Time now for reporters roundtable to
put the headlines in perspective.
Ross is back with us from
the Texas Tribune in Austin,
but Kennedy from the Fort Worth
Star Telegram joins us each week,
as does bernadean Steptoe,
the political producer at WFAA in Dallas
were also start with you and Beto O'Rourke.
He is in Dallas a little
later this afternoon,
wrapping up his rollout tour
all across the state.
He told us earlier in the program seems
to be softening his stance on guns,
saying we need to protect the Second
Amendment and also protect innocent lives.
Is that going to play well with those?
Texas independent voters.
I don't think he's going to get
out of the comments he made during
the presidential race about coming
to take away your assault rifles.
Greg Abbott's already
been advertising with it.
I don't think if Beto might
want voters to forget about it,
but the Republicans don't want
voters to forget about it.
I think we're going to keep hearing that
I think they'll keep hammering
at home to your right, but the
significance of Beto's campaign
this this time around? What is
it? Well, yeah, I did battle has a
much different test this time around.
He's trying to lift up all the Democrats
and try to get some of them in a
position to win up and down the ballot.
I you know, it's a long shot to
say he might have a chance to win,
but you know, on guns.
There's this great tradition in
Texas that the Democratic candidate
goes out and hunts dove on the
first day of Dove season.
If Beto is going to convince
anybody that he can hunt,
he's going to need to stay
out more than one day.
I I didn't really that
must be an old tradition,
but I I haven't followed that as much.
Burdine along those same lines is
the Rio Grande Valley in play it
all next year with the with the RNC
making those investments down there.
How competitive is it going
to be in the governor's race?
I think every area in
Texas will be competitive,
especially down there because you
have seen Republicans where they
have made strides in those areas,
but I think that every area and
I don't think the Democrats will
say that is not competitive.
And I think the Republicans will
continue to say that it's competitive.
But I think that every area in
Texas will be competitive next
year. But I want to ask you about
candidate filing underway as well to
some interesting names are popping up.
Michelle Beckley and Jay Kleberg are both
in the running for statewide offices here.
Any other name surprise you on this?
Well, you know in Kleberg will have
some money South Texas ranching family,
but that's pretty deep down the bell.
And I I don't know how many people
will will switch over from the
Republic of the Democratic side
in the middle of the ticket.
Just 'cause they like.
Somebody who's running for land Commissioner
I I think what's surprising that we
don't have as many democratic names yet.
We don't know the the ticket isn't full
and Democrats slower to fill out the race.
It's going to be an uphill slog.
It sounds that way.
Ross where my Vietnam pill
slug for Texas Democrats.
They look pretty thin right now. What is?
What do you think we should expect?
Now that Beto is on the ticket,
is he going to help fill out
the ballot down ballot? Well,
we've got a couple more
ways for people to sign up.
They might feel better knowing that
there's going to be 100 million or
$150 million race up at the top of the
ticket to draw voters to the polls.
They've seen some other people get in,
but the Democrats don't seem
to be the candidate.
Democrats don't seem to be as
enthusiastic this time so far
and Bernadine. Why do you think that is?
Because I think that they didn't see a path
to victory before Beto joined the race.
I think that you're going to see
more people getting in, but it is.
It's not surprising in the
sense that you don't you don't.
They've never had a top
ticket candidate until now,
and I think that now that you have someone
who can raise money and help the down ticket,
you're going to see more people
getting in and they should.
They should if they wanted
to be a competitive race.
Jason, they're going to have to
get their voters to the polls.
Yeah, the more the more candidates you have,
the more likely you are to to to excite
and get the voters to the polls.
But what do you think? Final word on this?
Do you think they'll get there?
Look, look what happened back in 2010.
It was the the Obama midterm know
Bill White spent $25 million in
Rick Perry still won by 13 points.
It's going to be a tough mathematical
challenge for the Democrats.
Yeah indeed. So it very well could be guys.
Thank you so much. We appreciate it.
Happy Thanksgiving to you guys.
Thanks for being with us this Sunday.