The Texas Caucus Has Only Begun

[Horse with no Name]

Last night…each precinct in each county in Texas was given a certain number of delegates to award.
These delegates were awarded according to the supporters that showed up for the caucus and signed in for their candidate.
On March 29, THOSE local delegates will go to Regional caucuses.
At the regional contests, they will sign in and write down their candidate’s name like they did locally.
Those votes will be tallied and the delegates will be redistributed accordingly.
Each side will AGAIN select REGIONAL delegates from the ones that were chosen locally. Many will go home and be out of the process.
THESE delegates will then go to the state convention in Austin in June and the process will repeat itself and THEN AND ONLY THEN will ANY delegates be awarded.
At the regional caucuses, precincts that were heavy Obama supporters could be diluted by heavy Clinton districts (and vice versa) and the delegate count can and most likely will change. Delegates can even change sides.
Three months is a LONG time in politics and who knows WHAT might happen between now and June. Obama MIGHT win the first round, but there is still a long way to go and in no means is anything definitive yet.
It is disgraceful that anyone on a political board does not take the time to learn the process before declaring winners that haven’t won.
Hillary won the Primary.
NOBODY has won the Caucus yet…and won’t. Until June.

[robbedvoter]

1. Thanks!

[UALRBSofL]

11. I've heard bad things about the Texas causus'

They showed a woman taking off in a car with the caucus sheets and was a Hillary supporter but said didn't take the Obama sign-in sheets. I smell a rat there.

They also said a man from NY who said he was an Obama supporter and was a Chairman/Judge and at the end of the day he left with the caucus sheets.

Last I heard the candidates have there attorneys ready.

It is turning into a mess.

[Horse with no Name]

18. They had a mob of obama caucus goers chase down the chairperson

she ended up at the police station. They threatened her.

[UALRBSofL]

20. That is just too funny

I can see it now, somebody running with sign-in sheets, a mob going after her. See, that's why here in Florida we have a primary, go vote and leave. No muss, no fuss.

[Birthmark]

2. Basic facts seem to elude some

I'm not sure why that is, but suspect that it is based on their zeal for one candidate or another. I applaud the zeal. I just wish they'd get the basic facts straight.

[SteppingRazor]

3. Yeah, but that's true of all caucuses, and yet we still have estimates from previous ones.

So why should this be any different?

[Horse with no Name]

4. Because Texas is a Primary AND a caucus state

and the caucus only counts as a % of the overall tally.

[Horse with no Name]

22. How many caucuses does Iowa have?

Texas has 3...it is a convoluted process.
You CANNOT apply the rules from other states to it.
You just can't.
But you guys don't care about that...you want to slap a win in the column TODAY and will figure out any old way to do it.

[SteppingRazor]

24. My point is, there are no "official" numbers from any other caucus until they have a convention...

so it's not as though Texas is unusual in that regard. The process you described in your OP is not really that unusual. A Caucus selects delegates, who go to a county convention, then a state convention, then the national. That's true in Texas, and it's true in Iowa and just about any other caucus state.

I don't know who you're lumping me into with that "you guys" statement (I assume you mean any and all Obama supporters), but I'm not trying to put the kibosh on debate here. I'm just trying to approach the subject through reason and common sense.

[snappyturtle]

5. Fine, then she can lose TX in June. From all the reading I've done

about this, this delegate selection is generally a formality and will reflect the will of the voters.

[Horse with no Name]

6. then you haven't done much reading

the caucus and the primary can have very different results.

[Perky]

10. Simple question. WHen is MSM foing to give the results to the world?

Tomoorow... Just as they did with every caucues systemn that is still in process. Give it up

[snappyturtle]

16. I know they CAN yield different

outcomes. I am just saying they USUALLY don't....and for good reason. Since I haven't come across blatant examples of different results, can you point me in the right direction? (I'm looking specifically for Texas examples..I remember national ones.) I'm truly interested. Thanks.

[slick8790]

7. Then I suppose no one has won Iowa or Nevada either.

They haven't allocated their convention delegates either yet, IIRC. Doesn't change the fact that it's unlikely the winners will change.

[Horse with no Name]

8. Do they have prima-caucuses?

:eyes:

[Perky]

9. So Pledged Delgates to a state convention should disregard the will of the pople who sent them?

THESE ARE NOT SUPER DELEGATES.

[Horse with no Name]

15. they aren't the will of the voters

they are the will of the ones who were able to attend an extra function--kind of like double dipping.

[Perky]

23. They represent those that showed up

Just like a primary.

[MoonRiver]

12. Fortunately, most of us here know to ignore Obamatons' shrill squealing.

The rest of the world barely knows DU exists.

[powergirl]

13. Not true - I'm the caucus chair of my Texas caucus - Clintons totals include her caucus delegates

Iowa delegates haven't been "certified" yet but they are reported and the candidates take their delegates. This is no different. The delegates do not change once they are voted upon in the caucus. You cannot change your vote. Clinton is including her caucus delegates in her Texas totals. The caucuses in all states are different and I refrain from speaking about those other states with authority.

[Horse with no Name]

17. This might help you

And I know there were quite a few caucus chairs that were confused to the process, so forgive me if that doesn't make me back down and step aside from how it actually works. But yes, the delegates can change who they are voting for...which is precisely why they have to sign in and again affirm who they are voting for. Now...it is UNLIKELY that anyone would change their vote...but the opportunity exists if they want to. On edit...I see you are from Plano. Some of the misunderstandings happened in your neck of the woods--was it your precinct?

http://www.texasobserver.org/article.php?aid=2697

[powergirl]

19. No - I thought the problems were in the Colony

The name of the town is "The Colony" with the "the" included in the name. My caucus went smoothly. I live in Plano (population 500,000 and sometimes called "the South Africa of Texas" because of it' conservative populous.) It was crowded and hot but we're neighbors, so it was like a block party. Everyone on both sides got along. I'm for Obama and was in the majority at my caucus. I won the chair unanimously - including the votes of the, some 40, Clinton folks. The 80,000 people who voted in the Collin County Democratic primary broke for Obama by 56%. The problems in The Colony, such as they were, had more to do with lots of people and not enough space. There wasn't any scuffle between Clinton and Obama supporters, as far as I know. I think the biggest problem around the state was the election officials being able to accommodate the crowds. It is a crazy system and I hope they change it- just b/c of the extraordinary amount of time it takes. It's been around for about 30 years and it never really mattered in the past. We just keep learnin'! :)

[Horse with no Name]

21. I'm familiar with the area

Oak Cliff had some MAJOR problems as well.
I have decided I do NOT like the caucus system either.
I read an article that said that it was basically designed to allow backroom arm twisting and payoffs (which is why they allow the delegates to change sides if they so choose).
I don't like that...money has always been the great equalizer..it doesn't surprise me that Texas found a way to incorporate it into the voting system.

[barack the house]

14. HRC is trying to win by altering perception, we need to shout loud and clear Obama front runner.

Barack supporters need to draw up stickers Barack is front runner. Put together to hire advert signs we must overcome media.

[Avalux]

25. What we have is an estimate. Obama has a substantial lead and all experts report it will hold. n/t