2/18/26 – In the Republican primary for Harris County Judge, I’m endorsing Marty Lancton. There are many good candidates on the Republican slate. I’ve been to several forums and heard them all speak. And I’ve talked personally with most.
I first met Lancton at Amadeus over lunch five months ago. And I’ve had numerous meetings and communications with him ever since. I endorse him for many reasons.
Proven Leadership Experience in a Political Environment
Lancton is head of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association and VP of the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters. As such, he has represented more than 20,000 fire fighters and paramedics statewide in Austin for many years, as well as 4,000 of those working in Houston.
If elected, Lancton would have to represent the County when dealing with Austin and Houston City Hall. He already knows the players and political landscape well. He has lobbied in both places for years and understands how to get things done.
In forging consensus, he listens and seeks common ground. I’ve already seen it firsthand.
In my opinion…
He’s sorely needed in today’s polarized, name-calling, overheated, burn-your-opponent-to-the-ground, and stomp-on-their-ashes political environment.
Already Helping Lake Houston Area
Lancton also stands out when it comes to understanding the needs of the Lake Houston Area – especially the flood-mitigation needs.
Rescue boat piloted by Lancton during Hurricane Harvey evacuation
Before retirement, I owned a business. And I quickly learned to promote people who were already doing the job they wanted to get. Lancton has impressed me in that regard. He has already reached out to his Austin contacts to help with flooding issues in the Lake Houston Area.
Saving Lives During Shock and Awe of Mother Nature
Moreover, as a first responder, he has witnessed firsthand how winds, rain and floods can destroy homes and lives.
Lancton’s squad rescuing residents whose home was crushed by giant tree during the 2024 derecho
He has evacuated victims on his back and in lifeboats. It’s one thing to understand problems intellectually and another to feel the shock-and-awe of Mother Nature for days on end as you repeatedly put your own life on the line to help fellow human beings you never met.
Lancton accepting flag to convey to family of fallen firefighter.
In a similar vein, candidate Lancton has waded neck deep into the political fray. It takes extraordinary courage and character to expose oneself to that these days…again to help fellow human beings he has never met.
Electable
If elected Harris County Judge, Lancton would be accountable to all county residents, whether they identify as Democrats or Republicans. In that regard, Lancton has a history of working across the aisle to build consensus and get results.
Among Republican candidates, he uniquely stands out on that score. He is a lifelong Republican, endorsed by Governor Greg Abbott. Yet the firefighters union also elected him as its leader.
While that may raise questions for some, I see it as a plus.
He can draw support from both sides of the aisle in a way that perhaps other candidates cannot. And that makes him electable in the general election still nine months away.
Meeting The Challenges Ahead
Harris County has enormous challenges ahead. Flood mitigation. Improving public safety. Fixing infrastructure. Cutting wasteful spending to reduce property taxes. Improving service delivery. And restoring trust in government … to name just a few.
Lancton has the experience, temperament, and energy to take on these tasks. I already voted for him and hope you do, too.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/18/26
3095 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Lancton-Rescue-Boat-during-Harvey-.jpg?fit=1100%2C711&ssl=17111100adminadmin2026-02-18 18:52:402026-02-18 18:52:41Endorsing Marty Lancton for County Judge in Republican Primary
2/17/26 – Early voting starts today. I hope everyone votes. Electing people who address the problems of their constituents is essential. But sometimes, it’s hard to recognize who those people are because of political deception using trolls, bots and “engagement farms.” These invisible influencers can:
Undermine our understanding of issues
Alter our perception of reality, much like a drug would
Rob us of the power to make informed decisions
Trick us into voting against our own self-interest.
How? By flooding social media with false information disguised as comments from legitimate users, they make it appear as though there is a groundswell of opposition to a particular candidate.
My First Clue
Several weeks ago, I posted what I thought was an innocent story about Congressman Dan Crenshaw. It detailed how a Federal grant he secured for improvements to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch kept the project from being killed by Democrats in Harris County Commissioners Court.
Out of nowhere, the post was flooded with off-topic comments criticizing Crenshaw and promoting Steve Toth. Toth is running against Crenshaw in the new Texas Congressional District 2.
My post never mentioned Toth. But comments on the post ripped apart Crenshaw, a war hero who has dedicated his life to public service and improving public safety.
Toth’s trolls were as relentless as a pack of rabid jackals. I spent hours trying to respond to their inane comments before I gave up … exhausted. Since then, I’ve been investigating what happened. It goes way beyond the childish defacing of an opponents election signs … which Toth also does.
