Tea Party said:

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Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

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Teslag said:

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BTKAG97 said:

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Teslag said:

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BTKAG97 said:

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Teslag said:

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BTKAG97 said:

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Teslag said:

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BTKAG97 said:

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Teslag said:

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Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

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Teslag said:

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Voting for Cornyn. Can't take a chance with an own goal here in Texas.

---

And that's why things never change with the republicans. Texans do this to ourselves every primary. We vote for the useless moderate incumbent because the fear of possibly losing to the dems in the general. Then we complain when they inevitably stab us in the back.

---

Now go research Sharon angle, Herschel Walker, Todd akin, Kari lake, etc

---

All candidates the GOPe stabbed in the back.

---

These candidates stabbed themselves in the face.

---

Not at all. They may have been "weird" buit they were still better than the Democrats they lost too because so-called "Conservatives" have an inability to pull their heads out of their asses.

---

Conservative voters aren't why they lost. They lost because enough moderates and independents abandoned them. You may not like it but they can and do turn elections.

---

If you vote for a Democrat then you are not a moderate or independent.

---

Step outside your bubble. Many people, probably even most, don't care about politics. They'll vote but they don't follow it at all and they see no difference in the parties. They can be swayed but certain policies and individual politicians in any given year.

---

Fine. Yes, most people are complete dumbasses. I assume we both agree on that given what you just posted.
This logic just doesn't make sense:

(Who "moderates" will vote for)

(Dem1/Dem2 ---------------------------------Center--Rep1)---Rep2--Rep3----------------------------------------Rep4

---

Yep. They are dumbasses. But a vote from a dumbass counts just as much as yours and mine and you unfortunately need to appeal to them in a high turnout election, which this will be.

---

So in other words, we are stuck with RINO's perpetually? The media will always try to make any conservative look bad so that the weaklings get all squishy and vote for the "safe" moderate again in the primary.

---

D's go further left with their primary candidate.
R's make excuses why they can't go conservative and instead choose a center/right primary candidate.
Media and leftists paint the center/right R primary nominee as far right and R's don't defend conservativism.
Overton window shifts to the left and R's repeat the same mistakes as the past.

---

I've come to the conclusion that a lot of conservatives are cowards. They're too scared to take a chance with any actual conservative candidates and vote for the same useless, moderate incumbents out of fear. Then they *itc* and complain about the RINO's and talk about needing to get rid of them. But like clockwork, the primaries roll around and they fall for the same old gaslighting and vote for the same old RINO incumbents again.

The more important choice: vote for Jasmine Crockett to ensure the easy layup for the GOP

Teslag said:

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Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Voting for Cornyn. Can't take a chance with an own goal here in Texas.

---

And that's why things never change with the republicans. Texans do this to ourselves every primary. We vote for the useless moderate incumbent because the fear of possibly losing to the dems in the general. Then we complain when they inevitably stab us in the back.

---

Now go research Sharon angle, Herschel Walker, Todd akin, Kari lake, etc

---

All candidates the GOPe stabbed in the back.

---

These candidates stabbed themselves in the face.

---

Not at all. They may have been "weird" buit they were still better than the Democrats they lost too because so-called "Conservatives" have an inability to pull their heads out of their asses.

---

Conservative voters aren't why they lost. They lost because enough moderates and independents abandoned them. You may not like it but they can and do turn elections.

---

If you vote for a Democrat then you are not a moderate or independent.

---

Step outside your bubble. Many people, probably even most, don't care about politics. They'll vote but they don't follow it at all and they see no difference in the parties. They can be swayed but certain policies and individual politicians in any given year.

---

Fine. Yes, most people are complete dumbasses. I assume we both agree on that given what you just posted.
This logic just doesn't make sense:

(Who "moderates" will vote for)

(Dem1/Dem2 ---------------------------------Center--Rep1)---Rep2--Rep3----------------------------------------Rep4

---

Yep. They are dumbasses. But a vote from a dumbass counts just as much as yours and mine and you unfortunately need to appeal to them in a high turnout election, which this will be.

---

So in other words, we are stuck with RINO's perpetually? The media will always try to make any conservative look bad so that the weaklings get all squishy and vote for the "safe" moderate again in the primary.

