Tag Archives: Battleground Texas

Politics, Texas Politics

Operation Think Swing Texas: 2014 Update

Leave a comment

This is a repost from the original Operation Think Swing Texas, published on July 21st, 2012.

 

As Emily Cadik noted in a recent Burnt Orange Report article, Texas doesn’t vote. For the 2010 mid-term elections, the state of Texas had voter turnout of 36.1 percent… dead last in the nation. 2008 was better at 56.1 percent (as is expected for a Presidential election), but that still only ranked at 45th out of 50 in the US.

This isn’t exclusively a “big state” problem. Voter turnout in California is soaring, while New York in 2010 was one of the states lower than Texas. All three states also had Gubernatorial elections at the same time.

This also isn’t exclusively a “red state” problem. Some reliably Conservative states like Mississippi have consistently higher turnout than Texas, though it’s still below the national average.

Voter turnout is a Texas problem. Our voters are disengaged, and misinformed. As long as state campaigns and interest groups practice “uncertainty politics” it will continue to be this way. Besides voter apathy, Texans are plagued by signs that misdirect people to false voting locations, and incorrect times and dates of where to vote. And yes the current legal brawl over voter suppression makes the confusion this year higher than ever.

But just imagine if those voters were more informed and more engaged? Texas would easily be a swing state the likes of which the US hasn’t seen. As Nathan Pippenger states in his recent article from The New Republic, Texas isn’t on the radar as a swing state. But Democrats, with all of their challenges can make this happen in 2012. Here’s my plan of how to turn Texas into a swing state.

–Go micro.

Texas is huge, but when it comes to elections, it’s not as big as you think. 8 million Texans voted in the 2008 election, representing all 254 of the state’s counties. But as of the 2010 census, over half of all Texans live in just 13 of these counties, concentrated around the major urban areas. 12 of the 13 were “in play” for Democrats in 2008.

–Prioritize.

2008 also saw a huge sea change in the state. Some counties went so heavily for Obama that they can now be considered “reliably Democrat-leaning”… El Paso, Travis (Austin), Dallas, Webb, Hidalgo and Cameron… along with other portions of the Rio Grande Valley. Let’s consider these counties as Tier 1 targets for Texas Democrats. Gains made in the 2008 election should be kept and defended. We should be making sure democratic candidates are well-represented in the local media markets, signs and volunteers. It’s critical that these counties remain in the blue category not only for 2012, but to strengthen current networking for future elections.

Tier 2 we’ll consider these “swing” counties. These flipped to vote for Obama by a smaller margin such as Harris (Houston), Jefferson (Beaumont) or Bexar (San Antonio). But you can also consider other counties that held for McCain, but by a rapidly decreasing margin… Hays, Fort Bend, Williamson and Nueces (Corpus Christi). Texas Democrats should work hard to keep Harris county in the blue and try to flip Hays, Williamson or Fort Bend. If one of those were to flip in 2012, it would mark the first time a substantial suburban county went blue. The impact of this could not be understated because it would show that Texas follows the same model as any other swing state… The cities become heavily Democratic, rural areas lean Republican, and the election battle is fought and won in the suburban counties.

So now we’ve taken the vast 254, and narrowed it down to just 13 counties. These also happen to be the state’s most populous areas. If Texas Democrats ever win all 13 of these counties, we are swing state, and possibly a BLUE state.

–Turnout, turnout, turnout.

This is the really super hard part, but it can be done. The one thing we also know from 2008… Democrats people like to vote early. If voters are well informed of the early and absentee voting practices of each county, they’ll be more likely to vote, and Democrats will have higher turnout. Here’s where the confusion and misinformation part becomes crucial. Certain political forces are hard at work in the state to make sure that lies persist about voting practices. Democrats should be waging all-scale war on these phonies, and getting into neighborhoods to correct and inform. If we push and publicize early voting, it gives people more options and better ability to get to the poles. Keep in mind that early voting is a relatively recent practice… elderly citizens may not understand what it is. They see the one election day, and think that’s the only time they can vote. We have to change this.

If we can maximize voter turnout in the 13 target counties, Democrats will win the state.

 

Since this was written over 2 years ago, there has been some very exciting news in the state of Texas… a lot of which has gone completely under the radar of state and national media outlets.  Though thankfully a few, like Richard Parker of the New York Times have finally started to catch on.   Here’s a rundown of the updates, and what you need to be looking out for on November 4th.

