White noise: update
In my previous post on the Bill White rumors, I mentioned that I had asked my Houston-based colleague, Mimi Swartz, to check out the talk that he is going to switch from the Senate race to the governor’s race.
This is the e-mail she received from Frank Michel of the White operation:
Confirmed there is no truth to the rumor. A number of blog posts available
today discussing the fact that it’s still untrue, including Ross Ramsay’s
posting on the Texas Tribune and Charles Kuffner’s Off the Kuff blog.
Am told that a handful of people are spreading the rumor far and wide. Katy
Bacon, the campaign communications director is copied on this e-mail and she
should know.
Harry Doghiney (D-TX) says:
File under “follow-up questions pollsters never ask” to opponents of healthcare reform:
(1) Did you vote for Barack Obama in 2008?
(2) If yes, does healthcare reform make you more or less likely to vote for a Democrat in 2010?
They don’t ask because they don’t want to know the answer. Opposition to healthcare reform is purely partisan and the opponents never would have voted for a Democrat, anyway.
Back to your regularly scheduled conventional wisdom. Discuss how 2009 is an electoral disaster for Democrats because of healthcare reform, and how millions of self-described independents have been driven back to the Republican Party.
Reply »
Anonymous says:
Paul, I’m just not sure KBH ever resigns. 2010 is shaping up to be a difficult year for Dems, but in Texas, that’s more about the fact that there aren’t any credible Dems at the top of the ticket. White could change that if he switched to the governor’s race. And if Perry is the Republican nominee, I still believe White would have an outside shot at winning. The public mood is not just anti-Democrat; it’s anti-incumbent. In Texas, you have to be at least moderately conservative. But voters are going to be looking for someone who can do something positive for the state. I’m not sure Perry has anything to point to besides previous good luck on the economy. Will that be enough? Maybe. Maybe not, if the message on the other side is a good one.
Reply »
Texian Politico says:
Anti-incumbent? Is that why the only Republican incumbent that lost in VA was one that was involved in a scandal while seven incumbent Democratic delegates were defeated? Come on. Tuesdays results weren’t “anti-incumbent” they were anti-Democrat just like the results in 2006 were anti-Republican and in 1994 they were anti-Democrat. When one party losses all the seats or almost all the seats, you can’t say its just “anti-incumbent.”
Reply »
Anonymous Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
From Virginia Republican and former Congressman Tom Davis: “A much closer than expected New York mayoral win for Michael Bloomberg, and an insurgency against the GOP House candidate chosen by party bosses in New York’s 23d district demonstrate that voter anger can turn on Republicans and incumbents in general.”
Reply »
Texian Politico Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
What’s your point Anon? Where was a Republican incumbent defeated aside from the one in the Tidewater area that had ethical issues? Bloomberg and Scozzafava are hardly conservative or even moderate Republicans. Show me some GOP incumbents that were defeated along with Democratic incumbents that were defeated and then I’ll agree it is just an anti-incumbent year (like in ‘92 when the GOP picked up 10 in the House, but many incumbents were defeated on each side.)
Reply »
Anonymous Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
My point is that you aren’t as smart as you think you are.
Anonymous Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Is this non-answer the best you can do?
Kay gone bad says:
To chime in on my previous post, obviously Bill won’t confirm the rumors. If he did it would send KBH’s already abysmal campaign efforts down the toilet as the speculation would snowball out of control and one could speculate either she would quit the race or just try to hold on to her senate seat as long as she can.
Reply »
Briscoe Democrat says:
Burka, didn’t White say over and over again that he’s running for United States Senator ?
Now I do think the Dems should pressure former State Comptroller John Sharp (D) out of the Senate race and into the governor’s race since Perry is likely to win the GOP primary by 10 points due to the evangelicals, segregationists, and Tea Party folks controlling 99.1 percent of the Texas GOP.
Reply »
John Johnson Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Let the two cheerleaders beat each other up in the press and spend their money while whoever has declared on the Dem side, and those who might decide to run as something other than a Repub, sit back and watch, wait and develop a gameplan.
The King and Queen make each other look uglier and uglier each and every day. Just let them keep on throwing grenades. They are saying it better than any Dem candidate ever could.
This, however, won’t do the Dem opposition a bit of good if they don’t show some Blue Dog thinking. All us independents will just have to hold our noses and vote for the last Big Money candidate standing.
Reply »
Briscoe Democrat Reply:
November 10th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
John Johnson, is that how Bill Clements (R) benefited from a nasty Democratic bloodbath between then-Governor Dolph Briscoe (D) and then-State AG John Hill (D) in the 1978 governor’s race ?
Reply »
John Johnson says:
I have no idea. I’m not a poltical animal I just started paying attention back in ‘07. I was too busy trying to earn a living and get the kids through college. When I pulled my head out, I found out how corrupt and stinky things are in Austin. Since then, I have paid attention.
Reply »
Anonymous says:
Perry wins the Primary unless Kay has something on him.
Sharp or White beats Perry in the general, if they have the guts to run.
Reply »