Should Rep. Pat Haggerty Switch Parties?

Well there's already a D in the Race (0.00 / 0)

I'm mainly wondering...
Would Haggerty have an easier time beating Margo in the party he has been his entire career or an easier time beating Louis Irwin in a party he has never been a part of?

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."  -  John Adams

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by: Michael Hurta @ Sat Dec 15, 2007 at 15:10:36 PM CST

Democrats have too much sense to waste talent (0.00 / 0)

Haggerty is one of the most respected members of the Lege.  Primary voters in the district know that.  He would win the Democratic nomination in a heartbeat.

Kirk England has proven an able legislator.  He was well received at the October meeting of the Irving Democratic Club.  I think Haggerty would probably have the same good fortune if he switched parties.

Michael McPhail

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by: Michael McPhail @ Sat Dec 15, 2007 at 15:20:49 PM CST

Democrats Can Win Hear (0.00 / 0)

Ron Kirk, Bill Moody, and Silvester Reyes have all won in HD-78, so Democrats can win here.  Given what happened in Grand Prairie, Haggerty would likely be welcomed, and he would probably win in the general too as a Democrat.  I don't know El Paso Republican politics, but from what Burka said, it sounds like a switch would save his political skin.

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by: blank @ Sat Dec 15, 2007 at 17:56:10 PM CST

It took Katy Hubener 3 Tries (0.00 / 0)

...to get within a couple of hundred votes of England. He knew he was doomed in '08 if he stayed a Republican. Has there been a similar record of credible Democratic challengers to Haggerty. What was his last margin of victory?

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by: stacksucker @ Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 14:02:40 PM CST

Not Safe In His Own House (0.00 / 0)

Has there been a similar record of credible Democratic challengers to Haggerty. What was his last margin of victory?

No, Haggerty hasn't been challenged by a Democrat since 1998.  However, that doesn't mean he isn't doomed in '08 if he stays a Republican.

Had England stayed a Republican, then he would have struggled to win the primary and struggled again to beat Katy in the general.  By switching, he ensured easier wins in both contests.  (I actually think England would have survived had he stayed a Republican, especially considering Dallas's big problem.)

If Haggerty stays a Republican, then he will really struggle in the primary (according to Burka) and may have some competition in the general.  By switching, he ensures a much easier win in the primary but probably an equally difficult race in the general.  I don't know much about HD-78, but according to Burka:

[Haggerty's primary opponent] Margo would have unlimited resources in this race. El Paso has wacky politics, and I'm hestitant to venture a prediction, but I'd give Margo the edge in a Republican primary.

Yikes!  When your own party is throwing everything at you, then it might be time to look elsewhere.

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by: blank @ Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 16:57:12 PM CST

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Big problem? (0.00 / 0)

What is Dallas's big problem?  I thought things were going smoothly.

Michael McPhail

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by: Michael McPhail @ Sun Dec 16, 2007 at 21:32:03 PM CST

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5 Minutes of Clips (0.00 / 0)

Dalls has its over version of William Jefferson.  More than 5 minutes of video clips that DFW Republicans can copy and paste into ads against DFW Democrats.  I honestly don't know when and if there will be trial, but don't be shocked if it is horribly timed for the election.  Unlike Pelosi, who effectively dealt with Jefferson, the local and state party have done nothing.  The grassroots DFW Democrats I've talked to (I live in Arlington) are not happy about this or the lack of response to it.   By not distancing ourselves, it blunts the Republican bad government/corruption campaign meme.  I really hope that I am wrong, but I think that it will cost us.  (I warned Richie about it a long time ago and got no response.)

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by: blank @ Mon Dec 17, 2007 at 09:53:11 AM CST

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Party switching - - (0.00 / 0)

The districts you are discussing have been subject to change over time.  For example the Republicans who drew these lines anticipated holding on to District 107 in Dallas County.  They had a scheme to move the previously elected Democrat, Dr. Harryette Ehrhardt, out of the district by one city block.  With changes over time and public disgust with the Republican Party, the new 107th district elected Democrat Allan Vought.  

Real Democrats are uncomfortable when someone who voted for Rick Perry, David Dewhurst, Tom Craddick, Greg Abbott, Former State Rep. (and Anti-Speaker Laney) Republican County Chair Kenn George, ad nauseum, suddenly changes parties.  

Yes it will take some effort to re-elect Rep. Allan Vought, and Democrats are up to it.  People like him are needed to file in the Democratic Primary in the other districts you have mentioned - - if they have not already.

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by: Tom Blackwell @ Mon Dec 17, 2007 at 06:25:50 AM CST

Real Democrats support quality candidates, not elitists (0.00 / 0)

Tom,

Your comments on 'real Democrats' is way off the mark.  Many quality candidates for office in the northern Dallas County suburbs had no choice but to run as Republicans for decades because there was no structure on the Democratic side to help them win.

It strikes me as hilarious that the Dallas/southern sector types who couldn't find their way out of an electoral wet paper bag a few years ago (and categorically refused to do jack squat to help organize Democrats in the northern Dallas County suburbs) now know exactly what a real Democrat is and how he/she should feel about voting for certain candidates on the Republican ticket (especially given how weak the Democratic candidates for those offices sometimes were).

Irving has many fine moderate Republicans who are in the process of converting to the Democratic Party.  If they are sincere in serving the interests of their constituents, I welcome them to run on the Democratic ticket and will probably help many of them win their primary elections.

What I will not help is any effort to force newcomers to the fold to toe someone's personal version of the party line to gain acceptance.

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by: Michael McPhail @ Mon Dec 17, 2007 at 10:47:14 AM CST

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