Photo taken today outside polling location. In Texas, this is criminal, with fines up to $2,000 and up to 30 days in jail.
Online, bots and trolls can be programmed to bomb posts and pages with scripted comments that wear down humans and crowd out legitimate discussion. They often work together to create the impression of widespread discontent about political opponents. This can influence people who may not follow politics closely. They sense the majority has concerns about a candidate. So, they vote for his/her opponent.
Engagement Farms
I also learned about “engagement farms.” Engagement farms coordinate employees who control multiple accounts and are directed to:
Comment
Dislike
Share
Gang up on others
Attack opponents
Artificially inflate visibility.
They are often paid by the volume of interactions. ChatGPT cites publicly advertised engagement-farm service rates ranging from $50 to $300 per 1000 comments. Now you know why trolls often use one word comments such as “Hogwash”!
Unlike bots, engagement farms generate authentic human interaction. That makes detecting them harder. But they all use similar techniques to slime an opponent’s reputation.
How to Recognize When You’re Arguing with a Troll, Bot or Engagement Farm
Below, I use the word “troll” to apply to all three categories. Their tactics and goals are similar. Their hallmarks include:
Intentional provocation (not just disagreement):
They post inflammatory, extreme or deliberately offensive claims to trigger outrage
When others try to respond constructively, they steer toward conflict
They seek antagonism
Comments amplify conflict rather than resolve it
Trolls label someone as corrupt, inept, or bad without evidence.
Bad-faith argumentation:
Ignoring responses
Misrepresenting others’ positions to make them easier to attack
Moving the goal posts once counter-evidence appears
Trying to muddy the analysis
Nitpicking technicalities to derail substantive discussion
No amount of evidence ever convinces a troll.
Circular discussions
Anonymity and disposable identities:
Trolls often operate from new accounts with no or little history in them
The accounts have no or minimal personal information
These allow lying without jeopardizing the reputation of the troll
If blocked, new fake accounts quickly replace old fake accounts.
Derailing topic threads into unrelated controversies
Hijacking legitimate discussion with ideological provocation
Repeating previously debunked claims to restart conflict
Unlike someone who simply vents, trolls typically:
Re-engage repeatedly after pushback
Continue, even when ignored, to escalate intensity and reignite arguments
Seek visibility, not persuasion
Take extreme, minority positions to provoke conflict
Cast doubt without proving allegations
Spew misinformation
Cite obscure blogs or misleading statistics
Present partial truths without context
Mix legitimate data with distortions.
Claiming false affiliations (I’m a lifelong Republican, but that guy…)
Pretending to be local when they may be overseas
Selective skepticism:
They apply high evidentiary standards to opponents, but…
Accept vague, anecdotal evidence that supports their side
Ignore contradictory facts.
Coordinated behavior:
Multiple accounts repeat similar phrases
Synchronized messaging
Identical sentence structures
Specific rhetorical constructions, such as:
Unusual word choices
Semantic duplication, even when wording changes slightly
Copy-pasted paragraphs with minor edits
The same metaphors, accusations and claims without citations or context (He’s a RINO!)
Reused rhetoric
Name-calling
High outward aggression, low inward disagreement.
Why It Matters
Trolls use intentional, bad-faith provocation to disrupt legitimate discourse or elicit emotional reactions. Trolls want to mislead. Their disruption denies people the information they need to make voting decisions based on facts.
Political trolling also increases polarization and creates public distrust of government. People begin to think, “All politicians are corrupt.”
Taking Trolling to Next Level
“Engagement Farms” pay people to perform online tasks that influence your behavior. They began a decade or so ago by paying people to submit fake product reviews. In politics today, they are used to:
Damage and harass opponents
Simulate grassroots outrage
Influence undecideds.
Engagement farm attacks:
Feel personal
Appear socially validated
Create a strong perception of widespread consensus.
They seek to make you doubt. In the end, unless you really know the contestants first hand, you may follow an imaginary crowd. They make it hard to discern fact from fiction. And that is happening in the Crenshaw/Toth race.
Exploiting a Regulatory Gap
Social media comment-based attacks often avoid regulations on traditional advertising. For instance, they don’t require disclosure of the sponsor. This regulatory gap is significant.
Super PACs can often legally spend unlimited, untraceable amounts on engagement farm services.
While hiding behind the First Amendment, they wear down and exhaust humans trying to interact legitimately.
