Texas Megathread

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Kesha Rogers on here senate candidacy
http://tribtalk.org/2014/05/19/why-me-and-not-david-alameel/

Also titled: I can't believe it's not from the onion.

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FWIW, here is Alameel's op-ed.
http://tribtalk.org/2014/05/19/why-me-and-not-kesha-rogers/

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What does a football game have to do with anything?

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"honest"

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I voted for Jim Hogan.

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Dan Branch endorsed Morgan Meyer in the HD-108 Republican runoff.

If you don't know anything about the race, you just need to know that the runoff has been extremely ugly.

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^AP has called it for Koop with 60%

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I was seriously surprised Branch lost by so much. Did Paxton ride Patrick coat-tails?

I assume so.

Paxton is heavily favored obviously, but hopefully his indiscretions will get Sam Houston some notable endorsements/attention.

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So it looks like a tea party lady Konni Burton is likely going to take Wendy Davis' State Senate seat. The Democrats are throwing away a Senate district for someone who is guaranteed to lose statewide, this is truly a shocker. I am shocked, shocked I tell you. Who could have seen this coming? [/sarcasm]

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Why is this post directed at me? lol

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I don't know if this has been posted, but anyone who cares about Democratic candidates with potential future in Texas politics should read this Texas Monthly interview with our nominee for Comptroller, Mike Collier.

http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/it-wont-be-political?fullpage=1

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I went to the Texas Dem Convention yesterday, it was a freakin' blast. Davis and Van De Putte blew the roof off the place. Some highlights I'd like to share:


Trey Martinez Fischer, a state Rep., is clearly getting ready to 1) run for VDP's state senate seat or 2) run state-wide. He hosted the after-party last night, as well as giving one of the longer and more energetic speeches that was accompanied by his staff passing out "TMF" placards. For the after party, we had to "RSVP" by writing our name, number, and email: clear indication he is trying to widen his volunteer and donor base. There is also this sign that was at his booth and also outside the after party:



Here is the TMF placard:


(Sorry...too lazy to rotate the image)

TMF also delivered my favorite line of the night, explaining that in spanish GOP stands for Gringos y Otres Pendejos

Joaquin Castro had another great line: "I wish politics were like sports. I wish we could trade Ted Cruz to Massachusetts for Elizabeth Warren."

What is really interesting is to see the excitement for this year, but also the jockeying for four years from now. Castro, Fischer, Annise Parker all spoke end energized the crowd. We truly are a party on the rise, despite this forum's pervading narrative to the contrary.


Steve Brown, our Railroad Commis. candidate, was very nervous (I think this was his first ever speech of this size), but handled himself well. I think he has a great future and he's obviously very articulate and knowledgeable of the challenges facing the Railroad Commis. What especially impresses me is his focus on Parker County, which has had a slew of earthquakes and other problems, some of which have been attributed to tracking, and the commission has been absolutely abysmal in responding to the community. Now, Parker co. is VERY Republican. (as he said this, you could hear the ten Democrats from Parker in the crowd cheering their butts off) But the fact that he's willing to go there and talk about his proposed Office of Public Advocacy for the commission shows a lot of courage and smarts.

I missed today's speeches, which bums me out because I wanted to see Mike Collier and Sam Houston speak in person. However other than the speeches the only other things going on today cost extra money.

But yesterday was a great great day.

Over everything else, you all HAVE to watch this video Leticia Van De Putte's campaign played before her speech last night. http://youtu.be/vOU6xfpvo0A

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Nothing could kill my buzz but that was a nice try!

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Nothing could kill my buzz but that was a nice try!

How was TexDemCon 2014? Was there sufficient liquor? Weird hats? Do the little old ladies who vote Democratic think the little old ladies who wear American flag shirts and still ask for the "real" birth certificate are just suffering the lingering aftereffects of a really bad stroke?

It was great. Granted, it's my first state convention, but I could tell it was the best one in a while. I can't ever imagine Bill White or Chris Bell or even Tony Sanchez garnering the excitement you could feel in the hall last night when VDP and Davis spoke.

I don't drink, but there was alcohol at the after parties IIRC.

Only one weird hat that I saw, a sombrero with a plush donkey  and an american flag on top. I complimented her on it.

There was one cool guy who collects a sh**t ton of buttons and posters. He had this perfect JFK poster going for $150. I bought the Chisholm button in my sig from him.

My grandmother actually did have aftereffects from a stroke, so I'm highly offended.

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Since being sworn in as Senator, Cruz has visited Iowa more than he's visited the Rio Grande Valley. He's in for a run for his money period.

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Why can't it be both?

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My brothers think Abbott could win by 30.

Please don't invite them to this site.

If he invites them and they troll, maybe we can get him banned for bringing them here.

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He'd been working with a debate coach for over a month, and the coach reversed his campaign's earlier decision to do the roundtable format (the debate between Sadler and Cruz in 2012 was this format). However he then agreed to a debate hosted by other stations on the same day, with a very rigid format that includes timed responses. After WFAA-the hosts of the roundtable debate-decided to no longer pursue a debate (and gave Abbott some very negative coverage), Davis has agreed to the alternate debate.

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Livestream link for Friday's debate (6pm Central time)

http://texastribunefestival2014.sched.org/event/c5af9719056b26322f0c85341c01fdf0#.VBnTcvldU18