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turbinetree

(24,710 posts) Sat Jan 18, 2020, 01:28 PM Jan 2020

2020′s first big test? Not Iowa, but a tiny Texas House race

By PAUL J. WEBER
an hour ago

KATY, Texas (AP) — Beto O’Rourke is livestreaming again. Joe Biden and Julián Castro are making their presence felt. Mike Bloomberg has knocked on doors and outside groups are running TV attack ads. On the brink of 2020?s first big contest, it all screams high stakes.

Not in Iowa. This is just for a single Texas House seat.

“This is one of the most important elections taking place in the country right now,” said O’Rourke, who since ending his own presidential run in November has campaigned for the Democrat in the race, Eliz Markowitz, including again Saturday with Castro.

The outcome of the Jan. 28 special election runoff near Houston — a week before the Iowa caucuses — in an ethnically diverse district of 220,000 people won’t change the balance of power in the GOP-controlled Texas Capitol. But like other special elections since President Donald Trump took office, this one is seen as brimming with broader significance: the year’s first bellwether that could signal bigger trends to come in November.

https://apnews.com/f6c742c64b7517fc49551764a406a820

I think the GOP are in for rude awakening.........................

15 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

2020′s first big test? Not Iowa, but a tiny Texas House race (Original Post) turbinetree Jan 2020 OP

Kick dalton99a Jan 2020 #1

Help her across the finish line... Salviati Jan 2020 #2

We'll be voting for her! KatyMan Jan 2020 #3

I will be voting for Eliz also Gothmog Jan 2020 #7

Great! KatyMan Jan 2020 #10

I wrote 20 postcards for her through yellowdogintexas Jan 2020 #4

I'm very interested in this. Can you tell me more? Coventina Jan 2020 #12

this is their website NewJeffCT Jan 2020 #15

Is there a favorite evertonfc Jan 2020 #5

Yes, Gary Gates May Be a Child Abuser Gothmog Jan 2020 #9

Horrific! Coventina Jan 2020 #13

My sister and brother in law live in Katy. Desert grandma Jan 2020 #6

Joe Biden endorsed Eliz in person at a private fundraiser Thursday night Gothmog Jan 2020 #8

Yeah for Beto Gothmog Jan 2020 #11

Abbott is worried Gothmog Jan 2020 #14

dalton99a

(81,566 posts)

1. Kick

Reply to turbinetree (Original post)

Sat Jan 18, 2020, 01:32 PM

Jan 2020

Salviati

(6,008 posts)

2. Help her across the finish line...

Reply to turbinetree (Original post)

Sat Jan 18, 2020, 01:32 PM

Jan 2020

... and help push the narrative in our direction

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/eliz4tx28

KatyMan

(4,209 posts)

3. We'll be voting for her!

Reply to turbinetree (Original post)

Sat Jan 18, 2020, 01:35 PM

Jan 2020

Early voting starts the 21st.

Gothmog

(145,486 posts)

7. I will be voting for Eliz also

Reply to KatyMan (Reply #3)

Sat Jan 18, 2020, 06:39 PM

Jan 2020

KatyMan

(4,209 posts)

10. Great!

Reply to Gothmog (Reply #7)

Sat Jan 18, 2020, 06:46 PM

Jan 2020

Hello county neighbor!

yellowdogintexas

(22,270 posts)

4. I wrote 20 postcards for her through

Reply to turbinetree (Original post)

Sat Jan 18, 2020, 01:44 PM

Jan 2020

postcardsforvoters.com

If you register with them, you will get email notices for races like this.

My last one was KY governor and the last two have filled up before I could register!

Campaigns have to request this but I think it is effective particularly with runoffs, because they have notoriously low turnouts. Beto and Julian's groundgame will boost turnout too.

We have 5 of the 9 critical races here in Tarrant County (Fort Worth) so I expect Beto and friends to spend a lot of time here after the primaries. If we have a runoff they will be here for that. These are flippable districts.

We also have several Congressional Races around the state that are flippable with goodturnout.

Coventina

(27,160 posts)

12. I'm very interested in this. Can you tell me more?

Reply to yellowdogintexas (Reply #4)

Sun Jan 19, 2020, 02:43 PM

Jan 2020

I hate phone-banking, but writing postcards is something I'd actually enjoy!

I encourage you to make this an OP.

Thanks!

NewJeffCT

(56,828 posts)

15. this is their website

Reply to Coventina (Reply #12)

Tue Jan 21, 2020, 05:46 PM

Jan 2020

They respond fairly quickly to offers to help - I bought a bunch of generic postcards off of amazon for like 20 or 25 cents apiece and have filled them out for a few races.

