Texas Progressives tea leaves on the election

Rural Republicans fed up with threats from data centers may indeed sway the midterms. Or they may not. First, the rural part of the state's population continues to shrink. Second, we have no guarantee that these vote concerns will cause a flip. After all, last year, an unincorporated area in Hood County, about bitching about AI noise, voted down an incorporation referendum, the one and only way they could have taken more control. Finally, it's a sad day when Byron Cook is called a "moderate Republican." Finally, finally, I'm not taking the Trib's poll.

The Monthly has its own piece on how Gina Hinojosa has pivoted to making data centers a key part of her attempt to unseat Strangeabbott, and how she's trying to walk around social issues. Per how it ends its piece, we'll see how many flip. My impression on such issues in general is that many people claim they're going to flip and don't, thinking and hoping that making a certain comment to an interviewer or staking a certain position in a poll will "send a message" to a politician strong enough that they'll moderate. Answer? They won't. 

In addition, the Observer notes that the state has continued permitting data centers even after his pause, and then lying about it. 

Off the Kuff reviewed the Q3 campaign finance reports for Senate and Congress in Texas. 

SocraticGadfly detailed how Ken Klippenstein has become a Pander Bear, with little recent actual investigative reporting.

Talarico, riffing on what I said Elmo Musk missed in his direct-mail fliers, is going all in on a final theme of "Friday Night Lights." Why? Per the Monthly, a lot of its viewers were 18-to-49 upper-middle-class women, the type of women that, especially if they're from suburban or exurban areas, Talafreako needs.

As some of them, especially on the Democrat side, are running for higher office, it's interesting to read the Trib's rating of Legiscritters by key votes. And, on the Dem side in the House? Talafreako, six genders aside, is about dead center. 

Speaking of ratings, the Observer looks at all the statewide Dems taking a pass on abortion and reproductive choice issues.

 Gwen Howerton dunks on Matthew McConaughey's dumb ideas about "independence" and wonders of this is "Peak McConaughey." (Let's hope so and that he goes away.)

Neil at Houston Democracy Project Blog reports young Saudi Arabian man asked John Cornyn Houston Office Protest if they’d get in trouble for sign critical of Trump. The reply was the 1st Amendment is our permit. Let’s maintain & expand our rights with both the vote & protest.  

Democracy Docket highlights the US Attorney for the Southern District of Texas making over the top threats against "illegal voting".

The Current recounts the trouble Gina Hinojosa's mom went through to cast her early ballot.  

Law Dork covers the ongoing Trumpian obsession with the East Potomac Golf Course. 

"Look for, the no-Israel label"

Per the old ILGWU label:

"Look for the no-Israel label" is an important part of BDS. 

That, in turn, is an important part of anti-Zionism in general.

That, in turn, is an important part of my voting, and since we're in election season, it's good to state that now. (It's part of why I undervoted Talarico, per the Gadfly slate.)

Since I already know from Yasha Levine, with him then building further on that earlier work, to avoid the Resnicks' "Wonderful" pistachios, plus, for this and environmental reasons, also POM Wonderful pomegranate juice and Fiji water, and to avoid Ben & Jerry's ice cream because Unilever, checking the back of bottles of olive oil for country of origin to make sure I'm not knowingly getting stuff from Israel is the No. 1 way in the world of foodstuffs BDS comes into play for me.

(And, yes, part of BDS is boycotting US companies that are supporters of Zionism. That means not flying Southworst Airlines, in addition to their Paul Singer enshittification.)

Anyway, beyond olives from Spain and Tunisia, if only I could get olive oil from Palestine.

Sadly, Israel's Zionist thugs do everything they can to prevent West Bank Palestinians from harvesting their own trees. And journalists from reporting on that. But US Congressional candidate Brad Lander continues to fight.

And, here's a new one: An Israeli company is getting into the world of lab meat in the northeastern US. 

Meanwhile, AIPAC won't admit WHY it's doing this, but it's ending candidate endorsements. It's probably afraid that, as it gets its ass kicked more and more, it looks more and more like a 98-pound weakling. 

Where are the joint campaign appearances?

This is something that has puzzled me for some time.

I know multiple candidates appearing together in general, other than a president on the stage with a gubernatorial or senatorial candidate, is something that's faded for some time.

Nonetheless, here in Tex-ass, I have for 10 days or more pondered ever more strongly why it hasn't returned.

On the GOP side, for the top three candidates, I get it. Strangeabbott and Dannie Goeb aren't 100 percent best buddies, and neither needs the other's help, or shoudn't, and wouldn't admit it if they did. And, despite that they haven't kicked him under the curb, neither wants to appear with Kenny Boy Paxton, I'm sure.

