At an open-air event space beside a craft brewery in east Fort Worth, a hip indie-rock guitarist introduces the leading Democratic candidate for Texas governor. The Dems flipped two U.S. House seats, 12 state House seats, 2 state Senate seats, and locked in control of Harris County. These efforts bore no fruit: The Dems flipped zero state House seats, the Senate candidate was drubbed, and Biden lost ground in crucial South Texas. Somewhere along the way in 2018, O’Rourke’s run broke the mold: Even cynical observers couldn’t predict the plot, foresee the final act, anticipate the lines. The supporters section band for the city’s soccer team, a brass and drum outfit, hypes the crowd with upbeat tunes and lyrics that go roughly: “Beto, Beto, Betooooo, Beto, Beto.”Around the block, someone drives a truck with a bright-red Abbott ad on the side.

Source: Washington Post January 06, 2022 18:47 UTC