Excerpt from Matt Stiles' NewsWatch: City Hall blog - http://blogs.chron.com/cityhall/

March 02, 2007

The cyber race for District I

Two men vying to replace term-limited District I City Councilwoman Carol Alvarado have launched Web sites.

...

James Rodriguez, Alvarado's former chief of staff

Candidate photo James Rodriguez

Hi! I'm James Rodriguez and I hope to be your next Houston City Council Member for District I.

I am dedicated to the people of District I. I grew up here and graduated from Milby High School. I still live and am a homeowner in the District today. Not only do I look forward to representing my friends and neighbors, I feel that I am more than ready to step up and do so. I have the experience, drive, and passion required to advocate for my community.

For now, Rodriguez's campaign appears to be winning the Web battle. He's got more content, at least: Photos | Endorsements | Bio

This race should quite a contest, as Chronicle reporters Lori Rodriguez and Kristen Mack wrote recently:

Nine months before the city election, Houston Councilwoman Carol Alvarado and Harris County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia are locked in political battle, though both deny it and neither will be on the ballot.

The surface issue is who will succeed the term-limited Alvarado representing Council District I on the East End.

The campaigns of James Rodriguez, Alvarado's choice, and John Marron, backed by Garcia, already are busily at work issuing dueling press releases and endorsement lists that typically emerge much later in the political season.

Add dueling Web sites, too.