Clinton Heads Back to Texas With Packed Schedule
MINERAL WELLS, W.V. -- After several days of campaigning in Ohio, Hillary Clinton is taking her campaign back south to Texas. With polls tightening in the Lone Star State and with time running out before the March 4 primary, Clinton has some ground to make up.
The campaign announced earlier this week their "Countdown to March 4th in the Lone Star State" boasting about an intense ground operation in Texas that includes more than 41,000 new volunteers. In a memo released to reporters from Clinton's top pollster Mark Penn, the campaign says "Leading up to Texas' March 4 primary–caucus day, Hillary and her supporters will travel throughout Texas – making stops in Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Waco, Fort Worth and Dallas."
For most of this week in Ohio, which also votes on March 4, the focus has been on the economy including a two-hour summit on economic solutions in southeastern Ohio yesterday. But in Texas, it'll be a mixed bag, including a speech on energy reform today, a discussion on the state of the military and veterans' affairs on Friday and a discussion on health care and the economy to round out the week.
On Monday, Clinton will host what the campaign calls a "Texas-Sized" interactive town hall that will be broadcast along the southern part of Texas on Fox Sports Network. The town hall is intended for Clinton to field as many questions from voters as possible, but given the part of Texas this is being broadcast, it's clear that the intention of the campaign to reach out to Hispanic voters, a group that has traditionally made up a strong base of support for her. Clinton did a similar town hall in New York on the Hallmark Channel prior to Super Tuesday.
To top off an already busy week, Clinton will also participate in a "Juntos Con Hillary, Una Vida Mejor" or "Together with Hillary, a Better Life" multi-city, multi-day tour in Texas. The memo points out that the tour will feature "prominent Hispanic community leaders and elected officials."
Several polls currently show Clinton in a dead heat with Obama in Texas.