Burnt Orange Report 2/9/10Medina-mentum in GOP Gubernatorial PrimaryIt's been evident on the ground since the summer. At countless "Tea Party" events and counter-protests to health reform, conservative activists have made themselves visible with signs such as the one at right. At first, Medina might have been easily dismissed as a bigger secessionist than Rick Perry. However, her willingness to court these enthusiastic voters and acknowledge their growing frustration with the Republican status quo is now paying dividends in terms of both polling and fundraising.
Truth be told, the Medina supporters are on to something, and their sign speaks more truth than lunacy. Hutchison voted to confirm Justices Alito and Roberts, whose votes on the Citizen United case recently did indeed further open the floodgates to corporate money influencing our public policy. Perry, of course, has a long history of close ties to corporate lobbyists, as Hutchison's latest attack ads make clear. He has also been endorsed by just about every special interest group seeking protectionist policies in the state house.
Medina, on the other hand, may be only the Republican Party Chair of Wharton County, but at least she knows her principles and she sticks to them. She even took the Republican Party of Texas to court because she found the state convention insufficiently open to activists such as herself and her supporters. And while Democrats are quick to dismiss her as "just another crazy," she's speaking to a growing electoral base who are frustrated with what they see in DC and in Austin.
Now, as a wider swathe of Republican primary voters have started paying attention, polling reflects the growing momentum behind Medina's candidacy. Similarly, flagging numbers for the Senior Senator illustrate the continued troubles of Hutchison to pick up any energy.
You know Medina has hit the big time when you see the first attack ad against her. Hasn't happened yet. I'm still waiting for the oppo research to find some skeleton in her closet that either Perry or KBH will expose.
:popcorn:
Sonia