Burnt Orange Report

People? Wha...? Honestly, Karl, feel free to join Chris on the road sometime and see the crowds he's speaking to. Real people, all.

And for the record, Chris isn't playing chicken. He is not basing his decision on what any other candidate might do. He is running for governor, or he's not running for anything.

REALITY CHECK.....

Chris Bell has been out there for MONTHS and he hasn't even raised half the amount of money that Kinky Friedman has - and Kinky isn't even on the ballot yet!

Hello? Anybody get it? You have to have cold hard cash, lots of it, to run a statewide race in Texas.

Chris Bell has never demonstrated he has the ability to do that. True he has run around playing to the yellow dog base, but the people who fund these races do not seem interested in his candidacy.

John Sharp could open his doors for business and raise $2-3 million. That would cinch the nomination and be the end of Chris Bell.

So wise up, while many admire Bell for getting out there, he doesn't have the goods to deliver and it will be 1998 all over again.

Aaron is right on the money, if you'll pardon the pun. Talking to 35 Democrats in a room somewhere (all of whom will vote for you anyway if your name is on the ballot) does not a statewide campaign make. Raising only $150,000 after campaigning fulltime for six months (most of it from his former congressional donors and nearly all of it paid right back out to his consultants) does not inspire serious givers to come aboard. Ending the six month period with only $10,000 in the bank (slightly more than half what Kinky Friedman has on hand) does not lift your candidacy out of the fringe.

John Sharp is the best performing Democratic statewide for the last 15 years, excluding Bullock, and ALWAYS wins Dallas County with upwards of 54% - and any successful statewide needs to take Dallas County. No way Chris Bell gets that kind of margin - and at this point it really is all about winning.

Sharp's law firm gave mightily to Texas' best known serial monagamist, Carole McClellan-Rylander-Strayhorn et. al., so it looks like he won't be running.

And at least John Sharp cares about the Rio Grande Valley?

Tom, I agree with your statement, but Sharp received only 47% against good hair in 1998, and 50.92 against Dewhurst. Given Dallas County's recent Democratic performance, he probably would get 54% against good hair in 06.

You Sharp guys are full of it. No one raises any serious money in an exploratory effort and as was pointed out on another blog this weekend, Bell has always raised a bunch of money for previous races.

You Sharp guys really ought to settle down. Bell has a much more compelling message than John Sharp ever thought about having and just throwing out baseless insults against the guy does nothing but further inspire his base.

Furthermore, this is exactly the kind of childish debate the Republicans want us to have. Your guy hasn't raised a penny. When they're both announced candidates, let's see who does what. Until then, this is meaningless noise.

John carries Dallas County/ John Sharp loses Dallas County. Who cares?

The fact is that Dallas County is essentially at parity between the two major parties. The problem is Tarrant, Denton, Collin Rockwall, Johnson, and Ellis Counties. Democrats get destroyed - yes destroyed - in each of these counties. It is a hole that makes it very tough to climb out of in a statewide race.

John Sharp at least has the ability to appeal to suburban Texas voters. Chris Bell does not with his shrill rhetoric and spotty electoral record.

Sharp has a long record of accomplishment in government. Bell is a one term Congressman who has lost races for State Representative, Mayor and renomination to his Congressional seat.

Sharp at least would have a chance. Bell would have no chance.

And isn't it better to bet on the long odds candidate versus the impossible odds candidate?

And finally, John Sharp has never announced his candidacy for an office (or formed a political committee) and only raised $150,000 in a six month period. That is a pitiful amount by anybody's standards. Anybody who doesn't understand that, doesn't know shit about statewide electoral politics in Texas.

So remember, Sharp - at least a chance. Bell, wearing the big "L" on his chest (for Loser, not Laverne).

Get ready....Roy Spence with Clinton the former President's support, or and you heard it here first....Lyndon Olsen,jr former Insurance Commissioner and Ambassador. They blow everybody else away quickly. Just watch.

Aaron, you azre completely full of shit. Isn't it funny how, as a Sharp campaign operative, you can remember the races that Chris Bell has lost, even one dating back to 1984, but seem unable to remember the four that he won - three times to the Houston City Council and once to the United States Congress in a very competitive slightly Democratic leaning district.

Sadly, your only message about John Sharp is that he came close before. What a great rallying cry! Plus, your logic is ridiculous: Chris Bell has lost previous races so he can't win; John Sharp has lost other races - that's why he can win. Makes sense to me.

It's losers like you who are destroying our party. If it was all about money, no Democrat would ever win. Chris Bell has always raised a ton of money for his campaigns and will do so again this time - after he officially announces.
But it won't be as much as Perry and that's not why he will win. It's because he's a Democrat who sounds like a Democrat and who makes sense to both Democrats and Independents - the exact folks we have to have. When are you going to learn that Republicans aren't interested in voting for Democrats? That is a losing strategy.

So, good try on the Sharp side, but your old news isn't selling.

The constitution makes the position of Lieutenant Governor more powerful than the Governor.
Plus the Lt. Governor still makes a number of citizen appointments, as well as appointments
of the Senate committees. He refers bills to the committees.

I'm looking for a candidate for Lt. Governor who:

. Will aggressively speak up against bad Federal policies that impact the people of Texas -and the state budget.

. In the case of a Special Session on School Finance, will not allow other issues to proceed until the School Finance issue is finalized.

. Aggressively opposes regressive taxes.

. Will aggressively represent the economic interest of the 'little guy' rather than promote the interests of persons who seek the very largest corporate bonuses - from which the Republican Party is substantially financed.

. Will not appoint Senator Troy Fraser as a Committee Chair.

Mr. Blackwell,

I met you a few weeks ago when I was working in Richard Raymond's office. I agree with you -- we need a strong LtGuv candidate. And it will certainly have to be someone who can raise a ton of money or, ideally, have some of their own since Dewhurst has extremely deep pockets.