Posted on 10/25/2004 4:06:42 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Strong Bush performance and districts reaching north to GOP territory are factors in play.
Whisper it softly but Republicans feel they could pull off a shock result in two unlikely South Texas races.
Despite being heavily outspent, former Cuero Mayor Michael Thamm says he senses an upset in his Congressional District 15 battle against U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-Mercedes). If Thamm does win, the Rio Grande Valley would be left without a member of Congress who calls the border region home. After redistricting, CD15 reached from the Rio Grande Valley all the way up to the rapidly growing and largely Republican Bastrop County.
In the open Texas House District 35 race, Republican Eric Opiela, a rancher and attorney from Karnes City, has been getting some high profile support in his race against Democrat Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles, an attorney from Alice.
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South Texas Ping!
Unfortunately, James Hopson in my district stand no chance of winning. My only consolation is that we at least don't hasve to worry about Ciro Roderiguez.
Thamm will not beat Rubén Hinojosa. I think a Hispanic Republican could have made a race out of it, but Thamm ain't gonna cut it. Hopefully Hinojosa will retire soon and we can pick up the open seat, which might well be carried by Bush in 2004.
It's a further shame that the only good Hispanic Republican candidate taking on a Texas Democrat Congressman is Rebecca Armendariz Klein, and she's running in the only Hispanic-majority district in which Republican performance in 2002 was just as bad as in the black-plurality 9th CD (30%). Klein is a great candidate, but the liberal voters in Austin will reflexively vote for Doggett, who will win even if Klein can miraculously carry the Hispanic vote (it would be miraculous for Klein to carry Hispanics because the 25th CD includes Duval, Jim Hogg and Starr Counties, which are three of the most heavily RAT counties in the nation). And we need someone stronger than Willie Vaden to defeat Solomon Ortiz in the 27th CD, which is a district that Bush could well carry in 2004.
Could be the people in South Texas are fed up with the one party corruption!
From my vantage point her in Chappaqua, NY, I don't really understand the different regional aspect in Texas. But I'm rejoicign in Marty Frost's imminent unemployment. JUst thing..les than two years ago, running for the House Dem leader, now..out of a job. PRICELESS!!
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