Southeast
Houston crime victim’s advocate calls on state Democrats to support tough bail policies amid crime surge
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A Houston crime victims advocate renewed calls Friday for Texas Democrats to vote out felony bond reform laws that some say has contributed to a spike in homicides within the state’s largest metropolis.
Andy Kahan, the director of sufferer companies and advocacy for Crime Stoppers of Houston, has documented the variety of folks killed by legal suspects who have been out on a number of felony bonds on the time of the killings.
He mentioned Democratic lawmakers within the state Home have voted in opposition to a proposed modification to present judges discretion to not grant bond to defendants charged with sure violent crimes.
“One Democrat within the state of Texas voted to assist the change,” Kahan mentioned.
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Fox Information has reached out to the Texas Democratic Social gathering.
Since 2018, 168 folks have been killed by suspects out on a number of felony bonds in Harris County, Texas, mentioned Kahan, who tracks such circumstances. Since Jan. 1, there have been 10, he mentioned.
“I am simply a number of bonds,” Kahan advised Fox Information. “So should you have been out on one bond and also you have been then charged with homicide, you did not make the record.”
For instance of failed bail reform insurance policies, Kahan cited the case of Summer time Chester and her accused killer, Jonathan Vera.
Vera, 20, is accused of killing the 23-year-old school scholar throughout a January hit-and-run when he allegedly ran a crimson mild in Houston. On the time, he was out on bond for a capital homicide cost associated to a capturing that killed a 55-year-old house owner throughout a 2017 dwelling invasion.
His bond was set at $250,000 and he stayed in police custody for 2 years. A decide then lowered the bond to $50,000, permitting Vera to go free.
“Summer time Chester paid the last word worth for that birdhead choice to cut back a capital homicide’s bond,” Kahan mentioned.
He famous that greater than 110 capital homicide suspects in Harris County are at the moment free on bond. He mentioned he additionally discovered dozens of circumstances the place a suspect charged with homicide was out on only one bond, which he did not embrace in his record.
Houston, the most important metropolis within the state, has seen a dramatic uptick in homicides since Jan. 1. As of Thursday, town reported greater than 103 killings, based on police information. It ended 2021 with 473 murders.
In February, Houston and county legislation enforcement officers blasted judges for the variety of legal circumstances being dismissed amid the area’s crime surge.
“We can not let these folks go with out having their day in court docket. We’re seeing an increasing number of crime,” Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman advised reporters. “We’re on the precipice of a complete collapse right here in Harris County with public security if we do not change route.”
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Southeast
Sen. Marsha Blackburn secures Tennessee GOP senate primary
Sen. Marsha Blackburn took home Tennessee’s Republican Senate primary on Thursday, likely securing the senate seat in the process in the heavily-Republican state. Blackburn led Thursday’s primary with almost 93% of the vote over Tres Wittum, at the time the race was called by the Associated Press.
Blackburn, the incumbent senator, was largely seen as the favorite in the race heading in, having won her first race for Senate in 2018 over former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen by 11 points.
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Blackburn’s lone challenger was Wittum, a former Tennessee legislative staffer who finished last in a primary bid for the state’s 5th Congressional District in 2022.
Blackburn will now move on to face off with Democratic state Sen. Gloria Johnson.
Johnson rose to fame last year after being one of three members of the Tennessee legislature to stage a protest on the state House floor in the aftermath of a shooting at an elementary school. She was dubbed as a member of the “Tennessee Three,” being joined in the protest by fellow Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones, both Democrats.
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The protests, which violated House rules, resulted in the expulsion of both Pearson and Jones, who were later reappointed and easily won special elections to regain their seats.
Blackburn will now likely be the favorite in November’s general election, with Tennessee having leaned heavily Republican in statewide elections in recent years.
Blackburn’s Tennessee colleague, Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty, was reelected in 2020 by about 30 points, while Republican Gov. Bill Lee was able to secure reelection in 2022 by over 30 points.
