WI: Lloyd Doggett beats Phil Gramm for U.S. Senate seat in Texas '84, how much would change?

Anaxagoras

Banned
This would only happen if Gramm were caught boinking his underage babysitter in a church on Sunday, or something along those lines.
 
Also, Doggett *did* try to make the race about economic issues: "He accused Gramm of attempting to cut Social Security and of calling for the eventual elimination of federal education aid." *CQ's Politics in America 1990*, p. 1426. Obviously, it didn't work.
This seems like a major blunder on Gramm's part, especially the part about Social Security. In baseball terms, this is a hanging curve ball right down the middle of the plate!

So, you run a newspaper ad, including a Gramm quote or one of his votes, and you say, Phil has some 'plaining to do. And Phil might blunder on this and give an explanation which is not fully believable. And please keep in mind that, whereas people might not know all kinds of policy detail, people do have pretty highly-attuned bullshit detectors.

And obviously it wasn't enough in OTL. But if Lloyd had first presented his ten-year record in the Texas Senate and presented himself as a champion of the average citizen of Texas, and then went after Phil as out of step, then I wonder.

Of course, Phil will try the same or similar strategy, and I embrace the challenge! :)
 
Last edited:
Doggett Wins Senate Nomination In Texas Over Hance by 509

Washington Post, Paul Taylor, June 4, 1984.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arch...9-votes/e1fd77a3-e95b-4d3e-87ad-6e6097cecfcd/

Liberal state Sen. Lloyd Doggett defeated conservative Rep. Kent Hance by 509 votes out of nearly 1 million cast Saturday in a Democratic Senate primary runoff that is headed for a recount.

"I claim victory as 'Landslide Lloyd,' " Doggett, 37, joked at a news conference today following a night of drama that saw him edge into the lead only after more than 98 percent of the ballots had been tallied. . .
So, Lloyd has the confidence to have a sense of humor. Good for him! :)

You keep presenting yourself as an effective advocate for the average Texan. And when liberal statements and voters come up, you say that's a good idea, too.

But the main core of your appeal is economic growth and good jobs for all Texans.

Okay, with this run-off having happened in early June, that's five months before the general election in early November, seems like plenty of time to first and foremost win over swing voters, and secondly get fellow Democrats who voted for Hance to the polls. I say, you don't overly fixate on this shoring up of the base, but rather have the confidence to trust that over time it will mostly happen on its own.
 
Last edited:
Texas' school reform law of 1984 still touches millions of students

Dallas Morning News
, Terrence Stutz, 7 July 2014.
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20140706-school-reform-law-of-1984-still-touches-millions-of-texas-students.ece

AUSTIN — Three decades after it became law, the landmark schools package passed by the Legislature in the summer of 1984 [emphasis added] still affects Texas children and teachers every day — and fuels ongoing debates about education in the state.

The no-pass, no-play rule, the 22-pupil in elementary schools, prekindergarten classes for disadvantaged children and high school graduation tests were all provisions of the law, pushed by Dallas billionaire Ross Perot.

.
.
.

So, the Summer of 1984? My, Oh My, Oh My! And in the Texas Senate, Lloyd Doggett was right in the thick of things.

And by the way, a majority of Texas parents support no-pass, no-play (or at least say they do).

So, this provides a shake up. Just in the accidental aspects of what the media focuses on, Lloyd may receive more credit or more blame.
 
Top