DCCC to Target TX-10 With Radio Ads

About time... (0.00 / 0)

And good for McDonald.  So far he's been very responsive to any questions I've had for him.

But getting back to the DCCC -- Larry Joe Doherty raised decent money, covered a lot of territory, and got some good press during his race.  He also had name ID and an ability to resonate with a variety of demographics.  From what I heard, he also came very close to getting backing from the DCCC in the late stages of the campaign.  But -- he didn't.

While it's great to see DCCC stepping in now, a girl's gotta wonder (especially one who hiked all over NW Austin and Elgin for several months on behalf of a perfectly viable candidate):  does it just take someone like McDonald, whose merits in the eyes of the DCCC are no more than dollar bills, to get the backing of the DCCC?

Money may talk but it doesn't vote.  And it's unfortunate that the DCCC's sudden interest in this district is solely influenced by money (and perhaps with the as-yet announced stepping down of McCaul if he runs for AG).  As progressives, we complain about the deep pockets running the institution but this kind of action on behalf of the DCCC merely encourages it.  

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by: MeanRachel @ Fri Apr 03, 2009 at 18:30:16 PM UTC

Maybe taking too personal approach... (0.00 / 0)

...and underestimating the very fact that because of Larry Joe's race, efforts, and work of his volunteers that this district is now on the radar of both potential candidates and the DCCC much earlier in this political cycle. I mean, in 2007, the only previous history anyone had to work with was Ted Ankrum's run, and when Ted and the other primary candidates ran in 2005 all they had was Lorenzo Sadun's write-in campaign to work off of.


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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Fri Apr 03, 2009 at 19:24:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Well, KT (0.00 / 0)

The numbers didn't change a lot between 2006 and 2008. Why the sudden surge of interest from DCCC? This should have been on their radar in 2008. And why did the DCCC wait until McDonald's fundraising report to announce the target?

And why didn't McDonald give to his own U.S. Senate and Congressional candidates here in Texas instead of sending his cash out of state to the likes of Udall and Warner  - and out of district to Edwards and Doggett. Honestly, giving $500 to Lloyd - in October - isn't exactly being a trendsetter. Hell, Lloyd was sitting on one of the biggest - and most unnecessary - warchests in the Democratic party, and doing exactly squat with it.

Does the DCCC even know what this guy's politics are, other than making sure he's aligned himself with sure winners?

Sorry if none of this sounds terribly organic to me.  

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by: Robert Ryland @ Fri Apr 03, 2009 at 19:51:54 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Give Here (0.00 / 0)

Robert, just last year Jack gave $25k to Texas candidates through Blue Texas, $5k to Senator Watson, $5k to the Travis County Democratic Party, $10k to the Texas Democratic Trust, and more.  Come on.  How many folks do you know who did more in for our local candidates?

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by: EugeneS @ Sat Apr 04, 2009 at 14:42:43 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'm all for moving the ball forward... (3.00 / 1)

And many have made the argument before.
But you gotta be able to call the right plays once you get it there, and I think the DCCC missed a two-point conversion in 2008.

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by: MeanRachel @ Mon Apr 06, 2009 at 20:31:12 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Value differentiation? (0.00 / 0)

What's McDonald's message matrix look like?

What is he offering voters out here that Larry Joe or Ted Ankrum did not? I don't know if McDonald can have it both ways: as an avowed Obama supporter and Austin tech exec, he's got two strikes against him everywhere east of Bastrop Co.; talking as a 'centrist' and a 'fiscal conservative' would make him a tough sell to liberals in Travis Co. - or so one would think.  

Yet somehow the DCCC and quite a few Austin activists are wetting themselves over this guy. Don't get me wrong - I'm certainly interested in any candidate who can raise $300K in 5 weeks, a full year before the primary even. But I have to say it bothers me a bit when stuff  like this pops up at, oh - about the same time as the above announcement.  It has the distinct ring of "we'll choose the fucking candidates, thanks" - and those of us who actually did the work to bring this district to critical mass are summarily told to STFU.

