Does Obama have any hope of winning Texas?
The president's campaign may make a "serious play" for the nation's biggest red state in 2012 — but is Texas ready to be messed with?
President Obama's 2012 re-election campaign manager, Jim Messina, said his team is considering making a "serious play" for Texas and its 38 electoral votes next year. In 2008, Obama lost the state to John McCain by 12 percentage points, and no Dem has held a major statewide office in years. But some Democratic strategists see Texas' booming, restless Latino population as a sign that this imposingly red state could one day turn blue. Is Obama really going to commit the $15 million to $25 million needed for a serious bid in Texas — and would he even stand a chance?
It depends which Republican he's facing: Obama has an uphill battle to beat a generic Republican in Texas, says Glenn Thrush at Politico. "But that disadvantage is reduced considerably if the GOP nominee happens to be one Mitt Romney." Romney may be the GOP frontrunner, but Texas Republicans aren't enthusiastic about the former blue-state governor with hefty health care baggage. And the state's Baptists and Catholics may not love Romney's Mormonism.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Obama will never win Texas: This is just a pipe dream, says Bryan Preston in Pajamas Media. "Obama can spend a mint in the Lone Star state next year, and he probably will," but it won't buy him victory. Texans are overwhelmingly libertarian-conservative, and we don't like the Democrats' agenda any more than we like Obama. And as for banking on the Latino vote, forget it. "Texas Hispanics skew more conservative than white Texans."
"Will Obama make a play... or is he just messing with Texas?"
Fighting for Texas could help Obama bag other swing states: "Obama has little chance of winning Texas in 2012," says Tom Curry at MSNBC, but making a big play for the state could pay dividends with "a much wider audience of Latinos" in states like Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and Virginia. There's a "trove of millions of eligible but unregistered Latinos" that watch Spanish-language news. If they're convinced Obama is serious about them, he might just tip the balance in a few Latino-heavy swing states.
"Obama visits Texas, but eyes larger Latino vote outside state"
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Republicans want to silence Israel's opponents'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Poland, Germany nab alleged anti-Ukraine spies
Speed Read A man was arrested over a supposed Russian plot to kill Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 19, 2024
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - priority delivery, USPS on fire, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published