2018 Primary Second in the primary 31 – 29
2018 Primary Run Off Won 58 – 42
2018 Election Lost 50 — 48
Here’s a soldier
In 2004, already a member of the military, JosephKopser https://www.kopserforcongress.com/ volunteered to serve in Iraq. Convinced the Bush administration did not have a plan to succeed there, he hoped to be part of a plan that would succeed. He helped organize elections to replace the old regime. Those elections were not a solution. Genuine elections turned out to be impossible.
So he sought combat. He joined the First Cavalry Division, fought, and lost friends in Iraq and Afghanistan. He carried on, dismayed with America’s leadership in the war.
When he returned home and to civilian life, he co-founded a technology company (for commuter navigation), served as CEO, sold it to Daimler Benz, and continued as CEO for a while. He moved on. Was President of a consulting firm.
He could have just enjoyed the money he made. Instead, he worried: “….the American Dream is at risk from three issues—a lack of leadership and sustained focus on training and education, a lack of bipartisan and multi-stakeholder commitment to reach consensus, and a consistent refusal to recognize that new economic forces are bringing new (not less) opportunity,”
Kopser saw that his congressman, Lamar Smith, was an extreme version of what needed to be changed. Chairman of the House Science Committee, Smith was an opponent of science. He argued for the benefits of climate change and of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. He tried to cut NASA’s budget for earth sciences. He wanted to subject research to a political test. He was Donald Trump’s first supporter in the House of Representatives.
Joseph Kopser has already won, in a way. Smith announced his retirement.
Winning the election is another story. Representing Austin (the home of the University of Texas) could be a little like representing Berkeley, California (home of the University of California). Representing Austin (also the state capitol) could be like representing Madison Wisconsin (the state capitol and home of the University of Wisconsin).
There is no representing Austin. Not exactly right.
There is a lot of representing Austin, but its voice gets drowned out. Texas has gerrymandered its Congressional districts so that Austin has so many representatives it is not represented at all. Texas 21, where Joseph Kopseris a candidate, runs from North of San Antonio to Austin and has been represented by Republican Lamar Smith, who was described above as an enemy of science. Texas 10 runs from northwest Houston to Austin and is represented by Republican Michael McCaul, the third wealthiest member of Congress. Texas 25 runs from Fort Worth to Austin and is represented by Republican Roger Williams, athlete, coach and finance chair for GW Bush’s campaign. Texas 35 runs on a skinny line from San Antonio to Austin, has a Democratic Representative in Lloyd Doggett. It is one of the most gerrymandered districts in the country.
It seems ridiculous to say it: Texas is a big state. Cities are far from each other. Districts that represent San Antonio and Austin, Houston and Austin, Fort Worth and Austin prevent Austin from being represented. That does not mean Joseph Kopser’s loss is ordained.
Lamar Smith’s majority was already eroding. Instead of winning with 90% of the vote or 75% of the vote, Smith got 60% of the vote in 2016 running against a Democrat with few resources and little support. Joseph Kopser can win. People know who he is and he is generating support.
As a Congressman, Joseph Kopser https://www.kopserforcongress.com/ would be a voice for reasonable gun control. He would be a voice for science and technology. He would seek to minimize and offset the dangers of climate change. He would be a voice for diversity and for education. He would be a voice for veterans and for business. He would be part of a Democratic wave — a wave that does not simply create itself. The Democratic wave is created by thousands of people making donations, fostering enthusiasm over the course of the campaign. Do your bit. Make a monthly donation. Make it happen.
A word about special elections. The Special Elections on Tuesday, January 16 were deep in Republican territory.
Nevertheless, there was one Democratic victory. Trump carried by Wisconsin SD10 by 17 points. Patty Schachter defeated the Republican 55-45. A Democratic victory and a 27 point turnaround.
There were three losses — all of them with the Democratic candidate doing substantially better than would ordinarily be expected: WI Assembly District 58, Iowa House District 23, and South Carolina House District 99.
On March 13 in Pennsylvania’s Eighteenth Congressional District, Democrats compete in another special election in another formerly Republican held seat. Trump carried the district by twenty points. Polls show the Republican Congressional candidate leading by single digits. Support for the Democratic candidate — ProsecutorConor Lamb https://conorlamb.com/would be money well spent. Financial support now could determine whether this is a close loss like the congressional races of 2017 or a victory like Doug Jones’ Senate win in Alabama.
