Today is Saturday in Texas and even though I voted on Monday, the day of early voting in Texas, I went down to our local library where early voting was in process.
Early voting here in Houston, Texas had a festive atmosphere with every political party and persuasion setting up a booth in the parking lot of our local library. This early voting polling station serves a predominately Republican, conservative area although we used to be represented by one of the most liberal members of the U.S. Congress. We are working on turning the area more Democratic Blue.
My neighborhood: Early voting with long lines in Houston Texas
Below the squiggle for more early voting photos, heated early voting arguements and my hopes for turning Texas BLUE.
The lines were long with about a one hour wait all week long. The Democrats are contesting this area since county wide - Harris County, the Democrats won and swept almost all the county offices on the 2008 Obama landslide. We live in the City of Houston limits so vote in city elections and we elected a proud lesbian mayor, Denise Parker.
You can see that even though Texas may be Red right now, we are turning to turn it Democratic Blue and forever extinguish the GOP changes for a electoral college victory.
Here are some of photos from our day's events.
Political Booths at 2012 early voting in Houston Texas
Local Democrats rally at the early voting booth in Houston Texas
Early voting Romney sign in Houston Texas.
Afraid to show face after supporting Romney?
Long lines in Houston Texas for early voting.
Above: Cody Pogue Democratic candidate
for Texas state representative campaigning
to turn Texas to Democratic Blue.
One event of note: I had a disagreement with an anti-immigrant guy at their "Anti-immigration Booth" in the early voting staging area. He was saying something crazy about the Panama Canal and 2016 and immigrants and coming towards me angrily. Not sure of the connection but it reminded me that I need to stay away from the crazies. I just walked away to safety toward the library back to safety inside the "Distance Marker" where no campaigning is allowed. The folks at the Tea Party booth at least were polite to my son and I and gave us some brochures even though we told them we were Obama supporters.
* Other early voting experiences this week *
I work in the Medical Center in downtown Houston and take mass transit every day and there is a lot of excitement about early voting on the buses and trains. All the fellow Obama supporters are enthusiastic about voting early and many waited in lines several hours long in downtown Houston. (Romney, you better watch it. Obama supporters are mad and they're not going to take being disrespected anymore.) Many Obama supporters I talked to are tired and angry of the veiled racial attacks on President Obama and are going to fight back by early voting for Obama.
The women standing next to me in one bus line said she voted early but almost couldn't because of an attempted purge of "dead voters" by our GOP Secretary of State. She sent back to "purge letter" back and said "she was very much ALIVE."
Another group of GOP women are absolutely convinced that the Democrats are "going to steal another election" without the Texas "Photo ID" law in force. I argued with them politely since I have been riding this bus with them for several years. I said that both GW Bush and Ronald Reagan won the eleciton without Photo ID so why was it needed. Also, I said that no evidence of voter impersonation in Texas has ever been proven. Then it was time to zip my mouth. :<) (Note: The federal courts and Eric Holder's Justice Dept. put the Texas "Photo ID" law on hold for this election.)
Last Presidential election in 2008 with Obama coat-tails the Democrats came close, within one seat of capturing the lower House of the Texas Legislature. So it is possible to turn Texas Democratic Blue. Then the GOP better watch out since the electoral map will be impossible. Just need more block walking and a massive voter registration effort.
Please submit below any of your suggestions for turning Texas Democratic Blue or your early voting experiences.
4:36 PM PT: I worry and worry but then I realize we've been here under the Clinton years when Bill and Hillary were so demonized. The Right Wingers will stop at nothing. They learned real well until Richard Nixon how to fight dirty and they have never let up.
Well, too bad! I tell my tea party friends, more than 51% of the voters agree with me about Obama and they'll just have to get over it.
From just checking the last three polls in each of the swing states, I see that Obama is ahead in all swing states except Florida which is still a tossup. So I am going continue my GOTV calls to Florida with Obama.