After losses in 2018, Republicans say Tarrant County is ‘ground zero’ in 2020 election
Texas Republicans are laser focused on November — and on Tarrant County.
This North Texas community, they stress, is more than just a key battleground in the general election this year.
It “will be ground zero for the battle that re-elects the president,” former Texas Republican Party Chairman Steve Munisteri told a crowd of around 600 gathered Saturday night at AT&T Stadium for the Tarrant Republican Party’s Lincoln Day Dinner.
Republicans ranging from House Minority Whip Steve Scalise to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn gathered here to raise money for their political party and talk about their hope to boost turnout in this state and re-elect GOP officeholders, including President Donald Trump, this year.
Tarrant County has been in the spotlight since 2018, when Democrat Beto O’Rourke ran a competitive race in his bid to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, losing statewide but claiming a narrow victory in this traditionally conservative county.
Democrats hope to add to gains made that year, when they ousted from office some Republicans including then-state Sen. Konni Burton and then-County Commissioner Andy Nguyen.
“We lost seats across Texas,” Cornyn told the crowd. “The stakes couldn’t be higher in 2020.”
He said Tarrant County is a target for Democrats, who say it’s “ripe for the picking.”
That’s why the GOP has focused on this area since last year’s election, even creating Red Alert 2020 to boost Republican turnout and votes alike.
“If somehow we were to lose Texas, we would never elect another Republican president in our lifetimes,” Cornyn said. “And we cannot let that happen.”
GOP ‘secret weapon’
The annual Lincoln Day Dinner, which raises money to fund Tarrant County Republican Party activities year-round, was held for the first time at AT&T Stadium. Tables were set up on the football field for the dinner, which included an auction and a number of speeches from Republican officeholders.
Among the elected Republican officials who attended: U.S. Reps. Kay Granger of Fort Worth, Ron Wright of Arlington, Michael Burgess of Pilot Point and Roger Williams of Austin; state Sens. Kelly Hancock of North Richland Hills and Jane Nelson of Flower Mound; and state Reps. Craig Goldman, Matt Krause and Stephanie Klick of Fort Worth and Tony Tinderholt and Bill Zedler of Arlington.
Many who spoke said Republicans had a real wake-up call in 2018.
Since then, they’ve been working to register new voters, sign up their “secret weapon” — volunteers — and share information about Republican candidates.
“We cannot let Texas lose Tarrant County as we move forward,” Hancock said.
Texas also is key in the Democratic presidential primary, since it is considered a crown jewel for Super Tuesday, when voters in 10 states head to the primary polls on March 3.
Early voting runs from Feb. 18-28.
Scalise was keynote
Scalise — the Louisiana lawmaker who was shot in the hip 2 1/2 years ago during a congressional baseball practice — was the keynote speaker on Saturday.
He touched on issues ranging from the acquittal of President Trump on his impeachment charges to Granger’s work to reprimand House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for ripping up a copy of Trump’s recent State of the Union speech.
He stressed the Republicans need to return Republican incumbents to the U.S. House, and need to re-elect Trump. Scalise, said saying that the president is a “warm and caring person.”
“He cares about this country. He cares about the people in this country.”
Scalise also talked about the shooting.
The 54-year-old was among the Republicans practicing for the annual congressional baseball game on June 14, 2017, when a gunman started firing.
He was at second base when he was shot in the hip.
As shots rang out around him, he crawled off the field and began praying.
“Some deranged lunatic came there with every intention of killing all the Republicans on this ball field,” he said. “When I put it in God’s hands, I can’t tell you how amazingly calm I felt.”
He prayed for the Capitol Police to be able to stop the shooter.
They did.
“If they weren’t there that day, a lot of us wouldn’t be here today,” he said, noting that Williams, team coach, and then-Rep. Joe Barton of Ennis, team manager, were also on the field that day. “Both got shot and kept going at it until they took him down.
“God performed miracles that day.”
Scalise underwent multiple surgeries — and months of recovery — before returning to Congress.
Now he said it’s time for Texas Republicans to unite and focus on November.
“Y’all know what’s at stake,” Scalise said.
This story was originally published February 9, 2020 at 8:00 AM.
