"Our imprecise late polling indicates we're trailing because of straight-ticket voting and low projected turnout among supporters - people who think it doesn't matter, people who assume I'm going to win. Truth is, we're in trouble."
Update Friday Oct. 29 – Dr. Cobb's response received yesterday: "I do not condone Jeff Barton's cheap political theater or last-minute false attacks against my supporters or me. It is the height of arrogance for a politician to raise taxes on homeowners while raising his own salary, and then get mad when the people criticize his record. These antics distract from the issues that matter to Hays County families."Mr. Barton's actions do not dignify the office to which he aspires. This election is about choosing a county judge who we can trust to lead with integrity and vision and Mr. Barton's arrogance and desperation have confirmed that he is unfit for that important role."
Note: The letter below (edited for length) is from Hays County Judge candidate Jeff Barton emailed to his supporters yesterday. We'll try to get an update and response from Dr. Cobb.
Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com or click on the "comments" button at the bottom of the story
One of Barton's many faces, from the
website of Doucet & Associates where he has been
employed as a planner; many consider it a clear conflict
with his current other employment as a county commissioner.
It's close, really close. It looks like we're slightly behind, with significant numbers of voters still undecided. There's less than one week left.
Supporters suffered mudslinging attacks on their past. Lying emails from people and groups with fake names continue to go out to thousands of residents every few days, distorting some things about my record, fabricating other "facts" from thin air. They even challenged where I was born.
I don't like asking for your help, but I need it. Sure, we could use money - we can always use money - but over the next seven days we need people power.
We need everyone who gets this to reach out to just one or two friends: ask them to vote for me. I need each of you to send a short, blunt email to your social network, telling them this race matters.
Bert Cobb, my opponent, ducked the last two debates, presumably because the debates before that went so badly for him. He is woefully uninformed on the issues facing Hays County. He's on record in favor of unlimited commercial pumping of our aquifers, saying it's a "property right" to take water from the ground - even if it dries neighboring wells.
Cobb has no plan to fix traffic or address budget challenges. He frequently gets facts wrong about taxes. He spouts clichés about cutting services that would mean longer waits for EMS and cuts in services like libraries and the battered women's shelter - all without really saving the tax rate.
All around the county I find people who think I'm going to win this race easily. They say the choice seems obvious. And in fact our polling indicates I am way ahead with people who are tuned in, people who follow county government, who know the candidates.
Our imprecise late polling indicates we're trailing because of straight-ticket voting and low projected turnout among supporters - people who think it doesn't matter, people who assume I'm going to win. Truth is, we're in trouble.
It's time to rally up those of us who believe in common ground. It's time to take back the public sphere from hate mongers at both political poles who want to tear down instead of building bridges, who are so far gone they can't tell the difference between loud-mouth smears and solutions.
I'm all in - 15-17 hours a day. Every day. Cyndy and I loaned the campaign $5,000 from savings this week. We believe in what we're doing. We believe we can win. We believe we're in it together, like we have been from the first, with each other, and with you.
Thanks for everything you've done. I need more - six days worth of more: all you've got, all you can give. Call (512) 663-1719 or reply to this email to get involved and push us over the finish line.
Jeff
22 comments:
Now, the only thing left to do is encourage your friends and family to finish the job and vote this opportunist out of office for good.
So, he wants to call himself an urban planner? I suggest he go back to college and study this field like other planners do, then come back and show us his credentials.
There is more to being an urban planner than just knowing your way around the Courthouse.
And then, let's be sure he graduates. It is easy to tell when you have graduated, they give you a diploma.
And practice saying, "I was born in Colorado, I was born in Colorado, I was born in Colorado....", until it sinks in.
And next time he tries to run for office (and you know he will..), make him promise to simply tell the truth about himself and his accomplishments or lack thereof.
That way we know who he really is.
To a Hays County Democrat:
Well said. Very well said.
Barton needs to go, and Democrats throughout Hays County will be doing a great service for the entire county if they either vote for Cobb or just not vote the race.
Mr. Barton, you are a small man with a large ego. I am sorry that your time in office has been so unproductive, but that was your choice. And now, we will be making ours.
Barton’s whining email is full of statements that are misleading or totally untrue. He does exactly what he has accused others of doing---telling lies.
Here are just three of many possible examples taken from Barton’s whiny email:
“They even challenged where I was born.”
No one challenged where Barton was born---they asked why he lied about where he was born. Barton said on the stump and on his web site (before staffers changed it after I pointed out the false information) that he was born in San Marcos and was a native of Hays County. That’s not true. Barton’s voter registration application clearly shows he was born in Ft. Collins, Colorado. No one cares where Barton was born---except Barton who felt compelled to lie about it. Why doesn’t Barton just tell the truth?
