TX-GOV: O'Rourke thinking about running

[The Houstonian]

He should think again

[The Houstonian]

Only feels like 6 months ago when Beto was considered an campaign marvel with a rising future while Stacy Abrams was a laughing stock who wasted her political capital. Pretty remarkable how much things can flip on a dime.

By the way, I'm sick of hearing about the gun comment. I think it's impact has been severely overblown on here. Especially cause he's done/said dumber things (Such as taxxing churches who oppose gay marriage)

All churches should be taxed, point blank.

He specifically referred to churches that oppose gay marriage. If he meant to refer to all churches, he would have done so.

[The Houstonian]

Only feels like 6 months ago when Beto was considered an campaign marvel with a rising future while Stacy Abrams was a laughing stock who wasted her political capital. Pretty remarkable how much things can flip on a dime.

By the way, I'm sick of hearing about the gun comment. I think it's impact has been severely overblown on here. Especially cause he's done/said dumber things (Such as taxxing churches who oppose gay marriage)

All churches should be taxed, point blank.

He specifically referred to churches that oppose gay marriage. If he meant to refer to all churches, he would have done so.

Hot take, but I actually think "tax the churches" would be a lot stronger of a position than one might expect it to be, but only if it's from the perspective of churches getting a free ride from the taxpayers rather than from the perspective of churches being on the wrong side of social issues. 

It's probably not a winning issue in much of the country, but I think a maverick candidate in either party could get a lot of milage out of it in a primary.

The GOP would love another tax to run against. "The Democrats want to tax everything - even church!"

[The Houstonian]

Only feels like 6 months ago when Beto was considered an campaign marvel with a rising future while Stacy Abrams was a laughing stock who wasted her political capital. Pretty remarkable how much things can flip on a dime.

By the way, I'm sick of hearing about the gun comment. I think it's impact has been severely overblown on here. Especially cause he's done/said dumber things (Such as taxxing churches who oppose gay marriage)

All churches should be taxed, point blank.

He specifically referred to churches that oppose gay marriage. If he meant to refer to all churches, he would have done so.

Hot take, but I actually think "tax the churches" would be a lot stronger of a position than one might expect it to be, but only if it's from the perspective of churches getting a free ride from the taxpayers rather than from the perspective of churches being on the wrong side of social issues. 

It's probably not a winning issue in much of the country, but I think a maverick candidate in either party could get a lot of milage out of it in a primary.

The GOP would love another tax to run against. "The Democrats want to tax everything - even church!"

That's probably true, but I still think there's a big untapped resentment towards organized religion and specifically the megachurches, even amongst right-leaning people. I suppose the trick would be differentiating between them and small churches, which would be tough to do.

This would only work in the GOP. I doubt that many Democrats care that much about the difference between a megachurch and a small church, plus a Republican would be insulated against accusations of being a "tax-and-spender" or "anti-religion" (in the same way that "only Nixon could go to China").

[The Houstonian]

He will lose.

Every Democrat would. But if he runs an aggressive campaign, he can gin progressive turnout up and make the GOP have to compete more than they would normally.

How?

[The Houstonian]

He will lose.

Every Democrat would. But if he runs an aggressive campaign, he can gin progressive turnout up and make the GOP have to compete more than they would normally.

How?

What do you mean, how? Campaign as a pugilist, forcefully antagonize the GOP flush with ad dollars, engage the thousands of young people who still aren't active in Texas politics. Kinda like, ya know, he did last time?

A lot has happened between last time and now.