You know Bonilla never got the hispanic votes in this district. It amazes me to this day that he lost. This is a huge district...San Antonio to El Paso..Where I live, my area in San Antonio, is heavily Republican. He lost that. The exit polling did show the negative campaigning had a tremednous effect. You are right though about it not hurting Ciro. I wonder if we held Bonilla to a higher standard. He was so well respected. And that respect was well deserved. I see no way we are going to unseat Ciro though. He is very well liked here.
Just my opinion but............
It occurs to me that with the dealings I’ve had with Socialists/Leftists/etc. in my past, you cannot fight a war using tactics of a bygone era. They do not “fight” in a manner that is consistent with what Conservatives have used in the past. It is asymmetrical warfare today. Conservatives must fight them as if it were a life and death struggle to the bitter end. Believe me, they see it that way and they will just as happily kill you as defeat you in a political campaign.