Liberal pundits and talking heads across Texas and indeed, the rest of the country have long been opining wistfully about a supposed “blue wave” headed for the Lone Star State. Perennially they announce Democrats have a serious chance at “taking back” the state that hasn’t elected a Democrat statewide since 1994.
A report by Governing magazine, which tracks gubernatorial races across the country, suggests Democrats’ hopes will once again be crushed this election.
The report details different states and the chances of the two parties gaining or keeping control. Listed amongst the eight “safe Republican” seats is Texas’ Gov. Greg Abbott.
For those not completely awash in liberal wishful thinking, the report should come as no surprise. Throughout his first term, Abbott has remained one of the most popular governors in the country. Democrats themselves had a difficult time even finding a suitable candidate to run against Abbott in November, as they were presented with a clown car of unserious candidates, while higher-profile Democrats, such as the Castro twins, decided to sit the race out.
Faced with the prospect of possibly nominating a gay nightclub owner or, worse yet, a candidate that referred to himself as “personally pro-life”, Texas Democrats scrambled to recruit former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, who announced her intention to seek the party’s nomination just days before the filing deadline in December.
Despite being the party’s nominee, Valdez has seemingly failed to excite Texas Democrats, especially when compared to their candidate for US Senate, Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke.
In the latest fundraising report, Valdez reported a meager $225,050 cash on hand, compared to Abbott’s nearly $30 million warchest—a figure the governor’s campaign reached after pre-purchasing $16 million in media airtime.
While Texas Democrats will spend the next several months acting as though they have a serious chance at beating Abbott and other Texas Republicans in November, the facts, both in terms of polling and financial strength, show that the supposed “blue wave” headed towards the state will do little more than wet the shore.
