Ted Nugent’s favorite candidate, Greg Abbott, is up by 11 points over Wendy Davis in the latest Texas polling.
On the topic of Davis, Margaret Sullivan, the Times’ Public Editor, is pretty tough on the Times Magazine Davis piece Ann Laurie posted about yesterday.
SteveM
Being endorsed by a racist, sexist, gun-crazed sociopath: in Texas, an excellent career move.
srv
Forget it Jake, it’s Texas.
Jerzy Russian
I thought Mr. Nugent would be either dead or in jail by now. He has broken his promise to the American people, and I am disappointed.
SteveM
Let the fuckers secede and then embargo them like North fucking Korea. And no, I don’t give a rat’s ass how awesomely hip Austin is.
PaulW
This just means the Democrats need to work harder to get the vote out for Davis… and for Alex Sink in the March special election in FL-13… and for the congressional midterms and state elections in November.
GET THE DAMN VOTE OUT PEOPLE.
Kate
@SteveM: For the last time not all Texans are batsh!t crazy. Please stop lumping us all into the same pot. So much anger in that statement. Let it go
Bill in Section 147
I think the title should be, “Not Looking Good for Texas.”
Greg Abbott as governor is going to be even better than Governor Goodhair who shines so, oh so much brighter than C-Plus Augustus. Pretty soon the Chinese are going to move their manufacturing to Texas and every Texan will have a job. That glow in the sky is just another fertilizer plant celebratin’ Texas Freedom.
Honus
@srv: He’s the senator from Texas, and he can only get 28% in Texas from Texas republicans? Who’s splitting the other 70%?
Linnaeus
Though it would be good if she did win, I suspect that Wendy Davis running is not really about her winning, but setting the table for the future.
Honus
I feel the same way about Texas that Earl Weaver felt about the sacrifice bunt.
Ocotillo
TV ads running for GOP primary hopefuls would be funny if they weren’t the real deal. Just about everyone of them is shooting a gun, bragging on fighting Obama and saying how they will be tougher on securing the border. If I turn on the boob tube and hear the word conservative one more time I am going to hurl.
I live here and read the occasional piece about Texas turning purple by 2016 because of demographics. I don’t see it. This place is so red you need sunblock to go outside of your house.
srv
@Honus: http://s3.amazonaws.com/static.texastribune.org/media/images/2014/02/23/TT-UT-Poll-Feb.539.png
Waspuppet
Oh – well then I guess he must have gotten it exactly right then.
Jackass. (Draper, that is.) I bet the rent money the conservatives didn’t actually read the story.
catclub
@Honus: Well, Elizabeth Warren might rate the same way for Mass. democrats – they would rather have her as senator.
catclub
@Linnaeus: This. Setting up the future. Also getting the GOP to spend more in Texas than they might prefer.
amk
@PaulW:
This.
Instead of preemptive cave-in.
ruemara
Well this would be Texas’ loss. If Texans really want change, then they better step to it.
Cervantes
That’s nice.
How about someone over there get “pretty tough” on these pieces before they’re published?
Perhaps that’s asking too much.
jibeaux
@Ocotillo: 2016 is too soon by a couple of decades. I think it will eventually turn, but I think a seismic change in the national Republican party will happen first.
Comrade Mary
@Kate: Toronto feels your pain.
Cervantes
@SteveM:
That may be so — we shall see — but this poll does not provide any justification for saying so, because it was conducted February 7-17 whereas Nugent’s appearance with Abbott occurred on February 18.
hildebrand
Want to win Texas as a Democrat, get out the vote. Look at the counties in the Rio Grande Valley – voter turnout sucks. Fix that, and you may turn Texas purple. http://coopercenterdemographics.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/2008-national-general-election-turnout-by-county.jpg
NotMax
Been saying it for years, but repetition does not dilute it.
Texas, it’s a whole ‘nother
countrydimension.Brian R.
@PaulW:
Amen. Just bitching on the internet doesn’t actually influence elections. We’ve all got to get out there, register people to vote and make sure they get to the polls.
Josie
@hildebrand:
Exactly. And that involves supporting Battleground Texas in any way you can, with money and/or time. They are working hard on registering new voters and getting all voters to the polls with the necessary credentials.
http://www.battlegroundtexas.com
PDiddie
The poll was conducted between February 7 and 17. It was February 17 when the Ted Nugent crap exploded (pun intended) so the effect of that is unregistered here.
