Jump to content

Texas 2020 general election


Nice Guy Eddie

Recommended Posts

because it allows people (in say, November) to point back to this and say delaying elections is totally appropriate.  we've been doing it all year because of this virus.

The date of federal elections is explicitly spelled out in statute. Only Congress can change that. The state won't postpone its elections when they're happening anyway.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
5 minutes ago, gmr548 said:

Sulak ruling that would allow expansion of voting by mail in TX on the way out: https://www.texastribune.org/2020/04/15/texas-judge-will-issue-order-could-greatly-expand-mail-voting/

Obviously certain to be overturned, but good on him for bringing it out into the open here.

Out of curiosity, why do you say overturned?  Here's the argument I'd make:  Texas electoral code defines disability as “sickness or physical condition”.  For the vast majority of Texans, their physical condition includes lack of immunity to a potentially deadly virus.  I don't think the electoral code provides any definition for the reasonableness of risk associated with a disability.  So, in my opinion, that decision should be left to individuals, their doctors and public health officials.

Of course, if your point is it will be overturned because Texas and because Republicans, then I obviously concede.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, fuggled said:

Out of curiosity, why do you say overturned?  Here's the argument I'd make:  Texas electoral code defines disability as “sickness or physical condition”.  For the vast majority of Texans, their physical condition includes lack of immunity to a potentially deadly virus.  I don't think the electoral code provides any definition for the reasonableness of risk associated with a disability.  So, in my opinion, that decision should be left to individuals, their doctors and public health officials.

Of course, if your point is it will be overturned because Texas and because Republicans, then I obviously concede.

Not the 3rd Court of Appeals--four of the six justices are Democrats.  If this gets reversed, then it'd have to be by the Supreme Court.

Four of the Supreme Court justices are up against pretty decent Democratic opponents.  And I think they might have learned from Wisconsin that denying vote-by-mail is a really bad look and can end up mobilizing the other side.

Edited by Ghost of LL
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Any Hegar supporters worried about the endorsements Royce West has received pre-runoff from former candidates? I can see him easily uniting the Black and Latino vote that Hegar can’t match and that being enough to get him through the finish line. He’s going to run up margins in the Metroplex, has the endorsement of Turner in Houston, and my opinion of the Valley turning out to vote for a white woman (unless your “Mama” Garcia)  is pretty low on my likely meter. She obviously raised more money throughout the process but her momentum hasn’t taken off like her congressional campaign did. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Message Board User said:

Blows my mind that Trump is getting 40% of the Hispanic vote.

I don't think you appreciate how redneck Hispanics can be, especially out in West Texas.  They see assimilation as their primary goal, and they think a real mark of assimilation is voting Republican.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Ghost of LL said:

I don't think you appreciate how redneck Hispanics can be, especially out in West Texas.  They see assimilation as their primary goal, and they think a real mark of assimilation is voting Republican.

Yep, there's definitely something to that.  There's actually something to that with many immigrant populations that achieve some measure of success and assimilation: asian, south asian, hispanic, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Yep, there's definitely something to that.  There's actually something to that with many immigrant populations that achieve some measure of success and assimilation: asian, south asian, hispanic, etc.

It's almost like achieving success drains your empathy.  I guess it kind of does  . . . .

Also, it seems a lot of hispanics gain their early success in pretty redneck-y occupations:  ranching, farming, construction/oilfield, the military, cops, and so on.

Edited by TwiceHorn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, TwiceHorn said:

It's almost like achieving success drains your empathy.  I guess it kind of does  . . . .

Well, I have a slightly different hypothesis (I mean, I guess the result is the same, but still).

Phase 1 -- you're poor, disadvantaged, etc., and acutely aware of that.  Makes you empathetic, because you know how it feels in real-time.

Phase 2 -- you achieve some success, and you definitely worked for it.  So, you believe the self-created (and socially reinforced) narrative that you created your success, you are an Ayn Rand-type of super individual, man-against-the-world.  It's a tempting belief, because it appeals to the ego.

Phase 2 -- (not always reached, by the way) -- you've been around long enough and have enough perspective to realize that your success, while it surely involves plenty of hard work on your part, also involved plenty of help along the way, good circumstances, and good luck (often, you've seen someone of similar aptitude or skill eat shit because they got a bad break, and you realize that our success depends on a lot of factors).

It goes from we, to me, back to we.  Just my hypothesis, and definitely drawing on personal experience and evolution.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Brisketexan said:

Well, I have a slightly different hypothesis (I mean, I guess the result is the same, but still).

Phase 1 -- you're poor, disadvantaged, etc., and acutely aware of that.  Makes you empathetic, because you know how it feels in real-time.

