Why did Texans stop voting for Smart People?

By Faith Chatham - Nov. 2, 2016


We sent Ann Richards to the Governor’s mansion, LBJ to the Congress and the White House and Jim Wright to Congress! Now we’ve uleashed Blake Farenthold, Louie Gohmert, Ted Poe, Bill Flores, Ted Cruz and Joe Barton on the nation. What has happened to the cognitive abilities of the Texas electorate? There hasn’t been that drastic a shift in the gene pool, so what gives? Perhaps its from “natural methane emissions” from all that manure or from environmental pollutants from over a hundred years of fossil fuel production?! Whatever, the cause, the reality is that Texas has some exceptionally smart Democratic Congressional Nominees, yet they receive pennies compared to the thousands of dollars that flow into the campaign coffers of egregious Republicans.

2016 is our Year of Opportunity to Crack the Tea Party and Elect More Texas Democrats to Congress
We have Democratic Nominees in 29 of Texas' 36 U.S. House Districts. With the Affordable Care Act, Women's Right to Choose, Pay Day Fairness and ratification of the President's U.S. Supreme Court Nominee on the line and the threat of Donald Trump in the White House, the unthinkable has occurred. No one thought Texas would become a swing state in 2016. Yet it has, and the Democratic party is scrambling to keep up. Outside dollars aren’t flowing into (or staying) in most of Texas’ Congressional District. The Clinton campaign is running some advertising in the largest markets, but most of the state is dark when it comes to Democratic messages. Yet the voters are ripe for the plucking. When the DNC phones Texas donors, if we say “We’re giving to Texas candidates” they ridicule us! No polls were run before the national Democratic Party eliminated all but one of Texas Congressional Districts from the list of “red to blue districts” to receive GOTV resources. As the ground began to shift in Texas, and Republican incumbents started stepping forward to switch party’s. no reassessment was made to deploy more resources. Most Texas candidates are left on their own without assistance with polling, ad buys or consulting. Some continue to fight valiantly.


it is essential that we do our part to change the composition of Congress. Texas Republicans elected some of the nation's worst obstructionists to Congress. 2016 is a year of opportunity for Texas Democrats to change that.

Democrats are usually elected to Congress in Texas during Presidential election years.


The GOP is in disarray
We have highly qualified nominees running in Texas this year
All contributions to the TEXAS FEDERAL BLUE SEED PAC stay in Texas to help our nominees defeat GOP Congressional Incumbents on the ballot in Texas and to keep the White House Blue.
For decades Texans have ignored our Congressional challengers. We give to help Congressional Candidates in other states awhile ignoring our own.

NO ONE CAN SAY THAT TEXANS DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE.


There is a stark Contrast between the 2016 Democratic Nominees for Congress and the GOP Incumbents they are challenging.

One race to keep an eye on is in US-TX 1. TX-1 Incumbent Louie Gohomer (R) vs Shirley McKellar (D) (Maj. ret), PhD

Shirley J. McKellar, R.N., PhD, Maj. (ret) 2016 Democratic Nominee for Congress US TX-6 McKellar is a problem-solver, a communicator, a policy wok, a woman who combines great intellect with a servant’s heart who has never stopped serving her country and community. Gohmert is notorious for blowing off his mouth without thinking. One newspaper publisher in his district told me: “It would take up all our time and resources if we fact checked everything he says, because very little that he says is right.” Reality and what is expelled from his mouth is so frequently incongruous that he is known as “Liar, Liar Louie Gohmert”. Some of Gohmert’s proposals include establishing “colonies” in Texas for the LGBT community “so they won’t contaminate the rest of the population.” He’s argued that women have inferior intellectual abilities than men and girls do not need math and science. Gohmert’s vote on renewing the Charter of the Import Export Bank cost Texas 7,000 jobs and prompted employers to move thousands of more American jobs off-shore.

While the rest of the nation has recovered economically, East Texas still suffers. During the past 12 months over one in four children in the US TX First Congressional District lives in a home where the family income is below the national poverty level. McKellar has a track record of creating jobs in East Texas. Gohmert has chased jobs away. She is running on issues that resonate with people of all political party’s.

Many East Texans see Gohmert as a disgrace. They have a good choice this year. It’s a big district. There are 12 counties in the district that stretches from Tyler to Lufkin. Media advertising is needed to help those who are oblivious get to know the Democratic Congressional Nominee. She has an active phone bank and block walking organization but needs TV buys to bring it “home” for a win.

McKellar has worked consistently and persistently for six years building a political base and the political infrastructure to claim the First District’s Congressional seat from Louie Gohmert. When candidates run in easy to win districts national PACS usually help with the advertising. Except for one District, none of Texas’ GOP held districts at near the top of the nation’s easier to win districts. Candidates in Texas are on their own. The Democratic Party transfers donations by Texans to races in other states.

We are seeing a trend begin of GOP incumbents in Texas changing party’s. The first two judges to switch from the GOP to the Democratic Party are on the bench in US-TX 1.

McKellar has led the GOTV effort for candidates from the top to the bottom of the ticket. Where she goes, things happen. McKellar is endorsed by the AFL-CIO, Texas Federal Blue Seed PAC, and many other progressive organizations.

Polls show that Hillary is neck in neck with Trump in Texas. It has been 40 years since a Democratic Presidential candidate has carried Texas and few expected Texas to be a swing state this year. The most persistent work in East Texas has been by the McKellar for Congress Campaign. Her efforts help draw out voters for Clinton/Kaine. While the state and national party slept, Shirley McKellar was preparing for battle against the Tea Party. She is in place. We need to help her. The only Democratic TV ad buy I know of in US-TX 1 is McKellars. She needs help keeping her TV spots on the air. $200 pays for a spot. $100 goes a long way. $50 helps.

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