Beto-mania Sweeps Texas

[Sanguine]

FORT WORTH, Texas — Beto O’Rourke is running to replace Ted Cruz. Literally. Sweat pours off his lean, 6’ 4”-frame as the El Paso Democrat jogs along the southern bank of the Trinity River surrounded by 300-odd supporters and curious voters jogging along with him. Incredibly, they have shown up at 8 a.m. on a Sunday to join him for a double shot of politics and cardio. In between panting breaths, O’Rourke explains to me the origins of this novel campaign event, which has him running several miles under the Texas sun, stopping in the middle to take questions and lingering at the end to pose for selfies. “Some sadistic member of our team,” he recalls, “was like, ‘So we’re doing like six town halls a day in six different counties. We’re driving hundreds of miles every day, we’re visiting all 254 counties. What more could we do? Ah, get up earlier and have running town halls.’”

This, in short, is how O’Rourke plans to pull off his longshot bid to take away Cruz’s Senate seat: by outhustling his opponent. O’Rourke, a third-term congressman, often boasts that he has hired no consultants or pollsters. He is his own strategist, and his strategy is simple: campaign relentlessly, project vitality and hope his raw charisma combines in just the right proportion with anti-Cruz animus, Texas’s changing demographics and national Democratic momentum to put him over the top.

It’s a lot to hope for. Cruz is among the country’s shrewdest politicians. He may be reviled in Washington and on the left, but his approval rating remains above water in most polls of Texas, which has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988. Liberals have been fantasizing about turning the state blue for a decade, to no avail. And Cruz retains a double-digit lead in recent polls....

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/07/09/beto-mania-sweeps-texas-218961

[Frank Cannon]

Wow. I was shocked to see that was written by a dude until I saw it was Polutico which is populated with Pajama Boys.

[Frank Cannon]

surrounded by 300-odd supporters

Aren't all Rat voters odd?

[Sanguine]

surrounded by 300-odd supporters

Aren't all Rat voters odd?

Odd, as in off-center?

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Wow. I was shocked to see that was written by a dude until I saw it was Polutico which is populated with Pajama Boys.

 

[dfwgator]

The writer had an epiphany that "Beto-Mania" sounds like "Beatle-Mania", and wouldn't it be cool to write an article using the term.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Beto is in the wrong state at the wrong time to win anything.

Last election for a Democrat to win a US Senator position in Texas was 30 years ago when Lloyd Bentsen purchased won.

[Elderberry]

Stupid Politico! "FORT WORTH, Texas — Beto O’Rourke is running to replace Ted Cruz. Literally. Sweat pours off his lean, 6’ 4”-frame as the El Paso Democrat jogs along the southern bank of the Trinity River"

The Trinity River don't run thru Fort Worth.  And southern bank? The river runs north, up from Trinity Bay.

[TomSea]

Beto is left, left like the Democrats, he should be trounced but again, historic voter turnout is often not that high in Texas though, mid-terms favor the Republicans.

What can one think when voter turnout often isn't very good?  If one can really get their base out, all kinds of things can happen.

Voter turnout figures since 1970:
https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/historical/70-92.shtml

[catfish1957]

Beto-mania must not have caught on over in my neck of the woods in SE Texas.  I haven't seen one sign.  I doubt I could find 10 who have even heard of him.

[Sanguine]

Beto-mania must not have caught on over in my neck of the woods in SE Texas.  I haven't seen one sign.  I doubt I could find 10 who have even heard of him.

I've seen a bunch in Waco and some of the small towns around it. 

[austingirl]

Beto-mania must not have caught on over in my neck of the woods in SE Texas.  I haven't seen one sign.  I doubt I could find 10 who have even heard of him.

There is actually a Betoff sign in tiny little Medina. I was stunned. Bandera County is very conservative. On the other hand, my writing group in San Antonio are rabid fans. Of course they are all transplants from $hitole places like NYC and LA.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Stupid Politico! "FORT WORTH, Texas — Beto O’Rourke is running to replace Ted Cruz. Literally. Sweat pours off his lean, 6’ 4”-frame as the El Paso Democrat jogs along the southern bank of the Trinity River"

The Trinity River don't run thru Fort Worth.  And southern bank? The river runs north, up from Trinity Bay.

I have walked the Trinity several times right outside downtown Fort Worth.

You must have never been there and depend on a map that is incorrect.