(Cross-posted from Burnt Orange Report)

This is an unofficial part of our "Shattering Blogger Stereotypes" series. The myth shattered -- that bloggers hate the traditional media. The following is a report on an extensive study I completed as part of my coursework at the JFK School of Government at Harvard University.

Texas’ newspapers are adapting to the new online medium in noticeably different ways, especially when it comes to political reporting. An examination of the nearly 1,000 blog posts featured on the respective political blogs of the Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, and Austin American-Statesman during the month leading up to the Texas primary shows that formal conventions of journalism often do not make their way from the paper pages to the web pages of Texas’ leading newspapers.

Cross-posted from Burnt Orange Report.

We at Burnt Orange Report endorsed Senator Barack Obama. Read our endorsement here, or on Senator Obama's home page (check the latest news section). Part of our reasons for our endorsement stems from the analysis below.

Key Point: Senator Obama can win Texas if he can hold his own on March 4 with the 126 Delegates that will be allocated based on the votes in Texas' 31 Senate Districts, and then do well (as he has in the past) with the 67 delegates in the caucus-system that will fully be realized at the Texas Democratic Party Convention in June. That's not just spin, folks -- I've looked at all the numbers extensively, and I'm telling you, it's going to happen:

Cross-posted from Burnt Orange Report.

The following are the responses from written interviews I conducted with both Mikal Watts & Rick Noriega. Any links or sources within the post are my own. Approximately half of the questions were my own, while the other half came directly from our BOR community. This is a very lengthy post, but considering the importance of the race, I hope you will indulge us. I would like to sincerely thank both campaigns for their participation.

To read the interviews, check below the fold.

Cross-posted from Burnt Orange Report.

Sen. John Edwards appeared at Scholz Beer Garden in Austin, Texas today to meet, greet, and speak to over 1,000 local supporters. State Senator Kirk Watson (D-Austin) spoke to start the event. A former mayor of Austin, Senator Watson's endorsement of Edwards today came along with the endorsement from other Texas Democrat leaders -- Rep. Jim Dunnam, Rep. Garnet Coleman, and Rep. Trey Martinez-Fischer (Source). Rep. Martinez-Fischer also spoke at the event, telling the crowd it's time to pay less attention to platitudes, and more attention to the beatitudes.

Cross-posted from Burnt Orange Report.

Every incumbent Texas House Democrat won re-election. The Texas House will have six more Democrats at the start of the 80th Regular Session than it did at the start of the 79th Regular Session. And Texas Democrats did it all despite being considerably outspent in every single one of their competitive races.

How did this happen, and who had the largest overall impact towards the success of Texas' House Democrats?

That answer, unequivocably, is the House Democratic Campaign Committee (HDCC). The HDCC is the leadership PAC run by House Democratic Leader Jim Dunnam of Waco, LSG Chair Garnet Coleman of Houston, and Mexican American Caucus Chair Pete Gallego of Alpine. What began in 2004 as a simple fundraising PAC expanded this last cycle into one of the most important Democratic organizations in Texas.

Looks like Congressman Chet Edwards just locked this one up! The National Republican Campaign Committee pulled $1.5 million worth of advertising from the race in TX-17 between Congressman Edwards and Republican challenger Van Taylor. In what was supposed to be one of Republicans key victories (and the last piece of the Delay-driven redistricting scheme), they've now officially cut and run. From a press release from the Edwards campaign:

According to five television stations in the DFW market, the NRCC on Monday canceled its planned television ad buy on behalf of Taylor.  The cancelled Taylor buy was valued at over $1.5 million and was scheduled to run in the last two weeks of the campaign.

From today's Fort Worth Star-Telegram, in an article titled, "Comments by Friedman are no laughing matter, some say":

Friedman, in a video clip that some of his opponents began circulating Tuesday, calls Negro a "charming word" and uses it in an explanation of what he would do to sexual predators if he is elected in November.

"Throw them in prison and throw away the key and make them listen to a Negro talking to himself," Friedman said in the TV interview, which CNBC broadcast late last year. The comments hardly made a splash at the time, but the video, posted on www.youtube.com, is sparking fresh criticism.

I want Chris Bell to be the next Governor of Texas because he doesn't play the best kind of politics and he doesn't run the best campaign. Instead, he focuses on identifying problems and offering successful solutions. Chris Bell is best at policy -- and it's policy, not the empty rhetoric of politics -- that is finally going to turn Texas around.

Bell doesn't play the best kind of politics. When everyone asked him to play nice, sit down, and shut up, he refused. Instead he spoke his mind, fully knowing he would be critiqued and attacked for his actions for years to come. For Bell, though, it didn't matter. He felt too strongly and cared too deeply to stay on the sidelines and not force everyone to identify the problem at hand. As a result of Bell's actions, Tom Delay received his first chink in his armor.

Get to Know the District: TX-14

When looking at the map of TX-14, there is something incredibly important to remember: TX-14 is 60% different than it was in 2004. If you look at the interactive map that shows how the district has changed since 2000, you can see how drastically the district (in light blue) is, especially the tremendous change since the map was re-drawn for the 2004 election cycle. The new map, in fact, borders a great deal of Tom Delay's old district, TX-22. DeLay's district and TX-14 share borders in Brazoria, Ft. Bend and Galveston counties. Ed. note: The image is courtesy of our friends over at the Lone Star Project.

I'm sure that might be surprising to some of you. I'm sure there are some that feel like I've neglected some of Texas' most well-known candidates, Nick Lampson and Chet Edwards, or that I'm neglecting one of our Netroots favorites, John Courage. The fact is that Nick Lampson has TX-22 locked up, and while Chet Edwards faces a tough protection seat, his is a campaign we can confidentally count on to deliver. I know some of you who don't know who Shane Sklar is, and think I'm nuts. I'm not. I'll say it again:

Shane Sklar is running the most important congressional race in Texas.