Why are the Republicans Calling for Reinforcements?
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The Republican Party controls every statewide office in Texas, both chambers of the state legislature, the state board of education, most county governments; including all the suburban counties, and just gerrymandered a set of maps for their regional seats that may lock in their majorities for the next decade. So, why are national conservative activist groups coming to reinforce Texas Republicans?
Battleground Texas, the brainchild of Obama's National Field Director Jeremy Bird, had a simple idea when it kicked off in February: Start investing in and organizing Texas Democrats to create an infrastructure to create a competitive state. The Texas Democratic Party has been atrophying for years, where the focus was placed on "the next election" which would always depend on the candidate rather than longterm community investment. In February, Jeremy Bird and Battleground Texas came into the state saying this would be a long-term plan that focuses on community activism, meaning the campaign and activism will not go into hibernation a month after the next general election. This has translated into the state party stepping up their game as well; they hired a new executive director and applications are now available for regional field and fundraising staff, positions that have not be available as part of the state party's plan for a long time.
We have already seen how fundraising has been proceeding for Republicans seeking statewide office, but the parties have to release their fundraising results as well. The Texas Democratic Party raised close to $16,000 and finished with less than $50,000 in the bank and The Texas Republican Party raised just under $100,000 and has a little less than $200,000 in the bank, almost four times as much as the TDP. That is quite a difference!
Battleground Texas (BGT) was not here for all of the fundraising biennium, but they out-raised both long-existing, well-known, and well-connected political parties. Battleground Texas, as previously reported, raised over $1.1 million and still has over $600,000 left in cash on hand. The current cash on hand Battleground Texas has is enough to run a competent race for one seat in the Texas House, and it is a pretty good haul for the first fundraising report of a new, unproven political organization. Still, this should not be a fundraising report that makes Republicans panic.
More at http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/13867/why-are-the-republicans-calling-for-reinforcements .
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