---

You can get good conservatives. Look at Ted Cruz, but they can't have a lot of baggage. Just how it works.

---

I would argue that Cornyn has the baggage of being a useless, establishment RINO. That doesn't seem to bother conservative voters for some reason, though.

Maroon Dawn said:

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The more important choice: vote for Jasmine Crockett to ensure the easy layup for the GOP

---

Maybe the Cornyn voters can do us a solid and cross over to vote in the dem primary for her.

Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

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Teslag said:

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Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

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BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

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Voting for Cornyn. Can't take a chance with an own goal here in Texas.

---

And that's why things never change with the republicans. Texans do this to ourselves every primary. We vote for the useless moderate incumbent because the fear of possibly losing to the dems in the general. Then we complain when they inevitably stab us in the back.

---

Now go research Sharon angle, Herschel Walker, Todd akin, Kari lake, etc

---

All candidates the GOPe stabbed in the back.

---

These candidates stabbed themselves in the face.

---

Not at all. They may have been "weird" buit they were still better than the Democrats they lost too because so-called "Conservatives" have an inability to pull their heads out of their asses.

---

Conservative voters aren't why they lost. They lost because enough moderates and independents abandoned them. You may not like it but they can and do turn elections.

---

If you vote for a Democrat then you are not a moderate or independent.

---

Step outside your bubble. Many people, probably even most, don't care about politics. They'll vote but they don't follow it at all and they see no difference in the parties. They can be swayed but certain policies and individual politicians in any given year.

---

Fine. Yes, most people are complete dumbasses. I assume we both agree on that given what you just posted.
This logic just doesn't make sense:

(Who "moderates" will vote for)

(Dem1/Dem2 ---------------------------------Center--Rep1)---Rep2--Rep3----------------------------------------Rep4

---

Yep. They are dumbasses. But a vote from a dumbass counts just as much as yours and mine and you unfortunately need to appeal to them in a high turnout election, which this will be.

---

So in other words, we are stuck with RINO's perpetually? The media will always try to make any conservative look bad so that the weaklings get all squishy and vote for the "safe" moderate again in the primary.

---

You can get good conservatives. Look at Ted Cruz, but they can't have a lot of baggage. Just how it works.

---

I would argue that Cornyn has the baggage of being a useless, establishment RINO. That doesn't seem to bother conservative voters for some reason, though.

---

It bothers a lot of conservatives. It doesn't move the needle for independents and apolitical people

flown-the-coop said:

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HTownAg98 said:

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What makes you think Paxton would be any different? He's not a conservative; he's a populist and corrupt as hell.

---

Just going to point out that Cornyn's ability to be corrupt is severely limited by the absence of brain cells.

Dude is world class dumb and disengaged.

But the other guys are worse. Very poor R field. Thankfully, the D field remains worse.

---

We don't get the candidates we need; we get the candidates we deserve.

Haven't done much research on Wesley Hunt just yet, but why should we not consider him? On paper he looks decent enough - black, conservative, who served in the military, and is young.

Teslag said:

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Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Voting for Cornyn. Can't take a chance with an own goal here in Texas.

---

And that's why things never change with the republicans. Texans do this to ourselves every primary. We vote for the useless moderate incumbent because the fear of possibly losing to the dems in the general. Then we complain when they inevitably stab us in the back.

---

Now go research Sharon angle, Herschel Walker, Todd akin, Kari lake, etc

---

All candidates the GOPe stabbed in the back.

---

These candidates stabbed themselves in the face.

---

Not at all. They may have been "weird" buit they were still better than the Democrats they lost too because so-called "Conservatives" have an inability to pull their heads out of their asses.

---

Conservative voters aren't why they lost. They lost because enough moderates and independents abandoned them. You may not like it but they can and do turn elections.

---

If you vote for a Democrat then you are not a moderate or independent.

---

Step outside your bubble. Many people, probably even most, don't care about politics. They'll vote but they don't follow it at all and they see no difference in the parties. They can be swayed but certain policies and individual politicians in any given year.