Frankly I think Hollen and Co. underperformed last year, and are in no position to start shoving the grassroots around. The Obama's campaign, the economy, and Bush all made the DCCC's mediocrity less noticeable.  I'm not ready to park my money with them or their candidates just yet.

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by: Robert Ryland @ Fri Apr 03, 2009 at 18:59:11 PM UTC

It's all about Harris County (0.00 / 0)

Obama did better than LJD in Travis
LJD did better than Obama in the rural lands between the cities.

Yet in Harris County, the two ran at near identical margins and that margin was 30%. We are nearly tapped out in Travis county with vote percentages (If I am wrong, I am wrong, but the recent margins were SO impressive) and there is always room to grow in the rural lands in an off year election. So, it's down to the Katy area and the rest of Harris County in the district. How do we increase our margin in the land of the concrete strip center?

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by: trowaman @ Fri Apr 03, 2009 at 19:51:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

just a little but late (3.00 / 1)

It is nice that the DCCC is paying attention, but with just a tiny bit of help, we could have won this race last November. Not that I have money to donate, but this wouldn't make me want to give them money.

It would be nice if the  candidate could either be in the Coordinated Cazmpaign HQ or at least nearby. With limited time, I like to give the maximum help for the time I do have.

Hill Country Ride for AIDSmy HCRA Page

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by: BeckyH @ Fri Apr 03, 2009 at 23:28:35 PM UTC

Tough Crowd (0.00 / 0)

You guys bring up valid points and I must say are a very tough crowd.  We all try to find the best candidates with the best demographics and principles to win tough races.  

LJD shunned help in Travis and Harris County; he didn't ask for it, actually brushed it off.

We all have many months to get to know Jack.  Ask him questions, pick and prod but please don't chase away our best chance to win this district.  And, please don't blast the DCCC for paying attention now.  LJD never proved viability in his race.  Jack is viable, his demographics and business experience make him so.  Let's not complain about the DCCC investing in the district now.

thanks

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by: EugeneS @ Sat Apr 04, 2009 at 14:50:11 PM UTC

LJD didn't 'shun' help (0.00 / 0)

His campaign made some mistakes, but 'shunning' help wasn't one of them. What LJD didn't cotton to was ponying up $20K + to a Travis Co. CC that didn't have a field plan to show him at the time of the ask (bad form, guys), or buying into a campaign that was going to spend money IDing for Obama. Harris County's CC didn't have a lot of resources to offer in the NW precincts.

Eugene, I'm delighted that Jack saw fit to raise his Democratic bona fides last year, but it still doesn't make sense that he'd give to so many campaigns that didn't really need his help, but not to his own Dem congressional candidate who needed the support in a viable race. Frankly it reinforces the sense I had that while we were busting our tails on this race, a significant surplus of supposed activists in Austin couldn't be bothered to support LJD, for whatever reason. Being short-dicked by your own party pretty much guarantees a loss in a district like 10.

I hope (and assume) that Jack is a good guy and worthy of our support, should he win the nomination. To be honest I think the district is probably un-winnable in it's current configuration, but I want to support a Democrat to represent me in Congress. Guess i'm just gonna keep my powder dry for now.

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by: Robert Ryland @ Mon Apr 06, 2009 at 14:57:21 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

McDonald wouldn't give to LJD (0.00 / 0)

Because McDonald wouldn't want to meet LJD in a primary later on after giving to him.

After all, he gave to Dan Grant, likely knowing full well (sorry to DG) that he wasn't going to win the primary.

Seems pretty clear to me.  

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by: MeanRachel @ Mon Apr 06, 2009 at 20:36:30 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Oh, that's insane... (0.00 / 0)

there are any number of plausible reasons why he didn't give to LJD, so why go with the most implausible.

Let's be clear on this district, kids. Dan WAS the better candidate. Period. Rachel, I know you love Larry Joe but he rubbed a VERY large number of people the wrong way. And R's in Harris County weren't going to fold over for a guy like him and unfortunately, you gotta win some of that vote to win the district.

