From Texas Public Radio:
In past elections, Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa remembers how hard it was to find candidates who wanted to run for office.
“In the old days, I’d be on the phone trying to get somebody to run for some rep slot and I usually got no’s from people,” says Hinojosa, who emphasized the upcoming 2020 election is a different story. “We’ll be having primaries and runoffs in almost every seat that we’re trying to flip right now in Texas legislature. The same thing is with congressional things.”
Hinojosa said this is a sign of the new enthusiasm that is cranking up the Democratic Party.
The chairman of the Texas Republican Party, James Dickey, acknowledges the enthusiasm but said he’s not worried. Nonetheless, he’s telling Texas Republicans to be on red alert.
“Because that’s the appropriate attitude I want people to have. I get asked frequently, is there a chance Texas could flip? And the answer of course is it could if Republicans take too much for granted, take voters for granted and don’t do the work necessary to spread our message and make our case,” he says.
Dickey says the “blue wave” of the 2018 midterm elections taught Texas Republicans a lesson. He’s raising more money than ever before and hiring more fulltime workers. Last election, the Texas GOP had eight full-timers. In 2020, they will have 150.
