Dem turnout high in Tx, but Rep turnout still larger. Help!

[Mugsy]

I'm watching the primary election returns here in Houston tonight.

Democratic turnout was very high. Knowing that the state is about 65/35 Rep to Dem, Democratic candidates received almost as many votes in the governors race as were cast in the Republican primary... about 300,000 votes each (with a slight edge to the Repubs).

This bodes very well for Democratic candidate for Governor Chris Bell, a former State and Federal Representative as well as a former candidate for mayor of Houston.

However, in neighboring Sugarland (about ten minutes from me), Tom DeLay did extremely well with over 10,000 votes to his opponents' 4,000 votes. The leading Democratic candidate, Nick Lampson, ran unopposed and therefore there is no number to report on how he might have done comparatively.

Turnout for the primaries was reportedly very low. But with the number of votes cast in both Republican and Democratic Primaries near equal, it is evident that Democratic voters turned out in a much higher percentage.

My biggest concern though is that it may not be enough.

I should note that Republican voters in Texas were extremely apathetic in the 2004 race, with barely 35% of them even bothering to vote. But Texas Democrats are worse, like a beaten horse, Democratic turnout was barely 23% in '04 because everyone just assumes "What's the point? You KNOW Texas will go for Bush." Sad fact though is that if just 60% of all Democratic voters had gotten off their ass and voted for Kerry, Texas would have gone blue and given Kerry a landslide victory. Voter apathy can be DEADLY folks!.

Get the word out. If you know any Texas Democrats, make sure you get them to the polls in November. It's their own apathy that keeps this state Red and the GOP's in power.)

[babylonsister]

1. If it makes you feel better, I voted in my first primary today ever!

In Texas!
I'm a bit proud. :evilgrin:

[amitten]

2. Me, too. I don't trust the process though, anymore. n/t

[babylonsister]

4. I just think we have to do what we think is right, and let the chips

fall. I don't much trust 'the process', but voting is a start, something I never even considered before.
So now we are informed. If we don't trust what's going on, 'the process', the next step is to change it.
We voted to try to make a difference. We can also do that in other ways if need be.
Cheers, amitten!

[amitten]

7. Process=electronic voting machines.

I don't trust that they will not be manipulated unfairly. In the right hands, it is so easily done.

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. There is a sizable number that will vote for delay just for spite

[Mugsy]

5. DeLay's TV ads.

DeLay is running these TV ads that are a scream! (I wish I could find them online) :)

His main ad stamps photos of "Howard Dean, Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi.... (etc) Michael Moore and George Soros" across the screen and argues that "Liberals" hate the fact that Delay "is fighting for lower taxes and Conservative values." The ad has been running heavily, and I keep wondering who is its target audience? He already has the Conservative vote, he's not going to win over Liberals with an ad attacking Liberals, and Independent swing voters aren't going to vote for him just because they don't want to see a Liberal win.

DeLay's second ad attacks Soros directly, saying "Soros... who advocated legalizing drugs (etc)" spent something like $200,000 to attack him.

It's all very funny, but it's extremely irritating that there aren't any competing ads from Lampson saying "George Soros and Michael Moore didn't tell Tom DeLay it would be a good idea if he laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal campaign contributions through his political action committee."

And while the Governors' race is close, there are two Independents, Carol Keeton Rylander Strayhorn (Scott McClellan's mom) and "Big Dick" Kinky Freeman that could divide the anti-Perry vote enough to let "Governor Good Hair" win re-election.

[Patchuli]

6. I heard that the idea is

to vote for DeLay which a lot of Texan Dems did because any Dem who runs agaisnt the Bugman will kick his ass. Whattya think?

[liveoaktx]

8. Here's what I want to do-I want to go WORK the precincts

and find every single person in this county, see what party they are, and IF they are Dems, make sure they're registered, get info and find out if they need rides.