Oh Donna, please, please, please, kick his a**.

I'm gonna laugh my ass off at you people after Feb. 14.

This is pretty much what we had with the SD1 special election. Sadler came out strong in the first round, and the R's turned up the heat and turned out to vote to put Eltife in.

My hope is with Howard on this one. That would send a great message.

This district went from being Democratic in 2001 to, after statewide redistricting, basically a GOP-leaning swing district. Todd Baxter defeated incumbent Ann Kitchen with 52 percent, with the backing of the trmpac money (as we all know). Meaning that neither howard nor bentzin has it in the bag, and who will win is anybody's guess.

Well, if Ben doesn't show up anywhere he has a good shot. Fortunately, he'll probably buy a lot of media and have his face and that stupid ad going all the time.

We're done with R's in 48. No mas.

Let’s get a few things straight here.

There is a big difference between the Sadler/Eltife race and the Howard/Bentzin race. In the 1st special election for district 1 there were 4 Republicans picking up 59.78% of the vote for the Republican Party, as a whole. Sadler, the lone Democrat, picked up 39.50%. That amount was the single most for one candidate in the first election. In the runoff Eltife picked up 51.86% to Sadler’s 48.13%.

In the Donna Howard/Ben Bentzin race, there are 2 Democrats who collectively gained 59.92% of the vote. There is one Republican who picked up 37.80% and one Libertarian who picked up 2.29%. Even if you give up that 2.29% to the Republicans, that is a 19.83% advantage for the Democrats.

I’m sure Bentzin has a chance gaining some ground, but do we really think he can gain 20% in 3 weeks?

Cody - No. I don't think so.

I think the D voters in 48 were extraordinarily pissed off at being disenfranchised (exhibit A - kelly white's showing in 2004, exhibit B - howard's showing) and are going to turn out en masse to teach the Rs a lesson in that district. I also think they saw right through Baxter's quick pullout and recognized it as the insult that it was.

Trey, am I wrong?

Ben "Vince Young" Bentzin. Did I read it right that Ben received in the high 50s against Gonzalo a couple of years ago? My guess is that, given the fairly educated population in this district that they liked Ben better before they knew him. And that they like him and the Republicans less than they did a few years ago before the Republicans were in power. Smart people don't vote Republican just because Rick Perry tells them to. I'd say Ben, or should I say Vince, is in trouble and will be defeated by around 8 to 10 percentage points.

I mean high 50s in the same precincts that now make up the new district.

not at all, SE. Baxter is about as popular right now as Perry. People wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire and they'd just consumed a case of beer. They hold Ben in much the same regard.

It's not an R v D thing. It's personal for a lot of people. For me, I think vouchers are a bad idea and I know Bentzin's writing a lot of checks right now that will be cashed if he wins. I know that puts him on the wrong side of that debate, and others.

Even if Bentzin does win the runoff, he will not hold that seat past November. It was a mistake to run for it in the first place, one I would chalk up to vanity.

Ben Bentzin, I mean Vince Young Bentzin, is vane?

or vain, if you prefer:)

AH, trey that was mean. lol
Other Guy, i canNOT get the bentzin-vince thing out of my head either. particularly because he got the analogy totally and completely wrong. because UT was ahead at halftime. and because bentzin's a dope.

Oh shit, Carly Simon would kick my ass. Thanks for the spelling lesson. I write about Bentzin enough, and I am struck stupid.

I'd be the last to say Donna has it wrapped up, but I would have to say she's the heavy favorite at this moment AS LONG AS PEOPLE GET OUT TO VOTE!

Republicans will vote next time, too. And if I see the word "disenfranchised" one more time I'll scream.

DISENFRANCHISED DISENFRANCHISED
DISENFRANCHISED DISENFRANCHISED
DISENFRANCHISED DISENFRANCHISED
DISENFRANCHISED DISENFRANCHISED

Sorry, I want to see the piggy scream. Go ahead, Anon. Scream. LOUDLY.

What are the policy reasons many of you folks are against Ben?. Outside of politics he is a successful businessman, active in non-profit and cultural organizations, He is a national leader in Technology who brings honor and opportunity to Austin.
He wants to control property tax increases,
he is uniquely qualified to guide legislation that can improve the technology business climate, etc.
My point is can't you disagree with him without assassinating his character or invalidating any possible goodwill from the Republicans. I am a Centrist looking for the candidate who can contribute the most to many issues. I want to know what the candidates believe beyond what they say to pander to their partisan base.

cuase he is a fat ass dork

Paul: If anything, the partisan screeching against Bentzin has made him look more favorable to me. He seems like a guy who understands Austin's future, rather than just its past, which appeals to me. I'm still waiting for a real reason he shouldn't be my choice -- other than the DeLay insinuations, which even the accusers don't really understand, or annoyance with Baxter, which sheds no light whatsoever on Bentzin. Most of the criticism seems to be just bitter partisanship.

He's a vote for Craddick. Good enough reason for me.

Paul: He is a successful business man who like many were successful at Dell. What has he done before or since? You know, on his own? I should listen to his economic platform (which, by the way, looks weak as hell) because he was in finance at Dell?

I'm glad he's involved in charity work. That shows him to be a good person, or at least someone who cares enough to give money. However, that does not qualify him by a long shot for State Rep, nor does it put him in a unique position to increase technology jobs in Travis County. Companies locate here for a number of reasons. Ben Bentzin, even Rep. Ben Bentzin, wouldn't be one of them.

Donna wants to control property taxes as well. Unlike Ben, she won't vote to do it while screwing the majority of her constituents, a la Baxter. Ben's taken money from voucher advocates which indicates to me he supports them. That's a giant FU to 90% of the people in the district who send their kids to public schools.

I AM A FORMER REPUBLICAN. I'M ONE OF THOSE WHO CAN'T HOLD HIS NOSE AND VOTE FOR ANOTHER CHICKENSHIT REPUBLICAN WHO'LL TAKE HIS INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE SPEAKER.

He may be a good person and I certainly hope he'll prove that by continuing his charity work after he loses.