percent he needed to win outright and succeed Lee Brown, barred by term limits from seeking a fourth two-year term. Sanchez, who narrowly lost to Brown two years ago, was second with 33 percent.

A Houston Chronicle-KHOU-TV poll published Friday showed White with a commanding 53 percent to 35 percent lead, with 12 percent of voters undecided and an error rate of 4 percentage points. A total of 625 registered voters were surveyed last week. White, who had Brown's support, touted bipartisan support and stayed with a

yearlong campaign theme to "get Houston moving."

Sanchez, 46, endorsed by the state's top Republicans, portrayed himself as a reformer and said White's election would be a continuation of current tax and spending policies that have put the city $20 million in debt.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Interesting. A millionaire wins the race and the national media are conspicuously silent (Democrats don't have money, do they?). Sanchez is Hispanic and fails to win in Houston? Oh, that's right, he's Cuban. You see, Cubans and Mexicans do NOT think alike. I have REPEATEDLY tried to communicate here that Mexicans and Latin Americans will NOT vote conservatively. Will NOT. It doesn't matter who is Hispanic and running...if (s)he is not basically socialist in nature, they will not vote for him/her.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Oops. Sorry...source is AP Breaking News. Could you change it please?

[GeronL]

Not a big surprise. major cities have become left-wing all across the country. Houston has a very liberal media as well and that does not help.

[Texas_Jarhead]

I couldn't believe how unacceptably low the turnout was. So sad. At this rate the folks we deserve what they get. I was disgusted at the terrible turnout for the regular election in Nov. but this is just insane.

[GaConfed]

What were the candidates' positions on illigal immigration? Or was the issue even brought up?

[Howie66]

First off, let's be clear on this.....Mayor-Elect Bill White is a "TRIAL ATTORNEY" (aka Ambulance Chaser) as well as the former Head Of the DemocRAT Party of Tejas (opps! Texas!). Hardly qualified to call himself a "businessman".

I had already made plans to move out of the state of Texas, but, now I am really happy to see that day grow close. The Houston area (as well as Austin) is being overtaken by SOCIALIST SCUM and I pity the poor slobs that decide to either stay her, or move here. All that I can suggest, is to (1) learn Spanish, and (2) lock your wallets and or valuables up nice and tight.

[Texas_Jarhead]

As far as I know the topic of the current invasion of illegals was never much spoken about. Of course, one has to pander to the illegal lobby in the hopes of attaining their voting support once a federal amnesty is instituted.

[88keys]

My first thought...something's bass-ackwards here! We have a White millionaire "businessman" who's a Democrat, (pun intended, unless White is black!) and an Hispanic candidate who's Republican, and lo, the "businessman" wins!! Indeed, why no "outcry" about eee-ee-vil "big trial lawyers"?!? HA!

I suspect it's true that most large cities have Democrat mayors...NYC's an exception, I suppose (Bloomberg is pretty "iffy", but I expect he still has to count as a big city GOP mayor)...otherwise, the actual "city" populations tend to have a far higher percentage of "minority group" voters, and we all know how these groups tend to vote (I'm not being "racist"...it's documented!)...

Curious point, maybe...the mayor of Cleveland is a white Democrat woman, who beat a black Democrat man in the race to replace former Mayor White, who's a black Democrat man...Dennis Kucinich also served a term as mayor, and barely survived a recall as I "recall", and I THINK George Voinovich was ALSO the mayor, if memory serves...nowadays, it's different, and it DOES seem that the Dem's have a "lock" on the urban electorate...regardless of wealth, profession or "minority group loyalty", the most "powerful" and "connected" Democrat will win, the other Democrat will come in second, and any Republicans might just as well move to the suburbs or the rural areas...LOL!

[SAJ]

Sigh, another city to avoid travelling to.

And that's too bad, I remember some great friends and good times in Houston.

[JohnnyZ]

I have REPEATEDLY tried to communicate here that Mexicans and Latin Americans will NOT vote conservatively.

Well, you've managed to convince yourself well enough.

Please do forgive those of us who draw different conclusions.

[pete anderson]

Wow, I thought Sanchez may squeak by but it looks like he got his butt handed to him. How could that be what went wrong?

[MeekOneGOP]

Man, that's too bad ...

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Please do forgive those of us who draw different conclusions.

I know the culture inside and out, having been married for 15+ years to a native of Mexico. I am fluently bilingual and visit with Hispanics EVERY day. So, what are YOUR credentials? Hello? I want an answer. You don't have a con clue! Hide and watch, wait and see.

P.S. You're forgiven.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Oh, and, they almost will NOT vote for a Cuban and less so if (s)he looks black. What else do you want to know?

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Oh, and, they almost will NOT vote for a Cuban and less so if (s)he looks black. What else do you want to know?

[rustbucket]

Demographics inside the Houston city limits have a lot to do with how Houston votes. We have roughly a third white, a third black, and a third Hispanic (actually 37%). The mayor's race is supposedly non-partisan, but it is hard for a Republican to win. We've never had a Republican mayor.

For many years the city council has not annexed surrounding Republican suburban areas without taking in more Democrats at the same time.

White is white, BTW.

[FITZ]

You see, Cubans and Mexicans do NOT think alike.

I've seen a lot of that. That's one reason I don't believe in the "hispanic" label --- it seems pretty meaningless to lump people together who may have very little else in common but possibly a Spanish speaking ancestor.

[FITZ]

Come live along the border --- get to an area where you'll see a lot of immigrants from Mexico --- long term Americans of Spanish or Mexican ancestry don't count. Try running for dog-catcher as a Conservative. You'll find out how Conservative the former PRI voters are.

[FITZ]

Please do forgive those of us who draw different conclusions.

And drawing the wrong conclusions can hurt you at election time --- ask Orlando Sanchez who is not the "right" kind of hispanic to get the immigrant vote. Cruz Bustamante in California definitely is.

[Amish]

Now that Orlando was swamped for Mayor...what Congressional district is he in? One of the empty new ones or with a Demo incumbent, or one with a Republican incumbent already??? Would be nice to see him in the House.

BTW--the polls I saw had him running even with Anglo voters, but with a strong lead among Hispanic voters...

How did that bear out??