Sanchez hits streets; Perry touts new poll

Houston Chronicle ^ | October 15, 2002 | RACHEL GRAVES

[Dog Gone]

When Tony Sanchez's "Lower Rates Express" rolled into Gulfton blaring Tejano music Monday, many in the community saw it as a historic day for the largely immigrant population that politicians often ignore.

Sanchez, the Democratic nominee for governor, made a campaign stop at Taqueria Mexicana, a family owned Mexican restaurant in the low-income southwest Houston neighborhood. A mariachi band played, and the stump speeches mingled English and Spanish.

Many in the spirited crowd said one candidate's interest in them could spur more people to vote, increasing the community's political power.

"Sí, se puede" -- yes, it can be done -- they chanted.

A poll touted by Gov. Rick Perry, the Republican nominee, indicated that it would be a hard climb.

The MSNBC/Zogby International poll showed Perry with a 52-30 lead over Sanchez, with a 4.5 percent margin of error. The poll, conducted Oct. 9-11 of 500 likely voters, showed an 8 point increase for Perry and 2 point decline for Sanchez since a similar poll Sept. 21.

Perry put out the poll results in a news release, while Sanchez attacked their credibility.

"I guarantee they're 20 to 30 points off," Sanchez said, claiming his campaign's polling shows the two candidates in a dead heat. He said that pollster John Zogby's polls are "Republican-leaning."

While Sanchez supporters hoped his Gulfton appearance would draw first-time voters to the polls, the Perry camp continued its attack on Sanchez's own poor voting record in a new television ad.

"When Texans voted to lower property taxes, build schools, increase college funding and protect seniors, Tony Sanchez was too busy to vote," the Perry ad says. "In fact, public records show he didn't even bother to vote in the last election for governor. If Tony Sanchez can't bother to vote, why should Texans bother to vote for Tony Sanchez?"

Sanchez said Monday that it was "a mistake for me not to vote," but accused Perry of deflecting attention from the important issues of the race. Sanchez said the focus should be on Texas' skyrocketing insurance rates, floundering schools, children who have not been immunized and people lacking health insurance.

Sanchez's campaign bus is named the "Lower Rates Express" in a reference to his campaign promise to roll back home insurance rates.

"Everybody has got to be treated equally and fairly and with respect," Sanchez told the crowd in Gulfton, "and that's not what's happening today."

Gulfton community leaders said Sanchez's appearance was the first they could recall there by a political candidate. About 35,000 people of voting age live in the Gulfton-area ZIP code, according to the 2000 census. Registered voters account for 6,400 people, and only 18 percent cast ballots in the last governor's race, by one estimate.

"I'm not taking anybody for granted, no constituent for granted, no corner of the state for granted," Sanchez said.

Asked whether he hoped to attract first-time voters, a strategy of this year's Democratic slate, Sanchez responded: "No, I mean, my purpose in campaigning is to deliver my message and make sure it resonates with the people of Texas."

A spokesman for Perry, who did not have any public campaign events Monday, said the governor has made similar forays into previously neglected Hispanic communities in both urban and rural parts of Texas.

"He has campaigned hard in places that have never seen a governor of gubernatorial candidate before," Perry spokesman Ray Sullivan said.

In Gulfton, a mixture of the taqueria's regular customers, Sanchez supporters and people who were just curious showed up for the lunchtime event.

"A lot of politicians don't take into consideration a lot of low-income family areas," said Veronica Macias, owner of the taqueria.

Also Monday, the two campaigns squabbled over a later Sanchez event at a clubhouse on the grounds of the Jester State Prison in Richmond.

Andre Gary, president of the Corrections Association of Texas, said someone from Perry's office called to have the 3 p.m. event stopped because it was on state property. The event went on, but reporters were kept out, Gary said.

"It is outrageous that the governor would use his office to manipulate an event by his opponent," said Sanchez spokesman Mark Sanders.

Perry spokesman Sullivan said he did not know if someone from Perry's office tried to stop the event, but said it is illegal to use state property for campaigning.

"Governor Perry has never used ... a state prison for a purely political activity," he said. "We believe most taxpayers would frown upon using state resources for political purposes."

[Dog Gone]

Lookie! Sanchez is campaigning in a prison, and calling Zogby a Republican shill.

