Burnt Orange Report

PPC Caucus Report on State Convention

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

The SDEC now has 22 new members, 17 of whom were candidates who ran under our PPC banner. Those 17 came from the ranks of a total of 34 SDEC candidates running under our banner....that is a 50 % win rate ! A preliminary count of national delegates identifies about 20 progressives.

Happily, Nancy Machen, Ann Marie Schroeder and Gary Horton all defeated stiff opposition placed against them. Sadly, Jesse Martin was defeated but I am told by a good prospective member. (ed. note, there is little weeping here in our Senate District where Martin was NOT a "Popular" Progressive, in a bit of an ironic play on words) Bruce Barrick, former Steering Committee member prevailed in his Senate District.

Tabulations are not complete on PPC- Committee candidates, but of our 41 folks running for Committees, mainly Platform and Resolutions, 19 PPC'rs won ! I estimate that 1/3 of the members of both those Committees elected from the SD's were PPC'rs. The results bear this out because both the Platform and the Resolutions Committee passed overwhelmingly progressive positions.

I am pleased to report that our resolution on protection from electronic voter fraud cleared the Resolutions Committee and the whole convention without one dissenting vote and without the need to petition the Chair.We were acknowledged as the author of the resolution from the podium.

Our survey indicates that 84% of delegates identify themselves as progressive or liberal.

The bottom line is that this convention resulted in a progressive sweep and a transformation of our Party.

Much work ahead, but congratulations to all who ran, supported those who ran and worked on progressive and populist issues to get them on the floor, heard and supported !

From our booth and Caucus we gained approximately 300 new signed-up members ! Overwhelming. More detail as it unfolds. Special thanks to Julie Lusby and Robin Lewis who helped save our sign in process and jumped in to take minutes when Charlotte Cox was engaged in signing people in. Thanks also to Michael Boyette for staffing our booth all day on Saturday and ably
representing our Caucus.

Stan Merriman Chair, Progressive Populist Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party