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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 30 January 2020

Democrats’ early 2020 blitz

to strike in Texas flops

By PAUL J. WEBER putting $1 million on the County come November.
Associated Press ground. Still, a Republican And Democrats, who need
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — If Tex- real estate developer who to flip nine legislative seats
as is going to be competi- had lost seven previous to claim a majority in the
tive in 2020, the first race tries for office cruised to a Texas House for the fist time
wasn’t. double-digit victory. since 2001, have more fa-
Democrats went all-in on It was a high-profile defeat vorable targets than state
a legislative runoff in the for Democrats who super- House District 28.
In this January 11, 2020 photo Beto O’Rourke, a former booming Houston suburbs, charged a sleepy state- But before Tuesday’s blow-
presidential candidate, senate candidate and congressman drumming up endorse- house special election in a out, Democrats said there
gives a pep talk to campaign volunteers canvassing for Eliz ments from Joe Biden bid to make an early 2020 was reason to believe. Pres-
Markowitz in Katy, Texas. and Elizabeth Warren and strike on the GOP’s biggest ident Donald Trump carried
Associated Press turf. On Wednesday, Re- the district by 10 points in
publicans called it a lesson. 2016, but two years later,
“They made a big mistake Beto O’Rourke got within 3
by nationalizing,” said Re- points in his failed U.S. Sen-
publican strategist Karl ate run. In the final stretch,
Rove, the former adviser to the race drew support from
President George W. Bush. Biden, who said it could
In final unofficial results, “set the tone for the entire
Republican Gary Gates general election in 2020.”
polled 58% of the vote to “That really isn’t going to
42% for Democrat Eliz Mar- change,” said Ross Morales
kowitz. Rocketto, co-founder of
But despite the unusual at- Run for Something, which
tention on the race, the recruits Democratic can-
outcome is no surefire pre- didates nationwide. “But
dictor of what’s in store for I think one thing a lot of
Texas. Turnout for the race Democratic and progres-
was more than 30,000 — far sive donors need to really
better than typical state- think hard about is what is
house runoffs in Texas but going to be required to in-
still a fraction of how many vest in the state of Texas, in
are expected to vote in order for us to get the out-
fast-growing Fort Bend comes that we want?”q