Blatant Bigotry in Texas GOP Primaries

[justtxyank]

Originally Posted by Kim I somewhat agree with your sentiment, but that's a bad example. Everybody knows Sheila Jackson Lee and a Congress seat is a pretty high profile position to elect. People should self-check themselves in the voting booth when it comes to being uninformed.

OK, try canvassing for a white candidate over by UH. Better example?

[Air Langhi]

Maybe they got pissed off by his marketing.

[Qball]

If I ever run for office, I would change my name to Jose Nguyen Baker.

[Baqui99]

The tables are going to turn on the GOP in Texas very soon. The Latino population is exploding, while old white people are dying off. I could see the state turning blue within the next 8-10 years.

[justtxyank]

Originally Posted by Baqui99 The tables are going to turn on the GOP in Texas very soon. The Latino population is exploding, while old white people are dying off. I could see the state turning blue within the next 8-10 years.

I wouldn't hold your breath or it will be YOU that turns blue.

I wish we could just evolve into a contested state. I'd like national candidates to actually have to worry about getting our vote.

[SamFisher]

Originally Posted by justtxyank OK, try canvassing for a white candidate over by UH. Better example?

Not really - the issue here is the kind of race and the available information to voters about an obscure office.

Basically - this Porter character apparently presented nothing to voters other than his name. Nothing else, no campaigning, no qualifications, (which apparently, is because he had none).

In the absence of some interveniing negative factor with respect to Carillo(which there doesn't appear to be, at this time), it's hard to think of what other basis (aside from name) that Porter crushed him among GOP voters. Especially given that Carillo ostensibly appears to have a modicum of campaigning/qualificaitons etc.

[justtxyank]

Originally Posted by SamFisher Not really - the issue here is the kind of race and the available information to voters about an obscure office. Basically - this Porter character apparently presented nothing to voters other than his name. Nothing else, no campaigning, no qualifications, (which apparently, is because he had none). In the absence of some interveniing negative factor with respect to Carillo(which there doesn't appear to be, at this time), who apparently ran an actual campaign and has some actual experience, it's hard to think of what other basis (aside from name) that Porter crushed him.

Didn't I already say that if this account is accurate (that the Porter character basically did nothing) that your theory is correct?

[SamFisher]

Originally Posted by justtxyank Didn't I already say that if this account is accurate (that the Porter character basically did nothing) that your theory is correct?

I'm just talking about the analogy really, in this case we have information that is purely boiled down to name (hispanic vs. non-hispanic) without any canvassing etc.

hell if we used your sheila jackson lee example, in the absence of other information, if you just saw "Lee" on the ballot you might think she was Korean.

[Baqui99]

Originally Posted by justtxyank I wouldn't hold your breath or it will be YOU that turns blue. I wish we could just evolve into a contested state. I'd like national candidates to actually have to worry about getting our vote.

I don't live in Texas, but I still like to follow politics down there. Texas is evolving into a blue state. Hell, Obama got more electoral votes there than Hillary in the Dem primary. That alone should tell you something.

[Major]

What's really fascinating about this is the potential. It seems like if you have the right name, you just file for office and depending on your timing/opponent, you might just get lucky without actually running a campaign. It's not like Railroad Commish is a nothing-office either - it's a pretty powerful position in Texas.

[Baqui99]

Originally Posted by Major What's really fascinating about this is the potential. It seems like if you have the right name, you just file for office and depending on your timing/opponent, you might just get lucky without actually running a campaign. It's not like Railroad Commish is a nothing-office either - it's a pretty powerful position in Texas.

It's an amazing sociological experiment. Just find a minority candidate, change your name to John Smith, and run against him. You could launch a political career despite having no experience or tangible skills.

[Kim]

Originally Posted by Baqui99 It's an amazing sociological experiment. Just find a minority candidate, change your name to John Smith, and run against him. You could launch a political career despite having no experience or tangible skills.

