I'm currently reading <u>Turning Texas Blue</u>, by Mary Beth Rogers. I haven't gotten to the meat of it yet, but judging from her analysis of Wendy Davis's loss in the 2014 gubernatorial election, I'd guess winning involves hard work, dedication, intelligent use of resources, and skilled campaigning.
Of course generalities like that are obvious, so I'll have to report back on the specifics. As a Texan, one thing I wish the Democratic Party would do is tone down the anti-gun rhetoric. That just doesn't fly here, and it's even used against Democrats in local races.