Posted on 05/30/2014 6:08:53 AM PDT by cotton1706
David Dewhurst's political demise is being compared to a Greek tragedy, but it's more like a slow-motion car accident.
In 2012, Dewhurst was a multimillionaire, former CIA officer, founder of an energy and investments company, three-term lieutenant governor -- arguably Texas's most powerful politician -- and was looking to walk into an open U.S. Senate seat. Today, he's a guy who has lost a primary and then a runoff to a radio talk show host and who may never win another statewide race in Texas.
If you had predicted this change of fortune in January 2011, when a little-known Texan named Ted Cruz told bloggers on a conference call that he was going to try to give Dewhurst a run for his money, you would have been laughed out of Austin. But today, the lieutenant governor's decline and fall looks foreordained.
Dewhurst's team ran a TV attack ad in 2012 that plays a key role in the story. It ran before the state Republican convention and suggested Cruz -- then experiencing a grassroots-fueled apotheosis -- cared more about China than America. The ad shaded his skin yellow. Other Dewhurst communications, including email blasts and push cards, labeled him “Red Ted.”
Cruz supporters -- and by that point, there were a lot of them -- were exercised. So when Dewhurst described his campaign as positive during his 2012 Texas Republican Convention speech, delegates retorted with boos and “ON TO THE RUNOFF! TED CRUZ” signs. The crowd also booed Gov. Rick Perry when he praised Dewhurst. Perry later told reporters he thought they were chanting “Dew.” Dewhurst had peaked. Cruz beat him by 13 points.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
“What has age got to do with it?
Are you looking for a leader?
Or are you looking for a boyfriend?”
Because when you’re battling young energetic people, it best to have young energetic people run against them.
Mitch McConnell, Thad Cochran, Mitt Romney, John McCain, etc. Dullsville.
Reagan was the exception, he exuded energy. George Bush, who was 13 years younger than him, didn’t.
Straus lost a few key allies in the first round of the primaries which may embolden the conservative opposition but I haven't yet heard of any challenger for the Speakership. I tried to pin my Rep down on this but she's no longer answering my emails.
Thank you, and Texas!
lol. Reminds me of when Preston Smith was running for governor of Texas. A black “community organizer” named Lee Otis Johnson was in jail for giving a joint to an undercover cop at a Texas Southern University “gathering.”
When Smith gave a campaign speech at TSU, the crowd was chanting, “Free Lee Otis.” After his speech, Smith ask one of his schlubs why the crowd was chanting, “frijoles.”
For years, Texas politics has been a full-contact, to-the-death fight. And nowhere was the phrase “all’s fair in love and war” more applicable.
However, Dewhurst (and most of the GOP-e) has failed to realize that the conservative Americans have awoken from their slumber. They are starting to see the cracks in the foundation which the Dems and Liberals have been drilling and fomenting for years.
As such, the conservatives are no longer easily swayed by the BS, mud-slinging, slime-the-other-guy-into-submission that was the Texas style of politics since at least the 1950’s! For future reference, as of right now, if anyone wants to win over Texas conservatives, you better come with a message, a plan to solve specific issues and a clean campaign to stimulate our minds!
I think this is what has made Texas different than many other states right now. As you look around, most other state politics are still mud-slinging, emotion-filled campaigns INSTEAD of an intellectual discussion about the direction which each person will lead the state.
He lost me with his unseemly push for the “Trans Texas Corridor”. We tax payers were going to pay to build it but it was then going to be turned over to a Spanish company to basically own for 99 years while we paid to use it.
Your Post #2: Hilarious.
Thanks. I try.
“may never win another statewide race in Texas.”
What a nice thought.
dodrop needs to go count his money. He is a 14 carat jerk.
Maybe we'll finally get open carry in Texas, or *gasp* perhaps even Constitutional Carry!
I remember when Bush ran against Ann Richardson for Governor. She she said something like "He's not a Bush, he's a Shrub".
Even then, Texas Democrats were much more conservative than they are now.
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