Anti-Establishment Dem Laura Moser Goes Down In Flames In Texas

[Julian Englis]

Source: Talking Points Memo

An anti-establishment progressive who emerged as a bête noire of national Democrats has fallen far short in her runoff bid for Congress.

Democratic activist and writer Laura Moser has lost her primary runoff in a key House district in suburban Houston, Texas to attorney Lizzie Pannill Fletcher (D). Fletcher led Moser by 69 percent to 31 percent with 34 percent of precincts reporting. Moser essentially conceded the race in a Tuesday night speech, urging her supporters to back Fletcher if the results held.

Moser drew national headlines when she was the target of aggressive attacks from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, who before the March primary highlighted controversial statements she’d made about her home state.

The attack is the only time the committee has taken a public swipe at one of their own candidates this election cycle — and in any recent cycle — and it seemed to backfire, helping Moser pull in some big dollars from national Democratic groups and possibly cementing her position in the runoff.

Read more: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/anti-establishment-dem-goes-down-in-flames-in-texas

[lapucelle]

1. I wonder if she'll continue to make her home in Texas

or move back to Washington.

[George II]

2. She only moved back to Texas a few months ago (Jan?), shortly before she declared her candidacy...

She's hardly "anti-establishment". She lived in the DC area for a decade before returning to Texas. Her husband, Arun Chaudhary, is one of the founders of Revolution Messaging, and has remained in Washington (Alexandria, Virginia)

[lapucelle]

5. Maybe his firm can use this race as a case study.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/politics/article/Husband-s-firm-plays-outsized-role-in-Moser-s-12838037.php

[Hortensis]

9. Yes. And our Revolution only supported her after the

the DCCC tried to knock her out of the race because they felt sure she'd lose this seat to the Republicans. From what I can see from her issues page, she's similar on issues to the Democrat she lost to, campaign variations on the usual Democratic Party themes is all.

Setting Moser aside, OR nly felt one candidate met their criteria, and he lost big to a non-dissident progressive.

[Wwcd]

4. That was a big problem for her. Bigger than the DCCC

She was an outsider who appeared to stop by for an election.
Being from Tx once, long ago, doesn't hold up next to one who's been in the political belly of the beast on a local front & knows the issues, because they have lived them right there along side their constituents every day.

In other good election news, Stacey Abrams wins in Georgia by 280,000 votes to competitor Stacy Evans 90,000.

Abrams was endorsed by Hillary Clinton!

Hillary's endorsements are all winning!!

[lapucelle]

6. And Emily's List as well.

[Wwcd]

7. She is an amazing speaker..she'll kick your ass with the truth alone.

[Hortensis]

10. "she'll kick your ass with the truth alone."

That makes me smile both because wanting to speak truth to voters is her nature ,and because it reminds me of all the years when she would enthusiastically inform voters at length about issues and what she planned to do about them. Intensely honest, but not the same as being a good speaker.

[Cha]

17. And, Hillary gave Stacy Adams a spot at the DNC

bigtree https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210647243#top

And, John Lewis endorsed her in 2017.. all Established Dems!

[Scurrilous]

3. K&R

[MrPool]

8. Wonderful news!! N/T

[marble falls]

12. How so??

[MrPool]

14. Because the better candidate won. *Shrug*

[marble falls]

15. How so?

[andytheteacher]

11. Did anyone listen to the FiveThirtyEight podcast?

They were nearly identical on issues for practical issues. Nothing wrong with picking the more electable candidate. Just win baby!

[marble falls]

13. The worst two things she said were she'd rather have her teeth pulled without anesthetic than ...

live in Texas, and she took her homestead protection on her house in Washington DC, probably on the suggestion of a tax consultant.

Nothing I'd condemn her for, but something most Texans with one home and no teeth would spin into an "issue".

[GulfCoast66]

16. This liberal democrat will not vote for a candidate that desparages my state

At least not in a primary.

Cause the very first qualification of a Democratic candidate is that they can actually win the general.

I for one have no use for Pyrrhic victories. I will vote against my favorite in the primary if I am convinced they have no chance in the general.

[marble falls]

18. I'm more of an Austin kinda old hippy and I don't think those two statements...

mean very much. I hate Texas but I love Austin (not as much as I used, but still alot). I love Marble Falls but I don't like its RW, classist, racist ways at all. They do everything out here to get unemployed young males to leave home.

I think the other issues here like gerrymandering are more important than if someone's crinolines got wrinkled. There was very few substantive issues the two candidates differed on, maybe you know of one?

[GulfCoast66]

19. There is a huge substantive issue dividing the two candidates

Not being a hippy, perhaps I am more pragmatic. Or realistic.

But if our goal is to actually get Democratic representives elected, when one of the potential candidates is obviously a carpetbagger and advertises that fact she hates her state then that is big substantive difference.

One has an outside shot to win the general election. The other cannot even get 40% of her parties primary voters.

Do you really need a more substantive difference?

[marble falls]

20. Bull shit. Thats a moot question after the runoff was held. Either candidate works for me...

"Carpet bagger"? Are you certain what that even means, particularly when the majority of the population of cities like Houston and Austin are originally from other states? Sorry about the bug up your butt, when you find a no caffeine coffee and can talk without gritting your teeth, lets talk.

BTW Laura Moser was born in Texas.

Laura Moser - Ballotpedia
Biography. Laura Moser was born in Southside Place, Texas and lives in West University Place, Texas. She graduated from St. John's School.
[Search domain ballotpedia.org] https://ballotpedia.org/Laura_Moser

[GulfCoast66]

21. I am not the one throwing out expletives

And I have re-read my comments. We clearly disagree, but I have not been disrespectful and I have backed up my positions with substantive facts.

Regardless of where she was born, the appearance is that she moved back to Texas simply to run for Congress. That appearance is amplified by her really stupid remarks about the state and how much she hates the idea of living there again. And yeah, I understand the context was perhaps turned on its head.

My argument has not been and is not about policy positions. But electability. It is not a good idea to vote for someone who has sabatoged their own chances of getting elected.

You are obviously a fan of he lady and perhaps a friend and my comments have apparently hit a nerve. I am sure she is a nice person and may have been a great representative. But that requires getting elected.

Sorry if my opinion upset you. It was not my intention.