Joe Biden makes play for Texas

[left-of-center2012]

Joe Biden on Wednesday continued to make a play for Texas votes and campaign cash, an effort that could thwart the Lone Star contenders Beto O'Rourke and Julian Castro. And he collected the endorsement of Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, who hosted the town hall meeting with students from the Mayor's Intern Fellows Program at SPARK, a non-profit group that boosts children.

Biden's message was clear. He's the best choice to defeat President Donald Trump. "We have to restore the soul of America," Biden said at the home of Dallas lawyer and political donor Russell Budd. "We need everybody back in," he said. "My record shows I've been able to bring people together."

The fundraiser featured some of North Texas' biggest Democratic Party donors, including Lisa Blue Baron, Peter Kraus and Marc Stanley.

Biden, on a two-day swing through Texas, is the clear front-runner for the Democratic Party nomination for president. His Dallas trip signals that he'll, at the least, draw fundraising dollars from Texas, the home of O'Rourke and Castro, his rivals in the Democratic race for president.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2019/05/29/dallas-mayor-mike-rawlings-endorsesjoe-biden-president-spurning-beto-orourke-julian-castro

[Rstrstx]

1. It's well founded

A poll in the spring had Biden and O'Rourke basically tied with Trump in the state in a head-to-head matchup. Bernie was about two points lower I think. No other Democratic candidates were as close but that could have been partially due to name recognition.