Beto O'Rourke Shows Exactly Republicans In Texas Are Terrified Of Him

[applegrove]

Beto O’Rourke Shows Exactly Republicans In Texas Are Terrified Of Him

https://www.politicususa.com/2021/11/21/beto-orourke-shows-exactly-republicans-in-texas-are-terrified-of-him.html

"SNIP......

During a Sunday morning interview, Beto O’Rourke delivered a Texas first message that rejected divisiveness and shows why Republicans are scared.

.......

It’s not so much my time. It’s the time for Texas to realize our full potential. We really want to get back to doing the big things in this state, focusing on creating the best jobs in America right here in Texas, world-class public schools for our kids, and moving forward on common-sense ideas, like expanding Medicaid, getting away from the extremism and divisiveness of Greg Abbott, the abortion ban that puts a $10,000 bounty on the head of any Texas woman trying to make her own reproductive health care decisions, the permitless carry bill he signed into law that allows anyone to carry a loaded firearm in public without any background check, without any kind of training whatsoever, these policies that pit Texans against one another are keeping us from doing the big things that we really should be doing

I want to help bring this state together not as Democrats and not as Republicans but as Texans and get back after doing the big things that Texas used to be known for. I don’t know so much about the national political climate. I do know what the people in Texas want, and I want to make sure as a candidate and governor I deliver on that. 

.....SNIP"

[cinematicdiversions]

1. No they are not. Kinky Friedman could beat Beto.

The democrats need to run someone who can win in Texas. Beto has proven that he has a foot that he like to insert in mouth. We don't need another Virginia style race grasping defeat from the jaws of victory.

[walkingman]

2. Who would you suggest? We have almost no one with name recognition

in the state because the "assholes" have run this state for decades. Abbott is a absolute POS.

[DFW]

29. I have someone in mind, but I'm not sure if she wants to try to fill her mom's shoes

Cecile Richards is one powerhouse of a person. I only wish she had higher ambitions.

[walkingman]

35. Agree, I don't know much about her but she is doing a great job for Planned Parenthood.

You can't really blame her in today's political environment but if she is anything like her Mom I think she would do well. Especially in light of the Texas Abortion law.

It is going to be difficult but I am desperately hoping to see my beloved state get back to like it was in the 70's and 80's. I was transferred to Houston in '72 and I thought it was the best place I had ever lived. Not so much these days.

[DFW]

45. I've known her for quite a few years

But I haven't seen her lately, not since the Obama days. She always seemed more comfortable out there in the wide world than in the confines of Texas. As a matter of fact, in all these years, I have never once run into her in Texas--usually just in Washington, once even in the White House (Obama days, of course).

[BlackSkimmer]

3. Not only that, he pretty much admitted he didn't want the President endorsing him.

Hmm.

[Danmel]

8. That pissed me off tremendously

Way to support our Democratic President. Manchin and Sinema don't need Beto's help.

[madville]

9. Yep, and he is saying the federal government is failing at the border

That’s not going to win any friends in the current administration.

[TheRealNorth]

21. You got a link for that statement?

[BlackSkimmer]

24. It was on CNN on the TV machine, but I'll bet you can find it on the google machine too.

He was pressed repeatedly on it, and he would not say he wanted Biden there.

If I remember the talking head interviewing him, I'd be happy to tell you, but she's not one I remember.

[PoliticAverse]

27. Texas governor hopeful Beto O'Rourke criticizes Biden on immigration

From: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/texas-governor-hopeful-beto-orourke-criticizes-biden-immigration-2021-11-21/

Nov 21 (Reuters) - Beto O'Rourke, the Democratic former U.S. congressman who is running for governor of Texas, on Sunday criticized President Joe Biden for a lack of urgency on pursuing a revamp of immigration laws, indicating he will distance himself from the White House in his underdog campaign.

...

"I do not think we have seen enough urgency when it comes to rewriting our immigration laws to match the needs and the reality that we see, especially in our border communities," O'Rourke told CNN's "State of the Union" program on Sunday. "So, yes, we expect more of our president and those who represent us in Congress."

[TheRealNorth]

40. Nothing in there saying he would not accept an endoresement.

Beto was just critical of Biden's response to dealing with undocumented immigrants, and did not want to make his campaign about Biden (which makes sense, since Biden's approval is currently underwater).

[gay texan]

5. Aw shucks, I guess we lost! N/t

[Diamond_Dog]

4. I am not a Texan

But I would imagine when he keeps saying “we’re coming after your guns” that doesn’t go over too well.

[jcgoldie]

6. brace yourself...

...for all the incoming DU experts who will flood this thread with passive aggressive defeatist bullshit about how Beto can never win anything because he supports gun control.

[cinematicdiversions]

10. There is nothing passive aggressive about it. Read the Room.

If the republicans ran an Anti-pot candidate in CO, I would expect a similar outcome.

[jcgoldie]

12. "read the room"

So Democrats should just surrender the gun issue in wake of protesters being mowed down in the streets with AR 15s and endless perpetual school shootings because we've decided to read the room instead of fighting for core policy issues. And if any candidate dares to stand up for those issues then we'll just trash them every chance we get on the internet. Gotcha.