Eddie Murphy changed his name or something like that to win a dead congressman's seat in the movie "The Distinguished Gentleman". It's not the exact same scenario, but similar strategy.

[DonkeyMagic]

damn racist crackers...

[justtxyank]

Originally Posted by SamFisher I'm just talking about the analogy really, in this case we have information that is purely boiled down to name (hispanic vs. non-hispanic) without any canvassing etc.

I see what you mean.

[Baqui99]

Originally Posted by Kim Eddie Murphy changed his name or something like that to win a dead congressman's seat in the movie "The Distinguished Gentleman". It's not the exact same scenario, but similar strategy.

He also ran the Mortimers' commodity desk and made a ton off of January OJ Futures.

[GladiatoRowdy]

Originally Posted by Kim Eddie Murphy changed his name or something like that to win a dead congressman's seat in the movie "The Distinguished Gentleman". It's not the exact same scenario, but similar strategy.

Happened to have the same name as the incumbent, who died.

Good movie.

[Kim]

All this while being the first Prince of Zamunda to abandon the arranged marriage tradition. He's quite accomplished.

[Rocket River]

Originally Posted by GladiatoRowdy Happened to have the same name as the incumbent, who died. Good movie.

"Jeff Johnson . . .the name you know!"

Rocket River

[Rip Van Rocket]

Originally Posted by Baqui99 Texas is evolving into a blue state.

So what?

[Depressio]

Carrillo certainly wasn't the only one.

http://blogs.chron.com/txpotomac/201...ame_in_th.html

The District 3 State Board of Education race in the GOP primary reminds me of the 1992 Eddie Murphy comedy "The Distinguished Gentleman." In the film, Murphy's character, Thomas Jefferson Johnson, is elected to Congress, in part through deception but largely thanks to the inattention of the electorate. What passes for comedy in the movie really is a cynical view of politics, one that presumes voters are easily manipulated. It's hard to fathom any other explanation for the Tuesday election of Tony Cunningham to represent Republicans in the November race against Democrat Michael Soto. A January column by San Antonio Express-News editorial writer Gloria Padilla spelled out plainly that Cunningham isn't fit to serve. As Padilla reported, Cunningham is unemployed and has received Supplemental Security Income since the 1980s. On the candidate filing form, he listed his occupation as politician. He's never held public office, and he lost a 2006 bid for the District 3 seat. Four years ago, he told Padilla he was running for the SBOE because he thought it was a paying position. He expressed interest in using a seat on the board as a springboard for higher office. I had my own brush with Cunningham when he came to the newspaper offices for a meeting with the Editorial Board. As with others who've observed Cunningham, my impressions mirrored Padilla's. The 47-year-old East Side resident reads from prepared statements that are unresponsive to questions asked. Regardless of the question, one might learn that he supports the U.S. Constitution. That's fine and all, but this is irrelevant if the question pertains to the $22 billion Permanent School Fund that the SBOE manages. His performance at a Feb. 17 forum of District 3 and District 5 SBOE candidates at First Unitarian Universalist Church left many stunned. For instance, he was asked if the board should manage its own budget. His response: "If elected, I will defend the Constitution." Even conservative interest groups that vetted SBOE candidates marked Cunningham as unqualified. His responses to the nonpartisan League of Women Voters for the group's Voters Guide were illegible, so they weren't included. More than 11,000 people in Bexar County who voted for Cunningham on Tuesday -- and the 49,000 who supported him in November 2006 -- either didn't know or didn't care that this candidate's qualifications are, at best, questionable. The State Board of Education has two primary responsibilities: setting curriculum standards for public schools and managing the Permanent School Fund. Candidates needn't be rocket scientists. But, at minimum, voters should expect competence. District 3, which includes South Bexar County and a broad swath of South Texas, is a Democratic stronghold. As in 2006, Cunningham would have a tough time winning. But what a terrible indictment it is of our civic engagement that he's made it this far.