Texas Democratic Party - what would make it successful statewide?

[BillyBadAss 197]

But how do you get "regular people"? Regular people can't up and quit their jobs to run for office. You have to either:

- be a supported spouse - in which case you're probably raising kids or wealthy

- be wealthy

- work in politics professionally - on campaigns, as staff, etc. So that if you don't win your race you still can get a job back in politics easily working for someone who did win. 

 

[fattyflattie 4640]

9 minutes ago, BillyBadAss said:

But how do you get "regular people"? Regular people can't up and quit their jobs to run for office. You have to either:

- be a supported spouse - in which case you're probably raising kids or wealthy

- be wealthy

- work in politics professionally - on campaigns, as staff, etc. So that if you don't win your race you still can get a job back in politics easily working for someone who did win. 

 

Don’t know. And I’m not saying they have to be hourly guys here. I’m just saying that if you think a trend that would help would be a more “everyday” type guy/gal, standing to inherit more than all but 150 people in the nation takes you out of that category, right, wrong, or indifferent.    I expect most politicians to be somewhat monied (at least senators and up).  It’s not a requirement of mine, I was just responding to the narrative.  It gave a feel kinda like when W would head back to the ranch and chainsaw some shit for 15 mins and take pics.  Nothing wrong with being rich, just be honest (I know a lot to ask of politicians). 
 

eta: I don’t think Beto every really hid from it, except maybe some of that shady El Paso shit that supposedly happened.  

Edited January 27, 2021 by fattyflattie

[bad_teammate 13479]

19 hours ago, FondrenRoad said:

Texas is visual. Ann Richards was photographed shooting guns and riding motorcycles. Its why GOP candidates often focus on wearing cowboy hats or wearing dude ranch costumes that they think cowboys wear. Unlike GOP candidates, a Dem is going to need to be authentic like Ann was. That's the main difference. 

All a successful Dem candidate needs to do is get photographed while hunting, and stay tight lipped on gun control and abortion.  They can actually be pretty liberal or flexible on other topics. The GOP candidates won't have any policy ideas at all and will attack based on authenticity, guns, and abortion. If you can shore up your defenses there, you can win. 

We just ran MJ Hegar on this plan and it failed.

The Texas Dems need to go win voters with material promises and stop playing scared of it.

[BillyBadAss 197]

4 minutes ago, bad_teammate said:

We just ran MJ Hegar on this plan and it failed.

The Texas Dems need to go win voters with material promises and stop playing scared of it.

Without controlling the legislature and Governor's office they won't be able to deliver on any promises - which won't help future races.  I guess you could still hammer those issues and promise to fight for them, but I don't see it helping to get a critical mass elected. 

I'm more in-line that they need to run common-sense, moderate Texans whom people can relate to and who don't trigger the red-button issues. 

 

[Mrs Whiggins 13050]

1 minute ago, bad_teammate said:

We just ran MJ Hegar on this plan and it failed.

The Texas Dems need to go win voters with material promises and stop playing scared of it.

This, but with a tiny splash of the first if it's genuine.

 

39 minutes ago, BillyBadAss said:

But how do you get "regular people"? Regular people can't up and quit their jobs to run for office. You have to either:

- be a supported spouse - in which case you're probably raising kids or wealthy

- be wealthy

- work in politics professionally - on campaigns, as staff, etc. So that if you don't win your race you still can get a job back in politics easily working for someone who did win. 

 

I don't think anyone is saying to pull a working mother aside and say, "hey! run for Senate." I'm exaggerating but like it was mentioned before, that's one thing the GOP began to do right--start local. And it's a good plan: shop local, spend local, look at what a region needs. The thing about gerrymandering that's tough is that there is that built in obstacle where you may have support of some hard core adherents but everyone else gives the Democrats the side-eye, so IMO, look at regions instead of boundary lines to gain some coalition support and bring the material promises.

