Perry’s Poll Numbers Show that Texans are Ready for Change

[efhmc]

Perry’s Poll Numbers Show that Texans are Ready for Change
(e-mail from Texas Dem. Party)
The spring 2004 Texas Poll released this week confirmed that Texans believe their state is being led in the wrong direction and that Republican elected officials are simply out of step with mainstream Texas. Perry’s dismal poll numbers (a mere 37% of all Texans approve of his performance and almost half of all Republicans do not approve) are the lowest since he took office, and the lowest for a Texas Governor in at least a decade. The Republican Legislature and Speaker Tom Craddick fared even worse in the poll. The Republican Legislature was given an embarrassing approval rating of 23%, and Speaker Craddick registered a grim 25% approval rating. These numbers put the Republican dominated Legislature at its lowest job approval rating in at least 20 years of Texas Poll surveys. “It is reassuring to know that the people of Texas are watching, and holding Perry, Craddick, and the Republicans in the House accountable for their misguided priorities, and in some cases, indefensible actions,” said State Rep. Garnet Coleman (D-Houston). “When you choose to serve special interests, instead of doing what is right for the people of Texas, you end up with dismal approval ratings. Perhaps Perry and Craddick should start focusing on the needs of our Texas school children.”

[vickie]

1. Texas Dems...

...in the language of the wild west, it time to run these fools out of town!!!

[jobycom]

2. Cool! Although they've had a lot of bad press lately

The special session was a fiasco, the redistricting stuff turned the stomachs of most Texans. There is still time to turn it around.

It'll be interesting, though. If Strahorn runs against Perry, will she win, and if she is the Republican in the race, will the frustration with the Republicans be enough to defeat her, too. Or is this all at Perry?

What Democrat could run? I'm thinking John Sharp would have the best chance with moderates (he could get Nolan Ryan's endorsement again!). I'd love to see Ron Kirk take a stab at it. He's more prepared for governor than senator. Henry Cisneros needs to come out of retirement about now. How else?

[efhmc]

3. Those are all good folks but we could sure use some new people.

[salonghorn70]

4. It Would Be Nice To Have Some New Leaders

But that is a problem as long as the Republicans control rvery state office. To win the Governor's race will take a well known name.

[jobycom]

5. We could. But we have to get them

There aren't enough high profile people in the party because we've lost so many races lately. Ron Kirk, Kirk Watson, Sherry Boyles are all young, but have all lost recently. Sherry's never won anything.

We have to win at all levels. Because of the last decade, we have mostly older people in offices, and we don't have anyone training in statewide races. We either have to run complete unknowns, or older candidates, or someone from outside politics. In one congressional race here in Austin we couldn't even find a candidate to run.

Kirk isn't used up yet, and Sharp's reputation is pretty good still. No one outside Austin knows Watson. What we need is a party effort to not just GOTV and register new voters, but we need to convert a few regular voters, give them a reason to trust our message and believe in our candidates. That's the part we fail at. If we do that better, we'll get a few more candidates.

[jobycom]

6. List some people. Who could we get to move up?

Who are some mayors or county officials who could move up into statewide office in the next couple of cycles?

There may be a couple in Austin, but Austin is so different from the rest of the state that our candidates don't do well in statewide elections. Our current mayor won't go any further. Our previous mayor, Kirk Watson, has skills, but he lost last time. I'd like to see him run for Congress. Karen Sonleitner (County Commissioner) is a strong campaigner, maybe she could run for Railroad Commissioner. Eddie Rodriquez in the House is attractive, smart, and gaining a good reputation. Councilman Brewster McCracken looks like a younger Clinton. He should be mayor in a couple of elections.

We need a senator, but I don't know who could win. Hutchinson is popular right now, but she's never faced a halfway decent challenger. That would be another race for Cisneros to consider.

I don't know the politics outside of Austin. Who else looks good?

[callous taoboy]

17. Sure. And so is Tom Delay.

[Vogon_Glory]

7. I Fear That Texas Voters Still Haven't Wise Up Yet

I will give money to and campaign for Texas Democrats, but I fear that too many of our fellow Texas voters haven't wised up to the fact that this bunch of Republicans is not only reactionary, but that they're also incompetent.

I disliked Bill Clements. I thought he was a conservative, abrasive, and a jerk. But to give Bill Clements his due, he was competent as a Governor of Texas and effective at his job. Compared even to a Republican like Bill Clements, Rick Perry has failed miserably.

[ashling]

8. Texas Monthly reports that

there is no Democrat running against Craddick. How can this be?

They also report that 5 Republicans on their worst legislators list are unopposed.

Tell me it ain't so!!!!!!!

All these poll numbers don't mean squat unless there are good Democrats willing to step up to the plate and use them.

:kick:

[Freddie Stubbs]

9. Some districts are so heavily Republican

that no Democrat has a chance of being elected there. Conversely, there are some districts that are heavily so Democratic that no Republican has a chance there.

[ashling]

10. nevertheless -

if Craddicks #s are as low as the polls indicate, there is a chance

as the TM columnist said, "I thought you ALWAYS ran somebody against the speaker if just to dog him."

And what about the NEW Austin - Houston OPEN district. Sure it was created to be Rebulican
but RUN SOMEBODY ANYWAY !!!!

Don't just take it lying down for crying out loud!


:kick::kick::kick::kick::kick::kick:

[bigfire]

15. The New District 10

I don't understand why we took it lying down, either. Yes, the Austin-to-Houston district is mostly rural and conservative, but not running anyone at all was a shock. If I had known that there were no Democrats running for the new district 10 seat, I would have run MYSELF. Hell, I may well run in 2006. If I have a say in things at all there won't be another uncontested race in MY area.

[GOPisEvil]

16. There is a Democrat running now.

See my sig line for details.

[ashling]

21. THANK GOD!

I just went to your campaign site, and am really excited by what I see. Every Democrat needs to take heart from stands such as yours.

I am going to be moving home to Texas in the very near future. I don't know whether I will be in the 10th or not, but I will certainly help in any way that I can.

:kick:

[ashling]

19. That's the spirit!

Never EVER let them walk away with one unnopposed!

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Que]

13. !

Thanks.

[salonghorn70]

14. Welcome

Hi Que.:hi: Welcome to the Texas Forum.

[ashling]

20. How awfully Republican of you

We've had enough professional politicians in office ... just another big time tax and spend tyrant ... taxed to death

or is it Libertarian?

[TexasDem]

18. How about Laura Miller - Mayor of Dallas

She had alot of cross over appeal and pretty much has the reputation of calling it what it is and doing what she thinks is best. She generally has supporters and non-supporters in both political camps.