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Saving vulnerable House Republicans - McCaul in TX-10

Submitted by Freedoms Truth on Wed, 10/29/2008 - 13:04

TX-10, should be a GOP carve out, like a +10 or more generic seat, but Rep Michael McCaul is in a tight race right now. McCaul never had a serious general election race in either 2004 or 2006, it wasnt even worth the effort for the Dems.  This year, its a DNCC targetted race. The Dem trial lawyer opponent Larry Joe Doherty has gotten big bucks and is making a real race out of it.  Multiple signs of this: The liberal Statesman endorsed Doherty, while they endorsed the GOP candidates that are 'sure winners'....and early voting is looking better for Ds than Rs in Harris and Travis. A Democrat poll had it within 2 pts (!!).

I spoke with a Larry Joe supporter/volunteer and he claimed Doherty WILL NOT VOTE FOR PELOSI FOR SPEAKER. He PO'd the DNCC folks and hung up on them. Dont know if it is true, but this is classic blue-dog, wear-a-cowboy-hat stuffto get conservative independents to vote for you - works in a cycle where the GOP brand is still "Bush". I dont buy it for a second, they all end up being poodles for Pelosi, but we need a response that will save McCaul. The Democrats call him "Bush" and run hard on TurnTexasBlue and driving up the Obama vote.

McCaul has been good on the energy issue, part of the drill-now contingent, good on national security issues - helped rescue kids in a Pakistan madrassas, and voted 'no' on the bailout with good reason. McCaul is running on energy. McCaul is doing the GOTV phone-banks, and other stuff of course. I dont think its enough.

Somehow the connection between these blue-dog running Dems and Obama's left-liberal socialistic ideas has to be made. A "Stop Obama's Socialism - Defeat All Democrats" meme came to mind to me. I dont believe Obama is as popular as the polls suggest, and I DO believe that we can and we MUST RUN AGAINST THE DEMOCRAT CONGRESS AS THE STATUS QUO CONGRESS.

But a question for the brainiacs here: What can McCaul do to ensure victory?  I'll be going to a  McCaul reception in 5 hours and can relate any ideas. This is about saving a seat that might go down. WHAT ADVICE DO YOU GIVE?  (And please no post-mortem, defeatism or non-actionable reactions. Put on the 72-hour countdown hat and go to town.)

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Here is one idea.

Submitted by NextRightNando on Wed, 10/29/2008 - 13:30.

Come up with a positive message.

This will suprise you, but the great mass of swing voters know that Nancy Pelosi is the Speaker of the House but don't know why she is supposed to be such a boogeyman. And a lot of the contempt hurled in her direction by male commentators turns off a lot of women, who suspect she is being attacked becasue she is a woman who made her way to the top.

So, you can either work up a long explanation of why she is bad and what McCaul will do to thwart her, OR you could come up with a snappier explanation of positive reasons to vote for him.

 

McCaul's message is positive

Submitted by Freedoms Truth on Wed, 10/29/2008 - 13:41.

McCaul's message is centered on

- Energy / domestic drilling etc.

- National security

- Financial security

He is NOT going after the Democrat majority in Congress. He IS critiquing the bailout, opposes the 'drill-nothing' policies of the Democrats and the plans for higher taxes, etc.

I am the one thinking Pelosi and/or Democrats in Congress should be hammered. I just think it is a great irony that GOP incumbents are hurting in an anti-incumbent wave and it is the DEMOCRATS who are the majority. Part of the reason is obvious: There are a lot of people who dont even know the Democrats are the majority. They've been snowed so much by Obama's phony 'change' message that they dont know Dems are in charge in Congress. For Congress, the "status quo" is ... bailouts without end, more wasteful spending, etc. Is that what people really want?