---

Fine. Yes, most people are complete dumbasses. I assume we both agree on that given what you just posted.
This logic just doesn't make sense:

(Who "moderates" will vote for)

(Dem1/Dem2 ---------------------------------Center--Rep1)---Rep2--Rep3----------------------------------------Rep4

---

Yep. They are dumbasses. But a vote from a dumbass counts just as much as yours and mine and you unfortunately need to appeal to them in a high turnout election, which this will be.

---

So in other words, we are stuck with RINO's perpetually? The media will always try to make any conservative look bad so that the weaklings get all squishy and vote for the "safe" moderate again in the primary.

---

You can get good conservatives. Look at Ted Cruz, but they can't have a lot of baggage. Just how it works.

---

I would argue that Cornyn has the baggage of being a useless, establishment RINO. That doesn't seem to bother conservative voters for some reason, though.

---

It bothers a lot of conservatives. It doesn't move the needle for independents and apolitical people

---

Why does Radical, Oppresive Leftism not move the needle? Can anyone answer that question?

This thread really makes me wish Trump would just come out and endorse Wesley Hunt. Hunt has all the good of Paxton with none of the baggage. He would wipe the floor with Pastor OnlyFans in the general election.

Who should I vote for? Carter or Shamwow guy?

Casual Cynic said:

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Who should I vote for? Carter or Shamwow guy?

---

That's another fun race. You've got Carter the incumbent, Shamwow guy, the "crazier than AOC and MTG put together" Luna and some also-rans that I know nothing about.

I believe that either Democrat has a chance to beat Paxton, and probably Hunt.

That would be a terrible outcome.

I have to vote for Cornyn.


Who to vote for in my new district, 21?

A, B , C
Anything
But
Cornyn

Rapier108 said:

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BBRex said:

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Are there any better primary candidates for lieutenant governor than that goofy ****er Dan Patrick?

---

Three unknowns and that's it.

Perla Munoz Hopkins
Esala Wueschner
Timothy Mabry

---

Perla is a nice person who ran for SBOE, but lacks the resources and nameID for a statewide run.
Esala is a confrontational nutcase who is spews anti-Israel rants.
I don't know anything about Timothy.

HTownAg98 said:

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Anyone beats Crockett easily. Paxton/Talarico is a lot closer than people want to admit. Talarico is counting on republicans not showing up at the polls because they can't touch the screen for Paxton. Cornyn beats both easily.

---

Talarico O'Rourke won't get any black votes, he's done already for the comments about Allred. Jasmine will go ghetto on him and kill any black support he could have.

It's time for squishy Cornyn to be retired. Vote for Hunt or Paxton.

Here are two major betrayals to conservatives:

From the Rule 44 Censure:
https://texasscorecard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/collin-gop-cornyn-censure.pdf

Quote:

---

WHEREAS, Senator Cornyn was the lead Republican negotiator for a working group made up of 20
Republican, Democrat, and Independent senators, to work on gun control legislation, namely, S.2938,
which provides and subsidizes red flag laws, imposes addtional restrictions on otherwise legal owners of
firearms, expands background checks,

---

https://www.heritage.org/immigration/report/the-bipartisan-border-solutions-act-rewarding-president-biden-his-border-crisis

Quote:

---

The proposed Bipartisan Border Solutions Act, introduced by Senators John Cornyn (RTX) and Krysten Sinema (DAZ) and Representatives Henry Cuellar (DTX) and Tony Gonzales (RTX), is a poorly informed policy that would simply increase the U.S. capacity for processing illegal aliens in order to release them into the interior of the country, acting as a direct incentive for yet more illegal immigration.

---

Ferg said:

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I was being kind. That said, are you guys for Paxton or one of the others?

---

Paxton is just so brazenly crooked, even by good ol' boy southern political standards. It's very hard for me to vote for someone like that especially when more electable alternatives in the same party exist.

It would be one thing if Paxton polled better against democrats, but that's clearly not the case. Polling shows that in fact he's the one that gives the democrats the best shot at an upset.

Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

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Teslag said:

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Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Voting for Cornyn. Can't take a chance with an own goal here in Texas.

---

And that's why things never change with the republicans. Texans do this to ourselves every primary. We vote for the useless moderate incumbent because the fear of possibly losing to the dems in the general. Then we complain when they inevitably stab us in the back.

---

Now go research Sharon angle, Herschel Walker, Todd akin, Kari lake, etc

---

All candidates the GOPe stabbed in the back.

