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applegrove

(118,677 posts) Thu Mar 1, 2018, 07:27 PM Mar 2018

Why Democrats are suddenly competitive in deep-red Texas

By Ella Nilsen at Vox

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/3/1/17058372/democrats-2018-texas-primary-midterms-congressional-districts

"SNIP........

For the first time in decades, Democrats are making a big play for Texas in 2018.

There are Democratic candidates running in all of the state’s 36 congressional districts for the first time in 25 years. Democrats know they won’t be competitive in every congressional district, but they have their sights set on the three they believe they have the best shot at winning — the Seventh Congressional District in Houston against incumbent Rep. John Culberson, the 23rd Congressional District outside San Antonio against incumbent Rep. Will Hurd, and the 32nd Congressional District in Dallas against incumbent Rep. Pete Sessions.

There were signs before 2018 that these three districts could be shifting blue; namely, the fact that Hillary Clinton carried all three by a couple of points in the 2016 election.

There’s a popular Democratic Congress member, Rep. Beto O’Rourke, challenging (and out-fundraising) Sen. Ted Cruz in the race for US Senate. And though Democrats are facing tremendously steep odds in the governor’s race against incumbent Greg Abbott, they are still trying, with two strong candidates leading a pack of nine candidates.

........SNIP"

9 replies

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Why Democrats are suddenly competitive in deep-red Texas (Original Post) applegrove Mar 2018 OP

For a long time, Democratic turnout in Texas has been minimal. bearsfootball516 Mar 2018 #1

they definitely need to GOTV there NewJeffCT Mar 2018 #2

I imagine that for decades, it's been hard to be motivated to vote if you're a Democrat down there. bearsfootball516 Mar 2018 #3

Running a candidate in every race is the rock bottom minimum gratuitous Mar 2018 #4

And running in every district maxrandb Mar 2018 #5

ya gotta play to win. mopinko Mar 2018 #7

I am not the ground in Texas and I am seeing a great deal of enthuaism and energy Gothmog Mar 2018 #6

The problem with gerrymandering is it can come down like a house of cards Major Nikon Mar 2018 #8

K&R Scurrilous Mar 2018 #9

bearsfootball516

(6,377 posts)

1. For a long time, Democratic turnout in Texas has been minimal.

Reply to applegrove (Original post)

Thu Mar 1, 2018, 07:29 PM

Mar 2018

Just because they felt like it was a hopeless cause. In reality, if they all came out and voted, they could probably turn Texas blue, or at least make it a deeply competitive purple state.

It's also worth noting that Trump won Texas with just 52 percent. For what's supposed to be a deep red state, that's pretty unimpressive and highlights the fact that Texas is flippable in the near future.

NewJeffCT

(56,828 posts)

2. they definitely need to GOTV there

Reply to bearsfootball516 (Reply #1)

Thu Mar 1, 2018, 07:38 PM

Mar 2018

Texas is one of the lower turnout states, I believe.

bearsfootball516

(6,377 posts)

3. I imagine that for decades, it's been hard to be motivated to vote if you're a Democrat down there.

Reply to NewJeffCT (Reply #2)

Thu Mar 1, 2018, 07:41 PM

Mar 2018

You're surrounded by so much red all the time, it's like, what's the point of voting? They're just now realizing how much power they actually have if they GOTV.

gratuitous

(82,849 posts)

4. Running a candidate in every race is the rock bottom minimum

Reply to applegrove (Original post)

Thu Mar 1, 2018, 07:48 PM

Mar 2018

You never know when lightning will strike and a "safe" seat suddenly is up for grabs. If you don't have a candidate running, you can't take advantage of, say, Louie Gohmert saying something so bone-stupid it actually turns off some of his voters, or a sudden retirement by someone one step ahead of the FBI.

I have to believe that there are even some people in Texas appalled by the Trump shitshow who are looking for different representation.

maxrandb

(15,330 posts)

5. And running in every district

Reply to gratuitous (Reply #4)

Thu Mar 1, 2018, 07:51 PM

Mar 2018

Has to help a hell of a lot in statewide races like Senate and governor

mopinko

(70,112 posts)

7. ya gotta play to win.

Reply to gratuitous (Reply #4)

Thu Mar 1, 2018, 08:04 PM

Mar 2018

and in a lot of places, they didnt want to piss off the other side just to lose.

Gothmog

(145,291 posts)

6. I am not the ground in Texas and I am seeing a great deal of enthuaism and energy

Reply to applegrove (Original post)

Thu Mar 1, 2018, 07:57 PM

Mar 2018

We had a county executive committee meeting a couple of weeks ago. At the same meeting in 2016 we had thirty or so precinct chairs. This cycle we had 120+ people there. We have seen great turnout in the large counties during early voting so far