[cinematicdiversions]

15. You don't win mayor of Miami by promoting stronger banking reporting laws.

You don't win Texas by stating you will grab thier guns.

Politics is local.

[Torchlight]

17. The room is discussing Abbott's infrastructure failure in Feb. also

It's tough, if not impossible to go one evening of local evening news in TX without a reference, direct or indirect, to the fatal, deep freeze of Feb.

I think a lot of out-of-staters minimize the impact it had on us, and the conversations it forced.

Much, much easier however to go an evening with no mention of Beto's particular position.

[applegrove]

13. Doubtfully that AR-15 owners ever vote Democratic. Not a one. If

Beto keeps the focus it narrow, it might work.

[NickB79]

38. After 40 yr of painting Dems as gun-grabbers

It doesn't matter how narrow the focus is anymore. If you have to explain in detail why your gun ban isn't THAT bad of a gun ban, you're already losing the argument.

[blogslug]

25. Oh, I am braced

I've seen it before.

Also, fuck Kinky Friedman

[Polybius]

42. Well it's true

Wanna win statewide in Texas? Nominate a Manchin clone.

[NickB79]

7. Beto is a gift to the GOP. They LOVE him

With his "coming to take your AR-15" comment.

That's gotta rank up there with some of the dumbest things politicians have ever said.

[budkin]

11. Agreed. But Abbott screwed himself with the power grid situation

Which people here are MUCH more concerned about.

[cinematicdiversions]

16. Yes it should be an easy victory. Texas has elected dem governors before.

Why make it harder than it needs to be.

[left-of-center2012]

32. "Texas has elected dem governors before"

The last Democratic governor of Texas left office 30 years ago.

Ann Richards January 18, 1983 – January 15, 1991

[Danang1968]

14. Beto

I have lived in Texas almost my entire 75 years on this earth. Anyone who says they will confiscate guns in this state will never get elected to anything. Democrats need someone who can appeal to the majority of voters. And like it or not, the majority of Texans like guns. Period.

[RussBLib]

18. doubtful

you stated: like it or not, the majority of Texans like guns. Period.

In 2021, there were just over 1 million registered firearms in Texas, which is the highest number of any state in this nation. However, Texas' population is over 29 million.

I'm not great at math, but 1 million out of 29 million is not "the majority". And we know some people own multiple guns, so the number of gun owners is probably well below 1 million.

[Danang1968]

19. Beto

The majority of Texans do like guns even though they may not own one.

Wait and see the results of the election.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

20. The vast majority of guns are not registered

So the 1 million number is meaningless. Last estimate of the number of guns in the US was 393 million in 2018. Its over 400 million now considering around 23 million were sold last year alone.

[PoliticAverse]

28. 1 million out of 29 million is not "the majority" - that's 1 million _registered_ guns...

From: https://guides.sll.texas.gov/gun-laws/registration-records

The State of Texas does not maintain a registry of firearms. The federal government also does not maintain a general registry of handgun or rifle ownership. However, the National Firearms Act does require that certain types of firearms or other weapons be registered (such as short barreled shot guns, machine guns, silencers, etc.)

Most guns in Texas are UNregistered.

[NickB79]

39. That registry is for legally built Class 2 and Class 3 guns

IE, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, silencers, and machine guns. All can be legally owned if registered and the proper permits obtained.

So, if there are that many of these types of guns in Texas, imagine how many regular rifles, handguns and shotguns there are.

[harumph]

23. add to this - a lot of Texas democrats own guns.

Anybody that sincerely thinks Beto can win after that statement has a screw loose.
A statement such as "we're coming to get your guns..." is way different than (for example)
"We need to tighten up on gun registration and training..., and penalties for misuse... etc." those statements
are worlds apart.

[MustLoveBeagles]

22. K&R

Thanks for posting.

[IronLionZion]

26. Make Texas Blue Again

[left-of-center2012]

30. Republicans In Texas Are Terrified Of O'Rourke

[UTUSN]

31. Their panic is real whether/not he wins. They try to mock by calling him "Robert Francis"

instead of "Beto" to undercut the appeal to Hispanics.

They *do* know it's RFK's name?!1 So not likely to be a detriment in that demographic.

Is that all they've got?! But, yes, it shows their panic, so he must mean something to them!

[Dopers_Greed]

33. The Repubs are terrified all right

Of them winning by too huge of a margin, which would happen if Beto ran.

They need the race to look closer so they can grift their supporters for more donations.

[applegrove]

34. The troll-o-meter tells me Beto is a big threat. Go Beto.

[txwhitedove]

36. Thanks. I agree, and I am here in Texas.

[lindalou65]

37. Beto

does have a fighting chance to win and I also think he is a formidable threat to the Repubs. He has made a few regrettable statements about gun control but he is not the first to do so (and won't be the last) He has a strong following and it appears he is off to a good start. So, go Beto!

[Polybius]

41. Hahaha, good one

They are praying that he gets the nomination so it can be a 15 point walloping.

[Sur Zobra]

43. It'll be a bigger gap than that

[SYFROYH]

44. I wish Beto would try for another US Representative seat.

I know he wants bigger but he could be a real leader in the House.