---

These candidates stabbed themselves in the face.

---

Not at all. They may have been "weird" buit they were still better than the Democrats they lost too because so-called "Conservatives" have an inability to pull their heads out of their asses.

---

Conservative voters aren't why they lost. They lost because enough moderates and independents abandoned them. You may not like it but they can and do turn elections.

---

If you vote for a Democrat then you are not a moderate or independent.

---

Step outside your bubble. Many people, probably even most, don't care about politics. They'll vote but they don't follow it at all and they see no difference in the parties. They can be swayed but certain policies and individual politicians in any given year.

---

Fine. Yes, most people are complete dumbasses. I assume we both agree on that given what you just posted.
This logic just doesn't make sense:

(Who "moderates" will vote for)

(Dem1/Dem2 ---------------------------------Center--Rep1)---Rep2--Rep3----------------------------------------Rep4

---

Yep. They are dumbasses. But a vote from a dumbass counts just as much as yours and mine and you unfortunately need to appeal to them in a high turnout election, which this will be.

---

So in other words, we are stuck with RINO's perpetually? The media will always try to make any conservative look bad so that the weaklings get all squishy and vote for the "safe" moderate again in the primary.

---

You can get good conservatives. Look at Ted Cruz, but they can't have a lot of baggage. Just how it works.

---

I would argue that Cornyn has the baggage of being a useless, establishment RINO. That doesn't seem to bother conservative voters for some reason, though.

---

"RINO" hasn't meant anything coherent in over a decade. Now it effectively amounts to a catch all term for republicans that aren't hardline enough on whatever the pet issue is for the person using it.

Trump has endorsed Alex Mealer over Briscoe Cain in TX-9. This is a seat currently held by Al Green that got redistricted, and Green is now running for TX-18. If the name Briscoe Cain rings a bell, he was one of the people working with Rudy and Sydney Powell to "stop the steal." Imagine doing all of that, only for Trump to endorse your opponent. Lol.

When do we vote for these primaries ?

CampSkunk said:

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Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Voting for Cornyn. Can't take a chance with an own goal here in Texas.

---

And that's why things never change with the republicans. Texans do this to ourselves every primary. We vote for the useless moderate incumbent because the fear of possibly losing to the dems in the general. Then we complain when they inevitably stab us in the back.

---

Now go research Sharon angle, Herschel Walker, Todd akin, Kari lake, etc

---

And? That doesn't change what I said. People like you are why we continually get stuck with useless RINO's. Republican voters in Texas get gaslit every two years into voting for RINO's in the primaries. It's always the same crap. "But if we don't vote for the moderate, the dems may have a chance in the general". "I'd rather get 60% of what I want than nothing". "Texas could go blue". Nevermind the fact that the moderates dishonestly run on full blown conservative policy to win. A flawed, but actual conservative candidate can win the general in Texas. We are still a red state.

---

Cornyn has voted with Trump more than 90% of the time, but I understand when MAGA labels somebody who isn't 100% pure as a RINO. Which is okay, as long as the MAGA candidate doesn't turn out to be a loser like Herschel Walker or Dr. Oz. Both Paxton and Hunt have some baggage, and if I begin to think that either of them has the slimmest of a chance of losing to Talarico I'm sticking with Cornyn. I'm also hoping that the lunatics nominate Crockett, in which case I won't care who wins the Republican nomination because I'll deem them having no chance of losing. Which is why I might wait until March 3rd to vote in hopes that the polling will tell me something.

---

we prob need to take the dems lead and all crossover vote for Crockett in primary - because she writes negative ads every time she opens her mouth

Early voting starts tomorrow.

I wish that once I cast my vote, I could tell my tv to block all the political ads.

Infection_Ag11 said:

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Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

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Teslag said:

---

Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Voting for Cornyn. Can't take a chance with an own goal here in Texas.

---

And that's why things never change with the republicans. Texans do this to ourselves every primary. We vote for the useless moderate incumbent because the fear of possibly losing to the dems in the general. Then we complain when they inevitably stab us in the back.

---

Now go research Sharon angle, Herschel Walker, Todd akin, Kari lake, etc

---

All candidates the GOPe stabbed in the back.