Some school boards have the 'wealthy/supported spouse" demographic, but the committees BEHIND the school boards that actually get things done in a district? These are frequently pulled from a broad demographic of parents especially the committees that are deemed  'boring,' by the social set and relate to diversity, adverse academic outcomes, and such (obviously it depends upon the district as school boards are very political grace and favor realms). I'm mentioning schools, etc mostly because they are going to skew younger and the Democratic Party really needs to pull in that younger demographic at the local level to encourage them. Those behind the scenes parents that put in that kind of thoughtful work often are coming to those committee meetings on their lunch hours or at dinner time.

That's just one place from which to pull potential candidates.

[bad_teammate 13479]

19 minutes ago, BillyBadAss said:

Without controlling the legislature and Governor's office they won't be able to deliver on any promises - which won't help future races. 

So the idea is to win everything all at once or just stop caring? I'm perplexed.

You build a statewide agenda and vision and constantly run candidates pushing that agenda.

Quote

I'm more in-line that they need to run common-sense, moderate Texans whom people can relate to and who don't trigger the red-button issues. 

So you look at Beto '18 (-2.6) and Hegar '20 (-9.6) and this is your takeaway? She ran 4 points behind Joe Biden.

And also... what's the actual point of putting "moderate Texans" in? Serious question. What is the actual, real goal?

['stache 22115]

A lot of rural and suburban olds to die? I honestly have no answer to that. If Beto couldn't beat Cruz, I just don't know how you can get any success statewide.

[BillyBadAss 197]

14 minutes ago, bad_teammate said:

So the idea is to win everything all at once or just stop caring? I'm perplexed.

You build a statewide agenda and vision and constantly run candidates pushing that agenda.

So you look at Beto '18 (-2.6) and Hegar '20 (-9.6) and this is your takeaway? She ran 4 points behind Joe Biden.

And also... what's the actual point of putting "moderate Texans" in? Serious question. What is the actual, real goal?

 Well, I'm not necessarily saying anyone here is wrong - many good points made and I certainly don't know the definitive "solution".  

The fact seems that it's an uphill battle no matter what so maybe nothing will work short of the old  "wait for the demographics to change."

The real goal I think is to do whatever necessary to gain control of the redistricting process and un-gerrymander the state. That is a prerequisite to be able to affect any policy change in this state, IMO.  Even if a majority would support more progressive policy it doesn't matter right now - it won't win most places because it's a stacked deck. 

@Mrs Whiggins raised some good points about gerrymandering and starting local. 

[bad_teammate 13479]

Texas was up 6% turnout in 2020 vs 2016. But we still went solid red. The Republicans are turning out their base; we aren't.

89% of blacks Texan voters went Biden
67%  of Latinos
35% of whites

Turnout in the RGV is pathetic.

If you've got 15% turnout in heavily Latino areas you're screwed. You can win with them, in the 2020 primary Bernie shocked everyone in Nevada because he did specific outreach to Latinos and dominated that state as a result. We can do the same here. Sell nice decorum politics to the liberals in the cities and straight-up material promises to the Latinos in the South.

Trump won Texas by 640k votes.

----------------
Unofficial Cameron County results show out of 200,300 registered voters, 16,432 voted Democrat and 4,081 voted Republican.
----------------

We can win this state if we motivate our base and get them to the polls. But we have to realize that suburban whites are not our base.

[DonkeyCigars 143]

1 hour ago, 'stache said:

A lot of rural and suburban olds to die? I honestly have no answer to that. If Beto couldn't beat Cruz, I just don't know how you can get any success statewide.

Beto was not a great candidate. Why does everyone think he is?

[bad_teammate 13479]

Beto has some huge strengths. Weaknesses, too, of course, but he's got his attributes.

[Brisketexan 106610]

2 minutes ago, DonkeyCigars said:

Beto was not a great candidate. Why does everyone think he is?

Nickel in a bowl full of pennies.

Texas had gone so long without ANY dem candidate generating any real energy or buzz, we got blinded by the first one who did.  He's not a bad candidate.   But he's not a great one.  And b-t is right above -- Beto's primary appeal was to suburban whites.  Nifty.....but they either aren't the base or aren't enough of the base to make a difference.

In Texas, Dems need to 1) specifically connect with and appeal to hispanic voters, and 2) get them to turn out.

