National Democrats Relieved After Fletcher Tops Moser in Houston Race

[TexasTowelie]

Caucus-backed candidate will face anti-LGBTQ Republican John Culberson in November.


AUSTIN — National Democrats breathed a sigh of relief after a liberal outsider lost her runoff in a high stakes U.S. House race for one of three Republican-held seats they hope to flip this November in the deep red state.

One of the most-watched races of the primary runoffs on Tuesday, May 22 saw liberal activist Laura Moser defeated by Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, a former Planned Parenthood board member. The result was cheered by the party establishment, who saw Moser as an unelectable drag on their chances of retaking the House.

Democrats also nominated a candidate for governor who breaks barriers but is expected to struggle to gain traction against Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in November. Lupe Valdez is the first openly gay and first Latina gubernatorial candidate in Texas. But she’s faltered on the campaign trail with basic policy issues while failing to win the endorsement of some Hispanic activists because of her past cooperation with federal immigration agents while serving as Dallas County sheriff.

Both outcomes soothed party nerves in a slate of runoffs Tuesday night that otherwise unfolded with little fanfare in Texas, which remained shaken by a high school shooting that killed 10 people just as early voting ended last week.

Read more: http://www.outsmartmagazine.com/2018/05/establishment-democrats-relieved-after-fletcher-tops-moser-in-houston/