The TexTrib uses a questionable methodology (YouGov internet surveying) and has produced spectacularly poor results in the past. Having noted that, in my ten-plus years of experience in covering Texas politics, most of these numbers feel about right.
http://brainsandeggs.blogspot.com/2014/02/uttextrib-poll-has-kesha-rogers-leading.html
Frankly, the most alarming thing in this poll is that an African American Larouchite Democrat — who has called for the impeachment of President Obama, and the closing of NASA — is leading a four-way race to face John Cornyn in the fall.
Please come read a Texas liberal blog once in awhile, y’all.
dmsilev
@srv: Well within the margin of error for 27%.
Xecky Gilchrist
@Kate: Please stop lumping us all into the same pot.
I’m from Utah, and I commiserate. Thanks for making this appeal – not gonna happen, though.
PDiddie
@Cervantes: Bingo. See my comment below.
The Other Bob
Its February. Of course any D is going to be 11 points down. If any D has a chance to win Texas, they are going to be behind until the end and then it will be close.
Goblue72
@Kate: Not all. Just a majority. Which is all it takes.
Booda
There was never any chance she would win, but her candidacy is important. Energizing democrats in this state will affect down-ticket races and get a lot of dem voters registered.
Ted nugent is a non-issue. The wingers down here just think it’s funny when “those people” (non-texans) get all sensitive and offended. Of course, they’ll tell you they don’t agree and they’re not racist, blah, blah – but they love watching “the libs” go nuts. It’s all about the resentment and the tribal identification.
Roger Moore
@Ocotillo:
Texas has the potential to be purple based on demographics, but the Republicans clearly have structural advantages (i.e. they’ve gerrymandered the hell out of the state) and a big advantage in enthusiasm. The Democrats are in a chicken and egg situation where they need to win to motivate voters, but they need motivated voters to win anything. A big reason people are so excited about Wendy Davis is they see her as somebody potentially exciting enough to get voters to the polls and start the turn-around.
Origuy
The general election is in November, right?
Tokyokie
@hildebrand: That’s probably the reasoning behind having Leticia Van de Putte on the ballot for lieutenant governor. She’s been a South Texas legislator for 25 years, and folks down there know who she is. Previous attempts by Democrats to field Hispanic candidates for statewide offices generally consisted of finding a guy nobody in the Valley had ever heard of who could self-fund a campaign.
Nobody’s ever contended that Davis would have an easy time with her gubernatorial campaign. But it’s still early, and Abbott is having to go on TV to fend off the far-right nutcases, while Davis appears to be saving her money for the general.
Honus
@srv: Thanks. Fitting that “No Opinion” came in second place on that illustrious list.
cleek
@Origuy:
it’s every 12 hours until the second week of November, on the blogs
Honus
@catclub: I think that the fundamental difference would be that the position of Massachusetts democrats would have some basis in rational thought, as opposed to say, mild criticism of Ted Nugent.
'Niques
@srv: So No Opinion is in second place.
Cervantes
@PDiddie: Thanks for (1) your work; (2) your blog; (3) the link to it; (4) your weekly round-ups; and (5) remembering Barbara Jordan.
Higgs Boson's Mate
According to this site Hispanics make up 28% of eligible voters in Texas. Unfortunately, informed estimates put their turnout last among the ethnicities. Combine low turnout with gerrymandered districts and Hispanics’ effect on Texas elections is far less than it could be. IMHO, if Democrats want to turn Texas purple then they need to develop a comprehensive strategy and spend some damn’ money to implement it. Simply relying on a demographic shift may get the job done – some day.
Kent
It is way early. I live here in Texas and work in a profession (education) where people do discuss politics from time to time. No one and I mean no one other than the poltical junkies are paying attention to this race at this point. Certainly no one is talking about it in the real world yet.
I wouldn’t say that Davis has no chance but it is obviously an uphill battle. It will really depend on the turnout in the suburban and urban areas where the majority of non-insane Texans live.
srv
@Honus: @‘Niques: They would not be so confused if they didn’t have so many choices of the crazy.
I mean, some of them like the guy from New Jersey.
Another Holocene Human
OT: #Ukraine
This is why the police forces were burning documents Wed/Thur last week. This is what Bob in Portland wants for peaceful protesters whose alleged ideological underpinnings upset his easy black/white view of the world:
Yes there is “alleged” in there because such information is extremely convenient to the nationalist (anti-Russian) faction within the new government. Contra Bob, actual old school nationalist/chauvinist/racists aren’t a majority even in the West of the country, but, like in the US, there are pols who shamelessly dogwhistle these voters and even a few true believers.
But the fact remains that as the Party of Regions fell, police were seen all over Ukraine burning documents in barrels. And in the days prior titushkis were shooting people trying to get to/from Maidan, shot and killed a journalist, and shot and killed 82 people in Maidan. And it looks likely that some people will stand trial for this. As they should.
