Turning Houston Blue - Texas Observer

[sonias]

The Texas Observer 10/17/08
Turning Houston Blue
Can the Democrats sweep Houston? (Maybe. But don’t hold your breath...)
Dave Mann | October 17, 2008 | Features

Can the Democrats sweep Houston? (Maybe. But don’t hold your breath...)
Dave Mann | October 17, 2008

You normally don’t think of Houston as a bastion of Democratic Party politics. For years the city has been dominated by the oil industry and the GOP—they’ve often seemed one and the same. Houston gave us George H.W. Bush, Tom DeLay and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, and some of the nation’s most prolific Republican campaign donors call the city home.

Democrats are hoping to overcome that profile. They’re pouring tons of money into a campaign to transform the Houston area into a Democratic stronghold they hope will help swing future state and national elections. Their goals aren’t small. Many within the party believe Houston is the key not only to recapturing Texas for Democrats but also to putting the state back in play in presidential elections. All of which makes Houston one of the most important battlegrounds in the country this year.

That may sound grandiose, but to understand the Democrats’ strategy, you have to consider that Houston is essentially its own swing state within Texas. Harris County, which encompasses the city and its suburbs, is home to 3.9 million people, outnumbering the populations of 23 states, and is roughly the same population as Oregon. Now consider that Harris County—in theory, at least—is already Democratic. Surveys and polls repeatedly show that more of its eligible voters identify with Democrats. It’s just that many of those people don’t vote. Moreover, the area is growing. Subdivisions are sprouting at the city’s edge like weeds. The people moving in are mostly Democrats. Harris County is undergoing a demographic shift that will soon put Anglos in the minority.

Yes we can! :kick:

Sonia

[PDittie]

1. Let's get this onto the Greatest, y'all

If Harris goes blue, Texas goes blue.

[sonias]

2. Si se fucking puede!

Just like DG likes to say. :evilgrin:

Sonia

[WolverineDG]

5. We're working hard to get the South Texas machine churnin'

out Dem votes! C'mon! SI SE FUCKING PUEDE!!!

Let's take back Texas & make the anti-Texas crowd eat sacks & sacks of crow!! :woohoo:

dg

[babylonsister]

3. Rec'd! Hey, it could happen. I even have a neighbor with a big,

honkin' Texans for Obama sign on her lawn. Mine's going up as soon as I get it (due today-it's late x().

[WolverineDG]

4. K&R!

It's time to take back Texas, y'all!! :kick:

dg

[tammywammy]

6. Recommended!

:)

[LonelyLRLiberal]

7. Houstonians may be a bit upset at the Pukes because of hurricane response woes.

That would make anyone want to kick the bastards out.

[Stop Cornyn]

8. The wheels of democracy are churning, and the tide of change is turning.

[janethussein]

9. Icing on the Cake -

I have been working on the Obama campaign here in Texas for 10 months now. I fully expect my man to win this thing but oh would I love to see Texas go BLUE. Would be icing on the cake.

:toast:

[sonias]

12. Welcome to the Texas Forum of DU janethussein

And thank your for working on the campaign!

:yourock:


Sonia

[thevoiceofreason]

10. We're working our butts off in Houston

Now it's all about the turnout.

[tbyg52]

11. Well, I think former DeLay Land may go blue.

From what I hear when I listen to people.

Even my workplace, in the mock election for employees, is tied on the Presidential race. Really.

In the mock election for students, Obama is leading by more than 2-1. Really.

Funny thing is, Cornyn is leading Noriega by quite a bit in the same mock election (employees). My take on that is that if he had a lot of money to spend to overcome the name-recognition factor he could beat Cornyn.

[machI]

13. Kick

[sonias]

14. Democrats hope to follow Dallas' lead with a sweep

On a related note. Story in the Houston Chronicle this morning:

Houston Chronicle 10/20/08
Democrats hope to follow Dallas' lead with a sweep
Harris County GOP is wary of losing its all-Republican courts

Republicans have worn the robes in every Harris County district court for nearly a decade. Now, two weeks from the election, many are holding their breaths to see whether they may be wearing business suits to court come January.

"My sense here is that Democrats have a chance to break that Republican brand name," said Rice University political scientist Bob Stein. "The Republicans are nervous about it; their reaction and the money they are spending tells a lot."

The tension is born of multiple factors. Paramount is the threat of a Harris County repeat of the Democratic sweep in the last Dallas County judicial election. That fear is reinforced by local Democrats vetting and policing their candidates this year, resulting in a full, diverse-looking slate of opponents. Then there's the possibility that Barack Obama could win the presidency and have coattails long enough to shatter the local Republican judicial monolith.

Texas Obama tidal wave of voters coming to wipe out lock step republicans! Tsunami sized coattails for Obama!

Make it so!

:bounce::bounce::bounce:

Sonia