Bob Rehak
In the digital age, they amplify digital discontent like hecklers at a political rally. Enforcement actions against them are rare, difficult to prove and occur long after the election is over…if ever.
I personally believe nothing coming from the Toth camp. I’ve caught them in too many lies. I have endorsed Crenshaw, a man I have known for eight years and who has delivered hundreds of millions of flood-mitigation dollars for the Lake Houston Area.
Caution: Disclaimer
Campaign supporters acting individually may use some of the tactics outlined above. Some may even support Steve Toth without pay.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/17/26
3094 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/20260217-Crenshaw-Sign-Defaced.jpg?fit=1100%2C655&ssl=16551100adminadmin2026-02-17 09:25:302026-02-17 11:53:14How to Recognize Political Deception from Trolls, Bots and Engagement Farms
2/14/26 – The Republican primary in the newly redrawn Congressional District 2 (CD2) pits U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw against State Rep. Steve Toth.
Crenshaw is running for his fifth term in Washington. Toth is running for his first, although Toth has served five terms in the Texas House representing a portion of southern Montgomery County.
I endorse Crenshaw for several reasons, not the least of which is his experience and seniority in Washington. That has enabled him to bring home hundreds of millions of dollars in flood-mitigation funds for CD-2.
From a flood-mitigation perspective, Crenshaw equals “proven results.”
Crenshaw isn’t just saying flood-mitigation is important to get your vote. He has repeatedly delivered dollars to reduce flood risk. He has authored and passed legislation that has funded upstream detention, dredging and additional gates for the Lake Houston Dam – exactly what he promised in 2018.
Upstream detention reduces stormwater coming into the Lake Houston Area during floods
Dredging increases the conveyance of rivers and streams so they don’t overflow into your living room
More floodgates will allow faster lowering of lake levels before storms to create more storage capacity in the lake. They will also lower lake levels faster during storms to help keep floodwaters at manageable levels.
Flood mitigation requires doing the hard work of crafting support for such measures among colleagues in the legislature..
Saying you’re FOR something is simple. Delivering results is much harder.
And Crenshaw has delivered consistently. Seniority and relationships count for something in Congress. Crenshaw’s opponent has neither.
Crenshaw’s Opponent Consistently Voted Against Flood Mitigation
Even worse, Crenshaw’s opponent consistently voted AGAINST measures that would have helped protect the Lake Houston Area.
Mr. Toth has tried to justify his vote on the dredging district by spreading misinformation. He claims that flood control is the sole reason the Legislature established the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) and that SJRA should be responsible for dredging.
@SteveTothTX, X, 10/11/25
Actually, the SJRA’s enabling legislation listed 19 reasons for its creation. Most have to do with water supply. In fact, flood control is mentioned only within the context of building dams for water supply. The enabling legislation never mentions dredging.
Toth’s Voting Record and Tactics
If you really want to see what Toth stands FOR, see what he voted AGAINST. Toth voted against free speech, food banks, cybersecurity, conservation, grid reliability, open meetings, transparency, ethics, border security, fraud protections, and disclosure of campaign finance information. He even voted AGAINST bills to protect victims of family abuse and sex trafficking. His voting records in 2021 and 2023 were shocking. And in 2025, he reached new lows.
He even called me dishonest for simply reporting his official voting record from the Texas Legislature Online website. Watch out. Disagree with him and he’ll sic his rabid pack of paid trolls on you, too!
Reasonable Republicans Must Vote in Primary
Toth leads a group of Montgomery County extremists who are so far right they border on anarchists. But they all vote in primaries. And that’s precisely why it’s important for reasonable Republicans who care about public safety to vote in this primary.
Given the composition of the new CD2, the real election starts this week. I’m voting for Crenshaw and I hope you do, too, with your friends, neighbors and relatives. Before it’s too late.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/15/26
3092 Days since Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/CrenshawElmGrove-e1690218032150.jpg?fit=1100%2C825&ssl=18251100adminadmin2026-02-15 11:39:022026-02-15 11:46:51Vote for Crenshaw in Congressional District 2 Republican Primary
Endorsing Marty Lancton for County Judge in Republican Primary
2/18/26 – In the Republican primary for Harris County Judge, I’m endorsing Marty Lancton. There are many good candidates on the Republican slate. I’ve been to several forums and heard them all speak. And I’ve talked personally with most.
I first met Lancton at Amadeus over lunch five months ago. And I’ve had numerous meetings and communications with him ever since. I endorse him for many reasons.
