Poll: Hillary Clinton Could Turn Texas Blue In 2016

[big_dog]

A recent PPP poll found that the 2016 presidential race in Texas is surprising close. Hillary Clinton could move Texas closer to turning blue as Rand Paul and Chris Christie each lead her by just 4 points. According to the PPP poll of Texas, Hillary Clinton would be a very strong Democrat at the top of the ticket in the red state that Republicans most need to keep. Jeb Bush, who will never run, does the best against Clinton, 49%-42%. Things get much closer after Bush. Chris Christie leads 44%-39%. Rand Paul leads 48%-44%. Ted Cruz leads Clinton within the poll’s margin of error 48%-45%, and Hillary leads Rick Perry in his home state 47%-45%.

Hillary Clinton could turn Texas into a battleground in 2016, because this poll reveals that despite all of the Republican claims of having a “deep bench” of 2016 candidates, voters in Texas don’t seem to be wowed by any of them. No Republican candidate in the poll got 50% support against Hillary Clinton. The former Sec. of State is such a well known figure that she can even keep a close race in the biggest red state of them all.

If Hillary Clinton can be competitive in Texas, it sets up a nightmare scenario for Republicans. Clinton’s close polling in the state could force them to have to spend millions of dollars defending something that they thought was solidly locked up in their favor. The wildcard with all Texas polls is the state’s restrictive voter ID law. The demographics in the state are trending toward the Democratic Party, but those potential voters face some huge barriers to casting their ballot thanks to what might be the nation’s worst voter ID law.

The possibility that Hillary Clinton could turn Texas blue should keep Republicans awake at night.

http://www.politicususa.com/2013/11/11/poll-finds-hillary-clinton-turn-texas-blue-2016.html

[Scuba]

1. Hillary can't even seem to turn Hillary blue.

[big_dog]

2. without Texas and its electoral votes, it becomes virtually impossible for the GOP to win :)

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[Whisp]

7. who is she speaking to with those words?

Disaster Capitalists? Warmongering buddy Pugs?

The world of Hillary Clinton is not like the world of 99% of the rest of us. Who is she/this poster kidding? It's so ironic I could press my pillow cases with it.

[HappyMe]

16. That picture is kind of funny,

kind of nauseating.

Somebody should photo shop a halo above her head.

[Whisp]

6. well she could hold her breath till she turns blue

'I wanna be Prezzy!'

[winter is coming]

11. ^^ Thread win on the first post!

[dflprincess]

29. I second the nomination!

[Fearless]

13. Wow

[BootinUp]

19. I will probably laugh my ass off

remembering your comment down the road.

[polichick]

33. Maybe she just wants to look blue enough.

[PeteSelman]

3. No way.

Maybe in 2020 but probably not until 2024 at the earliest.

[DFW]

4. Rick Perry has made such an ass of himself

I suspect I could be leading him in the polls at this point. Don't read too much into this.

[Tarheel_Dem]

5. They recognize this, hence the rush to disenfranchise as many Dem voters as possible. nt

[trublu992]

8. Yeah not so much with new voter laws.

Repubs have read the demographic trend and acted accordingly and Democrats have in typical fashion sat on their hands.

[Gothmog]

31. Why do you think this?

The voter id law was passed in the 2011 session when the GOP/tea party had a super majority in the House and the Lt. Governor/Governor adopted special rules to exempt this law from the two-thirds rule in the Texas Senate. Notwithstanding the fact that the Democrats had no chance to block this law, they have been fighting it very effectively. Sen. Kirk Watson and others raised a number of amendments designed to show the effect of the law and to document the true motivation of this law. The DOJ and the other plaintiffs are now using this legislative history in the lawsuits.

The only reason that this law is having to be re-litigated is the fact that the SCOTUS invalidated the Voting Rights Act. The invalidation is causing some blowback to the SCOTUS and not just on Bill Maher's show.

Right now, Battleground Texas and the Texas Democratic Party are planning on using this law to motivate voters to get out and vote. Not voting will be to give the tea party and the GOP a victory. I think that this strategy may have a decent chance of working

[trublu992]

38. Because...

Dems need to join together(nationally) and make a lot noise about this, not quietly battle in isolated areas. They always lose the perception war.

[Gothmog]

40. Democrats on a national basis are making noise about voter suppression

The only reason that the Texas voter id/voter suppression was not in effect in 2012 was the fact that Department of Justice blocked the law under Section 5 of Voting Rights Act. The DOJ then defended this action in court and won. The DOJ did this knowing that Roberts and the SCOTUS could view these actions as reasons to strike down Section 5.

After Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act was gutted by Roberts, the DOJ filed suit in Texas to attempt to block this law under Section 2 and 3 of the Voting Rights Act. In addition to the DOJ, Congressman Veasey and a couple of other groups of victims have filed suit to block this law.

The national press and the leaders in the Democratic Party are backing these efforts and have indeed made this an issue. In Texas, the plans are to use the law to attempt to motivate Hispanic voters by pointing out that Greg Abbott and the Texas GOP are trying to steal their votes. In 2012, GOP voter suppression efforts backfired on the GOP in Ohio and Florida and the State Party in Texas is planning on doing its best to use these suppression efforts to motivate the Hispanic vote.

