Democrats Are Hell-Bent on Taking a Texas Senate Seat in 2020

According to the Texas Tribune, Texas Democrats already allocating millions of dollars toward a “war room” aimed at taking down Texas Sen. John Cornyn in 2020. Cornyn, meanwhile, already appears scared shitless at the onslaught of Blue Wavery coming for him over a year and a half out from the general election—especially because more than half of Texas supposedly don’t like him, or haven’t the faintest clue who he is.

On Thursday, the Tribune reported on a memo from Texas Democrats saying the party’s war room will seek to “define Cornyn before he defines himself,” a move by the state party that the Tribune characterized as unlike anything done for a U.S. Senate race in recent history.

It’s definitely a power move by Texas Democrats, considering that their nascent campaign against Cornyn has yet to have a major candidate at the front of it. After former Rep. and 2018 Senate nominee Beto O’Rourke passed in favor of a presidential run, the party’s top choice appears to be Rep. Joaquin Castro, the twin brother of presidential candidate and former HUD Secretary Julián, who has said he’s “seriously” thinking about running against Cornyn. Additionally, former congressional candidate MJ Hegar and former state Sen. Wendy Davis, the party’s 2014 gubernatorial nominee, have expressed interest in running.

However, despite this gaping hole in the Democrats’ plan, it seems that Cornyn has already made their job of defining Cornyn an easy one—after 20 years as a statewide elected official in Texas, the Tribune reported last month that 64 percent of voters either dislike Cornyn or don’t know who he is.

All of this must have Cornyn feeling skittish at the least. Even prior to O’Rourke announcing his presidential run Cornyn sent out a notice to potential donors promoting his “STOP BETO FUND.” According to the Tribune, Cornyn also has nearly $6 million saved for his campaign and has made early staff hires.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Cornyn said he “absolutely” intends to fix the whole one-third-of-voters-don’t-know-him thing, though, I dunno, seems like he’s 18 years too late.

“One of the great things about the Senate is you run every six years. One of the bad things about the Senate is run you every six years. Obviously people have a lot on their plate and aren’t paying as much attention as the political class in Washington, D.C., is,” Cornyn said. “I think that’s my job, that I need to go, for those people who are unacquainted with my record, to help educate them.”

Mind you, Cruz has a third of the experience in the Senate as Cornyn, and even people outside of Texas know (and hate) him. But sure thing, my guy. Whatever helps you sleep at night.