Got this letter today from David Van Os (D) who is running for the Texas supreme court. As a resident of the state I can tell you that this letter is accurate. Turn out is AMAZINGLY high. Everyone I know who has voted early has told me it took them anywhere from 1-4 hours to wait in line to vote. The turn out in 2002 was NOTIHNG compared to this.
Let's also take note that Delay and other powerful republicans in this state are running scared. I have a GOOD feeling about this state - and if things are going well here I can only imagine how well they are going in other states. Anyway, here is the letter that details this
"Dear Grassroots Leader:
We all knew in our hearts what was going to happen when the voting started in this year’s General Election. We may have been unsure whether to voice it aloud or not, but we all knew that there was going to be a huge Democratic turnout, because we all knew all year that we were seeing a level of grassroots enthusiasm and motivation that we have not seen in years.
Early voting has now come upon us, and what we all knew in our hearts all year has come to pass. The turnouts are phenomenal. They are astounding. They are staggering. At the rate of voting that has taken place so far, the total turnout of registered voters in the general election of 2004 in Texas may approach 70%.
The turnouts are occurring in the right places. For example, South Texas is on fire with voting. The South Texas political sleeping giant is awake. In Hidalgo County the early voter turnout was an astonishing 61,000. Hidalgo County is on course for a 67% voter turnout. The previous presidential-election turnout in Hidalgo County was 39%. In the rural South Texas counties between San Antonio and the Lower Valley the turnout is proportionately similar. In Bexar County the early voting turnout exceeded a quarter of a million votes. The turnout was huge in the overwhelmingly Democratic San Antonio Southside and Westside, as well as the 90% Democratic Eastside. In Travis County the turnout exceeded 220,000 – with enormous turnouts from the Democratic stronghold areas of the county. In rural East Texas and West Texas counties where Democratic voting patterns typically predominate, turnouts are equally tremendous in proportion.
Each of you knows from the evidence of your own eyes and ears that there is a remarkably high level of Democratic voting among the previously apathetic or previously unregistered new voters. Each of you also knows from the evidence of your own eyes and ears that large numbers of voters who voted Republican in 2000 are voting Democratic this year. Each of you also knows that new voter registration was huge. In fact, new voter registration this year topped 800,000 for the state.
I don’t need to tell you how hungry so many voters are to reject the monopolistic, one-sided, intolerant, greedy, special-interest domination engendered by a ruthless Republican Party power machine that seeks to wipe out our Constitutional checks and balances. I don’t need to tell you how determined so many voters are to restore respect for Constitutional democracy and self-government, how hot so many are burning to take back their country and their state from the hustlers and con artists who have forced their will so undemocratically on the people one time too many. You see it all around you. You have seen it coming all year.
I don’t need to tell you about the excitement that you see in the faces of so many people as they are realizing that we are in the midst of something powerful. You see it all around you; it is so palpable that you feel it in your bones.
The phenomenal turnout that we are witnessing renders all previous assumptions about Texas invalid. The polling models that led pollsters to predict another weak year for the Democratic Party’s chances statewide in Texas were all based on the last few elections, in which the turnout of Democrats was anemic. The incredible upsurge in turnout renders all of those polling models and their underlying assumptions irrelevant. The staggering turnout that we all know is taking place gives us a completely clean blackboard. Nothing that used to be assumed can now be assumed. What was previously considered only a pipedream must now be considered possible. We may be witnessing no less than one of the most monumental political turnarounds in the history of Texas. We may be in the midst of no less than a revolution, taking place peacefully at the ballot box.
In short, the awesome voter turnout renders it a realistic possibility that a statewide Democratic Ticket victory, a victory that would shock the political world, may be within our grasp. Nobody can prove this is so until the votes are counted, but nobody can prove it is not so, and anyone must admit that the record-shattering turnout renders the assumptions underlying previous projections irrelevant. Hard facts, some in statistics and some in the evidence of your eyes and ears, do tell you that Democratic and likely Democratic voters have swarmed the polling places in numbers that no pundit or talking head took into consideration when they were writing Texas off. Personally, I believe it is happening. This is not a mere wish. I have been in 31 (thirty-one) Texas counties in the last 13 (thirteen) days, speaking with both Democratic leaders and with voters in general. To each of you, I bring this news from all the rest of you: the huge grassroots swelling of voters who want their country back that you see happening in your neck of the woods is also happening everywhere else.
In terms of population demographics, Texas is clearly more Democratic than some of the “battleground” states, and is certainly no less Democratic than any of them. It is not a matter of “turning Texas blue” – Texas already is blue, deep blue, among the people. But the people have not been voting, at least not since the 1994 general election. This year, they are voting. There is no reason to assume they are not voting Democratic, and there is every reason to assume the possibility that they are. During the same period of time since 1994, Republican voters have already been voting in Texas at high rates. The turnout deficit has been in Democrats who were not voting. This year, they are, and in record-smashing numbers.
I submit to you that under the incredible new turnout realities, the State Party’s “Take Back Texas” strategic plan does not go far enough. It is no longer about possibly winning around 10 state house seats. It is now about the real possibility of the Democratic Party carrying Texas, truly carrying it, statewide, from top to bottom and bottom to top. Spread the word to all your volunteers, workers, and candidates. This can be done. Ask of yourself and of your volunteers that you double, triple, even quadruple, all of the efforts that you have planned for the last 4 days. Think of waking up next Wednesday morning and reading the headlines that you have been dreaming and wishing were possible. I am telling you that it is indeed possible and that it is within our grasp. The only thing that can truly stop it from happening is our own refusal to accept the possibility of it. Dare to envision it, and dare to make it happen. Thank you for everything that you do for the Democratic Party.
Best and warmest regards,
David Van Os
Democrat for Texas Supreme Court
http://www.vanosforsupremecourt.com/Campaign Phone: 210-824-4321"
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(113 posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
