After the Latino voting bloc delivered a historic shellacking to Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, Latino poitical influence has been the subject of much debate
Since then, political winds shifted, Latino voter numbers were projected and a giddy Democratic rumbling grew louder: Will Texas, the national Republican anchor with a large Latino population, eventually turn blue?
The story dominating the Internet today is a Politico dive into Battleground Texas.
Battleground Texas is an organization that seeks to merge the state's underrepresented populations - especially minority groups like Latinos and African-Americans - into one solid Democratic voting bloc. If this sounds similar to President Obama's reelection ground game, it's because it is.
The Main Man
Jeremy Bird is spearheading the grass-roots organization. Bird, (@jeremybird) former National Field Director for President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign, shared his motto with Politico: “Make Texas a battleground state by treating it like one.”
But Bird’s motto during the Obama reelection campaign may be even more revealing. His focus was there was on personal relationships and numbers. Via, the Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire:
The job of organizing is one part data and one part emotional connection. He keeps close track of which states are making their targets each day, but also preaches the value of relationships—between the campaign and its volunteers, and between volunteers and voters.
Is this possible?
Most say this will be an uphill battle. Ed Espinoza, Austin-based Democratic operative, reminded Politico “Republicans here have a decade’s worth of fundraising and infrastructure that plays to their advantage. “
Beyond money, the GOP has an ace in the hole – George P. Bush, the Latino nephew and grandson of two U.S. Presidents. He’s already raised over a million dollars for an unknown Texas office.
Bottomline in Texas: Democrats won’t be the only party courting the Latino vote, or drawing battle plans for the next election.
