Poll: GOP Senator (Cornyn!) Barely Edging Challenger -- In Texas

[babylonsister]

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/05/gop_senator_barely_edging_chal.php

Poll: GOP Senator Barely Edging Challenger -- In Texas
By Eric Kleefeld - May 5, 2008, 8:28AM


In a sign that the Senate Republicans could be in danger in even states usually deemed safe for them, a new Rasmussen poll of Texas finds that Sen. John Cornyn (R) could very well have a race on his hands against Democrat Rick Noriega, a state Representative and Iraq War veteran:

Cornyn (R) 47%
Noriega (D) 43%

Sample size: 500 likely voters.
Margin of error: ±4%

Noriega will have his work cut out for him, though -- the latest FEC reports show Noriega with only about $300,000 cash on hand, compared to the incumbent's $8.6 million cash on hand.

[Lasher]

1. This looks like a good one for the DCCC to get behind bigtime.

I wonder what the chances are to regain control of the Texas state legislature? It sure would be fun to see the Tom DeLay gerrymander reversed.

[Warpy]

5. You'd think so

but the DCCC is still infested with DLC types who would prefer to pour resources into safe areas.

Dr. Dean has done some good work in the party, but he's got a long way to go before the party as a whole will start recognizing that toppling these old GOP dinosaurs is vitally important to the party and to the country.

That someone running a shoestring campaign has gotten within striking distance of Cornyn (R-dumb as a stump) is a sign that this is one race that the party should get involved in.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

15. The head of the DCCC

is my congressman, Chris Van Hollen, and he is anything but DLC.

[Warpy]

16. Good, but their presence is still strongly felt

in that particular body. They're hanging onto power with everything they've got.

I'm hoping the miserable fight Clinton has had to put up when she should have been able to get the nod on star quality alone will be the final nail in the DLC coffin.

[But....]

2. This is a man,

who needs a hand.:patriot:

[last_texas_dem]

3. Good news

Hopefully the fact that this race is this close this early on despite Cornyn's substantially better-known name will draw attention to the race and Noriega and help him to start closing that large gap in campaign funds between the two.

Cornyn is just not that popular; I think the primary reason he was able to get in in the first place is that he promised to be a Bush lackey- in the '02 race, when people promising to be Bush lackeys were fairly popular, particularly in Texas. Haven't seen his approval rating lately, but not too long ago it was hovering at something like 39-percent. I can't think of anything in particular he's accomplished, and the dude certainly doesn't have charisma working for him. Being below 50-percent in head-to-heads is bad news for an incumbent; here's hoping he only goes down from here.

[babylonsister]

4. I would be so delighted if Cornyn would lose! Noriega does need

help, and I know Russ Feingold is trying to do just that with his Progressive Patriot endorsement:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=180&topic_id=50912

[KharmaTrain]

6. An Incumbent Under 50% This Close To An Election IS Vulnerable

Truth be known...and no offense to Long Horn DU'ers, but I have little faith or confidence in much coming out of Texas this year...sspecially getting rid of this boooosh-licker. But then, I like to be surprised!

[ellenfl]

7. looks like this florida girl needs to make another

small donation to mr. noriega's campaign. if everyone here made a small donation, think of the impact! i would love to see cornyn go . . . just as i was happy when macaca and santorum were sacked by their employers (that's the electorate, in case anyone has forgotten).

ellen fl

[Bluenorthwest]

8. Thanks for this thread

Yes, there is a world of non Presidential Democratic politics out there and just before I clicked on this thread I was posting something complaining about the lack of discussion about anything but the two Pres candidates. So thanks...let's elect lots of Democrats to the Congress too!
I'm in Oregon and GOP Senator Gordon Smith will hopefully be replaced by a good Democrat in November, we have more than one good candidate in the Primary and I am hopeful. About 10,000 newly registered Democrats here too, thanks to the long Primary season. I got my ballot on Saturday, we vote by mail here, the whole state. 'My' Pres candidates are long gone from the contest, but 'our' candidates will do very well, and 'yours', if I may be so bold, is going to win here, by a good margin I think. Maybe a huge margin. I offer that info as way of saying again, thanks for remembering the rest of the work we all have to do until November. I will promote Noriega to my Texas friends and family, although none of them would vote Cornyn anyway!

Peace and here's to a Democratic, across the board landslide in 2008.

[AspenRose]

9. YES

I loathe Cornyn x(

[PDittie]

10. Can you help us get rid of Senator Box Turtle?

As TPM notes, all Noriega needs now is a few shekels that you can spare:

http://www.actblue.com/page/ricknoriega?refcode=actionbox

http://www.ricknoriega.com/

[babylonsister]

11. Pretty exciting, isn't it. I may have to give the man a few shekels! nt

[annabanana]

20. Thanks for the link (threw him a bit). . . n/t

[PDittie]

22. Thanks, anna!

One less Bush lapdog in the Senate would be a good thing. That a man as distinguished as Rick Noriega would be his replacement would be incredible.

[Stop Cornyn]

12. I feel confident that we can win this race (especially if the top of the ticket campaigns in Texas)

However, we are in grave danger of being catastrophically outspent in the Texas Senate race. The main obstacle that stands between us and a Democratic Senator from Texas is the campaign finance gap. Please help out Rick Noriega's campaign: http://www.actblue.com/page/ricknoriega?refcode=actionbox

[w8liftinglady]

13. Yes!!!guess who is on Noriega's side?Progressive patriots..they will back him

http://www.progressivepatriotsfund.com/

[IronLionZion]

14. Yes We Can!

This is so cool. It looks like Big Blue is going to sweep this year.

Check out Rick's page. He can certainly use any financial/grassroots support.
http://www.ricknoriega.com/issues/

[DFW]

17. NORIEGA for TEXAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

18. I truly believe that we'll win more congressional races, IF...

...and ONLY IF Obama wins the nomination. His coattails have been most helpful in Hastert's old district where he campaigned for the new Democratic cogressman. And the despicable Wilie Horton ad they put up against the Dem candidate in LA-6 didn't work! Let's see if it works in NC. Hillary Clinton doesn't have coattails on which the Dems can run and win. I do believe that the superdelegates are considering this fact, plus his grassroots organizational prowess and fundraising ability makes him a very viable *presidential* candidate. That's why the 24/7 negative coverage of Rev. Wright. If Obama were not a threat, then S$M would have moved on by now...

[DFW]

21. I'm not so sure. Like Tip O'Neill said, all politics is local

I think Noriega's chances in Texas are about the same, no matter who
the nominee is. The TX primary was pretty much split, and I think support
for Noriega will depend more on local factors than national ones. The Rove
gang will try like hell to disqualify voters in heavily Hispanic districts
while beefing them up in the Bible belt. They know exactly where to go, too.
They gerrymandered my 26-year veteran representative, Martin Frost, out of
a job by redrawing his district to combine our sliver of Dallas with a large
swath of rural Bible Belters outside of town, and Martin didn't have a chance.
Now we're stuck with the current idiot, Pete Sessions, a total embarrassment
to Dallas. But Ron Kirk put up a credible fight last time, and Noriega, with
his obvious ethnic background, will appeal to our Hispanic population in a way
that Ron Kirk never could. Plus, DeLay is not in a position of power any more,
at least not visibly. His name no longer lends weight to a statewide Texas
election.

Coattails will probably matter in some Congressional races this year, but I think
that our particular Senate race isn't one of them.

[annabanana]

19. That would be TOO delicious. .. . .n/t

[Perry Logan]

23. The whole game is rigged in their favor. But they still can't win.