For downballot statewide GOP races, I'm sure the big two figure their help isn't needed in most races, and despite neither one repudiating RRC racist candidate Bo French, neither one wants to be with him in person, if they can, before the finish line.

I'm primarily thinking of the Democrat side.

James Talarico is in my book still odds-on to beat Paxton. But, Gina Hinojosa and Vikki Goodwin still have uphill sledding vs Strangeabbott and Goeb, respectively.

Have they asked Talarico to make joint appearances with him? If so, so far at least, it looks like he's declined. Given a Trib piece yesterday about the prevalence of ticket-splitting possible in Collin County (even in ruraldom, I've seen more generic "vote Republican" signs than ones explicitly for Paxton, and as many of the "vote Republican" ones as ones specifically for Strangeabbott), I'll venture either Talarico has been formally asked and said no, lower level staffers have been asked and have had a "we'll get back in touch with you" response, or he's had subtle advance hinting that he's too busy. On the other hand, some ticket-splitters said they're voting for other statewide Democrats while still voting Republican locally and regionally.

And downballot candidates would surely welcome his help, especially French's opponent, Joe Rosenthal.

They might also welcome the chance for joint fundraising at joint campaign appearances. Rosenthal in particular has complained about lacking name recognition against French, in part due to lack of money.

So, any Democrats that lose by less than 2 percentage points?

I'm not saying the blame will be entirely his, but you will know who to give part of the blame. 

Trib analyzes duopoly's ad priorities

Here's the details:

A Blast analysis of campaign advertising data from AdImpact shows that, of the $359 million Republicans have spent in Texas since June 2, their top issues are crime, taxation, transgender minors, transgender sports, “character” and LGBTQ+ rights. Of the $156.1 million Democrats have spent in that time, they’ve focused on taxation, healthcare, character, corruption, inflation and bipartisanship. 

Over the summer, Democrats’ leading issues in advertisements were healthcare, inflation, housing and bipartisanship. Since Labor Day, healthcare advertising has fallen to the wayside while ads about crime, corruption and special interests became leading issues. And thanks to a late focus on taxation by Democrats the last two weeks, that topic skyrocketed into the party’s No. 1 most expensive issue of the general election at $35.8 million spent since June 2 — $16.9 million of that since Sept. 29. 

On the Republican side, taxation was their candidates’ leading campaign issue until mid-September, when crime and transgender issues overtook everything else. Republicans have spent $103.1 million on crime-centric advertising, with tax-focused ads at $92.7 million. When combining the three, transgender minors, transgender sports and LGBTQ+ rights take the top spot at $119 million.

And, yes, it may be from an outsider PAC, but as I wrote a week ago, Elmo's PAC has contributed mightily to the GOP and GOP-linked stupidity on this shift.

And, as I said yesterday, on the fake transgender student organization ads, this shift smacks of desperate, despicable and dumb.

==

Otherwise, neither duopoly party is tacking environmentalism in any big way. Of course, both halves sold out on Prop 4, and even Texas Greens did. That said, can't believe this isn't being tackled more in non-Senate races, to tar other Rethuglicans with Bo French not having any plans for environmental abandoned well cleanup.

And, of course the Democrats abandoned health care. 

Fake transgender ads under investigation

I forgot that Sarah Stogner — the 2024 Republican primary challenger for a RRC slot, and DEFINITELY not your typical Texas Republican — is now a DA. And, as a DA, she's opened an investigation into possible forgery charges in that fake transgender voter mailing of earlier this month:

Stogner said her constituents are angry and concerned about their children being “exposed” to the material in the mailers. She also said if the pamphlets were sent to motivate conservatives to vote, the effort was self-defeating. 

“If we were actually worried about kids and their safety, no one would be sending propaganda to spread that message further on television ads, in text messages, in written whatever,” she said. “If we are truly trying to protect children, we’d be focusing on how to put pedophiles in jail.”

And, she's not alone:

Stogner’s investigation follows two letters from state Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, that asked Attorney General Ken Paxton to investigate the origin of the mailers as well as a series of text messages that similarly referenced TENT. 

While Leach’s first letter, spurred by the texts, asked Paxton to investigate potential violations of a state law related to student-organized groups and materials taught in public schools, his second letter asked to uncover the identity of the sender. 

“Since sending that letter one week ago, I have received new information raising the possibility that the communications and associated toolkit may not originate from the group whose name it was sent under,” Leach wrote.

That said, Jeff, do you really think Kenny Boy is going to investigate? No way in hell, either before or after he loses to Talafreako Nov. 3. 