There are around 30 million Texans now.  Sure, not all are eligible voters and they surely don't all turn out, but let's use the number breakdown.

40% are hispanic -- 12 million.

40% are white, non-hispanic -- 12 million

12% are black -- 3.6 million

7% other (asian, etc.) -- 2.4 million.

White voters break around 2-1 GOP to Dem.  So, the GOP starts with 8 million votes to 4 million votes, right out of the gate.  But add in the black vote breakdown, and some ground is gained.....but the problem is that 1) there aren't enough black voters, and 2) they don't turnout at the rate of white voters.  Even if they did, they'd add 3.24 million to the Dems, and only 360k to the GOP -- so, we're at 8.36 million to 7.24 million.  Dems are closing the gap.  Then, do the same exercise with hispanic voters, who break 2-1 for Dems, and you've got 8 million Dem votes and 4 million GOP votes.  We're now at 15.24 million for the Dems, and 12.36 million for the GOP.  That's a blowout.  (And let's presume that the "other" vote is a wash, for the sake of this exercise).  Seriously, 15-12 is a stomping.

But that stomping doesn't happen.  Why?  First, weak turnout of minority voters compared to white voters.  Second....those favorable percentages for Dems, particularly among hispanics, have eroded and can erode further.  Make the hispanic vote a 60-40 proposition, AND have shitty turnout, and the advantage evaporates to the point that Dems lose.  By 640,000 votes.

The path to Dem victory requires grabbing and keeping a sufficient number of the high-turnout white suburban vote, AND getting a larger percentage of the hispanic vote AND getting them to the polls.  Candidates who are darlings of the white suburbs, but don't connect with or reach out to hispanic voters, will never win a statewide race as a Dem.

[DonkeyCigars 143]

You guys nailed it. BT in 1 sentence, Brisket in 10, but saying the same thing. 

He was a decent candidate. Everyone saying "well if Beto couldn't do it, nobody can!" was either a Beto staffer or one of the middle aged moms that get talked about when talking about Beto's charisma/to-them-good-looks.

Texas Dems can and must do better. I think we are for the most part agreeing except for those who think he was a fantastic candidate who ran a fantastic campaign.

[StassneyHorn 6755]

3 hours ago, bad_teammate said:

Texas was up 6% turnout in 2020 vs 2016. But we still went solid red. The Republicans are turning out their base; we aren't.

89% of blacks Texan voters went Biden
67%  of Latinos
35% of whites

Turnout in the RGV is pathetic.

If you've got 15% turnout in heavily Latino areas you're screwed. You can win with them, in the 2020 primary Bernie shocked everyone in Nevada because he did specific outreach to Latinos and dominated that state as a result. We can do the same here. Sell nice decorum politics to the liberals in the cities and straight-up material promises to the Latinos in the South.

Trump won Texas by 640k votes.

----------------
Unofficial Cameron County results show out of 200,300 registered voters, 16,432 voted Democrat and 4,081 voted Republican.
----------------

We can win this state if we motivate our base and get them to the polls. But we have to realize that suburban whites are not our base.

Youre posting numbers from a 2018 Democratic primary FYI, unless there is a point you were making I missed.

Turnout in Texas was up 30% from 2016 to 2020 presidential. Cameron County had roughly 52% turnout in 2020.

[bad_teammate 13479]

12 minutes ago, StassneyHorn said:

Youre posting numbers from a 2018 Democratic primary FYI, unless there is a point you were making I missed.

Turnout in Texas was up 30% from 2016 to 2020 presidential. Cameron County had roughly 52% turnout in 2020.

I wasn't making a point you missed I just fucked everything up and now look like an even bigger dumbass than everyone already knew I was.

Now if you will excuse me I am going to put on a dunce cap and sit in the corner.

(Still need more turnout in RGV and other Latino areas even if my #s were wrong because I am stupid and a jerk.)

[Hagbard Celine 11157]

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/san-antonio/election/2020/10/06/a-brief-history-of-texas-gerrymandering-

[Hookah Horns 3089]

I don't know why anyone cares about the abortion views of anyone other than supreme court nominees or presidential candidates. 

