To Defeat Greg Abbott, Texas Democrats Need To Recruit A Political Rock Star

[TexasTowelie]

Former Olympic gold medalist and transgender activist, Caitlyn Jenner, is flirting with the idea of running for the U.S. Senate. So is metal-rapper Kid Rock, though his campaign website seems mostly geared toward selling trucker caps and T-shirts.

Political professionals often dismiss celebrity candidates but Democratic leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren have warned their party against underestimating “star” candidates in the wake of President Donald Trump’s election. In Texas, Democrats might even benefit from finding their own celebrity candidate if they want to defeat the reelection of Gov. Greg Abbott, who announced his bid last week.

Democratic analyst Harold Cook says finding a high-profile candidate to run against Abbott will be a huge challenge for Texas Democrats.

“Greg Abbott, as a campaigner, is absolutely relentless,” Cook says. “[P]erhaps most importantly, Greg Abbott is perhaps the best fundraiser I have ever seen in Texas. He’s already got $35 million raised.”

Cook says that to have any hope of defeating Abbott, a Democratic candidate would either need to have a high level of name recognition, or be able to raise a substantial amount of money.

Read more: http://www.texasstandard.org/stories/to-defeat-abbott-texas-democrats-need-to-recruit-a-political-rock-star/

[beachbum bob]

1. Finding a Texas democratic rock star ? It's possible, but who of them

Wish to give up their lives?...politics are not what they used to be. What Texas notable who is democrat exist that rises to rock star level? There has to be some one. Which one is willing to go into the meat grinder? It takes courage, who has the courage?

[beachbum bob]

2. What famous actors or athletes from Texas and are democrats and care?

[Gothmog]

3. I am hoping that Joaquin Castro will run

[mr_lebowski]

4. Not sure on his politics, but I'd guess they're at least somewhat left ... How 'bout Billy Gibbons?!

[MedusaX]

5. Just get Strauss to primary abbott ....that will help exhaust the fundraising coffers and even the

funding field for the dem side.....

Julian Castro (d) could probably be a contender...

IMO, a Rock Star is the last thing needed ...

It is best not to perpetuate the misconception that the only qualification needed to successfully run a state or country is Rock Star status.


FWIW

[monmouth4]

6. If only Willie were willing..n/t

[LeftInTX]

7. A few years ago, Tommy Lee Jones could have had a chance

But he's getting older and not in many movies lately, so I think his star power is diminishing.

[Javaman]

8. the slow and deliberate decay of our political system...

where the only perceivable viable candidates are "stars"

we are becoming idiocracy.

[PDittie]

9. I hate to have to point this out

But Harold Cook is a prime example of how much money a Democratic consultant can make without being responsible for winning a single statewide election in a quarter of a century.

He's wrong about the political climate Wendy Davis had in 2014 (it was national and it was engaged and enthused). None of the people he names who "would be good" to run for governor are interested at all in running. He ought to know this.

He's not even a respectable comedian on Twitter, which essentially is all he does publicly, besides these one-offs when lazy Capitol bureau reporters can't think of anybody else to call for a comment. He' been surfing on his friendship with Molly Ivins for a long, long time and those days are as over as she is (rest her poor soul).