Radical Royce is wearing his out-of-touch liberalism – supporting Medicare
expansion, anti-school choice positions and more – like a badge of honor…..

ICYMI – Radical Royce is wearing his out-of-touch liberalism – supporting
Medicare expansion, anti-school choice positions and more – like a badge of
honor…

 

More below + Team Cornyn’s video: The Liberal Mob & Radical Royce West: Wrong
for Texas. <[link removed]>

 

 

Krista Piferrer

Press Secretary

Texans for Senator John Cornyn



Are Sen. John Cornyn’s attacks against Royce West designed to sink Dallas
Democrat or boost MJ Hegar?

The incumbent Republican senator’s feud with West comes as the Democratic
runoff approaches.

By Gromer Jeffers Jr.

 

As published in the Dallas Morning News.
<[link removed]>



<[link removed]>

<[link removed]>
An escalating feud between Sen. John Cornyn and Democratic rival Royce West
raises questions about the incumbent Republican’s political calculations.

 

With Air Force combat veteran MJ Hegar of Round Rock considered by many
analysts as the Democratic frontrunner, why is Cornyn continually attacking
West, the longtime state senator from Dallas?The answer could provide clues
into Cornyn’s views on the Democratic race for Senate, as well as his
preference for a November general election opponent.

 

It also reveals a fracture in the relationship of West and Cornyn, two
longtime Texas leaders who have been fixtures on the Texas political scene. The
back and forth could be about bruised feelings, with Cornyn’s campaign
objecting to being called racists and West disappointed at the senator’s
tactics.

 

“Cornyn’s an old dog playing an old trick,” said Ed Espinoza, executive
director of the progressive group called Progress Texas. “He’s baiting
Democrats to come to Royce’s defense. He’s trying to pick his opponent in the
general election and he doesn’t want to run against MJ Hegar.”

 

But longtime Democratic strategist Colin Strother said Cornyn’s arrows at West
proves he fears running against the state senator, not Hegar.

 

“They see him as their chief rival,” Strother said. “They don’t want him to be
the nominee.”

 

“I’m sure he is afraid of facing a candidate like me in November,” West said
Tuesday. “I have the record and the experience to more than match him, and I
can bring together the diverse coalition of voters he and the Republicans have
tried so hard to suppress in Texas, even now denying the common sense of voting
by mail during COVID-19, because they value power more than people’s safety.”

 

An spokesperson for the Cornyn campaign declined additional comment.

 

Former Dallas County Republican Party Chairman Jonathan Neerman said it would
be easier for Cornyn to run against West because the Dallas Democrat has a
record to poke. He said that waking up a sleepy electorate was Cornyn’s first
concern.

 

“That they are producing these ads now means that they see it as an
opportunity to be active during a political lull,” Neerman said. “The senator
going after the senator is raising both of their profiles.”

 

Hard feelings

 

Earlier this month, Cornyn infuriated West when his campaign aides began
dubbing the senator “Restful Royce,” which West’s campaign spokesman Vince
Leibowitz called “dog whistle racism” because it dusts up the longtime racial
stereotypes of African Americans being lazy. The West campaign put out a video
blasting Cornyn over the label.

 

Cornyn has called Hegar “Hollywood Hegar" because of her support from some
entertainers, but hasn’t pelted her as much as West.

 

Cornyn campaign spokesperson Krista Piferrer denied the “Restful Royce” tag
was a racist dog whistle, saying “Restful is a pseudonym for ‘quiet,’ ‘calm,’
‘tranquil’ and ‘leisurely.’

 

“All words that describe the pathetic campaign that West has been running,”
she said, promising to rebrand West as “Radical Royce.”

 

On Tuesday the new attack theme was unveiled in a Cornyn-produced video that
said West has refused to speak out against a “liberal mob” that has lambasted
President Donald Trump. That mob, the video says, includes House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi, comedian Kathy Griffin, Rep. Maxine Waters of California and others.

 

“Radical Royce is surging, thanks to a little help from the media,” a news
release announcing the video stated. “The truth is Radical Royce sat in silence
while liberal elites spewed venom at our values.”West responded by suggesting
Cornyn was “Trump Jr.”

 

“Cornyn called me the leader of a liberal mob today to raise money,” West said
in a prepared statement. “Like I said, if being liberal means I stood up for
women’s rights, or healthcare for all, or better education, then I’ll take it
as a compliment. The truth is, he’s desperate. He’s pulling out the Trump
Junior playbook of misinformation and bullying tactics. It’s not a good look
for a U.S. Senator.”

 

Noticeably absent from Cornyn’s recent fire is Hegar, who this week defended
West.