[MaybeACoordinator 8350]

 

12 hours ago, bad_teammate said:

Texas was up 6% turnout in 2020 vs 2016. But we still went solid red. The Republicans are turning out their base; we aren't.

89% of blacks Texan voters went Biden
67%  of Latinos
35% of whites

Turnout in the RGV is pathetic.

If you've got 15% turnout in heavily Latino areas you're screwed. You can win with them, in the 2020 primary Bernie shocked everyone in Nevada because he did specific outreach to Latinos and dominated that state as a result. We can do the same here. Sell nice decorum politics to the liberals in the cities and straight-up material promises to the Latinos in the South.

Trump won Texas by 640k votes.

----------------
Unofficial Cameron County results show out of 200,300 registered voters, 16,432 voted Democrat and 4,081 voted Republican.
----------------

We can win this state if we motivate our base and get them to the polls. But we have to realize that suburban whites are not our base.

That's should be true but it isn't. That is who the DNC wants and they think it is enough and time and time and time again they lose. It is now a party of elites, most upper middle class, and young wokesters. And Blacks, who the Dems have told time and time again, vote for us, because the alternative is worse. Not we are much better in any material way, we are not as bad as the other party.

They have got to get off the identity politics trip. We always hear all about how this or that social problem "disproportionally effects people of color." Which is true, but those problems disproportionally effect the poor, not just poor people of color. There just happen to be a higher percentage of people of color who are poor. People of color have become synonymous with poor and there are people who like it that way. It others the issues, cloaks class behind race. It makes the redistribution of wealth seem less desirable and fosters disunity between poor whites and poor non-whites.

I mean, we all know this, right? It's been this way since 17th Century Virginia when the slaves and indentured servants rose up together in Bacon's Rebellion and practically chased the Virginia elites all the way back to London.

(Bacon enlisting the bleks for their shared rebellion.)

(Typically, this rainbow coalition partially came together so they were better able to kill Indians -- somebody is always getting shit on in this country it seems. We can only unite around fighting common enemies rather than out of the goodness of our hearts.) 

Anyway, in was in the aftermath of that, and because of that insurrection, that poor whites were set above all blacks by law. And you can draw a straight line from that rebellion all the way to LBJ's famous statement:

“If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket.”

And so long as the 99 percent are chopped up into little warring tribes, the less we are all able to pick the pockets of the superwealthy. Identity politics are not much different than prison politics / procedures -- divide the inmates so that they might be more easily subjugated. Hell, in California, they locked up so many Mexicans they had to divide them into Surenos and Nortenos. They can always find new ways to divide and thereby conquer. 

[safe sex 11913]

Just now, Mrs Whiggins

30 minutes ago, TexasEd said:

I brought this up in the first post.

There are national problems with the Democratic party that hinder it in Texas.  The leadership is either those long serving professional politicians or the Squad.

As stupid of an idea as it turned out to be the "not a politician" thing resonated with voters for Trump.  Beto could have pulled it off (but guns).  Hegar went too far to be a non-politician and looked cartoonish. I can't even name the last several Governor candidates, Davis maybe? She was tagged with abortion and not getting the Catholic vote.

There seems to be a catch - make a name for yourself in the Democratic party with a position like guns, abortion or healthcare or be too centrist and nobody knows your name.  Hegar at least tried with healthcare instead of guns or abortion so maybe it's moving in the right direction.

There are a number of smart, hard working, educated Latina, Black, Asian, and White women (including all LGBQT among them)  in the burbs and cities who would be excellent, but who don't believe they can do the job. And you know what? That is what makes them absolutely suitable for the political realm. The trick for the Democratic party is to FIND THEM. Out of a population of almost 30 million, they're out there.

If you have to ask yourself what I mean by the bolded part, then you don't get it, and neither will the Democratic party.

 

I would also be a good strategy for under-represented males, but at this point, Texas could use more female leadership.

Sign me up.

