Rick Noriega’s Campaign Starting to Get Some Buzz

Well, let’s just say some more buzz.

Have you noticed it? Ever since Mikal Watts pulled out of the race for the Democratic nomination for US Senator from Texas, Rick Noriega, and his wife Melissa, have been getting lots and lots of media attention.

And not just from the local Houston media market either.

What about this very complimentary piece that came out in the Dallas Morning News the other day? It basically introduces “Team Noriega” to Dallas metroplex readers. And I think it helps to clarify some more why Rick Noriega – and Melissa – are in this for the long haul. They both know what it is like to be away from family for extended periods of time. They have adapted to it, and it has made them that much stronger.

Then there’s yesterday’s article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Again, a very complimentary piece that highlighted his tour of duty in Afghanistan, and the long uphill battle he is going to have to win in Texas, which has not allowed a Democrat to occupy either of its senate seats since 1988.

“He's going to have to spend a lot of time away from home, and he's going to have to raise an awful lot of money, said [State Rep. Lon] Burnam, who has known Noriega for more than a decade.”

Yet I think that is now doable. As the only Democrat currently running in the primary, Rick can now attract those big donor dollars, the $2300 kind, and apparently is going to be doing just that as he moves forward. I just received notice of a little get-together of some local and not so local high rollers later on in November. Lawyers, mostly, but partner-type lawyers, not ambulance chasers.

But he’s also still one of us, and he still appreciates his grassroots supporters. And we can show our appreciation right back. Before, you might have donated for a primary campaign. Well, Rick says that he is still going to be running as a primary candidate, but now you know that he is going to be the one to beat Cornyn in ’08. So show Rick your appreciation again, at ActBlue. Yes, the website is still up and is still taking donations. Totals currently stand at 1286 donors across ActBlue, who donated a total of $176,204. That’s a lot, but they say it is going to take $10 million to run in all of Texas’ media markets.

So despite all of the great news and news coverage, we’ve only just begun to fight.