DNC chair tries to save Bill White's campaign... awkwardly...

Tim Kaine is lashing out at Rick and talking about the importance of Texas (link). Excerpt follows...

DNC Chair Tim Kaine blasts Rick Perry, says Texas 'really important to us'

With Democrat Bill White trying to overcome Texas Gov. Rick Perry's lead and two Texas Democratic congressmen fighting for their political lives in the Nov. 2 midterm election, Democratic National Committee Chair Tim Kaine says Texas remains "really important to us."

"We view Texas as a growth stock," Kaine said in a telephone interview. "It's a huge and important state — and there's no reason Texas should settle for Rick Perry."

AP photo DNC Chair Tim Kaine

Kaine made two stops in Texas in recent days in an attempt to fire up the Democratic base. He spoke at a Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner in Houston, joined Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, in a meeting with African American ministers, and held campaign events in El Paso, including a Spanish-language press conference.

In the interview, he acknowledged that Democrats have "more work to do" before becoming the state's majority party, but he said White, a former Houston mayor, has an opportunity to unseat the longtime Republican incumbent.

"Rick Perry has been governor for 9 1/2 years and what does Texas have to show for it?" Kaine asked. "Education test scores are down and more Texans are uninsured. He's entitled to low standards but the people of Texas deserve better."

Kaine said he sensed "great enthusiasm" among grassroots party workers in Texas.

"They really understand that these midterm elections are important to Texas," he said.

Of course Texas is important. It is picking up 4 new Electoral votes in 2012. Also taking away 4 House seats from liberal states... and of course Texas demographics are changing... it may only be a matter of time before the state is split 50/50... then again as long as Republicans don't get entirely clobbered by Hispanics and continue winning whites by crazy high margins Republicans can find a way to

Ultimately as long as Republicans are in charge of Texas and as long as Texas is out performing the rest of the nation it will be difficult for Democrats to make the case for change... especially when Texas Republicans can point to national Democrats and tie those big liberals like Pelosi and Obama to local Democrats here... Chet Edwards is about to lose because he was almost Obama's VP, as recommended by Pelosi...

If Republicans can successfully redistrict the state in 2011, they could easily control the state for another decade or much longer... and if things keep going well in Texas and Republicans don't do anything really stupid then it could help counter act the suburban moderates moving here from blue states and cities around the country and the Hispanics which are becoming the plurality of the electorate in the next decade... heck Republicans could even win some of those peeps over if they play their cards right...

Finally, to answer Tim Kaine's question of what Texas has to show for Rick's tenure as governor... umm... have you not seen this...



Jobs... Tim Kaine... jobs... that is what Texas has to show for Rick's term as governor...