Man, it doesn't get any better than this.

[Tacis]

I bet Sanchez could make up a lot of ground if he would just start giving away small portions of drugs to the many users in Austin, El Paso, and San Antonio. Surely, some of Presidente Fox's drug lord partners would provide him with the inventory and have the Mexican army deliver it directly to Sanchez headquarters. Never, never, never underestimate the filth, corruption and potential for criminal activity of democrats!

[Dog Gone]

The new Zogby poll was taken right after the televised debate between these two.

It looks like Tony Sanchez will waste nearly 100 million dollars of his own money to get a Texas-sized butt-whupping.

[deport]

Thanks for the ping...... Zog can't win for losing. I guess it depends upon who is on the winning edge as to whether Zog's a R or D shill..... lol. Now if only Kirk's numbers will tank this way then all will begin to be okay.... Zog has one more poll in this series to be put out on Nov. 3.

[Texas Mom]

Have you ever seen so many Sanchez signs? . They are all over the place.. Another seat that is putting a lot of money in is for State Representative Position 29 between Democrat incumbant Bob Uher and Republican Glenda Dawson. He has been the state rep for 35 years. Been re-elected 17 times. With the redistricting it has gotten him in our area which has always been Republican. He is sending out mailings to everyone and saying is is a Conservative Democrat.. It's a big district covering a large portion of Brazoria and Matagorta counties. Matagorta is the one that always kept returning him to office. This time he has a real race on his hands.. The first time in 35 years... If you know anyone in District 29 tell them to Vote Dawson..

[Redbob]

Oops, sorry: I thought that headline said "Sanchez Hits the Road!"

[MeekOneGOP]

LOL !! Well, I'm no expert, but from what I recall from previous FReeper comments, Zogby is biased LEFT?

Here's the latest I have on the Senate and the Gov Race:

http://www.nbc5i.com/politics/1707582/detail.html

NBC 5 Exclusive: Voters' Poll

Rick Perry enjoys a comfortable lead in his race against Tony Sanchez, Jr. according to our poll of 600 likely voters throughout the state of Texas.

Nearly half of all likely voters think both campaigns are using "unfair" campaign ads.

The poll was conducted from Sept. 30 through Oct. 6 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1%.

Governor , "who do you think you would vote for if the election were held today?"

	State	North Texas	East Texas	South Texas	Central Texas	West Texas
Democrat Tony Sanchez, Jr.	29%	31%	28%	32%	26%	15%
Republican Rick Perry	56%	52%	59%	50%	56%	70%
Undecided	15%	16%	13%	18%	18%	12%

	State	Male	Female	White	Hisp	Afri-Amer
Democrat Tony Sanchez, Jr.	29%	26%	31%	24%	43%	70%
Republican Rick Perry	56%	60%	51%	63%	32%	12%
Undecided	15%	13%	17%	12%	26%	19%

---

US Senate"who do you think you would vote for if the election were held today?"

	State	North Texas	East Texas	South Texas	Central Texas	West Texas
Democrat Ron Kirk	30%	33%	28%	29%	33%	20%
Republican John Cornyn	56%	55%	57%	51%	55%	66%
Undecided	14%	12%	14%	20%	12%	14%

	State	Male	Female	White	Hisp	Afri-Amer
Democrat Ron Kirk	29%	26%	33%	24%	43%	77%
Republican John Cornyn	56%	61%	51%	63%	30%	9%
Undecided	15%	12%	16%	13%	26%	14%

[Dog Gone]

Dewhurst is looking good in that poll, too. So much for the "Dream Ticket."

[no dems]

You've got to be kidding. I hope these poll numbers are correct but these numbers cause even a hard-core, Ronald Reagan Conservative political junkie like me to question their accuracy. But, I hope they're right.

[MeekOneGOP]

Yeah, me too ! If you can find another one that's credible, I'd sure like to see it.

[KQQL]

lol

[TexasGunRunner]

I don't understand the dig against Fox. I would be willing to bet that Fox, who has had a very good relationship with Bush, is hoping Perry wins.

I guarantee you that Perry and Fox have a lot more in common philosophically, than either does with Sanchez.

Sanchez is the one with druglord friends (his true banking/money laundering interests), while Fox has made it much more difficult for the drug traffickers to buy off Mexican officials.