The reality no one wants to acknowledge is that the top of the ballot didn't really help in this district... it drove the racist R vote to polls. Which means, as soon as Obama became OUR nominee, the district became much tougher than 06. Still,Larry Joe wasn't going to be the candidate to pull it off. He wasn't the right candidate and he just didn't have the kind of polished campaign that was necessary.

Now, none of this is to disparage Larry Joe who I think is a genuine guy. And I don't know a damn thing about McD other than that he can raise money which is nice but it alone won't win an election. You gotta have something to go with it. Does he have anything? I guess we'll find out.

Still, it's pointless to jump up the guy's ass for not giving to LJD, not to mention speculating wildly as to the reason.


I write for Treaty Oak (because, you know, it can't type).

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by: TreatyOak @ Tue Apr 07, 2009 at 01:37:50 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Dan is a good guy (0.00 / 0)

who would probably make a fine public servant. But he needed some more seasoning, and didn't have two nickels to rub together. If he was the "better candidate", he would have been able to raise real money and run a real campaign - which he didn't do. He got his butt kicked in Austin - where he was loaded up with endorsements from virtually every Democratic "organization" in town. I admired his ambition and his determination, but anyone who thinks Dan would have been more electable than Larry Joe in CD-10 needs to put down the pipe and step back away from it.

But Treaty, I appreciate somebody actually saying it in a public forum. It brings up the root of the problem with this district - and the Austin activist community in general. I could go down the list on the issues and point out how nearly identical their positins were (or where LJD was perhaps more progressive than Dan, even), but that would be pointless. Because we all know this is less about the issues than with identity and culture.

The gulf between central Austin liberals and rural/suburban conservative voters from Brookshire is so wide folks can't even see each other across it. But they have at least one thing in common. At the end of the day, their vote goes to the candidate they identify with the most.  Rosedale can cause the same myopia as Katy.  

The most telling moment for me last year happened on primary night. I was hunkered down at a bar in Elgin after the caucuses, watching the results stream in, when the TV folks called CD-10  for Larry Joe. One of our most liberal party warriors gasped when he saw the margin, and turned to me with a puzzled look and said, "I can't believe Dan lost that badly. I don't know anybody who didn't vote for Dan."

As a precinct chair, when I vet candidates I set a threshold for what I deem acceptable from a Democrat. I like to think it's not too high or too low. I certainly don't expect them to agree with me on everything, and I don't even expect them to be someone I wanna hang out with or could get along with. I don't need them to identify with me. For the most part, I only want them to have their heart in the right place and be up to the task before them, and not be a personal or political embarrassment. I expect them to stand up for what they believe in, at some point.

Any candidate who crosses my nominal threshold has my full and unqualified support if he/she wins our party's primary. Both Larry Joe and Dan both crossed it easily, and I'd be curious to hear the reasoning of anyone who found Dan acceptable but not Larry Joe. I found Larry Joe to be an easier sell to the voters in my community, but I would have invested just as much sweat for Dan last summer and fall as I did for LJD.

I would tend to believe Jack McDonald can easily make the grade, and if he does and he wins our nomination, I'll wear out my shoe leather and sacrifice time with my family for his campaign too, regardless of whether I like him personally or not. I've shilled for candidates I didn't personally care for and I'd do it again. The alternative is to have people like Mike McCaul as your Congressman, and life is too short to suffer that kind of bullshit when you have the power to do something about it.

Out here we don't get to choose between liberal and more liberal. If party activists in Austin - or anywhere else for that matter - wanna throw our candidates under the bus because of snobbery or some other petty bullshit, then I hope they've made their peace with the GOP continuing to run things in our beloved state.  

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by: Robert Ryland @ Tue Apr 07, 2009 at 05:43:48 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Well, that's true... (0.00 / 0)

but lookit, LJD raised and blew his nut in the Primary. What won it was not LJD himself, it was the media. Dan wasn't trying to run an expensive primary because he wanted to keep fundraising in the wings for the general.

Still he made a mistake not going to toe to toe with Larry in the media. TV won that primary. Most of the voters I spoke with in my precinct who were mostly there for Obama or Hillary voted for Larry because they saw him on TV.

