David Holmes Joins Vo's Staff
Strama Hires Legislative Aides

December 18, 2004

House Committee Clerk Jeff Blaylock
Joins Austin Firm Public Strategies

Jeff Blaylock is leaving his job at the Texas Capitol in order to enter the private sector as the point person on the SBC Communications account for Public Strategies Inc. Blaylock has been working for Republican State Rep. Burt Solomons of Carrollton as the chief clerk for the House Financial Institutions Committee. An expert on legislative procedures and rules, Blaylock sat in on meetings of the House Select Committee on Public School Finance earlier this year to keep an eye out for potential points of order that could doom the legislation it was considering during the spring special session. Blaylock steps into the role that John Krueger filled the past two years until his promotion earlier this week to Public Strategies' Washington D.C. office.

Hubert Vo Signs DNC Member
David Holmes as Chief of Staff

David Holmes' new position comes with health insurance and other benefits but not a lot of job security at this point in time. Holmes - a Democratic National Committee member who's become a Texas Capitol veteran at a relatively young age - has agreed to be the new chief of staff for Democrat Hubert Vo of Houston. Vo and 16 other incoming House members are scheduled to be sworn into the lower chamber when the Legislature convenes on January 11. How long Vo will get to keep the west Houston seat remains to be seen. It could be for at least two years - if the House rejects a move by Republican State Rep. Talmadge Heflin to overturn Vo's election. If House members agree that Vo shouldn't be seated because of election irregularities alleged by Heflin, Holmes will be on the job market again early next year. Holmes' experience at the Capitol includes jobs with former Secretary of the Senate Betty King and as a top aide to State Senator Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio. A member of the DNC for the past four years, Holmes was in the news in the past year when he endorsed Wesley Clark for President.

D’ambrosio, Throop Take Jobs
as Legislative Aides for Strama

State Rep.-elect Mark Strama - like Hubert Vo - also must overcome an election challenge in the House by his Republican opponent before being able to settle in completely in his first elected role. Strama, an Austin Democrat who beat State Rep. Jack Stick by less than 600 votes, has signed up Eleanor D’ambrosio and Mary Throop for jobs on his new staff as legislative aides. D’ambrosio has experience on the political side including work on former Senator David Cain's re-election campaign in 2002. Throop - a former school teacher - has been a policy analyst for the Texas Association of School Boards for the past several years. Strama hasn't made a decision yet on a new chief of staff.