Phase 2 -- you achieve some success, and you definitely worked for it.  So, you believe the self-created (and socially reinforced) narrative that you created your success, you are an Ayn Rand-type of super individual, man-against-the-world.  It's a tempting belief, because it appeals to the ego.

Phase 2 -- (not always reached, by the way) -- you've been around long enough and have enough perspective to realize that your success, while it surely involves plenty of hard work on your part, also involved plenty of help along the way, good circumstances, and good luck (often, you've seen someone of similar aptitude or skill eat shit because they got a bad break, and you realize that our success depends on a lot of factors).

It goes from we, to me, back to we.  Just my hypothesis, and definitely drawing on personal experience and evolution.

Gagreed.  Everyone wants to think they're special.  I was focused mostly on Phase 2 when I said that.

Edited by TwiceHorn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

Gagreed.  Everyone wants to think they're special.  I was focused mostly on Phase 2 when I said that.

Phase 2 is an easy place to get stuck and stay -- it's a comfy warm blanket, and appeals to one of our easiest-to-please aspects: our ego.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Iranian side of my family is at worst sympathetic to Trump. They might not all vote for him but they definitely wouldn't bitch about another 4 years. 

Assimilation is a big part of it. But they also grew up in generally conservative households. Work hard, no excuses, family is everything, etc. So they feel more comfortable with Republican rhetoric. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Ghost of LL said:

I don't think you appreciate how redneck Hispanics can be, especially out in West Texas.  They see assimilation as their primary goal, and they think a real mark of assimilation is voting Republican.

Could very easily be Corpus/Victoria/coastal bend. Republicans still blow away Democrats in connecting with blue collar voters through socially conservative wedge issues IMO

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Hank Kingsley said:

I agree. That's why I said "rhetoric". 

But why would they gravitate to republicans then?  Do they just enjoy lying to themselves?

edit: I don’t think that rhetoric has been around for the past 3 years

Edited by Biff Tannen
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

But why would they gravitate to republicans then?  Do they just enjoy lying to themselves?

edit: I don’t think that rhetoric has been around for the past 3 years

I'm generalizing on Republicans/conservatives over the years. Not just Trump era. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

I don't think you appreciate how redneck Hispanics can be, especially out in West Texas.  They see assimilation as their primary goal, and they think a real mark of assimilation is voting Republican.

you nailed it 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have worked with many republican  Mexican-Americans in my life. They each have their own story, but a common thread is their view of the hard work they do and people on welfare. They don’t believe in excuses and the reasons I give for people accessing government benefits just sound like excuses to them. Most come from the valley or other largely Hispanic areas and have stories of egregious abuses of the “welfare system”. It’s a tough group for democrats to reach. But, don’t lose sight of the fact that Texas Democrats won the Hispanic vote by a large margin in 2016 AND this is a group that has low turnout. Any improvement in turnout will likely see an improvement in that margin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, StassneyHorn said:

Any Hegar supporters worried about the endorsements Royce West has received pre-runoff from former candidates? I can see him easily uniting the Black and Latino vote that Hegar can’t match and that being enough to get him through the finish line. He’s going to run up margins in the Metroplex, has the endorsement of Turner in Houston, and my opinion of the Valley turning out to vote for a white woman (unless your “Mama” Garcia)  is pretty low on my likely meter. She obviously raised more money throughout the process but her momentum hasn’t taken off like her congressional campaign did. 

I haven't seen a poll and I expect Hegar to win on name recognition, and the fact the her base of educated white moderates votes in runoffs ad a much higher rate than other demographics.

Saying this as someone who doesn't really care who wins the Senate runoff, no, that wouldn't worry me. Give me voter turnout over cool commercials.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I have a slightly different hypothesis (I mean, I guess the result is the same, but still).
Phase 1 -- you're poor, disadvantaged, etc., and acutely aware of that.  Makes you empathetic, because you know how it feels in real-time.
Phase 2 -- you achieve some success, and you definitely worked for it.  So, you believe the self-created (and socially reinforced) narrative that you created your success, you are an Ayn Rand-type of super individual, man-against-the-world.  It's a tempting belief, because it appeals to the ego.
Phase 2 -- (not always reached, by the way) -- you've been around long enough and have enough perspective to realize that your success, while it surely involves plenty of hard work on your part, also involved plenty of help along the way, good circumstances, and good luck (often, you've seen someone of similar aptitude or skill eat shit because they got a bad break, and you realize that our success depends on a lot of factors).
It goes from we, to me, back to we.  Just my hypothesis, and definitely drawing on personal experience and evolution.