Don't draw the wrong conclusions. Aldrete won that primary, not Larry Joe.

I write for Treaty Oak (because, you know, it can't type).

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by: TreatyOak @ Thu Apr 09, 2009 at 16:56:19 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Just to be clear (0.00 / 0)

What are we critiquing McDonald for now?

A) He's donated to a Republican?

B) He's donated to lots of Democrats?

Clearly he needs some of our commenters to better manage his contribution portfolio! Either that or he should just stop giving altogether since this seems more about "he hasn't given to candidates in a manner or pattern in which I would give". And that's about the silliest argument on the planet.  

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Tue Apr 07, 2009 at 01:58:29 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Our Beef/ continued boot analogy (0.00 / 0)

I personally dont care if he has given to Republicans. I am proud to say that ive voted for some republicans. I dont want to be apart of a party that wont allow its members to voice their true opinions. If we dont, then we will soon find ourself in the same spot the Republicans are in.

Our beef (not even beef) but concern is that we know almost nothing about this guy and are concerned that some might get to excited about the money he raised.

I cant wait till the interview so I can learn more about him. Yall always do a great job about getting to the bottom of important issues for Texans. We just want to win so badly and we want to make sure we get the right. And if we vet correctly and are able to weed out (as well as we can) a bad candidate then we are doing all of us a huge favor. But if we vet and he turns out to be a great candidate (which he very well might be) then we will be all the stronger for it and I for one will utilize all of my resources to make sure that he wins in November 09. Im just not there yet.

Cause I want to give the ole Sicily to McCaul and we will need a shit ton load of boots to get that done

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by: ModTexDem @ Tue Apr 07, 2009 at 05:22:31 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

proud to be part of a tough crowd (0.00 / 0)

I have worked for years & years to get a Dem elected in this district. The DCCC are extremely late to this party -- and need to give a good explanation for being such johnny-come-latelys.

If there had been less emphasis on sending Texans to Colorado & othe states to volunteer, if there had been some tiny bit of help, I could have a member of Congress who doesn't send my e-mail straight to the recycle bin.

I don't know anything about Jack, my beef isn't with him. I'm just still ticked off at the DCCC. But if I disageee with Jack on any issue, I'm certainly not going to be shy about telling him when he's wrong.

Hill Country Ride for AIDSmy HCRA Page

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by: BeckyH @ Mon Apr 06, 2009 at 20:52:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

You bet we are a tough crowd and its only gonna get tougher (0.00 / 0)

Im sorry Eugene but I just dont see how he is more viable than, lets say, Grant is. McDonald can raise money sure enough(though where did he get this money from? Did he raise it from others or himself???), but this race is going to take more than money to win. We are going to be outspent in this race so we need someone who can build a ground game that is serious about competing in this district. I live in CD 10 and I never once got a nock on my (or my families) doors throughout the entire campaign last year from LDG's camp and we are what I would consider moderate democrats who can (and do on occasion) vote for republicans.

Not to mention the fact that almost none of the operatives in the 10 part of Austin have heard of this cat outside of BOR. The more that I hear about this guy the more I see the dollar signs but not the rest. We need someone who can inspire people to hit the streets. Obama didnt win because he out-raised McCain. He won because he inspired people to get off their asses and move for a change.

The DX3C needs to realize that we can not win this race with money alone. We need boots on the ground. If we find a candidate that can buy the boots then we lose, but if we can find people to fill those boots then we just might win.

Once again I could be wrong, but it looks like I might just work more for the new senate or gov seat than for my CD if things continue the way they are moving. The more I look at him the more I dont I think that Micky D is our best bet for this race. How do his demographics make him viable? White male? Tried. Rich? Tried. I might be missing something so please, I beg you, educate me and the rest of us.

Im looking for hope here but am not excited by what Im seeing so far.

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by: ModTexDem @ Sun Apr 05, 2009 at 08:40:16 AM UTC

CD 10 (0.00 / 0)

Where in the district are you located?  I ask because I've been curious how far east of Elgin and west of Harris County the field operation extended in '08.