Proven Leadership Experience in a Political Environment
Lancton is head of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association and VP of the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters. As such, he has represented more than 20,000 fire fighters and paramedics statewide in Austin for many years, as well as 4,000 of those working in Houston.
If elected, Lancton would have to represent the County when dealing with Austin and Houston City Hall. He already knows the players and political landscape well. He has lobbied in both places for years and understands how to get things done.
In forging consensus, he listens and seeks common ground. I’ve already seen it firsthand.
In my opinion…
Already Helping Lake Houston Area
Lancton also stands out when it comes to understanding the needs of the Lake Houston Area – especially the flood-mitigation needs.
Before retirement, I owned a business. And I quickly learned to promote people who were already doing the job they wanted to get. Lancton has impressed me in that regard. He has already reached out to his Austin contacts to help with flooding issues in the Lake Houston Area.
Saving Lives During Shock and Awe of Mother Nature
Moreover, as a first responder, he has witnessed firsthand how winds, rain and floods can destroy homes and lives.
He has evacuated victims on his back and in lifeboats. It’s one thing to understand problems intellectually and another to feel the shock-and-awe of Mother Nature for days on end as you repeatedly put your own life on the line to help fellow human beings you never met.
In a similar vein, candidate Lancton has waded neck deep into the political fray. It takes extraordinary courage and character to expose oneself to that these days…again to help fellow human beings he has never met.
Electable
If elected Harris County Judge, Lancton would be accountable to all county residents, whether they identify as Democrats or Republicans. In that regard, Lancton has a history of working across the aisle to build consensus and get results.
Among Republican candidates, he uniquely stands out on that score. He is a lifelong Republican, endorsed by Governor Greg Abbott. Yet the firefighters union also elected him as its leader.
While that may raise questions for some, I see it as a plus.
Meeting The Challenges Ahead
Harris County has enormous challenges ahead. Flood mitigation. Improving public safety. Fixing infrastructure. Cutting wasteful spending to reduce property taxes. Improving service delivery. And restoring trust in government … to name just a few.
Lancton has the experience, temperament, and energy to take on these tasks. I already voted for him and hope you do, too.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/18/26
3095 Days since Hurricane Harvey
How to Recognize Political Deception from Trolls, Bots and Engagement Farms
2/17/26 – Early voting starts today. I hope everyone votes. Electing people who address the problems of their constituents is essential. But sometimes, it’s hard to recognize who those people are because of political deception using trolls, bots and “engagement farms.” These invisible influencers can:
How? By flooding social media with false information disguised as comments from legitimate users, they make it appear as though there is a groundswell of opposition to a particular candidate.
My First Clue
Several weeks ago, I posted what I thought was an innocent story about Congressman Dan Crenshaw. It detailed how a Federal grant he secured for improvements to the Kingwood Diversion Ditch kept the project from being killed by Democrats in Harris County Commissioners Court.
Out of nowhere, the post was flooded with off-topic comments criticizing Crenshaw and promoting Steve Toth. Toth is running against Crenshaw in the new Texas Congressional District 2.
My post never mentioned Toth. But comments on the post ripped apart Crenshaw, a war hero who has dedicated his life to public service and improving public safety.
Toth’s trolls were as relentless as a pack of rabid jackals. I spent hours trying to respond to their inane comments before I gave up … exhausted. Since then, I’ve been investigating what happened. It goes way beyond the childish defacing of an opponents election signs … which Toth also does.
Online, bots and trolls can be programmed to bomb posts and pages with scripted comments that wear down humans and crowd out legitimate discussion. They often work together to create the impression of widespread discontent about political opponents. This can influence people who may not follow politics closely. They sense the majority has concerns about a candidate. So, they vote for his/her opponent.
Engagement Farms
I also learned about “engagement farms.” Engagement farms coordinate employees who control multiple accounts and are directed to:
They are often paid by the volume of interactions. ChatGPT cites publicly advertised engagement-farm service rates ranging from $50 to $300 per 1000 comments. Now you know why trolls often use one word comments such as “Hogwash”!
Unlike bots, engagement farms generate authentic human interaction. That makes detecting them harder. But they all use similar techniques to slime an opponent’s reputation.
How to Recognize When You’re Arguing with a Troll, Bot or Engagement Farm
Below, I use the word “troll” to apply to all three categories. Their tactics and goals are similar. Their hallmarks include:
Why It Matters
Trolls use intentional, bad-faith provocation to disrupt legitimate discourse or elicit emotional reactions. Trolls want to mislead. Their disruption denies people the information they need to make voting decisions based on facts.
