Julian is Out
The NY Times is reporting that Castro just dropped out, saying it “Just wasn’t our time.” He could never get out of single digits and fundraising was difficult. He’s only 45 and has a lot of time, but I would encourage him to stay in Texas and prepare to go for statewide office here. Its a shame that Beto and Julian didn’t go for that opportunity this time. With the Texas GOP the weakest it’s been in decades, there was a chance one of them could have done well. Next time.
Anyone still in single digits should drop out. It’s a waste of money, voter engagement, and time. It clogs up the scene and weakens the real candidates.
1It continues to puzzle me why folks who have an excellent shot at a state office continue to shoot well above their pay grade for a Presidential nomination they surely must know they have no chance at all of achieving. Frankly, I’d have second thoughts about voting for either Beto or Castro in a party primary out of concern they’re running on ego rather than principle.
2Castro has a twin. So does Joe Kennedy III. Just imagine! They could so easily trade off duties etc. and I bet money no one would even notice! A two-fer! Now thats America for yah!
3Happy New Years eveyone!!
4Not accustomed to private conversations staying private in politics, but we can hope perhaps there are conversations happening between the Castro and O’Rourke camps as to which of them will run against Cornyn. Taking the Senate counts in 2020 perhaps more than ever in past, present and future history. There are also many opportunities to serve in the next Democratic administration after the complete assault on government done by the current maladministration. Hoping both of these gentlemen decide to use their talents in public service.
5@Jane – It’s too late for Beto or Castro to run against Cornyn. The filing date was December 9. I think they both blew a great opportunity.
6El Jefe, thank you, we won’t waste any more time speculating. That really blows. Everyone wants so much better for the Senate and Texas.
7Julian Castro is so intelligent yet too nice for federal politics. When he has tried to take someone on, it falls flat because he’s uncomfortable with it. I don’t think Trump will participate in debates, but if he does, we need someone quick witted and a plain speaker.
8IMO, Julian Castro shot both his legs and an arm off by making some pretty politically DOA statements, so did Beto. I was sort of for them before that [at least for VP].
Meanwhile, we do have an excellent primary frontrunner against Cornyn, MJ Hegar [that’s USAF Major to you, Big Bad John Chickenhawk– Mr. 3 cushy gvt pensions+Sen salary].
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MJ_Hegar
9Resubmitted because the category was 2020 Election. I try not to kibbutz in Texas politics and was not trying start an argument. MSM operates without hindrance or oversight (see below) against candidates and reading Alan in Austin’s comments about setting sights lower led me to reply re:
Campaign funds vs. campaign ideology. The two are interconnected.
F.Y.I. MSM brushstrokes- ” Blackout Bernie” – “Too old Bernie” – “Heart attack Bernie” – “Too Progressive Bernie” – “Too far left Bernie”
Edit:
* Sanders Announces ‘Staggering’ $34.5 Million Fourth-Quarter Haul, With Average Donation of Just $18.53
“Bernie Sanders is closing the year with the most donations of any candidate in history at this point in a presidential campaign,” said campaign manager Faiz Shakir.
* The Sanders campaign said it has raised more than $96 million since launching in February, and 99.9 percent of donors have not maxed out—meaning they can continue to donate.
* He is proving each and every day that working class Americans are ready and willing to fully fund a campaign that stands up for them and takes on the biggest corporations and the wealthy,” said Shakir. “You build a grassroots movement to beat Donald Trump and create a political revolution one $18 donation at a time, and that’s exactly why Bernie is going to win.”
* In the fourth quarter, “teacher” was the most common occupation of Sanders donors and Amazon, Starbucks, Walmart, the United States Postal Service, and Target were the most common employers. The Sanders campaign said it received 40,000 new donors on the final day of the fourth quarter, and 300,000 new donors in the fourth quarter overall.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/01/02/sanders-announces-staggering-345-million-fourth-quarter-haul-average-donation-just
10Maybe they–Castro and O’Roarke–thought having a pre-ordained front-runner and eventual nominee shouldn’t exclude them? Can we really sit around and say ‘they screwed up, maybe threw the election to Trump?’
They took their shot, now lets move on.
11charles phillips @ 12 The only caveat for running is the baggage you’re carrying and it will go through “customs” well before you take the oath of office.
12I wish that the Democrats whose candidacies didn’t catch fire–or caught fire early and fizzled out–would run for offices in their states at the first opportunity. Most of them are young enough to run again for president in coming elections, and, frankly, most of them could also use some more experience before they tackle the top job. None of them are duds, and I’d like to see them again running for one of the offices at the top.
13Sandridge@8, thank you. Our down ticket hopes are intact with the news that there is a good candidate to defeat Cornyn. If only SC and KY would check in with the news that Leningrad Lindsey and Moscow Mitch are sinking rapidly. Then we’re hoping that demographic change in the Reno/Sparks area is enough to out vote our eastern side of this district to oust Mark Amodei. (East Texas, we feel for you. Our shared border with Utah is porous for the crazy gene.)
Any other vulnerable Senate Republicons that could use a final push into oblivion from IQ4.5?
14Re. The baggage: read somewhere, that pol parties usually save their most thourough opposition research for their own candidates. The important point is to be prepared to counter attack, not be ambushed by surprises.
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