Though national Democrats are doing their level best to make the appearance of trying to change the red state tendencies of the state. Barack Obama’s Organizing for America is making a big play in the state – though not on policy grounds. Texas stands to gain at least 3 seats in the U.S. House as result of population increases after the 2010 census. That’s the biggest prize in the nation, and not one Democrats will let go with out a fight to Republicans. The AP writes:
Organizing for America, an arm of the Democratic Party that was established this year and is a successor to President Barack Obama’s campaign, has a staff in Texas as large as any of its other state operations, including California and Ohio. It is seizing on the opportunity presented by the 3.5 million Texans, mostly from urban areas, who voted for Obama in the contest with McCain.
Although its immediate purpose is to build support in all 50 states for a federal health care package and other legislation on Obama’s agenda, Organizing for America is also looking to help Democrats regain their footing in Texas for the 2010 election.
“We are going to make sure that we have volunteers ready to go at a moment’s notice,” said Hector Nieto, Texas spokesman for the organization. Nieto and state director Luke Hayes are not divulging details of their election year strategy.
While that might be solid spin coming from the Democrat side, the “on the ground” truth is a wholly different matter. The RNC’s Alan Philp sums up the current reality for Democrats in Texas, and in most other states this way:
Philp said the benefits that Democrats enjoyed from their staff members across the country in 2008 won’t be as helpful to them in 2010 because of the current voter mood, which he says is against Democratic health care proposals and economic stimulus spending.
“If the Democrats want to run a Washington-centric effort to expand the size and scope and intrusion of the federal government, that’s a contrast that we look forward to,” he said.
And that’s not quite the worst news yet for the Democrat efforts in Texas. Texas Monthly’s Paul Burka writes on his Burka Blog that Democrats are in a hefty world of hurt when it comes to fielding strong statewide candidates. Not only is it a consistently Republican state, but the current statewide officeholders (Gov. Rick Perry or Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, L.G. David Dewhurst, A.G. Greg Abbott, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, AG Commissioner Todd Staples, and Comptroller Susan Combs) are all solid, proven winners with rock solid records who are free of any Blagojevich like issues.
Never mind the strong position Republican now hold in both state legislative chambers – it’s not going to be a good year for Democrats in Texas. But, if they insist on spending millions of dollars in the state…that means a few other states get cheated.