I have long thought that Congressman Beto O'Rourke would be a great statewide candidate.
But I am starting to have my doubts.
Will Beto make for a great Senator? Yes.
But is he running as though he wants to be a great Senator? No.
First of all, why doesn't Beto come out and say, "I am running for Senate."
He is leaving no one in suspense by saying, "Well, I am really really really like interested."
It is kind of too late for to say, "Nah, phuck it. Ain't gonna do it." Not only would he be a cooch for doing that, but then he would never ever hear the end of it from County Judge Veronica Escobar.
Don't tell me there is some secret strategy at play here.
Beto's work is cut out for him.
Which speaking of work, he is not making it any easier on himself.
All these recent unforced errors back at home, whether with the Chief Greg Allen or Transgendered-on-ICE, can come back to haunt him.
Then there is the fact Beto is making the rounds in Austin and the Rio Grande Valley.
Why? I do not know.
We all know voter turnout is lower in mid-term elections.
I know some are hoping President Donald Trump will increase "Resistance" turn out. But as they say about hope in one hand...
Look, if Beto wants to win, he will need to win over Republicans, not Democrats. If Beto wants to really to show people he is serious, he would be visiting Plano, Lubbock or Tyler.
But there might be a reason why Beto has to visit traditional Democratic strongholds.
Because ultimately the race would come down to a Hispanic dude vs a white guy. As fate would have it, the Hispanic dude is a right-wing Republican.
Latino Democratic leaders will not say it, but they would like to see Beto crash-and-burn. They would rather see one of their "own", in this case, one of the Castro twins, run and win statewide before some gringo from El Paso does.
Of course this would not be the first time, nor the last time, Democrats have phucked one of their own over.
"But, but, but Trump!"
Beto really cannot sell himself as anti-Trump given that his would-be opponent was, well, running against Trump.
So what does Beto need to do?
He needs to run as the businessman that he once was, not that Democratic backbencher that he is.
He needs to stop preaching to the choir in Austin or along the border instead...
Beto needs to go to Plano to talk about H-1B visas.
Beto needs to go to the Panhandle to talk agricultural exports.
Beto needs to go to East Texas to talk lumber exports.
Oh, and stop hanging out with Vero.