The Kick is Up…

Texas is to Democrats what Lucy’s football is to Charlie Brown: every four years we swear this time it’s finally happening… and every four years we end up flat on our back wondering why they believed it again.

Last night’s big win by Ken Paxton once again has Democrats salivating that they’ve finally found the “flawed” Republican candidate they can defeat in Texas.

And we say it with a straight face, seemingly ignoring the fact that Donald Trump has been elected President of the United States not once…but twice.

Don’t get me wrong…Ken Paxton is, in every way, a terrible, corrupt, immoral human being. But modern Republican politics has repeatedly shown that personal scandal and ethical baggage are no longer disqualifying if voters believe the candidate is fighting for their side culturally and politically. Emphasis on culturally.

So, what, if anything, makes this contest between Ken Paxton and James Talarico different?

Honestly, that remains to be seen. What is already clear is that this race will easily become two things: the most expensive U.S. Senate race in history, and the nastiest.

Trump will undoubtedly campaign alongside Paxton in Texas, and that rally is bound to be a  ugly affair.

If Democrats want to win this race…the House…and the Senate, then the focus MUST be on the people they want to serve.

Donald Trump is a terrible excuse for a human being. But that fact alone cannot win elections. People not being able to feed their families, put gas in their cars, afford rent, or go to the doctor…those are the things that matter to the majority of Americans who will go to the polls this fall.

Democrats must put their obsession with Donald Trump aside and focus on the millions of people being hurt by his policies and this economy. They must regain trust by speaking with people…not at them.

They need to extend a hand to the American people and ask them to trust that they will wake up every single day fighting to make their lives a little easier, a little more affordable, and a little more stable.

Because at the end of the day, most voters are not looking for a political revolution or a viral moment. They’re looking for someone who understands how hard life has become—and who actually seems interested in helping.