(C) Texas Tribune This story was originally published by Texas Tribune and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . The Blast: Outnumbered, outspent, outweathered and outvoted [1] [] Date: 2024-05 After losing to state Sen.-elect Molly Cook in the Senate District 15 special election, state Rep. Jarvis Johnson’s campaign says they were “outspent,” blames dismal turnout on a confluence of factors and calls that turnout “unacceptable.” At the same time, the Johnson campaign owns up to the fact that they didn’t turn out their base but says they were stockpiling resources for the primary runoff that’s just three weeks away. Cook, an emergency room nurse and community organizer, beat Johnson, a veteran lawmaker, 57%-43% in this weekend’s special election in a sharp reversal from the March 5 primary, where Johnson took a plurality of 36% to Cook’s 21%. Now, Johnson must cast aside doubts about his campaign and Cook has a chance to prove she deserves frontrunner status when Democratic voters return to the polls on May 28. In a statement after Cook won the special election, Johnson took aim at one of Cook’s biggest benefactors, Leaders We Deserve. “Out-of-state PACs have spent six-figures against me and are trying everything they can to keep you from casting your vote,” the Houston Democrat said. David Hogg and Kevin Lata recently created Leaders We Deserve to elect a generation of young progressive candidates, and they spent just over $200,000 in support of Cook in her 15-point victory. Yes, we’re talking about that David Hogg. “15% is not us. That’s running a poor campaign,” Hogg said in an interview with The Blast yesterday. “As much as I would like to take — I think we can take some credit for that, but you don’t lose by that much simply because somebody comes in and spends some money.” “You don’t win a campaign by complaining about grassroots organizations that help support candidates that are aligned with their values,” he added. “You win it by putting in the work and not complaining, putting your head down and knocking doors. That is why Molly won.” After March 5, the Johnson campaign touted their candidate as having solidified “frontrunner status.” Hogg, explaining the comeback, said voters are angry about the state’s abortion ban and gun laws passed by Republicans. “They want somebody who’s there to fight and not take the bullshit anymore, the lies that have endangered so many young people across the south,” Hogg said. However, the Johnson campaign accused those backing Cook, specifically Leaders We Deserve, of saying Johnson supports school vouchers, is supported by the NRA and takes money from MAGA Republicans. Leaders We Deserve flooded the field with eight mailers, said Katelyn Caldwell, Johnson’s chief of staff and deputy campaign manager. “We think the constant barrage of misinformation makes that difference,” campaign manager Chris Watson said of their 15-point loss during an interview today. “It depressed our vote in some areas.” Johnson began the year with $106,000 in cash on hand, subsequently raised $469,000 and spent at least $294,000, $128,000 of which he spent since the March 5 primary. Cook began the year with $76,000 in cash on hand, subsequently raised $555,000 and has spent at least $459,000, $269,000 of which she spent since the primary. Leaders We Deserve’s $200,000-plus in contributions since the start of April account for nearly 40% of her funds raised since the start of 2024. While Johnson noted in his election night statement that he was “outspent,” Watson said the campaign “let a lot of [the opposition’s] negativity go unanswered” because they were trying to reserve resources for the main prize, the May 28 primary runoff that will determine the likely winner of the full four-year term. “We did not expend our resources,” Watson said. “We think our opponent did spend her resources, wholly because this is a race you wouldn’t want to lose three times in a row, so I think it was more important for her than for us at this point.” “However, this next go-round, we’re taking nothing for granted,” he continued. “We are spending our resources all the way down to the last penny, all the way down to the last piece of energy that anybody in this campaign has to give.” But if the Johnson campaign took their foot off the gas for the special, they have a good bit of work to do to get back to speed and rally his backers after what some are calling an embarrassing performance. The electorate is going to look different three weeks from now than it did this weekend. This weekend’s election was a low-information Saturday election, and voters had bigger problems to worry about, like torrential rain and flood evacuations, which affected northeast Harris County, parts of which the Johnson campaign viewed as part of their base. Senate District 15 fully encompasses Johnson’s current seat, House District 139. HD-139 voted for him with 70% on Saturday, but the turnout was low there this time around. Districtwide, only 3% of eligible voters turned out, and Johnson’s campaign called that “unacceptable” for Democrats, particularly given what it could mean for November. A potential good side for Johnson is that HD-139 will also be selecting its Democratic nominee and likely eventual winner on May 28. Two candidates are duking it out in that runoff, giving Johnson’s base a second reason to turn out. Another odds-and-ends complicating factor in the northern part of the district this weekend was that some voters, like in Humble, potentially had up to three separate ballots as well as multiple places to vote in person, between the special election, municipal elections and municipal utility district elections. Again, the Johnson campaign called that region part of their base. Everything will be streamlined come May 28. Johnson now has three weeks to prove his theory of the case and put their list of grievances behind. And Cook has three weeks to restock her coffers and print yard signs saying “Reelect Sen. Molly Cook.” [END] --- [1] Url: https://mailchi.mp/texastribune/the-blast-outnumbered-outspent-outweathered-and-outvoted Published and (C) by Texas Tribune Content appears here under this condition or license: Used with Permission: https://www.texastribune.org/republishing-guidelines/. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/texastribune/