Primary Wrap-ups & Match-ups
UPDATE: Fort Bend Now has a good article on the runoff match-ups here.
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Well, well, well... another primary has come and gone but not without some fireworks of the shot heard 'round the state. Here's my quick two-cents take on some of the races I care about...
State Senate District 7
From Channel 11 pariah to businessman to radio station owner/operator and talk show host, Dan Patrick proved that when a dynamic personality is combined with a passion for the primary voters' hot-button issues, it creates a steamrolling-juggernaut that eats experienced and seasoned politicos in its wake. And while his ownership of the bully pulpit called KSEV had an influence in this race, the results showed something else at work here: the wrath of the frustrated GOP primary voter. With Dem opposition in November only a formality, it's nice to welcome State Senator-elect Dan Patrick to the political stage.
State Senate District 18
With his transparent bid to model his campaign after Congressman Ron Paul, (right down to the campaign slogan and the 2-3 year-old picture with Dr. Paul) Gary Gates spent the better part of the last two years campaigning for this seat -- and was up against his two-time political nemesis, State Rep. Glenn Hegar. He ran an exceptionally clean race up until the very last day when, it seems to me, he got a bit desperate and needed to go negative on Hegar. It was to be expected, though, as various other organizations of dubious conservative bent tried to smear Gates.
In the end, though, this over-achiever with a slight inferiority/persecution complex just didn't resonate with voters. What is interesting is that Gates' numerous lawsuits was not made more of an issue in this campaign. I think it was wise to keep it out, but I'm sure it was considered.
Split David Stall's votes 50/50, and this was a 60-40 victory for Glenn Hegar. Gates campaigned two years and Hegar campaigned a little over two months. The resounding defeat should send a message to the Gates campaign (like, uh, stop running) but I doubt his ego has ears.
State Representative District 28
Too many men with too much money to spend and without an outlet to validate themselves, this race quickly became the land of opportunists and opportunity when State Senator Ken Armbrister decided not to run for reelection and State Rep. Glenn Hegar vacated his seat to run for Armbrister's.
With the exception of party activist and SREC member Michael Franks, and the recent Commissioner's race election with Mike Baldwin, this was a field filled with men who were neither active in the party nor familiar with the primary voting booth.
Nevertheless, the results in this race showed it was all about the money... the hit pieces on Showalter clearly kept him out of the runoff, Michael Franks couldn't fill our mailboxes, and Randy Smith withdrew from the race. The top vote getters? Dr. Zerwas with his dozens of glossy, full-color mailers, and the Jim Adler of politics, David Melanson.
It shows all you need to do is blanket peoples homes with pandering palatitudes and you can get elected. Lack of Republican party activism and loyalty can effectively be overcome with slick marketing.
The run-off should be a doozy. An umpire shouldn't call the game before it's played, but this one is Zerwas' to lose.
-------------------------------------------
Well, well, well... another primary has come and gone but not without some fireworks of the shot heard 'round the state. Here's my quick two-cents take on some of the races I care about...
State Senate District 7
From Channel 11 pariah to businessman to radio station owner/operator and talk show host, Dan Patrick proved that when a dynamic personality is combined with a passion for the primary voters' hot-button issues, it creates a steamrolling-juggernaut that eats experienced and seasoned politicos in its wake. And while his ownership of the bully pulpit called KSEV had an influence in this race, the results showed something else at work here: the wrath of the frustrated GOP primary voter. With Dem opposition in November only a formality, it's nice to welcome State Senator-elect Dan Patrick to the political stage.
State Senate District 18
With his transparent bid to model his campaign after Congressman Ron Paul, (right down to the campaign slogan and the 2-3 year-old picture with Dr. Paul) Gary Gates spent the better part of the last two years campaigning for this seat -- and was up against his two-time political nemesis, State Rep. Glenn Hegar. He ran an exceptionally clean race up until the very last day when, it seems to me, he got a bit desperate and needed to go negative on Hegar. It was to be expected, though, as various other organizations of dubious conservative bent tried to smear Gates.
In the end, though, this over-achiever with a slight inferiority/persecution complex just didn't resonate with voters. What is interesting is that Gates' numerous lawsuits was not made more of an issue in this campaign. I think it was wise to keep it out, but I'm sure it was considered.
Split David Stall's votes 50/50, and this was a 60-40 victory for Glenn Hegar. Gates campaigned two years and Hegar campaigned a little over two months. The resounding defeat should send a message to the Gates campaign (like, uh, stop running) but I doubt his ego has ears.
State Representative District 28
Too many men with too much money to spend and without an outlet to validate themselves, this race quickly became the land of opportunists and opportunity when State Senator Ken Armbrister decided not to run for reelection and State Rep. Glenn Hegar vacated his seat to run for Armbrister's.
With the exception of party activist and SREC member Michael Franks, and the recent Commissioner's race election with Mike Baldwin, this was a field filled with men who were neither active in the party nor familiar with the primary voting booth.
Nevertheless, the results in this race showed it was all about the money... the hit pieces on Showalter clearly kept him out of the runoff, Michael Franks couldn't fill our mailboxes, and Randy Smith withdrew from the race. The top vote getters? Dr. Zerwas with his dozens of glossy, full-color mailers, and the Jim Adler of politics, David Melanson.
It shows all you need to do is blanket peoples homes with pandering palatitudes and you can get elected. Lack of Republican party activism and loyalty can effectively be overcome with slick marketing.
The run-off should be a doozy. An umpire shouldn't call the game before it's played, but this one is Zerwas' to lose.
posted by The Umpire at 8:00 AM
2 Comments:
Umpire,
What do you mean Melanson is the "Jim Adler" of politics?
Thanks
His ads, with their glaring colors, huge fonts, and cheesy political pick-up lines, inevitably remind me of ambulance-chasing pitch-man Jim Adler (aka, "The Texas Hammer" and "The Tough, Smart Lawyer".)
I see David Melanson's mailers and his picture and I can hear him asking, "Have you been injured in a car crash?!"
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