“Bert Cobb, my opponent, ducked the last two debates, presumably because the debates before that went so badly for him.”
Barton knows that Dr. Cobb injured his back playing racket ball and had surgery. Dr. Cobb has been showing up at debates using a stroller to navigate. Dr. Cobb’s physician was concerned that Cobb’s activities was interfering with healing and instructed him to restrict his activities. Dr. Cobb sent statements of regret that were read at the two debates he missed and Barton heard them. Why doesn’t Barton just tell the truth?
‘He's on record in favor of unlimited commercial pumping of our aquifers, saying it's a "property right" to take water from the ground - even if it dries neighboring wells.’
When asked about the Rule of Capture Dr. Cobb said that where it was the law he would obey the law. He also recognized that the Rule of Capture does not apply in Hays County because our three Groundwater Conservation District trump the Rule of Capture. But Barton tries to make Western Hays County voters believe Dr. Cobb subscribes to the Rule of Capture. Dr. Cobb, who is a Master Naturalist, a Master Gardner, and a member of the Nature Conservancy, also depends solely on a rainwater system he designed and installed. Why doesn’t Barton just tell the truth?
Barton’s whining email is full of statements that are misleading or totally untrue. He does exactly what he has accused others of doing---telling lies.
That’s not a characteristic that I want in my county judge.
Jeff Barton needs to grow-up and get a life. Well, he may get a life after he loses next Tuesday.
Wow, I actually agreed with Charles O'Dell !
Barton might also want to explain what he means when he claims to be "partner" at an engineering firm.
I witnessed one of the debates and I heard Barton make insinuations about his education and his experience. The claim about expertise in civil engineering issues because he was a "partner" at civil engineering firm was troubling.
His "financial expertise" claim was absurd. Want to spend more, give yourself a raise? Just raise taxes. Figuring out ways to divert collected tax money to your "partners" for various "projects" is not financial expertise.
Barton promoted his "financial expertise" as a differentiator. It's a differentiator alright - one that weighs in Cobb's favor. Barton's financial expertise pales in comparison to the financial wizardry needed to deal with insurance companies like medical doctors have to deal with. Try personally floating overhead and patient expenses while pursuing reimbursement from insurance on behalf of patients.
Observations suggest that a large number of attendees of these debates are dealing with insurance issues on a regular basis. I don't think they are impressed by an incumbent Commissioner that thinks his spending of other people's money somehow illustrates financial acumen.
The anger and disgust with Barton from Democrats is not just a sign of Barton's failures, but of the success of the Republican campaign strategy that clearly has Democrats in chaos.
For example, when was the last time Republicans ever admitted their candidate was bad for the community? Even now, we see Republican candidates on the national stage that are clearly psychopaths - yet their supporters are still mindlessly gung ho behind these nutcases.
So, is the Barton loathing a sign of Democratic Party integrity or Democratic Party defensiveness? I believe is it both; the former is why Democrats are smarter than Republicans, the latter is the reason the Dems are in chaos with their campaigns.
Well stated, Ralph, about the Dmocratic Party. However, there ARE quite a few old time Republicans who are against Perry, me being one of them. Perry is a plague that just won't go away and it is partially because there is no candidate who is a viable option. Unfortunately, Perry will win reelection again.
The idea of a "viable" candidate probably didn't originate from GOP headquarters but must be tremendously useful to them nonetheless.
Debra Medina and Kathie Glass were/are plenty viable. It's just that too few voters have anything of Texas left in them.
Wife-beaters never stop, they can only be deprived of their victim. But the victim has to be willing to walk.
We are *not* the heirs of William Travis, Stephen Austin and Jack Hays. We can't even muster the courage to live up to our convictions in the privacy of a voting booth.
The term "viable" meaning that they are honest, intelligent human beings with business and/or political experience, a.k.a., having a track record, AND that the majority of Texans heard of them and would vote for them. That is viable.
Well said Peter S.
Unfortunately, conservatives like Stern who are willing to criticize Republicans as sharlatans of true conservative values are few and far between. It is too bad. The Republican Party used to be the party of small business free markets and individual freedom. Now it is the party of police state big business and the nutcase right wing.
It is a sad time for American politics. The nation should mourn the death of sane conservatism, just as Democrats should mourn the slow death of courageous progressives and true liberal activism.
Isn't Doucet & Associates a beneficiary of Commissioner Barton's largesse courtesy of the Hays County taxpayers?
Didn't Barton approve of giving $3 million of taxpayer money to David Baker's Wimberley Valley Watershed Association (WVWA) to purchase the Jacob's Well land - except that WVWA keeps the land that the county paid for? To give the appearance of propriety, the recommendation came from the Hays Citizens Parks Advisory Council - which David Baker sat on. Conflicts anyone?
