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There’s a snowball’s chance in hell that Hillary Clinton will carry “ruby red Texas” in the 2016 presidential elections — that is, unless hell freezes over, someone may add.
Personally, I think that miracles are always possible, but that is not the point of this piece — or is it?
One of the perks of volunteering for the Texas Democratic Party back in 1996 was to get to attend one of Hillary Clinton’s fundraising events for her husband here in Austin, Texas. I also got to sit or stand (It has been 20 years) real up-close and shake her hand — what more could a Clinton fan want?
Monday’s Texas Tribune confirms that it has indeed been almost 20 years:
The last Democratic presidential nominee to seriously campaign in Texas in a general election was a Clinton. But it’s been nearly two decades since President Bill Clinton stormed through Fort Worth’s Sundance Square for a late-September campaign rally.
The author, Abby Livingston, agrees that “National Democrats aren’t deluding themselves into thinking they have a real chance [in Texas] in 2016.” However, Livingston believes that Texas will play a significant role in Clinton’s campaign and, also, that “Clinton could return the favor.”
These are four reasons given by Livingston why “Clinton needs Texas and why Texas Democrats need her back”:
1. Clinton needs the money and Texas has it.
Big and wealthy Texas, despite its “ruby” reputation, has lots of Democratic deep pockets.
For example, Livingston says:
President Obama raised over $15 million from Texas donors in 2012, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In that campaign, more than 30 Texas bundlers each raised at least $100,000 for the president’s re-election.
Livingston quotes Dallas Democratic fundraiser Cappy McGarr: “Texas Democrats want to keep the White House, and there’s so many different reasons for that…The Supreme Court is one of them.”
2. Clinton could add Democrats to the House.
“[Democrats in the U.S. House have] got nowhere to go, they say, but up,” Livingston reminds us, and “having Clintons back in the White House could nurse the party infrastructure in red states like Texas…”
3. Clinton’s a safe bet to boost Hispanic turnout.
Recalling that in her 2008 Texas presidential primary against Obama, Clinton outperformed him by a 2-to-1 margin among Hispanics, the Clinton campaign could potentially benefit Texas Hispanics such as Pete Gallego and Solomon Ortiz Jr. The latter is considering a campaign against Republican Blake Farenthold.
4. “Castro times two”
Most Texans are very familiar with the young, Hispanic, very popular, rising-stars (pl.) identical twin brothers Julián Castro and Joaquin Castro. Julián is U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary and Joaquin represents San Antonio in the U.S. House.
Eventually Hillary Clinton will have to pick a running mate…
Do you see where Livingston and I are going?
Dallas Democratic fundraiser Cappy McGarr minces no words:
Every state, of course, is in play, depending on who’s on the ticket…If there’s a Texan on the ticket, if Hillary Clinton wins the nomination … I can think of at least two great Texans who should be on the ticket.
Livingston adds that McGarr believes that “having either Castro brother as a vice presidential nominee could put the state in play for Democrats,” but Livingston quickly adds, “a highly debatable notion.”
But back to “miracles” and to what is not the point of this piece: Even in Texas, hell could freeze over.
As Hillary makes the 1,000-mile trek to Iowa and other places in a van named “Scooby-Doo,” she’ll have plenty of time to think about what Texas can do for her and vice versa…
CODA: Read here about Julián Castro in “VP Training Camp.”
Lead image: www.shutterstock.com
