Tag Archives: Beto O’Rourke

Beto’s first day haul

Posted on March 19, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

He’s still got it. Beto O’Rourke raised $6.1 million for his presidential campaign in his first 24 hours as a candidate, beating every other 2020 Democrat who has disclosed first-day figures, according to his campaign. The haul surpasses that of … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: 2018 State Senate

Posted on March 18, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

The day I look forward to since November has finally arrived – all the data from the last election is now available on the Texas Legislative Council webpage. You know what that means: It’s statewide precinct analysis time! Let’s start … Continue reading →

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Joaquin reportedly in for Senate

Posted on March 16, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

This would be exciting. Joaquin Castro, the Democratic congressman from San Antonio, “is all but certain” to enter next year’s race for U.S. Senate and take on incumbent Republican John Cornyn, a source familiar with Castro’s thinking said Thursday. The … Continue reading →

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Beto is in for President

Posted on March 15, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Ready or not, here he comes. After months of intense speculation, Beto O’Rourke is entering the presidential race Thursday, marking an extraordinary rise from little-known El Paso congressman a few years ago to potentially formidable White House contender. “Amy and … Continue reading →

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Kim Olson looking at CD24

Posted on March 14, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I’m down with this. While retired Air Force Col. Kim Olson, a Democrat who lost the 2018 general election for state agriculture secretary by a respectable 51-46 margin, has shown some interest in challenging GOP Sen. John Cornyn, the Texas Tribune’s … Continue reading →

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Add one more to the list of potential Cornyn opponents list

Posted on March 9, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Joe Kopser, who made a strong showing in CD21 in 2018, puts himself on the roster of possible not-Beto challengers for John Cornyn in 2020. Call it the other “Beto Effect“. Just months after Democrat Beto O’Rourke outperformed expectations by … Continue reading →

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Cornyn still thinks he may face Beto

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

He could be right, but I would not expect it. Beto O’Rourke has ruled out another run for the Senate, and as he edges closer to a bid for president, Texas Democrats are still searching for someone to challenge Sen. … Continue reading →

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What about Wendy?

Posted on March 7, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

If not Beto and not Joaquin… Wendy Davis of Texas said Tuesday she is considering a U.S. Senate run in 2020 but is waiting to see whether another high-profile Democrat, Rep. Joaquin Castro, goes through with challenging Republican incumbent John … Continue reading →

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What about Joaquin

Posted on March 2, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

If Beto O’Rourke is indeed not running for Senate, Rep. Joaquin Castro may step up to do it. Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro told the Associated Press on Thursday that his twin brother, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, is … Continue reading →

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Ridiculously early Quinnipiac poll: Trump has a small lead

Posted on March 1, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Consider this to be for entertainment purposes only. In a very early look at possible 2020 presidential matchups in Texas, President Donald Trump is essentially tied with former Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders or former U.S. Rep. … Continue reading →

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Everyone’s talking about John Cornyn

Posted on February 26, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I feel like I’ve read more stories about John Cornyn lately than I read about Beto a year ago at this time. As President Donald Trump embarked for El Paso on Monday to rally support for a border wall, Texas … Continue reading →

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More looking forward to 2020

Posted on February 17, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Gonna have some more of that sweet Congressional election action. Smelling blood after picking up two Texas congressional seats in November – along with Beto O’Rourke’s narrow loss in the U.S. Senate race – House Democrats [recently] announced six new … Continue reading →

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Beto may yet be a Senate candidate in 2020

Posted on February 16, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

He’s at least talking about the possibility. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer met with former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke last week to discuss a possible 2020 Senate campaign against GOP Sen. John Cornyn, according to a source familiar with the … Continue reading →

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MJ Hegar considers a Senate run

Posted on February 14, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Now we’re getting somewhere. Military veteran MJ Hegar, a former U.S. House candidate, is seriously considering a run for the Democratic nomination to take on U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in 2020. Hegar, who served in the Air Force in Afghanistan, … Continue reading →

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We’ll know soon enough if Beto is running for President

Posted on February 9, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Thanks, Oprah. Beto O’Rourke said Tuesday he will decide whether to run for president by the end of the month, signaling his closely watched deliberations over a 2020 run are entering their final stages. The former Democratic congressman from El … Continue reading →

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Cornyn’s 2020 strategy

Posted on February 8, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. As the Texas GOP Party chairman from 2010 to 2015, Steve Munisteri warned that Republicans could no longer take the Lone Star State for granted and that the party needed to reach … Continue reading →

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Cornyn is not waiting on 2020