1.  Wendy Davis, Leticia Van de Putte and other strong candidates!  When the above was written, I never could have imagined a Democratic ticket as strong as the one running now.  The state has really seen and heard the candidates through televised debates and an incredibly packed campaign schedule.  Republicans have been caught on the defensive for most of this election cycle having to adjust to the consistent message being put out by Democrats.

2.  Geography matters.  Along with the counties mentioned above, Wendy Davis’ candidacy for Governor brings another huge X Factor that could work to the favor of Democrats for now, and in future. Davis is from Tarrant County, which has the unique distinction of being the largest remaining urban county in Texas (some could argue in the United States) that still votes solidly Republican.  Among all the people of Texas, Tarrant County residents are the ones that know Wendy Davis best, and they are the ones that have sent her to office twice.  Having Davis at the top of the ticket moves Tarrant from a “safe Republican” county to one that is in play for Democrats to win this year.  Combine that with evidence that groups like the Tarrant County arm of Battleground Texas has been working like mad in the area, and it’s quite possible to even see Democrats winning the GOP stronghold.  A win in Tarrant County changes everything.  Be sure to watch for this on election night.

Texas Counties To Watch 2014

With the state’s largest urban centers “reliably blue”, and Tarrant County now in play, Texas Democrats have more pathways to victory than any time in the last 20 years.  Can they flip Tarrant and win any of the suburban counties this year??

 

3.  Battleground Texas, the Texas Democratic Party and County Democrats are hard at work.  Amazing as it seems, this very disparate collection of organizations has not only managed to work together, but have done a great job at utilizing each groups skill set for positive results.  Many predicted that Texas Democrats were far too weak to sustain the organizing and engagement efforts you find in states like Florida.  What has resulted is an effort larger than anyone could have predicted even one year ago.  Voter registration has seen a substantial increase in the state’s largest counties, setting the stage for voter participation levels not seen since 2008.  Groups like Mi Familia Vota (a non-partisan organization) have reached out to groups and neighborhoods long ignored in previous election cycles.  All of these things are converging right now in the Lone Star State.

 

To sum up, much of what was discussed in the original post is starting to come true.  If these plans are realized, it will prove a big surprise to most across the country.  But for Texas Leftist, it’ll be more like a Dream no longer Deferred.

 

 

(If you liked this post, please consider a donation to continue the work of Texas Leftist.)

Uncategorized

TexWatch 2014: Past the Primaries Part 1

Leave a comment

The old saying goes like this…

Democrats fall in love. Republicans fall in line.

Once again, this political principle was on display this week’s Primary election. Republicans, as expected, were out in much greater force than their Democrat counterparts, despite all of the hope and anticipation of positive developments like Battleground Texas. In the first statewide election since BGTX’s founding, Democratic turnout was almost the same for 2014 as it was in 2010… dismal. The GOP side had easily twice the number of voters.

Houston Chronicle’s editorial board seems to agree…

The tea party groups won also in this, their third election cycle, because they are knowledgeable and engaged and they show up. They contest every office.

Are you listening Democrats? Until the state’s hapless minority party emulates the tea partiers, they’ll continue to embarrass themselves with such beyond-the-fringe candidates as Kesha Rogers, a Fort Bend County follower of Lyndon LaRouche who has advocated impeaching President Obama and who carts around a poster of the president with a Hitler mustache. Rogers is a Democrat in name only, but low-information primary voters keep voting for her anyway.

Knowledgeable? Well, TEA-Publicans definitely show up. And they always bring a trove of consistent, even if rarely factual, talking points. And in the state’s current voting environment, it’s enough to wallop the Democratic side.

But the most frustrating part of all of this? Even if Republicans are out-voting Democrats by a 2 to 1 margin, the combined voter turnout is still abysmal. Fewer than 1.9 million people voted in this week’s Primary election… roughly 0.5 percent of the state’s population made these decisions for 26 million Texans. 12 million registered voters were nowhere to be found. Of the supreme oligarchy that does manage to get to the polls, many of them have no clue what or who they’re voting for. There’s no better evidence of this than the fact that a virtual unknown can draw over 114,000 votes just because they have a name of Hispanic origin. Reynaldo “Ray” Madrigal, a Corpus Christi native and Wendy Davis’ only primary opponent, never even campaigned north of I-10.

