So NYT reports the GOP is putting $50 million into Cornyn’s primary campaign because, despite being the incumbent for almost 20 years now, they fear he will lose the primary to Paxton.
It’s a three way race (my Representative, Wesley Hunt, is the spoiler), so a runoff is expected, and the powers that be don’t think Cornyn comes out on top in that scenario. They also fear Paxton will lose to the Democrat.
That fight is between Crockett and Talarico. I like Crockett, but her grandstanding against Paxton is not likely to draw people to the polls in November. I’m afraid it will look like one unhinged screamer against the other. I say that because I have a new found respect for Talarico.
I got a mailing from his campaign that included a link to a series of YouTube videos of Talarico working on the side of the angels in the Texas Lege, questioning witnesses and lawmakers in hearings about school vouchers and requiring the Ten Commandments (Baptist approved KJV version) be posted in all school classrooms. I still wonder what 1st graders are going to make of Early Modern English translations of the Hebrew admonition not to “covet thy neighbor’s ass.” If they even get past the “thou shalt not” stuff. The whole concept is laughable, and Talarico patiently and respectfully made that clear. (The sponsor of the “10 Commandments” bill tried to argue it was part of our legal and cultural heritage. No less so than the Code of Hammurabi or Roman law; but I digress. She clearly knew there was still a church/state separation problem, even as she denied the legitimacy of that legal doctrine. It was the kind of hypocrisy I grew up with. Sadly, the more things change….) Just as he dissected the nonsense of the sponsor of the school vouchers bill.
Both of those stupid ideas became law because the majority rules. But when Talarico concluded that long discussion with the calm agreement that the point he was pressing (to put vouchers on the ballot for voters to approve) probably wouldn’t get the support of the Lege (and so get on the ballot) and Talarico accepted that, the sponsor of the bill (who opposed putting it to the voters) was visibly astounded.
In the TM profile of Talarico, several Republicans in the Lege labeled Talarico as “dangerous.” Now I understand why.
This is under the stitches, I know, but it shows Talarico would be an able representative of his constituents in the legislature. Paxton is a bomb thrower, and little more. He’s got scandals, he’s corrupt, he’s an ideologue. I think that brand has passed its shelf life. Crockett is a firebrand, but I think that works better in House hearings than in the Senate. Ask Lindsey, who’s been in the Senate since God was young, and is still no closer to any leadership role than he ever was. His latest legislative claim to fame is to champion a bill to let him extort money from the Treasury because Jack Smith subpoenaed Lindsey’s phone data. I guess South Carolina likes him.
But Texas already has Ted Cruz. We could stand to have someone more effective than a tree stump. I think either Democrat would be an able campaigner against Paxton. I just put my metaphorical money on Talarico.