Jk I would rather kill myself

[bad_teammate 13479]

5 hours ago, MaybeACoordinator said:

 

That's should be true but it isn't. That is who the DNC wants and they think it is enough and time and time and time again they lose. It is now a party of elites, most upper middle class, and young wokesters. And Blacks...

You're really burying the lead here.

Obviously the Democrats do a bad job of serving its base, but that's my point. Black voters are the swing for Democrats; they are the difference between winning and losing (see: Hillary 2016). We need to accept that and focus on that because they are the base.

Here's what the Democrats offered Texas minorities in 2020:
 - Joe "You Ain't Black!" Biden, an ancient white guy who was chosen to offset Obama's blackness with his own conservatism and record of putting blacks in jail forever
- MJ Hegar, an acharismatic nobody white woman who the center crapped itself over because she had sleeve tattoos, was a troop, and rode a motorcycle. "ISN'T THIS COOL!? SHE LOOKS LIKE A WHITE SUPREMACIST BUT SHE'S WOKE!!!!"

Absolutely pathetic. Completely pathetic effort.  A 100% effort to pander to boomers and suburban whites from top to bottom and we got wrecked.

Meanwhile, we ran a skateboarding white guy with a fake-Mexican nickname in 2018 who showed some vitality and a touch of wokeness and we did 7 points better in the Senate race.

[Mrs Whiggins 13050]

11 minutes ago, bad_teammate said:

You're really burying the lead here.

Obviously the Democrats do a bad job of serving its base, but that's my point. Black voters are the swing for Democrats; they are the difference between winning and losing (see: Hillary 2016). We need to accept that and focus on that because they are the base.

Here's what the Democrats offered Texas minorities in 2020:
 - Joe "You Ain't Black!" Biden, an ancient white guy who was chosen to offset Obama's blackness with his own conservatism and record of putting blacks in jail forever
- MJ Hegar, an acharismatic nobody white woman who the center crapped itself over because she had sleeve tattoos, was a troop, and rode a motorcycle. "ISN'T THIS COOL!? SHE LOOKS LIKE A WHITE SUPREMACIST BUT SHE'S WOKE!!!!"

Absolutely pathetic. Completely pathetic effort.  A 100% effort to pander to boomers and suburban whites from top to bottom and we got wrecked.

Meanwhile, we ran a skateboarding white guy with a fake-Mexican nickname in 2018 who showed some vitality and a touch of wokeness and we did 7 points better in the Senate race.

What's your take on Lena Hidalgo and Akilah Bacy? I like how Hidalgo tried(s) to find solutions (voting access, bail reform, etc) and Bacy's Houston born and smart--just didn't quite get the votes but it was close (like you were saying--turnout). I picked Bacy to support during the campaign as my non-district candidate.

[bad_teammate 13479]

Hidalgo has done a great job, I think. Emmett faced some tough stuff, but the reality of the biggest situations (Memorial Day floods, Harvey) were around things that the community all agreed on in a bipartisan way. Hidalgo, on the other hand, has had to balance furiously competing interests with regard to Coronavirus. She's made bold decisions that aren't always popular but are principled, which shows older centrist Dems the courage of young progressives.

I hope to see Bacy again.

[MaybeACoordinator 8350]

4 hours ago, bad_teammate said:

Hidalgo has done a great job, I think. Emmett faced some tough stuff, but the reality of the biggest situations (Memorial Day floods, Harvey) were around things that the community all agreed on in a bipartisan way. Hidalgo, on the other hand, has had to balance furiously competing interests with regard to Coronavirus. She's made bold decisions that aren't always popular but are principled, which shows older centrist Dems the courage of young progressives.

I hope to see Bacy again.

I fucking love Hidalgo in ways both principled and unprincipled and impure, but IDK if she has a statewide future. She comes across as whining in begging us to not be idiots. The fact that this is an issue is almost as superficial as my lust for her. 

[MaybeACoordinator 8350]

If she does start rolling through Texas and on to the national stage, I would be for her what Bamachick is to Beto. (Just giving you shit BC)

[Bama Chick 28596]

He’s totally running for Governor.

