Texas: Gene Locke

Generally comparing yourself to former President Bill Clinton and your wife to Hillary would be a good thing, unless you are talking to a bunch of right wing republicans in a pachyderm club. And that is what Gene Locke did today. From the Chronicle:
If he becomes mayor, Locke told the Republican activists, the city also reaps the services of spouse Aubrey Sampson Locke.
Yep, just what Bill Clinton said when he was running for office in 1992, you get a two-for-one. I am sure that went over well. He continued:
She will get more done - I'm serious now - she will get more done and we will get more done as a team, because we will be able to take care of issues, not from a governmental standpoint, but issues ranging from taking care of our seniors to dealing with literacy with our young people, from the office of the First Lady.

Gene Locke is looking for votes anywhere he can, even from the white wing of the right wing party including Paul Bettencourt who quit just a few days after being re-elected to the Harris County Tax Assessor. What could be worse than seeking the endorsement of a quitter? How about...... seeking the endorsement of Steven Hotze?

Locke has also met with and sought the endorsement of Dr. Steven Hotze, a longtime local kingmaker in conservative politics and author of the Straight Slate in 1985, a coterie of eight City Council candidates he recruited who ran on an anti-gay platform.

Of course this may help Locke with the white wing loony right, but who knows what they intend to do.

Lots of folks have painted a pretty gloomy picture for Gene Locke's campaign based upon the election results from November 3rd. It is hard, with the voting numbers across the city so much against him, to come up with a way for him to win.

Who is his base? Where should he concentrate his GOTV? Where should he spend money? How will Locke raise any money without a plan and one that will work this time? Who, besides his Metro buddies, will give him any more money with such a poor showing last Tuesday?

I don't have the answers, but I can make some suggestions to the Locke campaign:

After spending over $3 Million, Peter Brown came in 3rd place to Gene Locke and Annise Parker in the race for Houston Mayor. I am sure many, including Rick Casey of the Houston Chronicle, will analyze what happened and why it happened. So here is my two sense.

Peter actually ran a pretty good TV and mail campaign focusing on a clear message: He has a blueprint for Houston. And with $3 Million at his disposal, he was able to repeat this message over and over and over.....and over, which is the perfect blueprint for getting peoples attention. Unfortunately it did not turn into enough votes.