---

These candidates stabbed themselves in the face.

---

Not at all. They may have been "weird" buit they were still better than the Democrats they lost too because so-called "Conservatives" have an inability to pull their heads out of their asses.

---

Conservative voters aren't why they lost. They lost because enough moderates and independents abandoned them. You may not like it but they can and do turn elections.

---

If you vote for a Democrat then you are not a moderate or independent.

---

Step outside your bubble. Many people, probably even most, don't care about politics. They'll vote but they don't follow it at all and they see no difference in the parties. They can be swayed but certain policies and individual politicians in any given year.

---

Fine. Yes, most people are complete dumbasses. I assume we both agree on that given what you just posted.
This logic just doesn't make sense:

(Who "moderates" will vote for)

(Dem1/Dem2 ---------------------------------Center--Rep1)---Rep2--Rep3----------------------------------------Rep4

---

Yep. They are dumbasses. But a vote from a dumbass counts just as much as yours and mine and you unfortunately need to appeal to them in a high turnout election, which this will be.

---

So in other words, we are stuck with RINO's perpetually? The media will always try to make any conservative look bad so that the weaklings get all squishy and vote for the "safe" moderate again in the primary.

---

You can get good conservatives. Look at Ted Cruz, but they can't have a lot of baggage. Just how it works.

---

I would argue that Cornyn has the baggage of being a useless, establishment RINO. That doesn't seem to bother conservative voters for some reason, though.

---

"RINO" hasn't meant anything coherent in over a decade. Now it effectively amounts to a catch all term for republicans that aren't hardline enough on whatever the pet issue is for the person using it.

---

RINO has always had a meaning. Some people however are becoming conditioned to the definition of Republican moving left over time which causes confusion. It's seen all over this thread where so called conservatives are advocating for Cornyn, who is clearly not a conservative, over a chance at another candidate who might be more conservative.

If going by the traditional defintion of Republican, there are more RINO's today than there are R's and the margin is quite wide in my opinion.

However if people keep letting politicians with an R by their name govern to the left of the GOP platform, then I can see the definition of Republican being hijacked and conservatives being called RINO's. But that's gaslighting and shifting the Overton window which is naive in the long run.

Tea Party said:

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Teslag said:

---

Voting for Cornyn. Can't take a chance with an own goal here in Texas.

---

Voting for Cornyn in the primary is the own goal.

HTH.

---

Running a candidate that has a higher chance of losing to a communist Dem would be a HUGE own goal.

And Paxton has a ton of baggage and is susceptible to lots of out of state money from socialists hammering him with negative ads....

I'm not afraid of the losing odds going from 25% to 30% or whatever small effect it would have if it meant getting a chance at a conservative instead of known RINO. That's an easy gamble any conservative should jump on.

If you can only win by shifting the Overton window to the left then we have a bigger societal problem and RINO vs communist is the least or our worries. I don't believe that to be the case here in Texas like you imply.

Infection_Ag11 said:

---

Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Voting for Cornyn. Can't take a chance with an own goal here in Texas.

---

And that's why things never change with the republicans. Texans do this to ourselves every primary. We vote for the useless moderate incumbent because the fear of possibly losing to the dems in the general. Then we complain when they inevitably stab us in the back.

---

Now go research Sharon angle, Herschel Walker, Todd akin, Kari lake, etc

---

All candidates the GOPe stabbed in the back.

---

These candidates stabbed themselves in the face.

---

Not at all. They may have been "weird" buit they were still better than the Democrats they lost too because so-called "Conservatives" have an inability to pull their heads out of their asses.

---

Conservative voters aren't why they lost. They lost because enough moderates and independents abandoned them. You may not like it but they can and do turn elections.

---

If you vote for a Democrat then you are not a moderate or independent.

---

Step outside your bubble. Many people, probably even most, don't care about politics. They'll vote but they don't follow it at all and they see no difference in the parties. They can be swayed but certain policies and individual politicians in any given year.

---

Fine. Yes, most people are complete dumbasses. I assume we both agree on that given what you just posted.
This logic just doesn't make sense:

(Who "moderates" will vote for)

(Dem1/Dem2 ---------------------------------Center--Rep1)---Rep2--Rep3----------------------------------------Rep4

---

Yep. They are dumbasses. But a vote from a dumbass counts just as much as yours and mine and you unfortunately need to appeal to them in a high turnout election, which this will be.