After this week’s contest, it’s pretty easy to see why Texas Democrats are caught in a cycle of disappointment. They are still a weak party, but all is not lost. Some glimmers of hope (and likely evidence that Battleground Texas is making a difference) include increased voter turnout in urban counties, an improved fundraising apparatus and a literal ARMY of new volunteers. Check back for more insight into how statewide candidates did, and how they can win this November.

Uncategorized

Texoblogosphere: Week of February 17th

Leave a comment

The Texas Progressive Alliance is always ready for voting to begin as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Off the Kuff concluded his series of primary interviews with conversations featuring State Rep. Mary Gonzalez, and Ag Commissioner candidates Kinky Friedman and Hugh Fitzsimons.

Over two million Texas voters from the 2008 Democratic primary — and eight million who were registered to vote in 2012’s general election — have not shown up to cast a ballot. Texas is NOT a conservative state; it’s a non-voting state. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs has the details on what it will take for Texas to turn blue, and the numbers don’t offer much encouragement.

Horwitz at Texpatriate explains why Attorney General Greg Abbott pulled the ladder up behind him on other disabled Texans after receiving his thirty pieces of silver.

WCNews at Eye on Williamson shows how the Texas GOP, with Perry at the wheel, took the express lane to Crazy Town and the rest of Texas is along for the ride, It’s Going To Be A Huge Mess.

Neil at All People Have Value admired turtles and a fish seemingly doing well in not very clean water in Houston’s Buffalo Bayou. These creatures recall the fact that people not only can thrive in a rough environment, they can also shape surroundings for the better. All People Have Value is part of NeilAquino.com.

And here are some posts of interest from other Texas blogs.

Texas Clean Air Matters calls on the state to work with the EPA.

The Feminist Justice League shows some love for Sen. Leticia Van de Putte.

The Texas Green Report cheers a study showing Texas among the nation’s leaders in solar-related jobs.

Christopher Hooks wants Dan Patrick and Julian Castro to have that debate about immigration already.

Lone Star Q salutes outgoing Fort Worth City Council member Joel Burns.

Mustafa Tameez analyzes NASA’s Tea Party Primary in CD36.

Battleground Texas had an amazingly successful event at Rice University for Wendy Davis.

And finally, the TPA congratulates Noel Freeman for a long awaited and much deserved second chance.

Houston Politics

Hope in Haltom City

Leave a comment

Hope was born in Haltom City, Texas.

Last week, on the very same stage that she received her high school diploma, Texas State Senator Wendy Davis took a huge leap of faith, and entered the race for Texas Governor. She did this already knowing the basic facts of the race, and of the right-leaning Texas electorate. She did this knowing that a Democrat hasn’t won a statewide office in Texas for 20 years. She did this knowing that Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, with $25 million cash-on-hand and the ability to raise upwards of $80 million, could out-spend her into the next millennium. Wendy Davis knows that in the Governor’s race, the odds are against her.

But Wendy Davis has beaten the odds her entire life. She was a poor, single mother at the age of 19, with no college education. Even then, Davis saw that her life could be more than her immediate surroundings. She put herself through community college, earned a scholarship to Texas Christian University, graduated with High honors, and went on graduate from Harvard Law School. All the while, raising a family. After becoming a successful lawyer, Davis felt the call to public service, and was elected to the Fort Worth City Council. When she finally decided to run for State Senator of District 10, Davis once again faced a tough road. As a Democrat in a solidly Republican district, she beat the male, Republican incumbent Kim Brimer in a nail-biter race. Also worth noting, her former City Council seat is currently held by the wildly popular LGBT politician Joel Burns.

So that’s how Davis became a State Senator in 2008. Most GOP operatives blamed her victory on the “Obama wave” (eventhough John McCain clearly won her district) and saw Davis as a novelty that would be easily beaten in 2012. They of course thought wrong. Senator Davis won reelection in 2012 from a tough campaign battle. Here’s an excerpt from the Texas Tribune’s 2012 election night article…

State Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, narrowly clung to her seat on Tuesday night, fending off Republican state Rep. Mark Shelton in the most-watched legislative race of the Texas election…

Her win kept Republicans from coming within one vote of the two-thirds majority needed to render Democrats virtually powerless in the upper chamber. And it gave hope to Texas Democratic Party officials, who see Davis as a rising star and a potential a statewide candidate.

