The Interview: Joaquin Castro Says Texas Democrats are Poised for a Comeback

[HAB911]

A Q&A with Congressman Joaquin Castro on the future of the Democratic Party in Texas, Trump, Ted Cruz and tacos.

Since Joaquin Castro was elected to the Texas Legislature as a 28-year-old in 2002, he has never received less than 58 percent of the vote in an election. He and his twin brother, Julían, a former mayor of San Antonio who served as the secretary of Housing and Urban Development under Obama, have repeatedly been called “rising Democratic stars” by national news outlets since at least 2012, when Joaquin was elected to Congress.

But ambitious Democrats in blood-red Texas have been limited to two options for decades: Run in safe, gerrymandered districts or commit political suicide by campaigning for statewide office. Now, the second-generation Mexican American from San Antonio’s largely Hispanic West Side says he’s considering a run against U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, who has already drawn one Democratic challenger in Congressman Beto O’Rourke. Castro spoke with the Observer about Cruz, Trump, the Texas Democratic Party’s shortcomings and two of San Antonio’s national treasures: tacos and the Spurs.

https://www.texasobserver.org/joaquin-castro-texas-democrats/

[TexasProgresive]

1. I'd vote for either

[sharedvalues]

2. In LBJs time Texas was solidly Dem

Because Dems were the party of labor protections.

We need to get back to that.

[nycbos]

4. Also there were many Dixiecrats,

LBJ told Hubert Humphrey that "we just lost the south" after the civil rights bill was signed.


I have heard for years were a so close to winning Texas and Georgia. We have not come close yet.


Democrats in Texas could nominate Jesus and he wouldn't will at this point.

[sharedvalues]

5. True. But labor was a big part of it too.

Ps
I believe LBJ said "We just lost the South for a generation. ". He was wrong. It was two generations, going on three.

[LeftInTX]

8. Johnson was liberal amongst a sea of Dixiecrats

Johnson's power was with the federal government, not the state govt.

Texas became a right to work state in 1947
Most of the southern states, which were run by Dixiecrats also became right to work states in the late 40s.
Texas barely paid their teachers.

Texas has never been liberal.

[pangaia]

3. ".....two of San Antonio's national treasures: tacos and the Spurs. '

I know it is all hyperbole, but somehow I just can't think of a basketball team as a national treasure.
Tacos?.. yeah, maybe....

LOL!!

[Leghorn21]

6. He was so excellent during the one/the only House Intel Hearing on Putin meddling -

just knocked me out! May he rise up and give Cruz a frickin what for!

Thanks for posting, HAB -

[UTUSN]

7. Rec for, well OK, but: "58%" victories, yea in "safe, gerrymandered districts" -

and, as BEGALA says, "Texas is not a Red state; it is a non-voting state." And as Bill CLINTON said, Dems have to "be in love" with their candidates. Hispanics haven't forged the voting link that LBJ and the Civil Rights leaders did. Hispanics turned out for the *Catholic* KENNEDYs, then for the *boss* LBJ and the hugging/fractured-Spanish-words Shrub who had mariachis at the White House and said of the WH, "Mi casa, su casa."

Frankly, the CASTRO brothers are more in the Tim KAINE tier of charisma. A laundry list of good marks on issues is fine, but street smarts and carnival barking is what puts it over the top.

[LeftInTX]

9. Believe it or not in a recent survey Texans are more satisfied with Cruz than they are with Cornyn

I've dealt with Cruz's office and they are extremely rude and condescending. They accused a visitor of being an "out of state agitator" and all she did was stop in to Cruz's local office by herself. She was very polite. When I visited his office, the staffer didn't bother to take a single note. The staffer told me that they are very busy with numerous visitors. (Yet, the visitor logs showed only 4 names in 3 days) I have emailed Cruz numerous times and have never received a reply. Basically, I did not feel respected by Cruz's staff.

I received more respect at Lamar Smith's office than at Cruz's and I don't even live in Lamar Smith's district!

I haven't utilized Cruz for any constituent services, but who knows maybe he is "top-notch" and that is why he is popular.

On the other hand I utilized Cornyn's constituent services in 2005 and they were excellent. (I think I might have previously dealt with Cornyn when he was AG of Texas or something like that) When I started emailing Cornyn at the beginning of Drump's presidency, his staff did take the time to respond. When I visited his office twice after Drump became president, his staff was polite and took notes. I other words, I felt I was respected as a human being.

I dunno, maybe Texans prefer rude and condescending. This is a state that favored Cruz and Patrick over vanilla bland, David Dewhurst.

[UTUSN]

10. Unfortunately, it's all believable