---

So in other words, we are stuck with RINO's perpetually? The media will always try to make any conservative look bad so that the weaklings get all squishy and vote for the "safe" moderate again in the primary.

---

You can get good conservatives. Look at Ted Cruz, but they can't have a lot of baggage. Just how it works.

---

I would argue that Cornyn has the baggage of being a useless, establishment RINO. That doesn't seem to bother conservative voters for some reason, though.

---

"RINO" hasn't meant anything coherent in over a decade. Now it effectively amounts to a catch all term for republicans that aren't hardline enough on whatever the pet issue is for the person using it.

---

True...

Many folks on here if they saw Reagan's actual positions would call him a RINO...


Surprisingly enough, many of those people would NOT call Trump a RINO...

Tea Party said:

---

Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

BTKAG97 said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

---

Teslag said:

---

Voting for Cornyn. Can't take a chance with an own goal here in Texas.

---

And that's why things never change with the republicans. Texans do this to ourselves every primary. We vote for the useless moderate incumbent because the fear of possibly losing to the dems in the general. Then we complain when they inevitably stab us in the back.

---

Now go research Sharon angle, Herschel Walker, Todd akin, Kari lake, etc

---

All candidates the GOPe stabbed in the back.

---

These candidates stabbed themselves in the face.

---

Not at all. They may have been "weird" buit they were still better than the Democrats they lost too because so-called "Conservatives" have an inability to pull their heads out of their asses.

---

Conservative voters aren't why they lost. They lost because enough moderates and independents abandoned them. You may not like it but they can and do turn elections.

---

If you vote for a Democrat then you are not a moderate or independent.

---

Step outside your bubble. Many people, probably even most, don't care about politics. They'll vote but they don't follow it at all and they see no difference in the parties. They can be swayed but certain policies and individual politicians in any given year.

---

Fine. Yes, most people are complete dumbasses. I assume we both agree on that given what you just posted.
This logic just doesn't make sense:

(Who "moderates" will vote for)

(Dem1/Dem2 ---------------------------------Center--Rep1)---Rep2--Rep3----------------------------------------Rep4

---

Yep. They are dumbasses. But a vote from a dumbass counts just as much as yours and mine and you unfortunately need to appeal to them in a high turnout election, which this will be.

---

So in other words, we are stuck with RINO's perpetually? The media will always try to make any conservative look bad so that the weaklings get all squishy and vote for the "safe" moderate again in the primary.

---

D's go further left with their primary candidate.
R's make excuses why they can't go conservative and instead choose a center/right primary candidate.
Media and leftists paint the center/right R primary nominee as far right and R's don't defend conservativism.
Overton window shifts to the left and R's repeat the same mistakes as the past.

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Character matters. Sorry if you disagree. If the conservative candidate - truly conservative and not populist like Trump and the rest of MAGA - is a terrible human, then I will vote for the "RINO".

JWinTX said:

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CampSkunk said:

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Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

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Teslag said:

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Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

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Teslag said:

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Voting for Cornyn. Can't take a chance with an own goal here in Texas.

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And that's why things never change with the republicans. Texans do this to ourselves every primary. We vote for the useless moderate incumbent because the fear of possibly losing to the dems in the general. Then we complain when they inevitably stab us in the back.

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Now go research Sharon angle, Herschel Walker, Todd akin, Kari lake, etc

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And? That doesn't change what I said. People like you are why we continually get stuck with useless RINO's. Republican voters in Texas get gaslit every two years into voting for RINO's in the primaries. It's always the same crap. "But if we don't vote for the moderate, the dems may have a chance in the general". "I'd rather get 60% of what I want than nothing". "Texas could go blue". Nevermind the fact that the moderates dishonestly run on full blown conservative policy to win. A flawed, but actual conservative candidate can win the general in Texas. We are still a red state.