The Tarrant County district was hardly a certain bet for either candidate. It has traditionally leaned Republican: Gov. Rick Perry won the district in the 2010 gubernatorial race; U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., won the presidential vote there in 2008.

“I think it’s really a reflection of people wanting a bipartisan voice,” she said. “People rose above partisanship in the way they voted tonight. They voted for integrity, for a fighter.”…

What is critically important for Texas Democrats, and national Democrats to understand… thanks to the make-up of HD 10, Wendy Davis is well-practiced for a statewide race. The district is virtually a microcosm of Texas as a whole, and she has figured out what Democrats need to do in order to win there. That’s why you’re not going to see her spewing hardcore “left-wing” ideology. Instead Davis carefully speaks about Texas values, and limited, but effective government. She has carefully crafted a message that allows her to appeal across party lines and political philosophies. This is exactly why I wrote back in February that Davis is the top Democrat prospect for a statewide victory. She’s a pro at this stuff.

Just imagine all of the hope that started last week… hope for a true pathway to LGBT equality in Texas, with no more living in the shadows, or being second-class citizens. Hope for millions of Texas families to have healthcare through the Federal Medicaid expansion, and not have to live in fear of financial ruin if they get sick. Hope for Texas women to be able to make their own family planning decisions without the interference of big government. Hope that our children’s education will be a viewed as a top priority for Texas, instead of a budget line-item awaiting the chopping block. In Haltom City, all of these seedlings of hope were planted.

But Wendy can only become Governor if Texans take a stand and commit to the cause. She definitely cannot do it alone. So today affords you, loyal readers an opportunity. Texas Leftist is honored to participate in a blog fundraiser for Wendy’s campaign. Together, by spreading the word, and giving of our time, money and service, we can get Wendy elected. If you’d like to donate to the Wendy Davis campaign, you can do so right here via Act Blue. The more people like Wendy Davis we bring to office in Texas, the less chance we’ll have of ever going through another government shutdown, or threatening the livelihood of millions thanks to immature political brinksmanship. It starts right here, right now. Along with your gift, please share this blog post with your friends, and use the hashtag #GiveToWendy on Facebook and Twitter. If you’d like to learn more about Wendy, check out the video below.

It’s time for a real change in Texas. Wendy Davis FOR THE WIN!!

Goal Thermometer

Uncategorized

Understanding Texas Democrats

Leave a comment

Texas is of course a big state, which is why the political inner-workings of it can be quite confusing. People look at Texas and see large cities, and a huge minority population, but are confused as to why Democrats haven’t been more successful here. They try to compare us to states like Virginia, which is now firmly in the swing state column, but the calculation is always thrown off. But unlike years past, it’s good to at least see them trying. For example, this piece from Al-Jazeera America which takes an in-depth look at Democratic hopes for the state.

Celia Israel, a candidate for a state House seat in a special election this fall, said there are minority, low-income and rural Texas voters who have yet to be touched by the political process at all. Turning them out to the polls is about doing the hard work of “tilling the soil” — having conversations on doorsteps, getting them registered and talking to them about the stakes in local elections.

“This is not a red state. This is a state that doesn’t vote very well,” Israel said. “There’s a lot of new people that need to be touched, and they are touched by these down-ballot races, by real candidates saying, ‘This is who I am, and I’d like to ask for your vote.’”

A very astute observation, and something that I agree with. It’s not that there are not Democrats in Texas, or even Democrat-leaning voters. There are plenty of both here. But the reason that Texas is a majority red-state is due to two main things… the Texas majority doesn’t vote, and the Democratic party doesn’t know how to relate to Texans. Like most areas of the South, the Democratic party basically retreated the moment Bill Clinton left office, and in the 13 years that followed that exit, Democrats became a very Northern and Coastal institution. The grand irony here is that this same “grand retreat” is what the Left has accused the GOP of doing by clinging to the South and Religious Right. But they only had that territory to claim because Democrats vacated it.

There was no greater political authority on Texas Democrats than late Governor Ann Richards. She won election in the Lone Star State because she understood the balance of how Leftist ideas can apply to a state that views themselves through a Rightward lens. Here’s a 2003 interview done by the Texas Politics Project where she discusses this.

