Kerry wins Houston

[DemoTex]

Old friend, a GOPer, just called. He is donating big-bucks to Kerry. He thinks Harris County Texas is Kerry's for the plucking. We will see!

[bluestateguy]

1. I will be astonished if Kerry wins 40% in Texas

I went driving through rural east Texas and all I saw were Bush-Cheney bumper stickers, southern baptist churches and billboards that said "GOD BLESS PRESIDENT BUSH...and our troops."

Democrats should fold up their tent in Texas permanently and urge their supporters to move to swing states.

[Dover]

3. The GOP aggressively went after CA and TX, so why shouldn't Kerry?

I think you have to get 'em at their base...not that Kerry's campaign crew will make as much difference as Bush's failures to "feed his own flock" (the rural lower income crowd).

There was a Texas poll someone posted on DU the other day that indicated that the majority of Texans are VERY unhappy with the current state leadership. Whether this translates to a shift in the wind here is not yet clear, but it seems like an opening that should be exploited.

I'm not convinced that the voting machines and other corruption would allow any other than a GOP win in Texas, but you have to start somewhere and they are showing weakness.

Now if Kerry would ONLY select Doggett as a running mate or place him in a prominent position, it would certainly put a knife in the heart of Texas GOP politics-as-usual.

[JayS]

9. I'm not sure what would happen if...

...Kerry campaigned here. Most likely nothing good; he is not Al Gore. Note that I am definately not a member of the Kerry Fan Club but I can offer my views as a lifelong Texan that he probably won't be all that welcome here, but again note the bias. I have heard little good about Bush and nothing good about Kerry. In the most liberal city in Texas I have seen only two bumper stickers that mention Kerry and neither of those were what one would call flattering.

[DemoTex]

5. Where did I say Kerry takes "Texas"? Read the post!

I said Kerry might take Harris County, again.

[Justitia]

2. Harris Cty (Houston) went for Gore in 2000!

Yea! I'm moving there soon!
Currently in RW Headquarters of N Dallas.

[Fenris]

4. The further into the city you go, the more Democratic it gets

After all, this city is home to Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.

[JayS]

6. Just don't ask Rep. Lee anything about Mars. :) hehehe

[jobycom]

7. Houston, Austin and El Paso, probably

The rest of the state is a problem.

Although, between Perry, Delay and the Legislature, Texas could be up for grabs in 2006.

[GOPisEvil]

15. It's the suburbs that really worry me.

Inner city Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Ft. Worth and El Paso will tend Democratic. The Valley will trend Democratic (if we can get the vote out down there, that would be nice!). It's suburban Texas and the "Tom DeLay Republicans". There are a lot of them, and they vote. Rural Texas might be more ofa toss-up. They might vote for Il Dunce for President, but for Democrats in Congress.

Edit - forgot Ft. Worth first time around. :spank:

[AspenRose]

27. San Antonio

Home of the late Henry B. Gonzalez and former Dem mayor Henry Cisneros.

SA could go Dem....

[Ilsa]

8. Rural texas will vote *.

Even my GOP'er sis in Deer Park is voting for Kerry. Hates *'s fiscal iresponsibility. I fully expect Shrub to take the small towns and rural texas, though.

[morcatknits]

10. Texas

I'm seeing a lot of pro-Kerry and anti-Bush bumper stickers in Austin. Amazingly enough, I'm hearing from infiltrators in the ultra conservative Metroplex area, that there is an upsurge in dissatisfaction with Bush. All that said, I'm sure the "fix is in" as they say in Florida, and Bush will take Texas. This time.

Good knitting,
Morcat

[JayS]

11. What part of town are you seeing them in? I spend most of my...

...time in South, West, and Central Austin and have not seen a one.

[el_gato]

16. I see Kerry stickers all the time in Austin

Maybe you ought to open your eyes.

[JayS]

20. Since I am driving, my eyes are open. I've yet to see a Kerry...

...sticker, yard sign, banner, balloon, etc.

[Jane Austin]

23. Mirabelle Restaurant in NW Austin

What amazes me is the LACK of Bush stickers.

I've seen two. Period.

Kerry stickers are hard to come by. I waited almost two months for the two the campaign offered and finally sent me.

Last week we dined at Mirabelle in Northwest Hills. Except for my Kerry and Clark stickers, there was not a single bumpersticker in the entire crowded lot.

I find that amazing in that part of town.

[newyawker99]

13. Hi morcatknits!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[bookman]

12. Starting to see some interest in Kerry

I'm in repug country, but each week I get a surprise here and there. I've met people who think Kerry can win Texas. I don't think so, but a little attention may make them spend some of their $$$ here.

[ChickMagic]

14. Dallas County is up for grabs

Bushco only won Dallas Co. 51-49 in 2000. At the conference call house party Kerry said that before the season is over, Bush will have to campaign in Texas. :D

[Th1onein]

17. Harris County belongs to Kerry

People here are PISSED at Bush. Houston has lost 70,000 jobs since Bush has been in office.

[cap]

18. sometime soon, Texas will tip non-white

and the minorities will be the majority... it's just a question of time.

Regardless of whether Kerry wins TX, we've gotta go planting seeds. It will take longer to win TX because of the Republican gerrymandering but our day will come.

[JayS]

21. Yes, but do not expect an automatic "D" vote from them. The...

...abortion issue may cause some trouble also.

[cap]

24. not so...

i'm assuming you're taking about the hispanic vote...

Catholics are not automatically pro-life...in fact, most are pro-choice.

[JayS]

25. I think this might turn out to be one of those urban vs. rural...

...deals. Most of the hispanics that I knew in the Valley were against abortion but the hispanics I know here in Austin don't see it as a big issue.

If we can just keep Perry in office a little longer he should have enough time to tick everyone off and the state will go back to being Democratic. :)

[Bridget Burke]

19. Houston Chronicle's society column leads with Hillary Clinton visit!

Shelby Hodge can usually be relied upon to regale us with tales of the Bush clan (she covered Neil's latest wedding) or Ken Lay's rehabilitation in Houston society (seen dining with an ex-Mayor at one of the better tables at La Griglia).

Today's column began with an account of Senator Clinton's fund-raising visit in a Houston "swankienda" (to quote an earlier, more colorful columnist).

SEVERAL dozen very social Democrats gathered at the home of Joyce and Arthur Schechter Thursday evening for a below-the-radar grip-and-grin with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. The New York politico, who has enjoyed prosperous gold mining in these parts, arrived early to welcome the guests who paid $1,000 each. During the two-hour, early-evening stopover, she autographed her book (a little lagniappe for guests) and posed for photos.

www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/features/shodge/2603606

Texas has always been a good source for Democratic fundraising, even when the national party chose to let local Democratic candidates twist in the wind.

[DaveSZ]

22. Austin is pretty liberal

I see many Kerry stickers, and actually less * stickers on cars.

Of course we are in a sea of Fundies outside of Austin.

[AspenRose]

26. Harris County, that's likely; Montgomery County, no way Jose

There's enough diversity in Houston where I believe Kerry would have a fighting chance. It's outside 1960, in counties like Montgomery (The Woodlands, Conroe) and other surrounding counties (Ft. Bend, etc.) where Kerry doesn't stand a chance.

Dunno about Galveston County. :shrug:

[TexasSissy]

28. The heck you say! Terrific! (Wish it were so where I live--* country)