I’ve become fascinated by the politics of Texas. I don’t claim to understand them but the state is heavily suburban and urban, I gather, and the swing against Trump in the suburbs is very real. Beto beat the polls in 2018 quite handily so the whole shy conservative voter thing is certainly not true there. The polls are close in the presidential race. Texas could really be the new Virginia. (Arizona is probably more the new Colorado.)
But MJ Hegar has only raised a fraction of what, say, Amy McGrath has raised. Let’s raise some money for her.
MJ Hegar, Texas Senate
While we’re at it, here are some other good ways to give in Texas.
Texas State Democratic Party
Dallas County Democratic Party (TX) and Tarrant County Democratic Party (TX)
You can see everyone we are fundraising for here.
Splitting Image
I’m crossing my fingers for Hegar, but if she loses, the Democrats get another potential national figure from Texas (like O’Rourke) and they get to try again next time.
The state houses are another matter. Winning one of them will prevent the Republicans from keeping the state gerrymandered for the next ten years. This is crucial, both in Texas itself and nationally.
Last time the Republicans controlled the entire redistricting process and deliberately fixed things to add five more seats for themselves in Congress. This has to be undone.
Mary G
I still follow Beto on Twitter, and he seems to be doing a stealth “flip the state legislature” push, and the enthusiasm is sky high.
MisterForkbeard
I really like Hegar, though looking at the polls I’m not certain she’s a good bet.
But worth betting on at all? Sure! :)
Marmot
DougJ—I know US congressional districts are on the back burner, I’ve gotta plug my man Mike Siegel in TX-10!
Mike’s 4.3 point gap against Repub Michael McCaul in 2018 was a huge surprise after 2016’s 9-point gap against.a previous Dem challenger.
The TX-10 district is a big chunk of Austin, a big chunk of Houston, and a huge swathe of rural area in between—but including a load of booming suburbs.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@MisterForkbeard:
it’s a biggish deficit in a pretty red state, but I believe she’s around 6 or 7 down in most polls, whereas for McGrath– whom I like but…– it’s more like 12 to 15 points down. Maybe her candidacy will be like O’Rourke’s, bringing out more voters for down-ticket races.
On another note, Rick Wilson (yeah, yeah, but he knows how to read polls) says that Mike Espy needs massive African-American turn-out (obviously), and Cindy Hyde-Smith needs 75% white support, if she falls below 70, it’s a real race, if it falls to 65, she’s done (I listened to the podcast this morning, but I think I remembered those numbers right, and I’m sure they’re rounded off anyway)
Benw
Damn Joker and Murray and the Nuggets are fucking good
BethanyAnne
Texas is a big red ocean, with 5 or so blue islands. I live on the edge of Houston, and we have been growing so fast. Thousands and thousands of new Houstonians. It’s great. I drove through the nice neighborhood last week to get to the store, and saw a crapton of republican signs. But these scared, resentful white folk are getting more and more outnumbered, IMO. I’m glad that we are finally beginning to look like a place to build up, rather than a place to be passed over.
RoonieRoo
@Marmot: I am in 10. I am almost more desperate to get rid of McCaul than Cornyn. I’m a truly snakebit Texas D so I hold no hope but damn if we aren’t getting closer every cycle.
joel hanes
I think that the persistent Dem grassroots GOTV efforts in Texas are working.
Striking increase in voter registration.
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/Texas-voter-registration-surges-trump-biden-record-15586286.php
Kay
Me too. Can you imagine? They’d never win another Presidential election. They can’t replace Texas.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Splitting Image:
They also did that after 5 years instead of 10.
Paul W.
@Marmot: 2nding Seigel, have been chipping in after getting a call from him personally a couple months ago. Also, I personally really love and have campaigned for Lulu Seikaly and for Candace Valenzuela who are both wonderful candidates and can win!
guachi
$33 million raised on Act Blue in the past 24 hours.
JeffH
May I make a suggestion for organizations that are working to ensure voting rights? Fair Fight is the one I know about (Stacey Abrams’ organization) but I’m sure there are others out there.
Gin & Tonic
@Benw: Not sure you’ve noticed, but they are at 0-2 for the series thus far, so “fucking good” is, uh, relative.
CaseyL
@JeffH:
And I’ve signed up with Common Cause to be a social media monitor, searching for and reporting any misinformation, disinformation and mal-information about voting procedures, voting rights, and polling places.
They can always use more volunteers!
opiejeanne
DougJ, just wanted to thank you for posting these. It has made donating to crucial races a lot easier, which has helped ease the political crappiness.
Comrade Colette Collaboratrice
@guachi: I just watched it spin up $1 million in ONE MINUTE. Something exceptional must have happened in that minute, but whoa.
Keep talking, Orange Man.
Sandia Blanca
@Marmot: I second that pitch for Mike Siegel! He’s terrific, and has been working very hard for two years to make another run at the edifice that is McCaul. He deserves all the help we can give.
Benw
@Gin & Tonic: yeah, Lakers fan here and Denver’s down 0-2 but they’re playing amazing ball against LeBron and AD for game 3, much respect
TXSwede
In the Texas lege, two from Tarrant County who may help win the House are Jeff Whitfield (https://www.whitfieldfortexas.com) and Joe Drago (https://dragofortexas.com). I lit dropped for them this weekend.
As long as we are dreaming in Texas, they are two worth dreaming about.
DougJ
Thanks everyone
Yutsano
So I made the stupid mistake of listening to a Berner on YouTube tonight. He was ranting about how Yertle was biding his time until 2022 when he could retake the majority from vulnerable Democratic Senators. So I decided to look at the 2022 Senate map again and…I’m not seeing any Democrats who are really vulnerable. I see at least two pick-ups and depending on what the national mood is like in two years there could be as many as six. So that was my lesson in who I listen to from now on.
rikyrah
It’s the White Whale and we should go for it
waynel140
I’m volunteering for Rick Kennedy against, wait for it, Pete Sessions. Yes, the man who launders money for foreign agents is back after being pushed out of Dallas. He moved to Waco to run there. He’s a lowlife, and we have a great candidate to run against him. It’s Texas, so it’s always uphill against the low-information voters typical of central Texas. But we have hope. This is the last election the Republicans will win statewide in Texas. Next, we go after Abbott.