I don’t disagree with this, but it seems you’re writing on an individual basis. I see it more generationally. Abuelito y abuelita made it through the hard times of phase one. Their kids, a generation removed - perhaps born here or at least raised here - maybe go the phase 2 path OR the phase three path (my folks had no help, I was never the beneficiary of any help, so fuck los demas), depending on how their parents frame their own successes. The third generation, fully secure in the blessings of liberty and the foundation provided by the previous generations, can be much more strident in the “Well, my folks came here with nothing and got no help, so I have no problem saying fuck those newbs if they can’t make it on their own.” Fuck you, I got mine. That’s the modern American assimilation.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think at least part of it is, at least in the valley, old white money still owns everything.  The people that work for them (largely brown) have to maintain a certain conservative friendly posture and that’s what their kids have grown up with since the 70’s.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Catholicism also probably has a bit of an impact.

Hispanics mostly came here voluntarily, they were never slaves, so they have that immigrant mentality, and, while discriminated against, never were as wholly disenfranchised as blacks.

Edited by TwiceHorn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did anyone pay attention to the Cuellar primary with Cisneros? It was pretty interesting to watch the dynamics in the race with how she painted him as a DINO in the district and how close she got to beating him. Lots of overlap as to what’s been talked about with older more conservative Latinos, Catholicism and abortion as a one issue voter wedge, and how younger Latinos are much more progressive and active than their parents. Wouldn’t be surprised to see her take care of unfinished business 2 years from now unless redistricting somehow makes it more Conservative Dem (not even sure if possible). Cuellar mirrored a lot of Republican attacks on AOC against Cisneros, and in my opinion he is on borrowed time in the Valley.

 

EDIT: Nice article about the race of you weren’t aware.

https://theintercept.com/2020/03/04/jessica-cisneros-texas-28-henry-cuellar-congress-primary/

Edited by StassneyHorn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

https://progresstexas.org/blog/endorsement-alert-stapleton-barrera-represents-new-generation-leadership-rio-grande-valley
 

Wanted to share an old Progress Texas Story on Sara Stapleton Barrera before the runoff was pushed to a later date. She managed to make it to the Democratic runoff against Eddie Lucio Jr.  Lucio is a State Senator from the Brownsville that has reliably voted with Republicans on wedge social issues the last decade of my memory. He joins Henry Cuellar as the only Democrats in Texas to receive money from Koch. Heading into a redistricting session, it’s important IMO to have Dems that fight for growth and not self preservation. It’s widely known he is looking to have his son Eddie Lucio III take over when he steps down to keep the wheels greased. 

Been interesting to watch the clash of surging progressive candidates vs the old guard across the valley in this primary.

 

Edited by StassneyHorn
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For all you TX-31 voters, Donna Imam is currently taking questions for her AMA on Reddit. MJ Hegar fell short by about 3 points last time in 2018.Imam will be getting back on at 6pm to answer questions so you got 6.5 hours to think of anything. 
 

 

if you make a shag or surly reference I will upvote for visibility.
Edited by StassneyHorn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Lobo
On 5/10/2020 at 12:21 PM, tx 3 putt said:

lucio sucks donkey boner and is crooked 

You talking about the son, or the State Senator from the RGV?  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a reminder that our AG Ken Paxton is currently facing two counts of state securities fraud, and failing to register with state authorities, all felonies. Delay after delay since 2015.
 

He’s a total piece of shit, as are the Collin County judges covering for him.
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-health/2020/05/13/texas-attorney-general-asks-supreme-court-to-order-election-officials-to-reject-mail-ballots-from-people-scared-of-catching-covid-19/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Coronavirus+Update%3A+Feds+extend+support+to+Dallas+testing+sites%2C+Perot+museum+announces+layoffs&utm_campaign=CoronavirusUpdate_05132020
 

an update on Texas and vote by mail.

 

Ken “ Indictment” Paxton is doing all he can to stop it. Does he succeed? Will all Texans be allowed to vote by mail in the fall?
 

will Abbott extend early voting in the fall, as he should, if the coronavirus is still a raging threat?
 

so many questions. It sucks that the GOP still dominates all levers of power in this state. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, StassneyHorn said:

Just a reminder that our AG Ken Paxton is currently facing two counts of state securities fraud, and failing to register with state authorities, all felonies. Delay after delay since 2015.

 

Fuuuuuuck this guy. He’s up on my hate list close to McConnell and dotard at this point. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Biff Tannen said:

Fuuuuuuck this guy. He’s up on my hate list close to McConnell and dotard at this point. 

Creepy weird crooked eye fucker.

i can’t believe Texas has elected Dan patrick and Ken Paxton twice. Really hoping it doesn’t happen 3x. It’s definitely possible to get rid of them both.

Edited by Voldemort86
Link to comment
Share on other sites



×
×
  • Create New...