|
Mon Mar 26, 2007 at 10:21 AM CDT
|
(Sounds like the perfect type of project that an ActBlue nominee fund could be useful for. What a great project! - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
Shortly after last November's election, while many people were celebrating the great Democratic victory, a group of people in Texas decided that we wanted a victory ourselves. The candidate for the 10th Congressional District, Ted Ankrum, was a first-time candidate and had little money ($65,000 altogether) but still managed to hold incumbent Michael McCaul, the son in law of the guy who owned Clear Channel, to 55% of the vote. That's the smallest victory margin of any surviving GOP congressman in Texas.
If Ted Ankrum could come so close, coming from nowhere with little help, then a candidate that starts early with the support of a core group of volunteers can win in 2008. The next Democratic nominee should not have to start from scratch.
We formed a group we call TrueBlue 10. Our goal is to organize this gerrymandered district & wrest control of it in the next election. We decided to organize the district, not as a candidate committee. We are willing to look at any Democrat who is seriously interested in running. |
|
|
The Tenth Congressional District was LBJ's, then it was Jake Pickle's, then it was Lloyd Doggett's. It was a proud, liberal, Central Texas district. It has been re-drawn and, as you would expect a district drawn up by Tom DeLay's cronies, crazily shaped. It has two big population centers at either end, with a narrow swath of rural Texas connecting them. (Picture a misshapen barbell.) If there are two areas of Texas with less in common than the very conservative north part of Houston/Harris County and hippie liberal central Austin that got glommed together in this district, I don't know what they'd be. And the areas in between - what do Brenham and Bastrop have in common? Who knows? But we have residents in all areas of this district in our e-mail group, organizing so that we'll have a better chance in 2008. And yes, we would also like to take back the Texas House & undo this horribly-drawn map - you know, actually have districts that make some sense. But this is something more immediate we can do. Michael McCaul has a horrible voting record (see my diary from back in July, "Top Ten Bad Things About Michael McCaul" http://www.dailykos.... ) and, a voter who will vote for whoever is McCaul's opponent can probably be persuaded to vote for the Democratic candidate for the state house, too.
We have monthly meetings and a Google group, and only members can view the
messages, because we are discussing strategy and organization. But if you are in that district, and want to get in on this, go to the page linked below & click on "apply for membership"
http://groups.google...
We can accept contributions and spend them on general organizing, but not on advocating the election of a specific candidate -- that's the job of the candidate's campaign committee. More information will appear on our not-yet-ready website: TrueBlue10.org
So that's what we're doing about the 2008 election, how about you? |
|
| Connect With BOR |
Your source for Texas politics.
On Facebook: BOR
On Twitter: @BOR
On the Go: Mobile App
|
| Upcoming BOR Events |
"Do I Look Illegal?"
Arizona GOP Debate Watch
Wednesday, February 22
6:00-9:00 p.m.
Angie's Restaurant
1307 E. 7th Street
RSVP on Facebook
Save The Date:
Super Tuesday Super Watch Party!
Tuesday, March 6
6:00-10:00 p.m.
Scholz Garten
1607 San Jacinto
|
|
