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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums2020′s first big test? Not Iowa, but a tiny Texas House race
By PAUL J. WEBER
an hour ago
KATY, Texas (AP) Beto ORourke is livestreaming again. Joe Biden and Julián Castro are making their presence felt. Mike Bloomberg has knocked on doors and outside groups are running TV attack ads. On the brink of 2020′s first big contest, it all screams high stakes.
Not in Iowa. This is just for a single Texas House seat.
This is one of the most important elections taking place in the country right now, said ORourke, who since ending his own presidential run in November has campaigned for the Democrat in the race, Eliz Markowitz, including again Saturday with Castro.
The outcome of the Jan. 28 special election runoff near Houston a week before the Iowa caucuses in an ethnically diverse district of 220,000 people wont change the balance of power in the GOP-controlled Texas Capitol. But like other special elections since President Donald Trump took office, this one is seen as brimming with broader significance: the years first bellwether that could signal bigger trends to come in November.
https://apnews.com/f6c742c64b7517fc49551764a406a820
I think the GOP are in for rude awakening.........................
dalton99a
(81,637 posts)Salviati
(6,009 posts)KatyMan
(4,211 posts)Early voting starts the 21st.
Gothmog
(145,666 posts)Hello county neighbor!
yellowdogintexas
(22,280 posts)postcardsforvoters.com
If you register with them, you will get email notices for races like this.
My last one was KY governor and the last two have filled up before I could register!
Campaigns have to request this but I think it is effective particularly with runoffs, because they have notoriously low turnouts. Beto and Julian's groundgame will boost turnout too.
We have 5 of the 9 critical races here in Tarrant County (Fort Worth) so I expect Beto and friends to spend a lot of time here after the primaries. If we have a runoff they will be here for that. These are flippable districts.
We also have several Congressional Races around the state that are flippable with goodturnout.
Coventina
(27,215 posts)I hate phone-banking, but writing postcards is something I'd actually enjoy!
I encourage you to make this an OP.
Thanks!
NewJeffCT
(56,829 posts)They respond fairly quickly to offers to help - I bought a bunch of generic postcards off of amazon for like 20 or 25 cents apiece and have filled them out for a few races.
They do ask that you hand write the postcards, which was actually a challenge for me - I've hardly handwritten much beyond my name and tags on Christmas gifts for a good 20 or so years.
https://postcardstovoters.org/
evertonfc
(1,713 posts)in this race?
Gothmog
(145,666 posts)Gates ran for the GOP nominee for Railroad commissioner a while back and here is some of the oppo on him https://texasscorecard.com/local/yes-gary-gates-may-be-a-child-abuser/
During the interviews with the children, TDPRS learned that Garys punishments included sitting against the wall in the chair position, running, moving bricks and boards across the driveway, doing push-ups, and being spanked with a hand, belt, or board. Travis and Alexis had been given throw-up medicine (ipecac) for eating food they should not have eaten, and children were required to skip their next meal if they stole food. On occasion, Gary taped newspaper around a childs hands to keep him or her from stealing food.
Timothy stated that Gary threw the older children against the wall and that dad hurts Travis and the big kids. Timothy also stated that he was afraid of his father because he hurts them. Cynthia stated that after Gary found out about Travis stealing food, he kicked out Traviss chair while Travis was sitting on it, causing Travis to hit his head on the floor; Gary then hit Travis, kicked him in the stomach, and pushed him into a wall. Marcus corroborated this story. Cynthia also stated that Gary had hit Cassandra and Andrew the previous day and that she is scared to live at home because her dad gets so mad. Andy confirmed that he had been spanked the previous day and had a bruise on his leg as a result.
Further, according to a TDPRS employee, when Gary arrived home that day, he told his children, These people want to talk to you, they think mom and dad are bad people. Timothy then responded, Well dad you are bad, you slammed them [sic] up against the wall and made his head bleed. Alexis and Marcus agreed with Timothy.
Coventina
(27,215 posts)Desert grandma
(804 posts)They are devout R's. I have not spoken to them since election night 2016. Sister in Law called to tell me what "a nice concession speech Hillary gave." I think one of them was precinct chairman. NOTHING would give me more pleasure than if Eliz Markowitz wins this election. Sister in law and Brother in law are both well educated people too. He is business attorney and she has a CPA, even though she has not worked since the birth of their first son. He became a lawyer just like dad and was elected to the Texas Supreme Court a year or so ago. All of them are predictable right wing evangelicals, who are oblivious to their own hypocrisy. My husband, her brother, is a strong Democrat. In fact, he is the only Democrat among the three siblings. I am grateful we live in different states.
Gothmog
(145,666 posts)Gothmog
(145,666 posts)Gothmog
(145,666 posts)Abbott and the GOP are busing in block walkers http://www.quorumreport.com/
Invitation to block walk for Gates says: "Hello, what do we have here? Free room, board, and travel? ...Yes, it's all true!" Folks are asked to RSVP to a Greg Abbott staffer's email address to block walk all next weekend
I voted at lunch and there was no line to vote but there was no parking and 40 or so people outside campaigning including Eliz and Beto
Link to tweet
There was a selfie line for Beto. My daughter and I voted and talked to Eliz. We did not wait for a picture with Beto