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Cornyn has voted with Trump more than 90% of the time, but I understand when MAGA labels somebody who isn't 100% pure as a RINO. Which is okay, as long as the MAGA candidate doesn't turn out to be a loser like Herschel Walker or Dr. Oz. Both Paxton and Hunt have some baggage, and if I begin to think that either of them has the slimmest of a chance of losing to Talarico I'm sticking with Cornyn. I'm also hoping that the lunatics nominate Crockett, in which case I won't care who wins the Republican nomination because I'll deem them having no chance of losing. Which is why I might wait until March 3rd to vote in hopes that the polling will tell me something.

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Cornyn was interested in gun control. That screams GOPe...and is an ender for anyone who wants freedom in this country. And I am not even a gun owner. So, you can see that I'm not even talking about my own self-interest here--I know what the Bill of Rights is meant to protect and from who it is that we are being protected against.

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You do know Trump is fond of gun control, right?

dmart90 said:

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Tea Party said:

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Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

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Teslag said:

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BTKAG97 said:

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Teslag said:

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BTKAG97 said:

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Teslag said:

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BTKAG97 said:

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Teslag said:

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BTKAG97 said:

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Teslag said:

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Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

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Teslag said:

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Voting for Cornyn. Can't take a chance with an own goal here in Texas.

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And that's why things never change with the republicans. Texans do this to ourselves every primary. We vote for the useless moderate incumbent because the fear of possibly losing to the dems in the general. Then we complain when they inevitably stab us in the back.

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Now go research Sharon angle, Herschel Walker, Todd akin, Kari lake, etc

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All candidates the GOPe stabbed in the back.

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These candidates stabbed themselves in the face.

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Not at all. They may have been "weird" buit they were still better than the Democrats they lost too because so-called "Conservatives" have an inability to pull their heads out of their asses.

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Conservative voters aren't why they lost. They lost because enough moderates and independents abandoned them. You may not like it but they can and do turn elections.

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If you vote for a Democrat then you are not a moderate or independent.

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Step outside your bubble. Many people, probably even most, don't care about politics. They'll vote but they don't follow it at all and they see no difference in the parties. They can be swayed but certain policies and individual politicians in any given year.

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Fine. Yes, most people are complete dumbasses. I assume we both agree on that given what you just posted.
This logic just doesn't make sense:

(Who "moderates" will vote for)

(Dem1/Dem2 ---------------------------------Center--Rep1)---Rep2--Rep3----------------------------------------Rep4

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Yep. They are dumbasses. But a vote from a dumbass counts just as much as yours and mine and you unfortunately need to appeal to them in a high turnout election, which this will be.

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So in other words, we are stuck with RINO's perpetually? The media will always try to make any conservative look bad so that the weaklings get all squishy and vote for the "safe" moderate again in the primary.

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D's go further left with their primary candidate.
R's make excuses why they can't go conservative and instead choose a center/right primary candidate.
Media and leftists paint the center/right R primary nominee as far right and R's don't defend conservativism.
Overton window shifts to the left and R's repeat the same mistakes as the past.

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Character matters. Sorry if you disagree. If the conservative candidate - truly conservative and not populist like Trump and the rest of MAGA - is a terrible human, then I will vote for the "RINO".

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Character matters, but "terrible human" is not black and white. There's gray because all politicians have a variance of character issues otherwise they wouldn't be politicians. And Trump is no where near conservative and a clear example of my point of the right moving left.

Otherwise Jimmy Carter would be your ideal candidate (70/80's D = RINO today) because his character was top notch, though his political stances and governing ability were abismal.

HTownAg98 said:

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Early voting starts tomorrow.

I wish that once I cast my vote, I could tell my tv to block all the political ads.

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Once you figure that out, get busy on those 100s of mailers that come in everyday. What a complete waste of money and misleading tripe.

Tea Party said:

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Infection_Ag11 said:

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Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

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Teslag said:

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Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

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Teslag said:

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BTKAG97 said:

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Teslag said:

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BTKAG97 said:

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Teslag said:

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BTKAG97 said:

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Teslag said:

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BTKAG97 said:

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Teslag said:

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Hubert J. Farnsworth said:

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Teslag said:

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Voting for Cornyn. Can't take a chance with an own goal here in Texas.

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And that's why things never change with the republicans. Texans do this to ourselves every primary. We vote for the useless moderate incumbent because the fear of possibly losing to the dems in the general. Then we complain when they inevitably stab us in the back.

