Texas U.S. Senate race write-in candidates

Welcome back. You're watching Fox 7 Austin News at 530. A new poll shows the race for U.S. Senate in Texas remains close. That poll also shows there is growing discontent with both leading candidates. Fox 7 Austin's chief political reporter, Rudy Kosky, joining us from the newsroom with how that discontent is motivating a group of write-in candidates. Rudy. Yeah, it's kind of interesting. We're hearing more and more people say, if only there was somebody else that I could vote for. Well, the official ballot here in Texas will have three names on it for Senate. Libertarian Ted Brown, Republican Ken Paxton, and Democrat James Tallarico. But there are also four write-in candidates who are in play. Avery Ayers, Bradford Hall, Zul Muhammad, and Jade Simmons. They all have good reason to dismiss the long shot label. That's because a recent poll that focused on a lot on Ken Paxton and James Tallarico indicates voters may be looking for an alternative candidate. In our Battleground Texas show today, we looked at the favorability ratings for those two top contenders and how each have negative opinions about them, now exceeding 40 percent. Jade Simmons, one of the write-in candidates, expressed optimism about her chances and that sparked a spirited discussion with our panel. Rudy, 49 percent of Texans identify as independent and many used to be red, used to be blue. They're feeling politically homeless and the independent option allows us to solve for the largest number of Texans possible. What I believe is in a three-way race, especially in a four-way race, one candidate doesn't have to take home 50 or 60% of the vote. We only need, what, 3.4 million people to say, we're not choosing red or blue, we're doing something new. So we're not the long shot people like to think we are. Greg, no doubt the Texas Senate race has two stinker candidates at the top of the ballot, But can lightning strike? The only way this happens is if one of these write-in folks somehow finds Aladdin's lamp and is granted a wish from a mythical genie. There is certainly unhappiness with the status quo, but that doesn't mean that there's fertile terrain for a new third party or third party movement. But this is the best storm that Democrats have in Texas. let's be honest the the winds are swirling in their favor it's just a matter of can they do what they haven't done for about 30 years and that's winning a statewide race but of course those uh four write-in candidates certainly are looking for that aladdin's lamp that greg was talking about now they are all four of them certified with the secretary of state's office so their votes will be counted notable past uncertified write-in candidates here in travis county according to the texas tribune include Willie Nelson, Mickey Mouse, Jesus Christ and artist activist Vermin Supreme, Alec Vermin Supreme I should have known now Rudy uh has a write-in candidate ever won a U.S. Senate race lightning has struck and struck pretty big uh two cases in modern history Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski in 2010 and South Carolina Strom Thurmond you have to go all the way back to 1954 for that one. But on the House side, there have been about eight congressional write-in successful wins. Alec? Rudy Goski, thank you.