Endorsement Not Accepted at the Polls
AUSTIN, Texas — Donald Trump’s endorsement machine has run into a problem in Texas: Republican voters can apparently read the candidate’s name underneath the President’s photograph.
Paxton Defeat Stuns Republican Strategists in Texas Senate Race
Ken Paxton’s defeat has stunned strategists who believed Trump’s blessing turned a candidate into an unstoppable electoral force. Democrat James Talarico broke a 32-year Republican winning streak in statewide races, and an endorsement turns out not to be a legal substitute for a ballot.
For years Republican candidates have treated Trump’s approval as the political equivalent of being knighted by a golden monarch who owns several golf courses. Ads feature his name, image and enthusiasm. In some cases voters need a magnifying glass to find the person actually seeking office.
“The idea is simple,” said one Texas campaign consultant. “You convince people they’re voting for Trump, even though Trump isn’t on the ballot. Sometimes it works. Other times voters notice they’ve been handed somebody else.”
Republicans Review How Endorsements Interact With Counting Votes
Republican officials have launched an internal review of how endorsements interact with the ancient democratic custom of counting votes. The findings may force large revisions to the party’s marketing materials. Some candidates apparently believed a presidential endorsement came with a satisfaction guarantee.
An exit poll of 3,400 Texas voters found that 71 per cent like Trump, 58 per cent like the Republican Party, and 49 per cent could not name the candidate whose picture was standing next to him on their mailer. Of that last group, 12 per cent said they thought it was his brother-in-law.
A spokesperson for the state party said in a statement: “The President’s endorsement remains the most valuable asset in American politics. We are reviewing how to get people to show up and use it.”
Texas voters have a complicated relationship with authority. They dislike Washington telling them what to do, especially when Washington tells them to vote for somebody they don’t want. National party leaders spend years celebrating Texas independence and then expect Texans to take instructions from the White House.
A rancher outside Wichita Falls described the contradiction. “I like Trump. But liking Trump doesn’t mean I have to vote for every fellow whose picture appears next to him. I like Willie Nelson too. Doesn’t mean I want his drummer running the Department of Agriculture.”
Analysts point out a difference between a popular political figure and the appeal of an individual candidate. The finding has shocked consultants who charge large fees to explain that voters should back whoever their favourite politician already backs.
Consultants Blame Advertising, Turnout and Photograph Size
Some Republican strategists blame advertising. Others blame turnout. A determined faction thinks the Trump photographs were not big enough. One proposed dropping the candidate’s picture from the leaflet entirely and printing the endorsement across the front. Election officials said voters would still eventually need to identify the candidate. That was ruled an unreasonable bureaucratic obstacle.
A review of the ballot design, according to a summary seen by this publication, found that the candidate’s name appeared in the correct place on every official Texas ballot. The summary’s author noted that this “may have contributed to voter awareness.”
Democratic strategists are celebrating the possibility that Texans might judge Republicans one at a time instead of automatically backing anybody accompanied by a presidential thumbs-up.
In Washington, Trump’s advisers reportedly kept discussing the extraordinary value of a presidential endorsement. Texas consultants suggested the product might need clearer instructions. The endorsement can help persuade voters. It can generate publicity. It can raise money. It cannot walk into the polling booth, pick a candidate and make a Texan press the right button.
That remains the voter’s job, which is exactly the sort of arrangement politicians tend to object to after losing.
Five Observations on Trump, Paxton and the Texas Voter
- You put Trump on the mailer in a bigger font than the candidate. That’s not a campaign, that’s a hostage note with a flag on it.
- Texans don’t like Washington telling them what to do. That’s not politics, that’s the entire personality of the state. You tell a Texan to go left and he buys a bigger truck.
- Twelve per cent thought the guy next to Trump was his brother-in-law. Honestly, that’s a better campaign. Everybody’s got a brother-in-law they don’t trust.
- The name was on the ballot in the right place. Wow. We’re now at the point where the right answer is “the sign was legible.”
- I like Willie Nelson. I don’t want his drummer at the Department of Agriculture. Every rancher in Texas just said the most sensible thing that’s been said all year.