Wasn't Barton (along with Conley) behind giving Baker's WVWA organization another $1.7 million of taxpayer money to acquire land that the county paid for plus some additional land? Of course, Baker wants to keep 15 acres that the taxpayers already paid for and expects a $250,000/year maintenance contract to "maintain" an area where no improvements are allowed, and no brush trimming is permitted. WVWA also expect to control what can be done with the property AFTER the county purchases it. How many times is the county going to "purchase" land that it won't have the rights of an owner to?
It's time to re-think Barton now and re-think Conley when his turn comes up. The county commissioners must stop giving millions of taxpayer dollars to organizations such as WVWA to purchase land that WVWA keeps title to and control of. Under no circumstances should WVWA and its affiliated dictate the land's use after the county purchase.
Why support a candidate that consistently hands out taxpayer money to his associates in such a fashion?
Peter, what an elitist attitude! You definition of “viable” is impossible to attain. You used it first so I guess it should be you that defines it. In your dream land context I believe you meant, “that can win”. White could win if he wasn’t a flaming liberal trial lawyer that favors sanctuary cities, and didn’t spend Houston into extreme debt. Frankly, I’m glad the Democrats didn’t pick a “viable” candidate. Perry is what he is, but certainly better than a self serving liberal in the temporary mansion. Perry has done some good things for Texas but White has done good things for White. You see, I’m a real Republican.
Elitist? No, realist.
You and other Americans have to settle for "the lesser of the evils" every election because... Once upon a time in America, we had those viable candidates, but now, the 2-party system has failed the American people and has destroyed our representative democracy.
Plain and simple, our leaders have sold out to the wealthy special interests. It doesn't matter if you are Republican or Democrat. We all are screwed by a runaway political system and we have lost our "viable" government.
And the fact that you and others can't see that is very sad and increases the odds that it will never change.
Well, sadly, most of our leaders have sold out to corporate interests, and this is just one more reason that our next County Judge should be someone who has not made any deals with companies doing business in Hays County....and that is
NOT JEFF BARTON!
Taking the money out of politics is Job One, starting with campaign finance reform, but there should be a law against anyone doing business or wanting to do business with the government, at any level, funding the campaigns of those who will decide who gets the contracts.
How can anyone stay honest in the face of such temptation?
This week, we voters can get rid of two glaring examples of elected officials on the take.
Get rid of Jeff Barton and Patrick Rose on November 2.
Peter, your faith in Republicans is wishful thinking. Name us one sane Rep on the national stage that has a number of intelligent solutions for all Americans, and not just rich cronies and their extremist friends.
From what I see, the smart Republican politicians that care about all Americans have either retired or have been ousted by the Tea Party nuts.
"A Real Republican" makes a commonly held foolish comment about trial lawyers.
When your father or son or daughter is hurt or killed on some drilling platform or in some coal mine by some irresponsible company trying to save a few bucks by compromising on safety designs or safety equipment, you are going to be glad you can find a good trial lawyer.
The criminal companies will do everything they can to not pay or pay as little as they can and get the victim's family to sign some ludicrous settlement - while forcing them to agree to never talk about the sleazy behavior of the company.
Do we really want a world where trial lawyers are treated like carnies at the county fair?
Not me. I bet the trial lawyer is a hero to the families who had a loved one die on the Deepwater Horizon or in the Massey Energy coal mine.
Trial lawyers are ignorantly demonized by misinformed onservatives because they make irresponsible or criminal companies take responsibility for their bad behavior.
Remember, only 3% of all health care costs are a result of trial lawyer lawsuits. And trial lawyers wouldn't be needed if companies and the medical professionals were responsible and competent.
Ralph: Dr. Ron Paul
Many think Dr. Paul is a nut case, but if you read his newsletter consistently, he has some very good points and ideas.
Yes Ron Paul is a nut case as he ignores the world outside and the population that is very large and more complex than he wants it to be. He's a cartoon and just like Spiderman, he's not real. If you read comic books long enough, you may believe that they are real - comics are nothing more than fantasies and entertainment. Ron Paul for entertainer of the year but not elected office.
Rocky, your defense of the soulless trial lawyers would be laughable if it wasn’t so ridiculous. Do you just write this BS just to piss me off? If you do, this sure did the trick. I could fill pages with a retort but it is so obvious, I will not waste my time? Birds of a feather I guess.
Hey, Last Al-Anonymous. Try some anger management therapy or a rageaholic 12 Step program. And then come back and state your case about trial lawyers.
You know you have no facts - just hate from the hate purveyors you read or listen to.
Prove me wrong with facts. Give me specific numbers about how the big bad trial lawyers are the main or even secondary cause of skyrocketing health care costs - or why trial lawyers are the reason greedy corporations aren't making enough profits. Come on, more facts, less mindless anger.
I thought so. Just another duped American with a lemming attitude.
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