[atomheartbevo 90542]

On 1/27/2021 at 2:41 PM, bad_teammate said:

Beto has some huge strengths. Weaknesses, too, of course, but he's got his attributes.

We are about to find out if he's learned to shore up his weaknesses, since he's running for Abbott's seat.

State Dems need to get their shit together in a hurry this year, because you can bet there will be a lot of money tossed around in next year's election, and there's potential for down-ballot benefits.

 

[DonkeyCigars 143]

11 minutes ago, Bama Chick said:

He’s totally running for Governor.
 

Oh man. His derivative AoC impression is so cringe and bad. Why is everything so forced and awkward with this guy?

[bad_teammate 13479]

If Beto runs for governor and keeps this energy WRT AR-15s... let's fucking go.

Is it politically "smart"? No, but it's going to be a nutcheck for Democrats and if we unite with power behind it then we'll win.

[bad_teammate 13479]

1 minute ago, DonkeyCigars said:

Oh man. His derivative AoC impression is so cringe and bad. Why is everything so forced and awkward with this guy?

I watched his Houston rally speech on that 3-cities-in-a-day thing he did when he announced for president and I really took him as genuine. I took the awkwardness as genuine passion and someone who isn't full of a ton of swagger.

It would be exciting. Let's go. Let's get it.

Beto for Governor

[atomheartbevo 90542]

2 minutes ago, bad_teammate said:

Is it politically "smart"? No, but it's going to be a nutcheck for Democrats and if we unite with power behind it then we'll win.

I don't see him winning, but I could see him helping to carry a lot of down-ballot races over the finish line.

[DonkeyCigars 143]

5 minutes ago, bad_teammate said:

I watched his Houston rally speech on that 3-cities-in-a-day thing he did when he announced for president and I really took him as genuine. I took the awkwardness as genuine passion and someone who isn't full of a ton of swagger.

It would be exciting. Let's go. Let's get it.

Beto for Governor

I guess it’s the lack of that swagger as you call it that comes off as unsettling. Never more than on Ellen (remember when she was a King Maker instead of awful and toxic and almost cancelled? It’s been a loooong 2020) when he came off like Vern being interrogated about Kaiser Soze.

but yea sure, run the guy on being a gun Prohibitionist and an aw shucks personality; might work out.

Edited January 29, 2021 by DonkeyCigars

[TexasEd 8248]

20 hours ago, Hookah Horns said:

I don't know why anyone cares about the abortion views of anyone other than supreme court nominees or presidential candidates. 

because fear mongering

[TexasEd 8248]

11 hours ago, bad_teammate said:

Meanwhile, we ran a skateboarding white guy with a fake-Mexican nickname in 2018 who showed some vitality and a touch of wokeness and we did 7 points better in the Senate race...

while running against a fake-Mexican from Canada and the worst senator in the country.

[bad_teammate 13479]

46 minutes ago, DonkeyCigars said:

but yea sure, run the guy on being a gun Prohibitionist and an aw shucks personality; might work out.

I would rather lose bold than lose scared.

Hot Wheels beat Running Shoes by 20 points and Lupe by 13. All due respect, but Lupe was a terrible candidate with zero movement, energy, or money

 

[StassneyHorn 6755]

A good bit of Texans could not give less of a fuck about guns.  And by that I mean women and guys who don’t give a shit. Big coalition right there, just probably not enough to be one issue voters.

[bad_teammate 13479]

3 minutes ago, StassneyHorn said:

A good bit of Texans could not give less of a fuck about guns.  And by that I mean women and guys who don’t give a shit. Big coalition right there, just probably not enough to be one issue voters.

Well yeah it needs to not be the focus of his campaign at all, but he also needs to not hide from it. That's what would be exciting to me, is Beto leaning into those clips and being 100% unapologetic and 100% unphased.

"Run all the ads you want, I don't care. I'll even say it again for you. But that is not going to distract me or the people of Texas from ..."

[Pescado_Rojo 19556]

So is Abbott going to get a big primary challenge, or what? Baby Bush? Dan Patrick? Man, I'd pay whatever it cost to watch Beto debate Dan Patrick, but no way Patrick agrees to debate him. He wouldn't even debate Mike Collier. 

