Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Another Election Wrangle


Tuesday is the busiest election day of the year so far, as five states -- Idaho, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon and Pennsylvania -- hold their 2022 primaries. And for the GOP, it will be another test of whether to move on from former President Donald Trump. Coming off Nebraska last week -- his first loss of the year -- Trump has endorsed candidates in seven major primaries on Tuesday, which should give us a clearer answer as to his power in the party. And even in races where Trump has no skin in the game, Republicans are considering nominating someone in his incendiary, illiberal mold -- which could make it harder for the GOP to pick up seats in November.

Then there's us.

Early voting for the May 24 runoff election (began yesterday) and runs through Friday.

State candidates’ runoff campaign finance reports are due tomorrow and likely will become available online Tuesday. These reports disclose contributions received and expenditures made between February 10 and May 14.

Gov. Greg Abbott leads Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke 46%-39% according to a new Dallas Morning News/UT-Tyler poll.

Abbott leads among White voters 58%-30%, and among men 52%-34% (not printed but calculated from other population results). O’Rourke leads among Black voters 59%-16%; Hispanic/Latino voters 46%-36%; and women 44%-40%. Abbott leads O’Rourke among independents, 38%-31% (calculated from other population results, although the crosstabs indicate his lead among independents is 16%-6%, almost certainly a misprint).

Turning to the May 24 runoffs, Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton leads Land Comm. George P. Bush 41%-35% with a quarter of primary voters undecided. Paxton’s lead is larger among “certain” voters, 46%-31%.

More on the poll from Bob Garrett of the DMN...


... and HK at QR.


And more on the intraparty infighting.


ICYMI:


And some grist for the mill.


If it wasn't clear before, El Patron really doesn't like Col. Kim.  This isn't the party unity winning election cycles are made of.

Not talking about Texas Democrats any more today.  This weekend in Houston you have an opportunity to meet Delilah Barrios, the Green running for Texas governor (the one Kuffner can't name in the DMN poll with the fucked-up numbers... which "ain't bad" for Beto LOL).


We made it through the weekend without any rolling blackouts due to electricity shortages, but it wasn't because we raised our indoor temps, if the comments here are to be believed.


Governor Helen Wheels' luck is holding.  Or maybe it's his messaging.


It helps when your base is stuck on stupid.


And I think I'll dispense with blogging about Texas Republicans for the day after this last bit from our greater senatorial evil.


Let me open the social justice news with a couple of environmental justice items.


And close with the calm-me-downs.