Greg gets a chance to talk to Barbara Radnofsky and comes away suitably impressed. Among other observations, I think he’s spot-on here:
Campaigns revolve around candidates and not being a candidate right now does nothing to move your party forward. If you’re a potential candidate for anything in 2006, you’re either sitting at home knowing whether you’re going to run or not. And statewide, that’s even more critical. Another shutout at the statewide level raises the serious proposition that Texas Democrats may go the way of Idaho Democrats. Alleviating that situation is not going to be a mere one-year solution.
[…]
If and when Kay Bailey decides on her electoral fate, an open race for the Senate will no doubt flush out a few candidates. They’ll all have to answer the then-fair question about where the hell they were for the previous year.
That’s exactly right. Look, winning races we’ve been losing isn’t the first step back for Democrats – it’s the last step. Running credible races with credible candidates where we haven’t been is the first step. At some point, and that point may be 2006, the grassroots needs to stop being patient with candidates who aren’t willing to run as an underdog. It’s the races where we “can’t” win where you’ll find the voters whose minds we need to change so that we “can” win. If you’ve been reading this blog or Greg’s blog at all lately, you know that we firmly believe in taking the fight everywhere. For that, we need more candidates like Barbara Radnofsky.
Sounds like it’s time for Mr. Charles Kuffner to announce his candidacy for something.
I was wondering when someone would say something like that. The short answer is that one must know one’s own limitations. I’d make a lousy candidate. I don’t have what it takes to be the one on the stump. The best I can do for the progressive cause is to remain backstage and offer my support in other ways.
Especially if they’re lucky duckies who recently lost their jobs. Like Messrs. Sandlin, Turner, Lampson, Frost, and Stenholm.
Frankly, I had been planning on waiting-and-seeing for the Senate, but I talked with some people at the HCYD meeting last week, and I’m convinced the time to start is NOW.
If I don’t hear from any other potential candidates before the end of March, I’ll be a Radnofsky backer.
Jim D has it.
Barbara’s a little too conservative for my tastes. I’ll be glad to support her, though, if a more worthy cadidate does not emerge from the primary.
David Van Os announced Saturday at the Progressive Populists Caucus here in town that he will run for Attorney General. You and others don’t like him as much as I do, but that’s more my kind of Democrat.
One that fights back. Hard.