They do ask that you hand write the postcards, which was actually a challenge for me - I've hardly handwritten much beyond my name and tags on Christmas gifts for a good 20 or so years.

https://postcardstovoters.org/

evertonfc

(1,713 posts)

5. Is there a favorite

Reply to turbinetree (Original post)

Sat Jan 18, 2020, 01:45 PM

Jan 2020

in this race?

Gothmog

(145,486 posts)

9. Yes, Gary Gates May Be a Child Abuser

Reply to evertonfc (Reply #5)

Sat Jan 18, 2020, 06:45 PM

Jan 2020

Gates ran for the GOP nominee for Railroad commissioner a while back and here is some of the oppo on him https://texasscorecard.com/local/yes-gary-gates-may-be-a-child-abuser/

In a 2008 decision upholding summary judgment against Gates, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals recited a number of disturbing claims from the Gates’ children.

During the interviews with the children, TDPRS learned that Gary’s punishments included sitting against the wall in the chair position, running, moving bricks and boards across the driveway, doing push-ups, and being spanked with a hand, belt, or board. Travis and Alexis had been given “throw-up” medicine (ipecac) for eating food they should not have eaten, and children were required to skip their next meal if they stole food. On occasion, Gary taped newspaper around a child’s hands to keep him or her from stealing food.

Timothy stated that Gary threw the older children against the wall and that “dad hurts Travis and the big kids.” Timothy also stated that he was afraid of his father because “he hurts them.” Cynthia stated that after Gary found out about Travis stealing food, he kicked out Travis’s chair while Travis was sitting on it, causing Travis to hit his head on the floor; ?Gary then hit Travis, kicked him in the stomach, and pushed him into a wall. Marcus corroborated this story. Cynthia also stated that Gary had hit Cassandra and Andrew the previous day and that she is scared to live at home because her dad gets so mad. Andy confirmed that he had been spanked the previous day and had a bruise on his leg as a result.

Further, according to a TDPRS employee, when Gary arrived home that day, he told his children, “These people want to talk to you, they think mom and dad are bad people.” Timothy then responded, “Well dad you are bad, you slammed them [sic] up against the wall and made his head bleed.” Alexis and Marcus agreed with Timothy.

Coventina

(27,160 posts)

13. Horrific!

Reply to Gothmog (Reply #9)

Sun Jan 19, 2020, 02:45 PM

Jan 2020

Desert grandma

(804 posts)

6. My sister and brother in law live in Katy.

Reply to turbinetree (Original post)

Sat Jan 18, 2020, 05:37 PM

Jan 2020

They are devout R's. I have not spoken to them since election night 2016. Sister in Law called to tell me what "a nice concession speech Hillary gave." I think one of them was precinct chairman. NOTHING would give me more pleasure than if Eliz Markowitz wins this election. Sister in law and Brother in law are both well educated people too. He is business attorney and she has a CPA, even though she has not worked since the birth of their first son. He became a lawyer just like dad and was elected to the Texas Supreme Court a year or so ago. All of them are predictable right wing evangelicals, who are oblivious to their own hypocrisy. My husband, her brother, is a strong Democrat. In fact, he is the only Democrat among the three siblings. I am grateful we live in different states.

Gothmog

(145,486 posts)

8. Joe Biden endorsed Eliz in person at a private fundraiser Thursday night

Reply to turbinetree (Original post)

Sat Jan 18, 2020, 06:41 PM

Jan 2020

I was at this event

Link to tweet

Gothmog

(145,486 posts)

11. Yeah for Beto

Reply to turbinetree (Original post)

Sun Jan 19, 2020, 02:38 PM

Jan 2020

Link to tweet

Gothmog

(145,486 posts)

14. Abbott is worried

Reply to turbinetree (Original post)

Tue Jan 21, 2020, 05:41 PM

Jan 2020

Abbott and the GOP are busing in block walkers http://www.quorumreport.com/

Republicans to bus block walkers in from all over Texas for Fort Bend special election, apparently organized by Abbott campaign
Invitation to block walk for Gates says: "Hello, what do we have here? Free room, board, and travel? ...Yes, it's all true!" Folks are asked to RSVP to a Greg Abbott staffer's email address to block walk all next weekend

I voted at lunch and there was no line to vote but there was no parking and 40 or so people outside campaigning including Eliz and Beto

Link to tweet

There was a selfie line for Beto. My daughter and I voted and talked to Eliz. We did not wait for a picture with Beto

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