How does the DSCC select its targeted candidates? The internal maneuvering and decision making within the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is probably quite a mystery to most of us who consider ourselves grassroots get-out-the-vote activists. What we do know is that using a complex set of criteria and insider judgments, the DSCC decides where to place their money in 2008 in an effort to get to a filibuster proof Senate.
While I'm a great advocate of people-powered campaigns, the frustration in the last months by so many of us on the inability of critical legislation to move in the Senate, even with Democratic control, makes me want to be sure that we move up the Democratic margin in that body considerably.
With Republicans defending 21 seats and Democrats only 12, there are a lot of possibilities. Many of us are salivating that one of them will be recapturing the Corny seat in Texas.
One of the criteria for the DSCC to get involved with a nominee in a particular state is that the state's nominee has raised a "tally" amount for the DSCC from their state.
Saturday, Mikal Watts, Democratic activist and fundraiser, is hosting a high dollar event at his home in San Antonio headlined by Sen. Chuck Schumer (NY), chair of the DSCC.
The invitation notes that Watts has gained an agreement with the DSCC that the funds coming from this event (over $100,000 according to the email) will all be applied to the amount the nominee in Texas must have raised.
"With the promise obtained, all the money we raise at our event will count toward that tally for the democratic party nominee from Texas, making it much more likely that money raised in Texas will be used to unseat Senator John Cornyn."
I applaud Mikal Watts and these folks for removing this hurdle in advance from our future nominee. Here's the list of co-hosts of the event from the invite:
Jim Adler,
Hon. Ben Barnes,
Fred Baron,
Rene Barrientos,
Adolph Briscoe,
Tony Buzbee,
Mauricio Ceils,
Brent Coon,
Hon. Garry Mauro,
Tony Sanchez,
Todd Tracy,
Walter Umphrey,
Mikal Watts,
Robin Young- Ellis
Of course, this entire event begs the question on who our nominee might be.
No one has announced. The filing deadline to be a candidate is fast approaching, and is either October 31st or January 2nd (depending upon whether the Texas Senate will approve moving the primary or not).
Trial balloons up and down for Ben Barnes. Rumors fly that Barbara Ann Radnofsky will try again. State Rep. Pete Gallego of Alpine seems to be sniffing the air. Supporters and others are pushing the draft of State Rep. Rick Noriega of Houston. And in the last weeks, rumors are moving rapidly of the interest of a certain activist and fundraiser who is leading the effort to raise money for the DSCC: Mikal Watts of San Antonio / Corpus Christi.
I have a level of respect for all of these possible candidates. I'm ready to get our nominee elected and get the general election underway. It's been too long since we've had a Democratic Senator from Texas. By the end of 2008, let's have that suffix (D-TX) behind one of ours.
http://www.burntorangereport.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3288