Former President Donald Trump also easily won the state in 2016 and 2020, taking Tennessee by 26 and 23 points, respectively.
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Southeast
State Rep. Gloria Johnson wins high-profile Democratic Senate primary in Tennessee
State Rep. Gloria Johnson emerged the victor in Tennessee’s closely watched Democratic Senate primary and will take on incumbent Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn in November’s election.
Johnson took home the victory by garnering 74% of the vote over challengers Marquita Bradshaw, Civil Miller-Watkins and Lola Brown, at the time the race was called by the Associated Press Thursday night.
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The race garnered interest from Democrats nationwide after Johnson, who was seen as the front-runner in the race, attracted widespread attention last year by staging a protest on the floor of the Republican-controlled state House in the aftermath of a deadly shooting at a Tennessee elementary school.
Johnson’s protest was joined by two other lawmakers, state Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones, both Democrats, who together became known as the “Tennessee Three.” Pearson and Jones were both expelled for violating House rules after the protest, though they were later reappointed.
Johnson’s toughest primary challenger was thought to be Bradshaw, an environmental activist who secured the party’s nomination in 2020 before being soundly defeated by incumbent Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty.
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Johnson will now have an uphill climb in the heavily Republican-leaning state. Blackburn won her race in 2018 by 11 points, while Hagerty defeated Bradshaw by a whopping 30 points in 2020. Two years later, incumbent Republican Gov. Bill Lee won reelection by more than 30 points as well, while former President Donald Trump carried the state in both 2016 and 2020 by 26 and 23 points, respectively.
Blackburn is a heavy favorite in her own primary against former Tennessee legislative staffer Tres Wittum, the only challenger to the incumbent Republican.
Blackburn also has a significant fundraising advantage over all the state’s senate hopefuls, having close to $9 million cash on hand. Johnson, meanwhile, has raised about $5 million and still has over $2 million on hand.
But Johnson has expressed optimism that Blackburn can be defeated, arguing that Democrats can win by focusing on issues such as abortion, gun control, and the environment.
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Southeast
House Freedom Caucus member who tried to impeach Kamala Harris wins high-profile Tennessee GOP primary
A first-term member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, won his first primary as an incumbent on Thursday evening.
Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., fended off a challenge from Nashville Metro Council member Courtney Johnston, who ran a more moderate campaign compared to the freshman Republican.
It was a much-needed political victory for the Freedom Caucus this election cycle after its chairman, Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., narrowly lost re-election in June and is facing long odds in a recount held Thursday.
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Good had been facing Republican challenger John McGuire, who was backed by House GOP national security hawks like House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., and Reps. Jen Kiggans, R-Va.; and Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., among others.
Johnston had narrowly outraised Ogles, according to financial disclosures. Her receipts through July 12 show her raising nearly $785,000 in individual contributions compared to Ogles’ total – just over $500,000.
She also tried to tie him to Good and seven other Republicans’ successful effort to oust ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., last October – though Ogles was not one of the eight who voted to end McCarthy’s leadership.
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“I think the incumbent has caused chaos. The ouster of McCarthy was an absolute abomination, really. Not only for the Republican Party, but really for Congress as a whole,” she told local outlet WPLN.
Ogles had the backing of top national Republicans, however, including former President Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
“Andy is working hard to Grow the Economy, Stop Inflation, Secure our Southern Border, Uphold the Rule of Law, and Defend our Second Amendment,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in May. “I was proud to help Andy flip a Democrat seat in 2022, and he has my Complete and Total Endorsement for re-election. He will not let you down!”
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Ogles won Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District in November 2022 after its boundaries were changed to include less of Nashville’s city center, which had previously made it a solidly blue seat.
Under its current lines, however, the seat leans red – residents of the district voted for Trump over President Biden in 2020 by just over 10 points.
Ogles defeated his Democratic challenger in 2022 by similar margins.
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