Texas Senate Candidate Scolds Rep

AP via NYTimes.com ^ | 4/12/02

[GeneD]

Filed at 5:02 p.m. ET

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Republican Senate candidate John Cornyn on Friday disavowed a remark by his campaign spokesman that the Democrats' black-and-Hispanic statewide campaign ticket is a ``racial quota system.''

``It was shocking and inappropriate,'' said Cornyn, who is white. ``I just want to make it absolutely clear that race is not going to play any part in this campaign, not on my part, not on the mayor's part, I trust.''

Cornyn, who is the state attorney general, faces former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, a black Democrat, in the Senate contest.

With Kirk running for Senate and Hispanic banker Tony Sanchez running for governor, some have called the Democratic ticket in Texas a ``Dream Team'' because of its diversity.

On Wednesday, Coryn's spokesman Dave Beckwith scoffed at that description. ``This dream ticket is cynical. It is based on a racial quota system. In the end, it will not work because most people vote on issues and philosophy, not on race,'' Beckwith told The Associated Press.

Cornyn said he did not know about Beckwith's comment until reading it in the newspaper. ``I was shocked,'' Cornyn said.

Beckwith remains on his campaign staff, Cornyn said, but he added, ``I certainly will not tolerate any repetition of these kind of comments.''

After Cornyn disavowed the remark, Kirk campaign spokesman Justin Lonon said: ``I certainly do find it encouraging that at least Mr. Cornyn himself recognizes that these comments were distasteful.''

[GraniteStateConservative]

Kirk will win this race. He's a charasmatic guy in a state that, save for GWB and the '94 Clinton-induced GOP landslide effect working to help elect her in mid-1993, has been pretty split party-wise. Cornyn is a rather lackluster candidate. Bush will have to practically move to Texas full-time to keep GOP candidates from losing this year. Perry only won in 1998 50-48 while Bush was winning 68-31. That's an 18-point differential and Bush isn't on the ticket this year. With Nolan Ryan's endorsement of the Democrat candidate (Sharp), the Lt. Governorship is the most likely to go Democrat-- and that post is in some ways much more powerful than Governor. In a recent April poll Sharp lead with independents 45-29.

[Slyfox]

Don't be so sure about Kirk.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Cornyn has the advantage because there are still plenty of white people that will support him to get a narrow victory and he can label Kirk as an uber-liberal, but he really needs to get some grassroots organization going with fired up footsoldiers. White turnout this year won't be very high and minority turnout will be very high. If the whites stay home and don't vote, Cornyn could easily lose. Like I said, with Sharp at the lt. governor slot, white democrats (inspired by Sharp's image as a blue-dog conservative reinforced by the Ryan endorsement) will have a reason to vote for a Democrat this year and they could easily vote for the Democrat on the rest of the ballot. Cornyn needs those white Democrat votes to win this year. There's no margin for error.

[LurkerNoMore!]

You're underestimating conservative turnout.

Also, just wait until Cornyn gets warmed up. He's had the luxury of sitting back and filling up his warchest during the primary. This will be a fun race to watch!

[retiredtexan]

I do not give a rats butt about their race, it is their politics that are disgusting. Kirk and Sanchez are clinton democrats, therefore , must not get elected.

[stands2reason]

Lived in Dallas recently have you?

[GraniteStateConservative]

I'm not sure what you mean by that.