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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPolls suggest Joe Biden has a shot at winning Texas. How he fares here could reshape the state's pol
But for many in politics, the consideration is slightly different: The state is clearly more competitive. But even if Biden can compete here, how seriously will he choose to?
The answer to that question is more complicated. For Biden and his allied groups, making a run for Texas is no simple task and there are strategic considerations beyond looking at the polls. The most immediate objectives for national Democrats in 2020 are to recapture the White House and Senate majority. And Texas is far from necessary for either.
Recent polls have suggested Biden might hold an even stronger position in other states that Trump won in 2016 Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and even Georgia. And because of its vast size, numerous media markets and massive population, Texas is more expensive to compete in. The paths to victory for Biden are so great in number, its hard for many political operatives to imagine a scenario where Texas would flip where it would be anything other than icing on the cake in a much broader national victory.
In other words, the cost of seriously trying to win Texas would almost certainly be high, while theres a decent chance that the reward would ultimately prove inconsequential.
Below the surface, however, the presidential race in Texas still matters an underperformance by Trump compared to recent history has the potential to reset Texas politics for the next decade. The central question in the political class every time one of these polls is released five months out from Election Day is: What kind of down-ballot damage could Republicans potentially suffer if Biden has coattails?
https://www.texastribune.org/2020/06/17/joe-biden-texas-2020/
Moostache
(9,897 posts)Hold rallies and events along the Texas border areas and get Texas media outlets to cover the story, mention the state on TV interviews and send and army of surrogates to the region with Beto, the Castro brothers, Sheila Jackson Lee, and Wendy Davis amongst others. There are many more resources to put in play there, and of course that was the essence of the 50-state strategy - compete everywhere to shore up the base and energize allies stuck in red state hell by getting them active and in on state and local issues too.
Rollo
(2,559 posts)But it sure would be nice.
Without Texas, Electoral-vote.com is projecting a landslide for Biden, 368-132-38 Biden-Trump-Tie. Even if you strip away all the "barely" electoral votes for Biden, he still has the 273 needed to win. Plus, Arizona is showing him with a 4% lead over Trump, with is close to being out of the barely category. That would give Biden 284 votes for the win.
https://electoral-vote.com/
Who knows what will happen after John Bolton has had his say. He's to appear on ABC this Sunday, and again on Late Night next Tuesday.
Granted the election is a little over four months away, but Trump is looking like toast now.
Wanderlust988
(509 posts)There's about a dozen paths to 270 for Biden without Texas. Texas is just a cherry on top kind of state...the kind he'd pick up in a landslide. Now if Biden had Bloomberg type of money, then go for it, but otherwise he should put his money in AZ, GA, FL, NC, MT, OH, and maybe IA if he's trying to flip red states.
beachbumbob
(9,263 posts)state they never planned to. Beto Orourke really messed up and not run for senator as the dynamics is such that he could win too. The game here is make GOP defend in areas they NEVER had to before
Gothmog
(145,489 posts)kentuck
(111,110 posts)After everything that has went down, the Democrats "have a chance" at winning Texas?
WhiteTara
(29,721 posts)and Biden has a real shot here.