…you have to understand that Texas has always been a very ‘Conservative’ voting state. We had a ‘single-party’ system. The Republicans were in the Democratic party, because there was only one party. Some of the Liberal Democrats, of which I was one, did everything in the world that we could to help the Republican Party grow in Texas. Because we thought there should be a two-party system, and that there should be the conflict between the two to enunciate the issues. […]

Can the Democrats win again in Texas? Absolutely. What is it going to take for them to win? It’s going to take a serious vision, and it’s going to take serious money to be able to do it. And it’s going to have to produce candidates in which the public has a solid dedication and belief.

Now why did I win? Everyone says I was an anomaly. No one expected me to win. […] It was uphill. But I was running against a guy who had a loose lip, who said things he never should have said, who thought he was too cute by a long shot, and did things to defeat himself. As a consequence, I was able to beat him.

Put simply, Texas is not New York or Los Angeles. We’re not the same type of stereotypical “Liberals” that you find on the East or West Coast. Nor are we the other major part of the Democratic Party… Union-workers like you’d find in Ohio or Michigan. There’s not a large “Democratic Party” identity here. If anything, most voters would tell you that they are Conservative just because that is what they know and understand. But if you dig a little deeper, and connect with issues they care about– safe schools, fixing Texas roads and bridges, health care for their families– the wellspring of common sense is revealed. For Texas Democrats, it’s simply about pealing back the layers to find the areas where most voters agree.

I like Celia Israel’s comment… the key to winning Texas is long-term investment and hard work. Battleground Texas has got the formula just right. They are working hard to register voters, and have established a solid presence in every corner of the state. They know that this mission stretches beyond the 2014 elections. But all of this aside, even a “Red State” votes blue sometimes, when they have the right candidates and the right situations. For all of the boasting and assumptions done by the GOP, they know that Wendy Davis has a more than credible chance of taking the Governor’s mansion. It will happen if Texas Democrats take Governor Richards’ advice.

Texas Politics

Will She Run? Wendy Davis Answers

Leave a comment

Texans, if you’re not watching the new MSNBC program All In With Chris, then you missed some serious breaking news for the state of Texas last night. As I read this morning’s blogosphere, there’s a lot of prognostication about State Senator Davis’ next role in Texas politics. Will she run for Governor, or won’t she??

In an exclusive interview with Chris Hayes last night, she answered the question point blank….

Hayes: There is a Gubernatorial election in 2014. Your state has not elected a statewide Democrat for quite some time. Are you going to run for Governor?

Davis: You know, I would be lying if told you that I hadn’t had aspirations to run for a statewide office. I love this state and it’s been an incredible opportunity to represent it in the Texas Senate. I think the real story will be… will the sentiment of people hold? Will they demonstrate their desire for new leadership in this state? If yesterday was any indication, I think chances are good that is going to be the case.

Here’s the clip.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

An interesting answer which sounds quite familiar. In fact, I discussed this same issue with HCDP Chairman Lane Lewis a few months back. After suffering two decades of defeat for statewide office, Texas Democrats have been caught in a particular political conundrum. Here was Lane’s answer when I asked him about the possibility for statewide candidates…

If we expect a Senator, Mayor or State Rep to put their name out to run for state-wide office, the first thing they will look at is their ability to raise money. The second thing they’re going to look at is capacity for voter turnout. Now the problem is this… the only way they can raise money is if the answer to the second question is already there. The big money isn’t going to contribute without knowing voter turnout and engagement (the answer to the FIRST question) is already in place. So when people ask me “who have we got running for Governor?” my question to them is “How many calls have you made today? How many doors have you knocked on today?” Because if the answer to my question is ZERO, then the answer to their question will most certainly be ZERO. The money will come… the candidates will come when we’re doing our job. That job is to raise a dollar, knock a door and make a call.

Luckily, we know that things are beginning to change in the state. Shifting state demographics are in our favor, even if aggressive gerrymandering and voter suppression are not. Battleground Texas has already made a visible difference with rapid fundraising, organization and training to increase voter turnout. County Democrats across the state are working hard to line up new initiatives and stay active before the 2014 campaign season even begins. And let’s just admit the facts… with Governor Perry waiting less than twenty-four hours to call another Special Session (this time with his Anti-Choice agenda a top priority), the GOP is giving Democrats plenty of fuel for the fire.