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Now go research Sharon angle, Herschel Walker, Todd akin, Kari lake, etc

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All candidates the GOPe stabbed in the back.

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These candidates stabbed themselves in the face.

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Not at all. They may have been "weird" buit they were still better than the Democrats they lost too because so-called "Conservatives" have an inability to pull their heads out of their asses.

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Conservative voters aren't why they lost. They lost because enough moderates and independents abandoned them. You may not like it but they can and do turn elections.

---

If you vote for a Democrat then you are not a moderate or independent.

---

Step outside your bubble. Many people, probably even most, don't care about politics. They'll vote but they don't follow it at all and they see no difference in the parties. They can be swayed but certain policies and individual politicians in any given year.

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Fine. Yes, most people are complete dumbasses. I assume we both agree on that given what you just posted.
This logic just doesn't make sense:

(Who "moderates" will vote for)

(Dem1/Dem2 ---------------------------------Center--Rep1)---Rep2--Rep3----------------------------------------Rep4

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Yep. They are dumbasses. But a vote from a dumbass counts just as much as yours and mine and you unfortunately need to appeal to them in a high turnout election, which this will be.

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So in other words, we are stuck with RINO's perpetually? The media will always try to make any conservative look bad so that the weaklings get all squishy and vote for the "safe" moderate again in the primary.

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You can get good conservatives. Look at Ted Cruz, but they can't have a lot of baggage. Just how it works.

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I would argue that Cornyn has the baggage of being a useless, establishment RINO. That doesn't seem to bother conservative voters for some reason, though.

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"RINO" hasn't meant anything coherent in over a decade. Now it effectively amounts to a catch all term for republicans that aren't hardline enough on whatever the pet issue is for the person using it.

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RINO has always had a meaning.

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Sure, but virtually none of those type of politicians exist anymore in 2025 and use of the term has effectively become meaningless because there's no standardization anymore. Everyone means something different when they use it.

In the 90s and early 2000s, it meant fiscally liberal republican politicians deemed too eager to side with democrats on economic policy, either out of agreement or appeasement. As support for the Iraq war and war on terror waned under Bush the warhawks also got lumped in. But since Obama came to power, and especially since the 2012 election, it has progressively lost any standard definition in practice. At best in 2025 you could say the most common usage is for a republican deemed disloyal to Trump, but given that's often not the use and Trump is far more populist than any republican when the term initially became popular is hard to call that a standardized meaning.

Every republican now gets called a rino at some point by someone. Yet the number of vocally fiscal liberal warhawks holding major GOP positions in 2025 is smaller than it has ever been since the term came to prominence.

HTownAg98 said:

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Trump has endorsed Alex Mealer over Briscoe Cain in TX-9. This is a seat currently held by Al Green that got redistricted, and Green is now running for TX-18. If the name Briscoe Cain rings a bell, he was one of the people working with Rudy and Sydney Powell to "stop the steal." Imagine doing all of that, only for Trump to endorse your opponent. Lol.

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I went to law school with Briscoe. The dude is a complete clown.

Quote:

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If going by the traditional defintion of Republican, there are more RINO's today than there are R's and the margin is quite wide in my opinion.

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The GOP has embraced populism and isolationism to the point that it has rendered all historical party definitions meaningless. There really aren't any "traditional republicans" in congress anymore. And ironically the push back to that within the party produced not traditional republicans but the "right wing nut jobs" democrats used to see in their fever dreams 25 years ago. People like MTG don't come to prominence in a world where traditional republicans run the party.

An annecdotal but perhaps instructive story about an interaction I had with Shelly deZavallos a few years ago:

I had an important and high-profile client coming into the West Houston Airport and I was getting area retail businesses ready for the visit. I'm stressing pretty hard about the whole thing while talking with a local business manager who wasn't being very cooperative. This woman apparently overheard the conversation, introduced herself to me, and made some calls.

Without getting into details, Shelly went WAY out of her way to help me make the visit an overwhelming success. She didn't ask for anything in return and this was years before she was running for anything - she was just a very nice person in a position to help a complete stranger.

I think this speaks volumes about her character, and since her positions and political ideals align with mine she's got my vote.