[Satchel 6982]

13 hours ago, bad_teammate said:

You're really burying the lead here.

Obviously the Democrats do a bad job of serving its base, but that's my point. Black voters are the swing for Democrats; they are the difference between winning and losing (see: Hillary 2016). We need to accept that and focus on that because they are the base.

Here's what the Democrats offered Texas minorities in 2020:
 - Joe "You Ain't Black!" Biden, an ancient white guy who was chosen to offset Obama's blackness with his own conservatism and record of putting blacks in jail forever
- MJ Hegar, an acharismatic nobody white woman who the center crapped itself over because she had sleeve tattoos, was a troop, and rode a motorcycle. "ISN'T THIS COOL!? SHE LOOKS LIKE A WHITE SUPREMACIST BUT SHE'S WOKE!!!!"

Absolutely pathetic. Completely pathetic effort.  A 100% effort to pander to boomers and suburban whites from top to bottom and we got wrecked.

Meanwhile, we ran a skateboarding white guy with a fake-Mexican nickname in 2018 who showed some vitality and a touch of wokeness and we did 7 points better in the Senate race.

People often forget it was black people making the offer of Joe Biden as the pragmatic solution to unseating Trump. 

[Born to Run 6598]

No. But I’m center right, and you asked what stuck with people like me, or how to turn folks like me, who for a minute thought he might be good for the country.   This was before he got emotional about guns. I’m a fan of whataburger, so that shit was cool.  Driving a truck around was pretty cool.  Upthread y’all spoke of “regular” folks taking the spot and leading.  “Regular” folks don’t stand to inherit a billion dollars. Is what it is, good for him for it, but he’s not a “regular guy”. 

I think what would help would be taking an interest in what Texans do on thier terms.

It can look like pandering but if done correctly it's the best goverance.

If I was running as a Democrat for Senator as Beto did, I would do the full ever county town hall your, but also do several hunt, fish, outdoors gatherings to meet constituents. Get different perspectives.

One of my buddies is a CEO of a good sized company. He took golf lessons for client meetings and weekends, and he enjoys it fine, so it's not bullshit. But he'd rather surf. Beto 2.0 should hunt and fish, or at least shoot sporting clays.

[fattyflattie 4640]

8 minutes ago, Born to Run said:

Beto 2.0 should hunt and fish, or at least shoot sporting clays.

His biggest challenge, imo, is going to be walking back his impassioned speech about taking away guns.  Saw on the DC news a few mins ago that he's eyeing a run for the governor.  I understand he was hurting, and upset, and was trying to make a point at that debate.  And that people are allowed to change their viewpoint.  But that said, it'll be something he's going to have to walk back to have a shot in Texas.  

I don't know the right answer for the D's in Texas.  I was only commenting as someone who is center right, not a "Trumper", and who thought for a bit that Beto would be good for Texas.  Probably a centrist hispanic, which is going to not be good enough for the progressives, but baby steps will be needed to have any long term success imo.  

[Born to Run 6598]

A lot of rural and suburban olds to die? I honestly have no answer to that. If Beto couldn't beat Cruz, I just don't know how you can get any success statewide.

Only option is to build off what he did right, and avoid what he did wrong (guns 18, and any shift left in the pres primary) that and figure out the valley with a big ass Beto 2.0 cast and blast fishing tourney in the valley with Barbacoa, Tripe in the discada, menudo, maybe a fish fry too.
Jam some Doug Sahm and Freddie Fender and Flaco and Augie and get right.

[Born to Run 6598]

His biggest challenge, imo, is going to be walking back his impassioned speech about taking away guns.  Saw on the DC news a few mins ago that he's eyeing a run for the governor.  I understand he was hurting, and upset, and was trying to make a point at that debate.  And that people are allowed to change their viewpoint.  But that said, it'll be something he's going to have to walk back to have a shot in Texas.  
I don't know the right answer for the D's in Texas.  I was only commenting as someone who is center right, not a "Trumper", and who thought for a bit that Beto would be good for Texas.  Probably a centrist hispanic, which is going to not be good enough for the progressives, but baby steps will be needed to have any long term success imo.  