Senator Davis has issued Texans a clarion call. Are we ready for new leadership in the state? If so, it’s time to get our act together and work for it. We have to keep raising money, keep knocking doors, and keep speaking out against Rick Perry’s abuses. Don’t let any bad deed be forgotten, or get swept under the rug. There’s 495 days left until the 2014 election. I say we go ALL IN.

Texas Politics

Paving the Road to Blue Texas: HCDP’s Lane Lewis

Leave a comment

I had the opportunity to sit down with Lane Lewis, chair of the Harris County Democratic Party. We discussed some of the activities of the county party, his thoughts about the renewed interest in Texas Democrats, and the possibilities of Texas Turning Blue. And as he said, talking about turning Texas blue is great, but it won’t get accomplished without decisive, coordinated action. There has to come a point where rhetoric meets the road.

Texas Leftist: Thank you very much for your time today, and I want to say Congratulations on the success of the 2012 elections, and a very exciting start to 2013. Now that we’ve had a bit of time to sleep and reflect, how do you think 2012 went from your perspective?

Lane Lewis: I thought they went very well, and we did what we needed to do. We are in the process of changing the culture of the party. We are creating a culture of organizing for 365 days per year. That’s what our Engage 365 initiative is about. We’re not staffing down after the 2012 elections… we’re staffing up.

TL: The notion of a year-round organization goes right into my second question. Do you think Engage 365 is going well, and will you be close to achieving that goal?

LL: It’s been going very well. We’ve had 3 events so far this year… a food drive, a blood bank, and a community garden project. All three have met or exceeded our expectations.

And let me talk about why these events are important. Some would say “you planted a garden… that’s cute.” But the big picture is to draw a series of bright contrasts between us and the other side. We partnered with a local, small health clinic, selected a plot of land on their property, and created a public space that benefits the life and health of the community. Right behind this future community garden is Booker T. Washington High School. Let’s work with the school to create a gardening club, and get the students involved in community service, as well as an educational opportunity. Republicans want to take away your health care, Democrats want to help you access it. Republicans want to do away with public and recreational spaces, Democrats help to create those public spaces. Republicans want to gut funding for education, Democrats want to build bridges and expand educational opportunities. We’re addressing healthcare, elevating community awareness, and building bridges with educators and community leaders.

You may ask, how do we get people to this event? Simple… we make phone calls, and invite them to the event. “There’s no election going on right now, but we’re creating a community garden in your neighborhood. Would you like to be involved?” and they say “Sure!”. At the same time, we’re cleaning up our voter list. We go to area elected officials to sponsor the event. That way, we’re elevating their profile in an off year, and it’s easier to get them reelected next time.

At the base of the project, we’re leaving a cornerstone that says:

“Engage 365- Community Garden Project for the Indepence Heights Health Care Clinic. Sponsored by the Harris County Democratic Party, and elected officials.”

We leave it there as a permanent reminder for visitors to the clinic. These people [the Democrats] believe so much in your need for these services, that we’ll put our money and our name on it. It’s not just a “cute idea”.

The garden received press coverage from both Univision Channel 45 and the Memorial Examiner, which you can read more by following the links.

TL: Sounds like an investment all the way around, and again a great segway into the next question. Do you feel that Democrats in our county are doing a better job at being on offense? Are we better able to set the political agenda instead of always having to respond to the agenda of the GOP?

LL: Yes, most definitely. We are taking action, and not reaction. Reactions over the long term typically arise out of a lack of leadership and direction. If we don’t know where we are going, then we’re forced to simply react to wherever we are. A great example of action is the new Harris County Democratic Party website. It’s integrated socially with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other sites. I challenge you to find another county party website in the entire country that is as sophisticated as ours. That, ladies and gentlemen is ACTION… where the rhetoric meets the road.

In my opinion, the off years are when it’s important to begin merging the ideas of community organizing with political organizing. That’s when people can say “it’s not just about getting me to vote. It’s about people participating in my neighborhood.” At HCDP we are marrying community organizing– finding solutions to people’s real life problems, with political organizing– getting people to vote, and better understand the importance of doing so.

