| After the 2006 election, I received many requests to post the ways I had run my campaign for TX-10, because I had received nearly 42% of the vote in this Tom Delay-gerrymandered 65% Republican District while spending only $65,000. I stated at the time that the Campaign had an impact much greater than the money spent because there was so much volunteer support. But, we did do a lot of things that maximized candidate-to-voter contact. This effort cost very little and some (me in particular) would say that it has a disporportionate impact on voters. I did not take the suggestions to post my methods because the opposition reads these things, as well. I determined to give this help directly to future TX-10 candidates, if they were interested. Larry Joe Doherty wasn't interested.
Jack McDonald recently spent a little time at my house and I gave him some of my thoughts. I told him that TX-10 was possible to win, but it would require a candidate to do all the things I was able to do, PLUS the things a candidate with money could do. It was hard to tell what Larry Joe did from my place in Houston, because he was largely invisible, here. I knew I should have spent much more time in Harris County during the campaign, but I couldn't because I was raising most of the money I did raise in Travis. Jack understands that he must concentrate his efforts in Harris for the General election. I think that my "success" in TX-10 in 2006 has made it possible for both Larry Joe and Jack to do so well in fund raising. In 2006, TX-10 was a "no hope" District. That's not true, now, and it makes donors much more willing. Both Larry Joe and Jack have been able to raise money outside the District. I am looking forward to working closely with Jack to help him win in 2010.
The topic of the day is KBH's feint at resignation. I think this has a very interesting possibility for TX-10, if it happens before filing in Jan. Presume a KBH resignation. Perry's appointment opens up the Lt. Gov. slot. Our Attorney General files for Lt. Gov. McCaul decides to file for Attorney General. It's a good move for McCaul. He has a good chance of winning. It's a much better job. He gets to live at home. If this happens, there will be a big expensive Repub battle for the nomination. It'll probably go to someone from Harris who is very, very conservative. That candidate will not get as many votes in Travis as McCaul. In this case, what I call the "Austin Kool-aid" might actually work. Larry Joe fell victim to the story that a Dem could do well enough in Travis that the Repub vote in Harris could be offset. I never believed this, and Jack says he doesn't either. But if an ultraconservative from Harris is the Repub nominee, it might be true. In any event, it will reduce the needed Dem vote in Harris to a more easily achievable number in an off-year. |
