Column - Why Biden Shouldn't Waste Time In Texas

[RandySF]

Biden spoke to the Texas Democratic Convention this weekend and declared, “We have a real chance to turn the state blue.” But here’s the key for Team Biden. Don’t get distracted by the big, shiny object of Texas. Don’t waste valuable time and resources there. It’s big. It’s expensive. It’s a place where Democrats’ dreams have been dashed for decades. (A young couple named Bill and Hillary Clinton helped run the Texas operation for George McGovern, with Bill’s Oxford roomie Strobe Talbott, and came up with bupkes.) Democrats in 2020 instead need to keep the focus on Arizona, North Carolina, Florida, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Ohio, Iowa, and Maine wouldn’t hurt either. And let’s not forget Minnesota and, yes, even Georgia.

I covered the 2016 race for the documentary TV series The Circus on Showtime—now in our fifth season and returning shortly for the conventions. And I was with Clinton when she traveled to Arizona the last week of the race. It was clear that members of the Clinton campaign thought they had the election in the bag and that it made sense to go to Arizona and run up the score. Meanwhile, they left their flank unprotected in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania—and maybe Moscow too. The key, this time around, is to learn from the lesson of 2016; Democrats need to keep their eyes on the prize of 270 electoral votes.

The bottom line is that if Texas were to truly be in play in November—a very big if—then Biden wouldn’t even need Texas because he’d be winning by, oh, 400-plus electoral votes. In other words: by a landslide. So for goodness’ sake, don’t mess with Texas.



https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/06/democrats-blue-texas-fever-dream-reality

[sellitman]

1. I agree

Leave all the other States as they were and grab PA & Ohio and Dump is retired.

Nothing else is needed.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

3. Yes. I saw some examples in 2016 of people...

... getting overly-excited about flipping a red state to blue, and not paying as much attention to traditionally purple states.

Utah was an example that I recall. Ugh.

[Best_man23]

2. I agree

My priorities would be (in order): Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maine (I want Susan gone), Arizona (we have a strong chance to pick up that senate seat), North Carolina, Iowa, and Florida. I would also campaign hard in Minnesota, and make sure to guard Virginia.

If it looks like Texas is in play in Sept/October, make a trip or send one of the surrogates to drum up support and help local candidates.

[liskddksil]

4. Beto said last July "There's a new battleground state, Texas."

Let's fight and win its 38 electoral votes and completely obliterate Trump and the Republican Party so that there is no doubt who is the winner before midnight on Election day.

[whistler162]

5. That type of thinking elected Hillary Clinton

[Hav]

6. What type of thinking?

To go for red states or to secure the safest path to 270 first?
Hillary got trashed for trying to win states like Arizona and allegedly not doing enough to keep Michigan blue (the attacks came probably mostly from idiots who voted for Stein).
I prefer the safest route. Since 2004 I've heard about these hopes to win red states like Georgia. I wouldn't want to rely on having to win states like NC or Arizona.

[onetexan]

7. I've heard Texans complain Hillary did not come down to TX. Much as i love her it was a bad move

and yes, TX is flippable. Lots & lots of angry suburban moms here. Plenty of big cities w/ lots of Dems & independents. We just need to focus on the GOTV.

[Hav]

10. I'd love to see Repubs getting curb stomped by them losing Texas

but it's a matter of resources and one cannot lose sight of securing states that should be easier to win. Dems have been burned enough by thinking that states like Georgia or Arizona in the past were in play only to narrowly lose crucial states that were bluer on paper and should have been prioritized more in hindsight.

[sarisataka]

11. The road to 270

Only went to 232...

Many will say we will never win Texas this year. I would counter with 38 EV is a lot to give up without a fight. I will bet here and now Trump will campaign in California and New York, even though the odds of winning those states are less than Biden's chances in Texas.

It is much easier for Republicans to win states, Electoral votes and down ticket, when we won't even make a token challenge for them.

[Massacure]

8. I disagree

Biden shouldn't spend a lot of time in Texas, but it would certainly be worth making a couple of stops if he thinks he can get a some of the candidates in the local races over the top.

[texasfiddler]

9. I wouldn't ignore it, but I would prioritize about 8 other states first.

It has been about 27 years since I remember a state wide Democratic Candidate being elected in Texas. North Carolina, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Ohio/Iowa should be prioritized over Texas. About a third of the hispanics I have met have been influenced by the right wing and have strong views on abortion and guns. Hillary should have focused on the rust belt in 2016 instead of trying to hit a homerun in a red state that is trending toward blue. I would focus enough effort in Texas to force Trump to spend money in the state. We need a few more Californians to move to Texas. I'm more excited about Arizona.

[sarisataka]

12. Last time we took the road to 270

It was closed after 232.

Maybe we should set our sights higher. At the very least not ignore warning signs that the election that is "in the bag" maybe isn't quite in said bag.

[uponit7771]

13. ***NO!!!*** We need 400 EVs to 'win' otherwise we're with a gimped presidency who can't do

... much at all.

[BGBD]

14. dumb article

Conpete everywhere, particularly when its a state worth 38 EVs and you have a polling tie in the state. We don't need to worry about money, there is 0 chance Biden runs out of money for this campaign no matter how much times he puts on air.

It shouldn't that that hard to get some stage time there either considering he will be in Arizona and Nevada, just make a stop in TX as you pass by.

[Gothmog]

15. I strongly disagree

We have a good chance to flip control of the Texas house and Texas stands to pick up 3 or 4 house seats. After 2010 elections there were 101 republicans in the Texas House compared to 49 Democrats. After 2018, we need 9 seats to flip control of the Texas house and there are 10 GOP held seats here Beto beat Carnival Cruz that are being targeted. We need to flip the Texas house to have a say in redistricting. Texas also has 7 congressional seats targeted by the DCCC that could be flipped. I want to win the down ballot races in Texas which will require Biden doing some campaigning in Texas