As a Texas Democrat, I am please with the noise being made by national Democrats and the DOJ on this issue.

[HappyMe]

9. I don't think so.

Republicans hate the Clintons.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

17. Actually, think the hatred for Obama is so amazingly intense that it trumped all other hatreds. So

might not be so bad for her. I remember them praising her when Obama ran against her in the primary. Of course this would only last in a world without hypocrisy. Never mind.

[oasis]

10. No harm in trying

There will be a colossal stampede to climb aboard Hill's bandwagon.

[California_here]

12. The word "could" appears in almost every PPP poll news

Of course, if one says something "could" happen, one cannot possibly be wrong no matter the outcome, because whatever "could" happen, also could "not".

[Purveyor]

14. Nonsense. eom

[DCPSR]

15. Goes against

what was discussed in another thread. A left primary challenge forces Clinton to stay more left than center, then no chance at Texas.

[calguy]

21. I doubt Hillary will see a left primary challenge

In fact, there won't be much of a primary challenge at all. Those who do choose to enter the race will only be doing to increase their position in the party down the road. If Hillary runs, she gets the nomination. Period.

[cali]

23. there will almost certainly be a challenge to left for the corporate Hillary

and deja vu. That's what the hilly adorers said last time.

we beat her then. we'll defeat her corporate soul again.

[Hippo_Tron]

27. I wish I shared your confidence, I think she's going to be nearly impossible to beat

Brian Schweitzer is thinking about it, but he's going to take a good hard look at how much money he's going to have to raise to compete with Hillary and probably realize that it's impossible to do that and seriously challenge her from the left at the same time.

[dflprincess]

30. Maybe in the Democratic primaries and caucuses

but I think the party hacks are badly underestimating how fed up the public is with the the same old shit. They're looking for new faces and new ideas another Clinton doesn't supply that.

[Can o Beans]

18. The eleven word phrase I'd pay $10,000 to hear:

And FOX News calls the State of Texas for Hillary Clinton.

[calguy]

20. Whether or not you're a Hillary fan,

You have to admit she's the strongest one out there at this juncture. Still a long way off but although I can think of better liberals out there, I can't think of a better liberal who has better odds of keeping WH blue for eight more years. Take away Hillary and have a harder task winning in 2016.

[cali]

24. She's a corporate shill and no liberal. screw her and her corporate shit.

[JoePhilly]

34. ... but you don't hate her.

[vinny9698]

22. Even if Texas stays Red, they are going to have use resources to keep it that way.

California, New York are among some states that the GOP doesn't even visit only to raise money.
Texas will become competitive, and the GOP won't take if for granted.

[libdem4life]

25. Welcome to all the new posters upthread. This is a good one to break in on.

But especially to the poster with the $10,000 quote ... be prepared.

[Niceguy1]

26. hope she does

it would be nice to have the Clintons in the White House again

[Thinkingabout]

28. On Texas voter ID, I worked in a precinct this month, the registeration records has the

Voter registration name and also DL name and whether it is a match. It will take more time to explain about if the name is not a match but similar and letting the voter know they cam vet the voter registrations the same as the DL. There was some without DL and hopefully those will obtain an ID before next election. The judges in my precinct about assisting voters to the proper precinct and providing a provisional ballot. In a national election the lines will get long. One thing I did notice and I am very happy to see, we only had 163 voters but I observed a fairly large amount of black voters coming in, many younger women, this is good. If we cam continue the minority turnout in Harris County maybe the rest if the state will follow and we can turn this state blue.

[Gothmog]

32. Senator Wendy Davis may end up helping Hilary Clinton

There is a degree of excitement in the Texas Democratic Party that I have not seen in my lifetime. I caste my first vote back in 1976. There is turnout at events that I have not seen even with President Obama was running. Senator Davis is going to run a good campaign against a weak GOP candidate in Greg Abbott and I think that Hillary Clinton will get to build on that work.

[JoePhilly]

35. Interesting idea ... grabbing TX would be huge.

[Gothmog]

36. Forcing the GOP to spend money in Texas would be sufficient

The GOP has taken Texas for granted. The GOP is supporting a person for governor who I consider to be weak. I know Greg Abbott and he is not a good campaigner and he has an inherent meanness that will hurt him. The Powers that Be in Texas have contributed over $20 million to Greg in an effort to encourage Goodhair not to run. That ploy worked but now the GOP is saddled with a candidate who is not a nice person and who does not hide his mean streak like Goodhair.

If Davis can motivate single white women and Hispanics to vote for Democrats, then those two groups will also likely support Hillary Clinton. If the GOP can not ignore Texas, then the GOP is going to have a hard time running an effective campaign.

[JoePhilly]

37. Agree completely.

[Warren DeMontague]

39. Well, that would be the shit, wouldn't it.

I'm not exactly planning on holding my breath, but I certainly wouldn't complain about it.