Posted on 11/07/2002 10:24:39 AM PST by The South Texan
Roddy Stinson: Texas voters stick a fork in Ann Richards and her liberal pals
Web Posted : 11/07/2002 12:00 AM
"You can stick a fork in George Bush because he's done." — Ann Richards, speaking at a Houston rally for Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton on Oct. 28, 1992 "Stick a fork in Ann Richards and her liberal sidekicks because they are cooked." — The Texas electorate, sending a message to the Texas Democratic Party on Nov. 5, 2002
As late as 6:45 Tuesday night, Richards, a former one-term Texas governor, was telling CNN's Larry King:
"We are going to have an unprecedented turnout in Texas. ... Tony Sanchez could win. But it's harder for him than it is, say, for Ron Kirk or John Sharp, who I think will be the lieutenant governor. And Kirk Watson, who's a smart young man, the mayor of Austin, will become the attorney general."
Actually, Watson — the supereminent darling of Democratic liberals — hasn't been mayor of Austin since the fall of 2001 when he resigned his mayoral post to run for attorney general.
But that minor Richards goof pales when compared to her bold — and remarkably incorrect — last-minute prediction of a virtual sweep of the state's major elected offices by Texas Democrats.
The proof of her predictive blunder is in the numbers.
As this is edited early Wednesday evening ...
U.S. Senator
John Cornyn, 55%; Ron Kirk 43%
Governor
Rick Perry, 58%; Tony Sanchez, 40%
Lt. Governor
David Dewhurst, 52%; John Sharp, 46%
Attorney General
Greg Abbott, 57%; Kirk Watson, 41%
The magnitude of the Democratic defeat approaches breathtaking.
In 1998, in the lieutenant governor's race, Sharp, the Texas Democratic Party's brightest star, was defeated by Perry, a popular, two-term agriculture commissioner, by only 2 percentage points.
Four years later, Sharp — the Democrats' most electable candidate and the favorite politico of Texas pundits — lost by 6 percentage points to Dewhurst, a little-known and not particularly popular land commissioner, who had one campaign theme: "John Sharp is an out-of-step, tax-and-spend LIBERAL."
True or not, the "liberal" tag stuck, and that was sufficient reason for voters to knock out the Democrats' best candidate.
But Sharp's fall was a soft landing compared to the crash of Kirk Watson, the only unabashed liberal in a top position on the Democratic ticket.
Last February, Texas Monthly pundit Paul Burka predicted that during the 2002 campaign Greg Abbott would describe Watson with "just four words: liberal Austin trial lawyer" ... and Watson would counter "by trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear by asking, 'Who do you want fighting for you?'"
Texas voters provided a resounding answer to that question on Tuesday when they buried liberal Watson under a landslide of Abbott votes.
Which leads to an obvious conclusion:
Ann Richards must not have cleaned her crystal ball before palavering with Larry King Tuesday night.
Not that her way-wrong predictions will bother King or CNN's slanted-news managers.
As long as Richards is ambulatory and ready, willing and eager to put a damper on Bush Republicans, she will find a place in the lights, cameras and interview chairs of TV network big shots.
In response, Texas voters will just continue to do what they do best: watch quietly, listen politely, smile knowingly and flock to the polls to baste Miz Ann and her political pals.
To contact Roddy Stinson, call (210) 250-3155 or e-mail rstinson@express-news.net. His column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Regards, Ivan
Remember, we're probably talking about a Republican pickup of four or five seats in the U.S. House. I also wonder whether the new day in GA might make redistricting possible. That might be a way to pick up an additional 2 House seats or so.
I wonder how Texas Dem House members will react to a Nancy Pelosi leadership.
Then, you are forgiven :>
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