Political trolling also increases polarization and creates public distrust of government. People begin to think, “All politicians are corrupt.”
Taking Trolling to Next Level
“Engagement Farms” pay people to perform online tasks that influence your behavior. They began a decade or so ago by paying people to submit fake product reviews. In politics today, they are used to:
Engagement farm attacks:
They seek to make you doubt. In the end, unless you really know the contestants first hand, you may follow an imaginary crowd. They make it hard to discern fact from fiction. And that is happening in the Crenshaw/Toth race.
Exploiting a Regulatory Gap
Social media comment-based attacks often avoid regulations on traditional advertising. For instance, they don’t require disclosure of the sponsor. This regulatory gap is significant.
Super PACs can often legally spend unlimited, untraceable amounts on engagement farm services.
In the digital age, they amplify digital discontent like hecklers at a political rally. Enforcement actions against them are rare, difficult to prove and occur long after the election is over…if ever.
I personally believe nothing coming from the Toth camp. I’ve caught them in too many lies. I have endorsed Crenshaw, a man I have known for eight years and who has delivered hundreds of millions of flood-mitigation dollars for the Lake Houston Area.
Caution: Disclaimer
Campaign supporters acting individually may use some of the tactics outlined above. Some may even support Steve Toth without pay.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/17/26
3094 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
Vote for Crenshaw in Congressional District 2 Republican Primary
2/14/26 – The Republican primary in the newly redrawn Congressional District 2 (CD2) pits U.S. Congressman Dan Crenshaw against State Rep. Steve Toth.
Crenshaw is running for his fifth term in Washington. Toth is running for his first, although Toth has served five terms in the Texas House representing a portion of southern Montgomery County.
I endorse Crenshaw for several reasons, not the least of which is his experience and seniority in Washington. That has enabled him to bring home hundreds of millions of dollars in flood-mitigation funds for CD-2.
Crenshaw (black shirt) saw first hand why Elm Grove flooded. Then he got mitigation dollars to help the victims.
Crenshaw Delivers Results, Not Spin
Crenshaw isn’t just saying flood-mitigation is important to get your vote. He has repeatedly delivered dollars to reduce flood risk. He has authored and passed legislation that has funded upstream detention, dredging and additional gates for the Lake Houston Dam – exactly what he promised in 2018.
Flood mitigation requires doing the hard work of crafting support for such measures among colleagues in the legislature..
Saying you’re FOR something is simple. Delivering results is much harder.
And Crenshaw has delivered consistently. Seniority and relationships count for something in Congress. Crenshaw’s opponent has neither.
Crenshaw’s Opponent Consistently Voted Against Flood Mitigation
Even worse, Crenshaw’s opponent consistently voted AGAINST measures that would have helped protect the Lake Houston Area.
Mr. Toth voted AGAINST:
Toth Doesn’t Study Issues
Mr. Toth has tried to justify his vote on the dredging district by spreading misinformation. He claims that flood control is the sole reason the Legislature established the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) and that SJRA should be responsible for dredging.
Actually, the SJRA’s enabling legislation listed 19 reasons for its creation. Most have to do with water supply. In fact, flood control is mentioned only within the context of building dams for water supply. The enabling legislation never mentions dredging.
Toth’s Voting Record and Tactics
If you really want to see what Toth stands FOR, see what he voted AGAINST. Toth voted against free speech, food banks, cybersecurity, conservation, grid reliability, open meetings, transparency, ethics, border security, fraud protections, and disclosure of campaign finance information. He even voted AGAINST bills to protect victims of family abuse and sex trafficking. His voting records in 2021 and 2023 were shocking. And in 2025, he reached new lows.
He even called me dishonest for simply reporting his official voting record from the Texas Legislature Online website. Watch out. Disagree with him and he’ll sic his rabid pack of paid trolls on you, too!
Reasonable Republicans Must Vote in Primary
Toth leads a group of Montgomery County extremists who are so far right they border on anarchists. But they all vote in primaries. And that’s precisely why it’s important for reasonable Republicans who care about public safety to vote in this primary.
Given the composition of the new CD2, the real election starts this week. I’m voting for Crenshaw and I hope you do, too, with your friends, neighbors and relatives. Before it’s too late.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/15/26
3092 Days since Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.