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by: B-Dub @ Sun Apr 05, 2009 at 15:34:27 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

location (3.00 / 1)

My family lives in Brenham as well as all over North West Austin. I myself live in the Crestview neighborhood and have for most of my life.

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by: ModTexDem @ Sun Apr 05, 2009 at 20:58:04 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

How about (3.00 / 1)

We get our new multimedia writer Laura Blewitt to do an video interview with McDonald?

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by: Karl-Thomas Musselman @ Sun Apr 05, 2009 at 21:06:14 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

All of this money was raised (0.00 / 0)

As far as I know, McDonald has not made a personal contribution to his campaign but I expect that won't last for long. Which is a good thing. If you can ask others to give hard earned money to your campaign, you should be willing to invest, too.

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by: David Mauro @ Mon Apr 06, 2009 at 01:41:12 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Good to hear (0.00 / 0)

Its good to hear that he hasn't dipped into his pockets yet. And I would agree to a point. It shows his level of commitment, yes. But, if he does, does it show that he has the broad support that we have to have to win this race? No. If he makes a donation I hope its small enough to be relevant but not to large to inflate his numbers just so he can get more money from DCCC or other donors who think he has a broad field of support. We need money there is absolutely no doubt, and we will need a lot of it. But if we don't have the support then we will throw more money away. Its nice to have fancy boots but if we don't fill them then we are just wasting time.

I would LOVE to hear this guy speak or see a interview. That would be most grand.  

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by: ModTexDem @ Mon Apr 06, 2009 at 04:53:12 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Working on it (0.00 / 0)

I sat down with Jack about a month ago and I have been working on a piece recapping that conversation and my impressions.  We will see if we can do a Todd Hill style interview soon.  

Help build a progressive movement in Texas. Join Progress Texas.

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by: Matt Glazer @ Mon Apr 06, 2009 at 13:44:06 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

There are a few things I want to respond to, so here goes (0.00 / 0)

I don't want to rehash the 08 Primary.  It was an anomaly of epic proportions for countless reasons, and I don't think we can expect to see anything like it again for a long while.  For all intents and purposes, I think the numbers here will be about as helpful as what Lorenzo's write in campaign or Ted's seriously underfunded race were--which is not very.  The information is just not something we can use to predict the next race.

Becky, I agree that the DCCC is late to the game here, but I don't expect an explanation.  I'm not going to give them grief about it, and I don't think they owe us anything.  If they're willing to help now, I'll take it.  I don't want to bend over for them, but I don't want to be perceived as ungrateful and risk having them pass us over again.  I know it sets us up for abuse, but this is the last cycle before redistricting changes it all anyway.  We'll restart the whole game in 2012 with new boundaries that may interest DCCC differently again.

Robert, I thought Dan was the better candidate in the primary, and after he was out, you're right, I didn't work for the CD-10 campaign much.  I instead spent my energy on the Senate race.  Please don't assume that because I wasn't working on a particular campaign, I wasn't still working.  I know that isn't what you said, but it's what it feels like.  I had to justify to one Obama volunteer why I refused to volunteer for him--I was phone banking for Valinda Bolton instead--and I don't feel like doing the same for CD-10.  It's my energy to spend where I see fit.

Rachel, I didn't bail on CD-10 because I was upset that Dan lost--it was because LJD didn't inspire me, and other candidates in other races (like Rick Noriega) did.  I'm glad Larry Joe inspired you, and I hope you find another candidate to rally behind.  I hope I do, too.  May it be the same person next time.

Matt and K-T, I'm looking forward to the interview that has been done, and would like to see a video done.  That would go a long way to making me feel more comfortable about Jack McDonald.  I'm not fond of some of his donor history, but it's his money to spend as he wishes.  Would that I had that kind of coin to throw around.

I <3 Treaty Oak.

...and now I'm going back to my regularly scheduled Mayoral race.  

Disclosure: Former Political Director for Lee Leffingwell for Mayor of Austin ('09)

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by: sccs @ Tue Apr 07, 2009 at 04:48:06 AM UTC