Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of September 5, 2012. Give us your feedback below and tune in to Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty for these and many more topics from 6-9 am.

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1. Democratic Convention Thoughts

Last night the 2012 Democratic Convention got started with many different speakers and Julian Castro, the Mayor of San Antonio as the speaker giving the keynote address. Castro defended the Obama and Administration and like the other speakers, tried to paint the GOP as the party of going backwards. Castro pumped up the City of San Antonio and discussed his own family history.

Castro was an interesting selection for keynote speaker. He wasn't a household name and not a rising star like Andrew Cuomo out of New York. Democrats were hoping that last night's speech would propel Castro into the spotlight like the keynote address did for Obama back in 2004. To me though, the speech wasn't that great. It was talking point after talking point without much depth.

First Lady Michelle Obama spoke as well last night, and for her it was a good speech. It wasn't the same type of speech that Ann Romney gave about Mitt Romney though. Michelle Obama's speech did try to paint a picture of the President, but it was more of a campaign speech. The crowd ate it up and loved it.

The problem with both speeches is that I don't think they were very effective in reaching who the Democrats wanted to reach. The undecideds didn't hear about jobs. They heard more promises and talk about abortion. The Democrats spent more time on abortion last night than the GOP spent on the topic the entire convention. Both Castro and Obama fired up the delegates inside the arena, but I'm not sure how it played outside.

What do you think?

2. New Election for Hockley County Sheriff (link)

Every vote counts, and in Hockley County it appears as though you will be able to vote again. District Judge Ruben Reyes has ordered that the GOP runoff election results in Hockley County for Sheriff be voided. That means Sheriff Paul Scarborough and R.C. Cheek get to do this all over again. According to KFYO News:

A new election will be held soon for the Republican nominee for Hockley County Sheriff.

R.C. Cheek and incumbent Sheriff Paul Scarborough faced off in the July 31st Republican Party primary runoff election, and Cheek originally won by 2 votes.

The first recount had Cheek winning by a single vote, and yet another recount had Scarborough as the victor by 1 vote.

Cheek filed a lawsuit contesting the results, and a Hockley County Judge ordered a new election.

The new election between Cheek and Scarborough will be held on Tuesday, September 18th. Early voting in that election will start on September 10th.

The same polling places will be open for the September 18th election as were for the July 31st runoff.

The winner in the Republican primary election will face former Hockley County Sheriff David Kinney in November.

Remember, every vote counts. It will be interesting to see just how many people show up for this election.

3. Lubbock AJ Says Gov. Rick Perry Shouldn't Run Again (link)

Lubbock's newspaper is calling for Rick Perry not to seek re-election. Why? Because they say it's time for new blood.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s future plans either are undecided or known only to him, but there's a lot of speculation he's planning on another run for governor in two years — and possibly considering a second try for the Republican presidential nomination in four years.

We hope neither of those speculations becomes a reality.

He has been the governor of Texas since December 2000, when George W. Bush resigned to become the president and Perry, as lieutenant governor, succeeded him.

He was elected to four-year gubernatorial terms in 2002, 2006 and 2010. His almost 12 years in the state’s highest office has earned him the longest-serving tenure of any Texas governor in history.

He had previously won three other statewide races in Texas — the one for lieutenant governor and two for agriculture commissioner. But he discovered, during a stumbling run for the Republican presidential nomination, national political experiences didn’t go nearly as well for him as those within the friendly confines of the Lone Star State.

Can he really be considering another run for president, given the gaffes and roughing up he experienced in his first time around?

The AJ believes Perry shouldn't run because of the power he has, and how long he has been around.

By the time Gov. Perry has finished his third full term as governor, he will have served more than 14 years as Texas governor. We consider that a long enough time to spend in the gubernatorial saddle.

We don’t know his future plans, but if he is considering running for governor again, we hope he will not.

Throwing someone out of office just for new blood doesn't make any sense. Now, if you disagree with the direction Texas is heading, that's a different story.

4. Food Stamp Use Rises (link)

Is President Obama the Food Stamp President? Evidence says yes.

Food-stamp use reached a record 46.7 million people in June, the government said, as Democrats prepare to nominate President Barack Obama for a second term with the economy as a chief issue in the campaign.

Participation was up 0.4 percent from May and 3.3 percent higher than a year earlier and has remained greater than 46 million all year as the unemployment rate stayed higher than 8 percent. New jobless numbers will be released Sept. 7.

“Too many middle-class families who have fallen on hard times are still struggling,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in an e-mailed statement today. “Our goal is to get these families the temporary assistance they need so they are able to get through these tough times and back on their feet as soon as possible.”

Food-stamp spending, which more than doubled in four years to a record $75.7 billion in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2011, is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's biggest annual expense. Republicans in Congress have criticized the cost of the program, and the House budget plan approved in April sponsored by Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the party’s vice- presidential nominee, would cut expenses by $33 billion over 10 years.

I wonder how the Democrats will bring this up at the convention... if they do at all.

Other Top Stories:

These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty. Tune in mornings 6-9am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.

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