What if DeLay Comes in No. 3 ? Possible...

Sunday, March 05, 2006

What if DeLay is No. 3 in this race?

As a told the young AP reporter I saw at Rosenberg yesterday -- I continue talking to people for hours without encountering a DeLay voter. There has been a huge voter turnout on my strong side of the district.

Before seeing the reporter I did some blocking walking in neighborhoods I’ve walked before (for years in prior elections). I found a guy home, hauling fresh compost to his yard. I introduced myself and he said he’d already voted. I asked him whom he voted for.

He said as a Republican that he had not voted for Mr. DeLay for the last few elections. I wasn’t sure he had voted for me either, but then he asked who else was running. I mentioned both names, he thought for a moment, and said: “No, I didn’t vote for them. I voted for you.”

I chock that up to name recognition. He went with the familiar name he’d seen on the ballot before.

For the third time in recent days kids, excited to meet me for some reason, approached me. It occurred while I was at a Boy Scout sale/fundraiser when a kid came running up and asking if I was “Mike Fjetland.” I said yes. He wanted to meet me as the candidate. He said his dad was scoutmaster. I enjoyed being with them all, working together, on a beautiful sunny blue spring day.

I came across some Foster High school girls and their parents and let them wash my van. They were doing it as a fundraiser for a trip to New York. The ones in the yellow shirts were going on the trip; the ones in the blue shirts had to wash and wait on a future trip. When I asked their preference, they came up with London and Paris instead of New York. I thought that was great, and pretty funny. The van really didn’t need the wash, but the kids needed the money for a trip that would expand their world. Many of the girls had never been out of the State of Texas!

I offered a $1 tip if anyone could pronounce my last name. I kept my dollar but they are smart and figured it out -- and I got a power shine you could see for miles. Thanks girls! Have fun on your trip.

It’s time to vote and make a decision.

Another update tomorrow…