TL: A very “small d democratic” solution. And that brings up an important point. With all of the crazy debates in our legislature right now… fighting tooth-and-nail to expand Medicaid and meet the growing needs of Texas schoolchildren… is there anything “off” about 2013 for Texans? Do you feel that the groundwork being laid with HCDP can be translated back into political action for 2014?

LL: Well, here’s an example… in 2010, I was the Senate District chair for SD15, and at that time I designed a program called 24/15. I wanted a test some theories regarding Social Pressure voting. So I took my list, and hired a group of CWA workers, and gave them each a co-hort of people on the list. They called the voters every week to give them information about the voting leading up to election day. We informed them about early voting, then found early vote locations that were convenient to their work and their home. We made notes on every call, and when we called the voter again, based our call on the previous conversation. The final call “you gotta promise me that you’re going to go early vote, ok?” until we get a good response from the list. 2010… Democrats got their butts kicked across the country, but in SD15? 62 percent of that list went out to go EARLY vote.

TL: Very impressive. With all of the buzz surrounding Texas Democrats all of a sudden, and many people giving the state party a second look, Harris County is sure to be a major focus of those efforts. As the largest county in the state, with the most potential to tip the scales in a statewide election, what are your goals for the county in 2014 and 2016.

LL: You’re absolutely right. 1 out of every 4 votes cast in Texas come from Harris county. So yes Harris is a player, it’s got to be a player. When Harris county goes reliably blue, Texas goes blue. The state certainly can’t go blue without us. When that happens and Texas flips, there is not an electoral map you can show me where a Republican candidate can win without Texas. It would be GAME OVER for generations. So what are we going to do to expedite that? We certainly need to focus on creating a larger voter share by identifying new voters and building relationships with them. Some reports I’ve read say there are as many as 600,000 non-registered voters in the county. We focus on them, and get even 80,000 to go vote, it’s game over here as well.

TL: Of course besides 2014, we have several local races in 2013, but many of these races are non-partisan. Given that fact, does HCDP play any particular function in these local races?

LL: Yes and no. I have absolutely no intention of placing the party in a position to endorse any municipal candidate… particularly if there is more than one Democrat in the race. However, I do think there is something to be said for providing voters two things. The first is a voter guide to inform voters of which candidates typically vote in the Democratic primary, whether or not they are a sustaining member with the Democratic Party, and to share candidate views regarding important Progressive issues. I think we have a responsibility to provide those things to the voters. I also think that HCDP has a responsibility to assist in the turnout of vote. We can still inform voters of Democratic issues, and use this as an opportunity to update our list with accurate voter information. We can also assist with information about the elections, such as where and when to early vote.

TL: Good to hear that HCDP definitely has an important role even in non-partisan election years. And that brings us to my last question. Maybe it’s too early to talk about 2014, but do you see any major races shaping up?

LL: Nope not yet. No one that is going to step forward that I know of. And sure there are always rumblings, but I don’t report on rumblings. The message here is this… 2013 is an extension of 2014. We cannot sit back and idle by waiting for 2014 to come. So the actions that we take now to increase our voter share are imperative. This is where the rhetoric meets the road. As fun and engaging as it is to sit around and strategize, there are very few political strategists in the world. And we don’t need more political strategists… we need more political WORKERS. Texas is going to turn blue, but it is not going to be an event. It’s going to be a process. And that process requires hard work. If Texans participate in that process, then the event will happen sooner rather than later.

TL: And what about statewide candidates?

LL: If we expect a Senator, Mayor or State Rep to put their name out to run for state-wide office, the first thing they will look at is their ability to raise money. The second thing they’re going to look at is capacity for voter turnout. Now the problem is this… the only way they can raise money is if the answer to the second question is already there. The big money isn’t going to contribute without knowing voter turnout and engagement (the answer to the FIRST question) is already in place. So when people ask me “who have we got running for Governor?” my question to them is “How many calls have you made today? How many doors have you knocked on today?” Because if the answer to my question is ZERO, then the answer to their question will most certainly be ZERO. The money will come… the candidates will come when we’re doing our job. That job is to raise a dollar, knock a door and make a call.

TL: It sounds like quite the job, but Texans are ready. Thank you very much for your time today.

For a previous interview with Chairman Lane Lewis, check out Charles Kuffner’s Off the Kuff article from last year.