And, yeah, Stogner's right. It smacks of desperation, almost as much desperation as "Revive with Vivek" Ramaswamy's despicable ad featuring addled lies (the best I can call them) from the mom of his Democratic opponent in the Ohio gubernatorial race, Amy Acton. 

In both cases, to complete the alliteration trifecta, beyond being desperate and despicable, they're just plain dumb. 

And, speaking of that? Per what I said last week about his own PAC's stupid direct mail fliers, it wouldn't surprise me if Elmo is somehow connected. 

That said, there is a side note to all of this.

Where are are major metropolitan area counties' DAs, you know, from Dallas, Harris and Travis? Were they afraid of being called "partisan" if they opened an investigation? 

==

UPDATE, Oct. 28: The Trib reports a Travis County judge has ruled the people behind the fakery must testify under oath, but this is presumably related to a civil filing by TENT. Still no word on any Democrat DAs launching criminal investigations. 

Ken Klippenstein, BlueAnon Pander Bear

That's especially if you feel the need to pander to Blue MAGA for fiscal reasons.

And, Klip probably does. As I called him out, here, and here, no, he didn't defend Platner on the rape claims. So, I'm not attacking him on that, though the belief that he was still defending Platner, by his boatload of smug on how he retreated from Platner, and how he retreated ONLY on this, is why I've called him out and will continue to do so. It may be why some more discriminating BlueAnon have stopped paid subscriptions.

Not only did he spin on Platner's Totenkopf? Worse, he spun on a guy going to Hotchkiss as an "everyman" and has never apologized. He doubled down on Platner's lack of vetting and behind shoved in Maine Democrats' face by a consultant with a problematic history. He stood by the whole idea that "owning the New Democrats" was the key. 

Ken, even if some others are misinterpreting you, per the two links above, I am NOT. And, whether misinterpreted or correctly so (I linked to Mike Elk, with Pennsylvania knowledge about the consultant), you have not apologized for what you did get wrong, nor the apparent smug of "owning the New Democrats" even when it blew up on you. And, this IS when your donations fell off a cliff. 

So, how to pander, and get readers back?

A quasi-clickbait headline, "Trump's Finger Gets Closer to Nuclear Button." I deconstructed that over on Substack in this piece.

Bottom line?

As Ken said himself of Elbridge Colby, his own piece looked to try to hit the Goldilocks middle ground. Not too much pandering, not too little. Not too much clickbait. Not too little.

Just right.

No rules, either! 

We'll see if Ken actually can sit tight. I've set this version to go up eight days later than the Substack one. Also, to avoid responses, his name isn't in the title of the Substack version.

Answer is, at least the pre-election answer, that Ken canNOT "sit tight." 

I wound up writing not one but two, or actually three if we count his pandering about Trump and Nidal Hasan's execution, pieces at Substack, a full week before this went up here on Blogger. 

I then added a restack/note to No. 3, after Ken posted yet another piece about Hasan's execution. I quote it:

Klippenstein thinks he needs to write a whole post about how Hegseth is sending a raspberry to uniformed military by having Hasan executed by firing squad, while ignoring the angle that Pete thinks soldiers firing gunz is more manly than dropping a trap door for hanging, and that post-Christa Pike, he's probably worried about the Army fucking up a lethal injection. 

Ken also forgets that the original plan WAS for live-streaming, and soldiers shooting gunz looks much more cool than dropping a trap door or inserting a needle. 

I guess Ken's fixated on this right now, and yes, I'm semi-fixated on wondering why. Actually, I’m not, other than the small bit of me wondering if there’s any angle beyond being a Pander Bear.

Gack, Ken. This isn't even good critical thinking. 

And, a day later, Ken writes about oil company profiteering over the Iran war. The "crack spread" between the price of crude and its various refined products is not new. Evan Rowe wrote about the crack spread and a whole bunch of related issues on Substack two-plus month ago. 

And, as I said in restacking Ken:

Also, don’t forget that a certain percentage of Democrats, even if small, still halfway back the war against Iran, and an even bigger portion back the genocidal country on whose behalf Trump attacked Iran. And, I’m sure many of these people get campaign contributions from the likes of eXXXon too.)

There you are. 

Maybe your subscribers will return. Maybe they won’t. Even after the midterms, if Dems do take control of both sides of Congress, you may still have to eat at least a small plate of apologetic crow for a lot of them to come back.

You made your bed by being a stubborn stack of shit over Graham Platner, Ken. Deal with it. 

And, you may continue to lose unpaid subscribers as well.