Posted on January 31, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

It’s what I’d do if I were Big John Cornyn. John Cornyn and other politicians say an incumbent should run in one of two ways: scared or unopposed. Given that philosophy, Texas’s senior senator is having nightmares about his 2020 … Continue reading →

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The Fort Worth Mayor’s race

Posted on January 28, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Worth keeping an eye on. Mayor Betsy Price has competition. Democrat Deborah Peoples announced Tuesday night she is running for mayor in Fort Worth. As Peoples addressed a crowd of several hundred people at 6 p.m., the back room of … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Fort Bend

Posted on January 21, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Did you know that Fort Bend County went blue in 2018 as well? Of course you did. Let’s take a closer look at how that happened. Dist Cruz Beto Dikeman Cruz% Beto% Dike% ====================================================== HD26 32,451 33,532 406 48.88% 50.51% … Continue reading →

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Trying again to primary Cuellar

Posted on January 14, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck. It’s not going to be easy. A grass-roots Democratic group that helped power the upset victory of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has identified a Texas Democrat as its first target ahead of the 2020 congressional primaries — but … Continue reading →

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Meet KP George

Posted on January 5, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

He’s the new Fort Bend County Judge. In December, that strange suspended-in-motion month between his election and taking office, K.P. George was checking out the quaint old domed Fort Bend County Courthouse, soon to be his domain. In November, to … Continue reading →

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The losers of 2018

Posted on December 31, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Allow me to point you to the Observer’s list of six Texas political players who lost power in 2018. I’d call it five-sixths of a good list, plus one entry I don’t quite understand. 3) Bexar County Democrats Want to … Continue reading →

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More Congressional retirement speculation

Posted on December 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From Roll Call: Life in the minority will be a new experience for most House Republicans next year. And many of them may not remember what happened the last time the GOP lost the House. After the 2006 Democratic wave, … Continue reading →

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Recruiting more women for 2020

Posted on December 26, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We made a lot of progress towards better gender balance in our various legislative bodies this year. If we want to make more progress in 2020, it starts with finding and recruiting more female candidates. Even on a rainy Thursday … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Collier versus Beto

Posted on December 20, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib looks at some numbers. Mike Collier, the Democrat who ran for and lost the race for lieutenant governor last month, wasn’t the star of his party’s ticket. But by some measures, Collier did better in this year’s general … Continue reading →

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Beto v Julian?

Posted on December 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It could happen. The presidential race could force Texas Democrats to choose between two of their brightest rising stars, in El Paso’s O’Rourke, 46, and San Antonio’s Julián Castro, 44. Castro, like O’Rourke, has never won a statewide race in … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Beto in the city

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Last week I got an email from Christopher Busby, who is a regular commenter here. He had previously asked about doing an analysis of Beto O’Rourke’s performance in Houston by City Council district. I told him that the canvass data … Continue reading →

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Julian Castro takes his first step forward

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Towards the Presidency. Julián Castro is taking another step toward a 2020 presidential campaign. The former U.S. housing secretary and San Antonio mayor announced Wednesday that he has formed an exploratory committee to consider a bid and will make an … Continue reading →

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The potential for more

Posted on December 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Beto O’Rourke came very close to beating Ted Cruz. How much closer can Dems get in 2020? As newly updated election results showed U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s victory was even tighter than first realized, Democratic-led voter registration groups are saying … Continue reading →

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How Dems took Hays County

Posted on December 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Three cheers for Texas State University. As the dust settles after last week’s election, the political identity of Hays County hangs in the balance: Is it red or blue? The rapidly growing Central Texas suburban county — Texas’ 22nd-largest by … Continue reading →

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The changing tides in Central Texas

Posted on December 4, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From the Statesman: Six Democrats came within 5 points or fewer in six Texas races, including three districts in Central Texas where Republicans traditionally win easily. Democrats now hold 13 of 36 Texas congressional seats. “This is about persistence. This … Continue reading →

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Who might be next to retire from Congress?

Posted on December 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We may see some more exits in the coming years, some voluntary and some not. Retirement talk is generally speculative until an incumbent makes an official announcement. But many Republican operatives bet that U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry, the most senior … Continue reading →

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The next round of redistricting is going to be even more fun

Posted on December 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Close races do complicate things. Texas Republicans collected half of the votes statewide in congressional races this month. ­But even after Democrats flipped two districts, toppling GOP veterans in Dallas and Houston, Republicans will control 23 of the state’s 36 … Continue reading →

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Why not both?

Posted on December 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

RG Ratcliffe argues that Beto doesn’t need to choose between running for President and running for Senate. Why doesn’t Beto run for both the presidency AND the U.S. Senate? Beto could do it under a provision known as the LBJ … Continue reading →

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