MJ Hegar defeats Royce West in Democratic runoff for U.S. Senate

[Julian English]

Source: Texas Tribune

MJ Hegar has defeated Royce West in the Democratic primary runoff for U.S. Senate, winning the nomination to take on Republican John Cornyn in November.

With all polling locations reporting Wednesday morning, Hegar was leading West by 4 percentage points, according to unofficial returns. Hegar declared victory late Tuesday night, and West conceded Wednesday morning.

"I am humbled by the support we have received from all across the state, and am confident we have a decisive victory," Hegar said in a Tuesday night statement when she had a similar margin with most locations reporting. "Together, we are mounting a Texas-sized winning campaign that will take down Sen. [John] Cornyn and deliver real results on health care, racial justice, economic opportunity, climate change, immigration and gun violence."

West, who was aiming to become Texas' first Black U.S. senator, conceded in a statement Wednesday morning noting the "historic" nature of his campaign and the massive financial disadvantage he faced. West also congratulated Hegar, with whom tensions spiked in the runoff's last couple weeks.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2020/07/14/mj-hegar-john-cornyn-texas-senate-royce-west/

[Laelth]

1. I voted for West.

That said, Hegar is a good candidate, and I fully support her at this point. This race needs financial support. Donate if you can.

https://mjfortexas.com/

-Laelth

[Beaverhausen]

4. Do you think she has a chance?

Would love to see Cornyn gone.

[Laelth]

5. No. Not if I am honest.

But, you never know. Beto nearly beat Cruz. If Biden has any coattails at all, Hegar could win. I fear to hope. I have been let down too many times, but this is no ordinary election. There’s maybe a 40% chance at this stage, but the odds could improve before November.

-Laelth

[Major Nikon]

7. I do

Trump may very well tank Corny and he isn’t all that well liked in Texas anyway. He’s already in a very bad position. If he doesn’t turn on Trump he goes down with him if Texas goes blue. If he does turn on Trump then he will lose his wingnut support when Trump turns on him. Either way the GOP is going to have to funnel a shitton of money into his campaign to have any hope of keeping his seat and that means less money for other races.

[Lonestarblue]

10. She has a chance, but I think it will be tough.

She needs some really good ads, and she needs to go after him on healthcare. He voted against the ACA of course, and Texas ranks number 1 in the country for the number of people without health insurance and has for a few years now. Republicans refused the Medicaid expansion under the ACA that would have provided healthcare for more poor people here. The maternal death rate is very high in Texas, which can also be tied to lack of access to good healthcare.

And of course tie Cornyn to Trump because he voted to keep a corrupt man in office. Cornyn has been in office for 18 years. I think Hegar can also make a case that Cornyn has gotten comfy in his position and doesn’t actually do much for Texans.

[Progressive Jones]

2. K & R

[LudwigPastorius]

3. MJ comes out fighting.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/07/15/texas-senate-race-is-on-john-cornyn-slams-mj-hegar-as-liberal-she-calls-him-spineless-bootlicker/

In an interview, Hegar fired back, calling Cornyn “a lackey and a spineless bootlicker” for President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

“He is accurately shaking in his boots and acting scared,” she said of Cornyn.

-snip-

Asked if Trump’s declining popularity could harm Cornyn’s reelection prospects, Hegar spoke of disaffected Republicans who’ve stopped voting because they’re disgusted that the GOP has helped run up the national debt and favors government intrusion on personal decisions such as abortion and same-sex marriage.

“A lot of them have become independents,” she said. “They will vote for me because they want an ass kicker who is going to put the mission first and stop with the politicizing of our lives.”

[Laelth]

6. I like her approach.

For almost every election this year, I would advise Democrats to make the election a referendum on Trump, and tie that lying, narcissistic failure around the neck of our Republican opponents.

The people want an ass-kicker, not a Republican ass-licker.

See what she did there?



-Laelth

[JudyM]

8. "Spineless bootlicker" - great description for half the Senate.

Let’s all use it.

[bucolic_frolic]

11. Even in this brief excerpt she shows a deep understanding and ability to frame the landscape

That goes very very far in politics. You give me hope! Go MJ!

[duforsure]

9. Cornyn has to go for what he done, and for what he refused to do

She will be a great Senator and representative for all the people of Texas, and then onto replacing Ted Cruz, and Judge Lina Hildago would also be a great candidate that has shown to be a true leader now for Harris county in Houston. Texas needs more women representing Texas in our government now. As more gets exposed on trump and the republican party , more will run from the republican party for good.