I know your pov and that's cool. I'm agreeing that Beto screwed himself and I don't see how he recovers from those comments in this state as a candidate - ever. I think he could do the most good in organizing. Someone who follows his path with energizing suburban white voters while also connecting more with rural texans could win as a Democrat.
At all the town halls I attended he connected well with voters, it was gun rights questions that turned the crowd.

Beto 2.0 , whomever that is has to be reasonable on guns. And pick up some of the folks out at the ranch, and the deer lease.


Other than my total impatience with humanity I'd be an ideal candidate. Hunt, fish, backpack, snowboard, surf, mountain bike,: cooks great Cen Tex Bbq, Crawfish, Cajun food, and I'm tall fit and handsome. Alas I'd last a day I politics...

[pyrohornIII 4844]

"Hey Baby, Que Paso?  Thought I was your only vato?"

[pyrohornIII 4844]

Clay Jenkins for AG and Staci Williams for Lt Governor.  

[Born to Run 6598]

People often forget it was black people making the offer of Joe Biden as the pragmatic solution to unseating Trump. 

And he's doing a lot of pragmatic good within the framework he has to work with. Beyond that executive branche's job

[atomheartbevo 90542]

4 hours ago, bad_teammate said:

I would rather lose bold than lose scared.

Hot Wheels beat Running Shoes by 20 points and Lupe by 13. All due respect, but Lupe was a terrible candidate with zero movement, energy, or money

Lupe had (D) next to her name.  That was it.  That was all she was to most people in this state.  I'd be surprised if 5% of Texans could pick her out of a lineup.

[Bookman 4754]

5 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

Lupe had (D) next to her name.  That was it.  That was all she was to most people in this state.  I'd be surprised if 5% of Texans could pick her out of a lineup.

She didn't even campaign.

[DonkeyCigars 143]

Reading this thread, in hindsight I’m shocked that Beto ran for President. I wonder if politics is anything like boxing and no matter your skill and potential, you lose your first 3 bouts and you are branded a loser and won’t get the promotion anymore and your career is over. Gotta win some tomato cans first (I guess he was a congressman first, so 1-4).

[bad_teammate 13479]

Only 3% of black and Hispanic Texans have ever hunted or fished. (licensed, I imagine)

1% of American women hunt.

The demographic that cares about guns is small town and rural white men... which is not our god damned demographic.

 

Let Beto Be Beto

1) Walking back is fear-based and that's the worst Democratic tendency. Voters smell that triangulating BS and hate it, for good reason. An important lesson to learn from Trump is that voters feel your intent far more than they listen to your words. We love Beto WHEN he puts it out there with passion and doesn't care what his opponents say. That is ALWAYS the guy you root for.

Beto should definitely expound on his gun position and own it fearlessly. He said "ARs and AKs". He didn't say shotguns and long rifles with small mags or physical actions. That's it. Hammer that point home and KEEP THE FIRE that he had in that clip. Why on earth you would want your candidate to be less passionate and less engaging doesn't compute for a moment.

He is saying the honest and powerful thing. He is being an actual god damned maverick. Use it.

"Governor Abbott is up here saying the same safe things that his corporate paymasters want him to say, that the gun lobby wants him to say, and what his most angry and violent voters want him to say. He dodges and avoids the issue of children's organs being torn apart by the cavitation of a high-velocity 5.56 round out of political cowardice..."

If we imagine Texas is all about big, swingin' balls then get Beto out there and have him swing his damned balls.

2) Do the fish fry with the Mexicans or whatever, but don't tailor anything to bourgeois white gun owners (deer leases, sport clays).

[Post Oak 20550]

I think I mostly agree with this.  He's not going to change a lot of AK or AR guys mind.  Maybe some.  But not a lot.  They weren't going to vote for him anyway.  Be who you are.

I think the biggest challenge they face is turnout.

Stacy Abrams had the right idea when she said " I can't get Catholics to be Baptist, but I can get the Baptist to church"