Ben Barnes: Opportunists for Hutchison
Save Texas Reps ? HUTCHISON ENLISTS BEN BARNES FOR HER RACE
Word out of the nation?s capital this weekend is that Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison has asked former Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes to head up a ?Democrats for Hutchison,? sparking renewed speculation that Texas? senior solon has made her decision to take on Rick Perry in what promises to be a bruising GOP primary.Barnes, a longtime Hutchison supporter, was at the center of last fall?s CBS controversy over reports that George W. Bush was AWOL from much of his National Guard duties in the early Seventies. For Hutchison to call on him now has raised eyebrows among her supporters who wonder whether aligning herself this closely to the Bush-bashing Barnes makes sense in a GOP primary.
Since we still don't know 100% which campaign Kay Bailey will be running for, let's offer up two takes on this, shall we:
KBH runs for Guv:
Good news, because it softens the target that Rick Perry has to throw punches at and that means we'd have the weaker of the two candidates as the Gubernatorial nominee and an open Senate race.
I'm not sold anymore on KBH winning whatever race she gets in. Perry has done a decent job of shoring up the base of donors and opinion leaders. If KBH gets in, for her to win, she'll have to outhustle Perry on the ground. Not an impossibility, but it really narrows the game a little.
I think if this race is one-on-one, Perry vs Kay, Perry wins. I reserve the right to change that once the gloves are officially dropped, though. A multi-candidate field, I think, shifts the ods towards Kay. Either way, I see it being fairly close odds as to which one comes out on top.
KBH Runs for Senate:
With or without Barnes, a decision to stay in DC will send some of the better candidates back into hiding and likely mean the lone announced candidate, Barbara Radnofsky, has a clear shot at the nomination. It'll be a true Daisy vs Goliathette battle, but wait and see what happens on our side before any grander predictions are made.
Regardless of where Kay runs ... Ben, you're done here. Like every other ancient Democrat that can't stand being outside the halls of power, it's a new day and some of us are fighting to create an even newer day.
I agree that Perry has done a good job of shoring up his base of support, I disagree that a multi-candidate field in the GOP primary goes KBH's way. I think a lot of her support comes from Republicans who don't like Perry; if Strayhorn were to get in it, I think support would split between her and Strayhorn with the establishment on Perry's side. In a one-on-one with Perry, I still give Perry the edge, but only just slightly.
I definitely agree that Barnes is pretty much finished. I can't see any reason anyone is going to associate with him anymore. He has kind of inspired me to start my own group, though: Democrats for Democrats. It's a group of Democrats who try really hard to get Democrats elected to public office. Oh, wait a minute...
Well I'm not surprised. Ben Barnes, Bob Bullock, and other relics of the past have always compromised the Democratic Party with their versions of bypartisanship. But the Dems will always open the door for them when they come back to "support" our candidates. The bottom line, the Democratic Party needs to write them off.
Stace crossed the line ...
Ben Barnes (who led the successful Senate fight to bust Bob Bullock's appointment to the State Board of Insurance) should NEVER be mentioned in the same sentence with Mr. Bullock.
Bob Bullock loved Texas. Ben Barnes loves Ben Barnes.
Let me tell you about the Bob Bullock I remember. He was an anti-Mexican SOB that fought to stop a Mexican American third party--La Raza Unida--from gaining ballot status back in the 70s.
La Raza Unida was made up of Democrats that were fed up with the way the Party treated them. Chicanos were seldom in policy-making positions in the Party, and those that were "acceptable" served as YES men to their holders. When a majority of Mexican Americans rose up and formed a party, the Democrats were challenged and almost lost to the Repugs in '72, and ended up learning their lesson.
Only then did Bullock and the Democrats welcome Latinos in. So, sure. Bullock may have loved Texas, as long as Mexicans didn't have a say in anything or challenged him.
Cross the line? I think not. And much like I won't forgive Ben Barnes for waffling between Parties, I will not forget Bullock's support for Dumbya! Cut out of the same cloth!
Howdy,
I am definitely not one that favors the principle of the end justifying the means, but I am glad that Hispanics were kept in the Democratic fold. I hope we continue to do so in more honorable manner than Bob Bullock.
From my Gringo perspective, Bob's worst offense was endorsing "Dumbya" over Garry Mauro the father of Bob's goddaughter. This was unforgiveable! Even as I Christian, am I expected to forgive the dead?
Stace, I liked your use of "Repug". It's a term I like use. You are the first I've seen use it other than myself.
Keep the Faith,
Ted Waterston
The Real Texas W
I was wondering if anyone knows how to actually contact Ben Barnes. I did printing for his 1st campaigns back in the 60s and would like to touch base with him again.
Larry