Another Holocene Human
@hildebrand: Yup.
jomike
Davis hasn’t been within 8 or 10 points in any statewide poll to date… nothing to see here…
I think the only way she can win is if Abbott keeps on stepping in it. Not impossible, but unlikely; he’s as savvy as Perry and considerably more intelligent (unfortunately).
Xantar
Remember when a candidate for the right wing nutbase lost the election and the wingers all got so discouraged that they went home and whined about it on the internet and didn’t try again next year and the year after that and the year after that until they got what they wanted?
Neither do I.
It’s possible Wendy Davis will lose. That will just mean we have to try again in Texas, either by repeating her candidacy for another office or recruiting someone else. The trends are all in our favor. Wendy Davis’ candidacy will probably at least get more Democrats registered. So hit them again and again until they’re buried.
Gin & Tonic
@Another Holocene Human: Here’s a link to some professional-level detail on the weapons used, available only to the Interior Ministry. http://www.armamentresearch.com/ukrainian-copies-of-swiss-brugger-thomet-apr-rifles-used-during-protests-in-kiev/
I’m not a weapons expert, but will assume that “APR” means anti-personnel rifle, unless someone more knowledgeable provides a better explanation.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Xantar: I would like to subscribe to your newsletter. Unfortunately, their side seems to get mad and storms the voting booth, our side gets mad and stays home.
And RIP Harold Ramis. “Yeah, well, I got the shit kicked out of me once in Wisconsin”
SectarianSofa
@Kate:
Thank you.
SectarianSofa
@Goblue72:
A majority of voters. The same problem with much of the Democratic leaning demographic everywhere.
Cervantes
@Gin & Tonic: Yes, it is.
Stands for “Advanced Precision Rifle.”
SectarianSofa
@SteveM:
Also, fuck you. As the Buddha would say.
If you want to make a change, do the hard work. You sound like a chickenhawk on the middle east. What do you have invested in the region you condemn ?
jomike
@Xantar: Exactly… if Davis can get within a few points this year she can have another go in ’18.
Also, too, Van de Putte might actually have a shot at Lt Gov, esp. if one of the wingnuts upsets Dewhurst in the GOP primary.
Howlin Wolfe
@Honus: Goober, Gomer, Tex, Lefty, Dusty, Pancho, Daisy, and Sam Houston.
PDiddie
@Cervantes: Thanks for the thank-yous.
Seth Owen
All rifles are anti-personnel.
Cassidy
@Gin & Tonic: Did some searching; it means “Advanced Precision Rifle”. By default, all rifles are anti-personnel rifles. I’m not being a smart ass. There are different classifications of rifle, but they really only get called something special when they’re called “anti-material” and things like that. One trend amongst gun manufacturers, especially those that focus on military and police weapons system. is to give it some sort of acronym or military sounding name. It rolls off the tongue better at trade shows and sales pitches. It’s just marketing.
El Tiburon
I’m an Austinite for about forever.
While I’m sure her chances are slim, I’m optimistic. She is making a huge deal out of Ted Nugent as are other demcratic political types. If they can keep this up, it might be enough to energize the urban and southern regions..
LanceThruster
You could say people get the government they deserve…but the smart ones don’t deserve to be punished by the overabundance of the clueless. I guess that’s just the nature of democracy.
Wendy would be a great Gov. for Tex.
KS in MA
@Honus: Yay! Baseball analogy!!!! Spring is coming…..
danielx
@jomike:
True dat, although being more intelligent than Rick Perry doesn’t exactly require a lot of intellectual heavy lifting.
But folks, seriously, let’s consider – over the last twenty years, Texas has had two (count ’em!) governors – W, aka He Who Must Not Be Named, and Rick Perry. Far as I can tell you could run Jesus as a Democrat down there and the majority reaction among Texas voters would be that He is clearly a peaceniksoshulisthippie, and what’s all this nonsense about who His father is, anyway; guy must be on drugs.
I don’t see this changing until the Hispanic majority (known as Meskins to white Texans) grows too overwhelming to be ignored, and even then I wouldn’t make bets. Wealthy Anglo Texans, of which there are a shitload, would rather try to secede from the Union (again) than see anybody with a name ending in a vowel* in the Guv’s office in Austin, for any number of reasons from racism to taxes.
*Ted Cruz is of Cuban descent and doesn’t count, even if he was interested in being governor.
Greg
The only thing that will take down the Republicans in Texas is when their economy, which is all smoke and mirrors, implodes, which it will. Unfortunately for the citizens of Texas they will find that they have been living in a third world police state, which will overnight become America’s slum.