 

For her part, Hegar has spent most of her campaign blasting Cornyn and
focusing little--at least publicly--on West.

 

“Time and time again Sen. Cornyn proves just how out of step he is with real
Texas values,” said Hegar campaign spokesperson Amanda Sherman, calling
Cornyn’s attacks “toxic political BS”. “If he had any integrity left, he would
immediately admit that his comments were the latest in a series of racist
missteps and apologize to Senator West. However, like the endangered career
politician he is, Senator Cornyn is playing transparent political games and
spreading more dangerous rhetoric in an effort to save himself from being
defeated by MJ Hegar in November.”

 

Does Cornyn want Hegar or West?

 

Hegar, who’s locked in a July 14 runoff against West, suggested in an April
fundraising appeal that Cornyn would get involved in the Democratic Senate
primary.

 

“We can’t get complacent now,” she wrote to supporters. “Sen. Cornyn and his
D.C. boss Mitch McConnell are terrified of the campaign we’ve built, and it’s
possible they might even meddle in our runoff to boost our opponent!”

 

On March 3 Hegar finished first over West in a 12-person field. She has a
dramatic fundraising advantage and more campaign resources than West. Her donor
base dwarfs West’s number of contributors.Hegar is backed by the Democratic
Senatorial Campaign Committee.

 

A poll by The Dallas Morning News and the University of Texas-Tyler
<[link removed]>
shows Hegar with a 32 percent to 16 percent lead over West, though most voters
are undecided.

 

Some analysts say her ability to attract suburban women voters makes her a
dangerous candidate for Cornyn, and that’s why he’s trying to elevate West. The
poll found she leads with white and older voters.Espinoza, the progressive
Democrat, said Trump’s growing unpopularity the mishandling of the coronavirus
pandemic has shortened his coattails, leaving Cornyn to look for other ways to
fire up his base. West has become his boogeyman, the urban liberal that
Republicans traditionally use to scare conservative voters and raise money.

 

“He’s got to find an enemy and that enemy is Royce,” Espinoza said.

 

But Strother says West more upside than Hegar, and the low turnout runoff and
his broad support gives him an edge. Nearly all of the Democratic leaders in
the Texas Legislature support West. If his supporters inside the party’s
establishment turns out voters, he could win.

 

Strother says Cornyn is also worried that West will boost down ballot
candidates by turning out African American and, perhaps, Hispanic voters.

 

“Cornyn assumes he’s going to win,” Strother said. “The concern for him is
what happens down ballot. That’ why Royce West is their nightmare candidate.”

 

But if the key to Democratic victories in November is mobilizing suburban
voters, Hegar could be the tougher opponent, some analyst say.

 

Is anybody paying attention?

 

Veteran political consultant Harold Cook says both scenarios have merit, and
it’s hard to know what Cornyn’s campaign is mulling.

 

“They undoubtedly has seen something in polling that worries them,” he said.
“It doesn’t come out of thin air. And elevating the guy you want to run against
by attacking him has worked in the past.”

 

“The problem here is that nobody is paying attention,” he said. “With all that
is going on, who’s thinking about a runoff.”

 

Neerman, the former GOP chairman, said few people are thinking about Cornyn,
West or Hegar.“When is the runoff?” Neerman joked. “I don’t think anybody is
thinking about primaries or general elections at this point.”

 

###







Paid for by Texans for Senator John Cornyn




This email was sent to [email protected]. With you on board, we’re one
step closer to keeping Texas red and fighting to create a future we can all be
proud of. On behalf of all of us, we’re glad you’re on board. Now that you’re
on Team Cornyn, make sure that you’re keeping up to date with the latest news.
The best way to do so? Following our campaign onFacebook
<[link removed]> and Twitter
<[link removed]> – that way you’ll always be the first to know
when something important comes up. Now, if you’re still reading this, we know
you’re really ready to stand up and protect Texas. To aid your fight, we
suggest you turnthis song <[link removed]> up on
full volume and do anything you can to help stop the dangerous policies being
pedaled by the left to oppose our president and replace our conservative Texas
values. Once you’re pumped up and ready to go, head over to ourvolunteer page
<[link removed]>
and find out exactly how you can help. We’d be proud to have you join us.
Thank you for all you do to support John Cornyn for Senate. Don’t want to
receive additional updates? Click here tounsubscribe
<[link removed]>
... But we’d rather you stick around. Together, we can protect this great state
we know and love, and promote a safe, prosperous, and healthy Texas.
Contributions to Texans for Senator John Cornyn, Inc. are not tax deductible.