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I loved this. Texas State Senators Mario Gallegos (D - Houston) and Leticia Van de Putte (D - San Antonio) wrote a strongly worded letter to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, criticizing them for their lack of support for Rick Noriega in his recently completed race against John Cornyn and urging them to drastically improve their attention towards Latinos in Texas. From their statement (click here for the PDF): We are offended by the lack of investment in Texas, specifically the lack of institutional support given to our colleague and friend Rick Noriega in the recent United States Senate campaign. The heat of election night had not cooled before the speculation began about DSCC support for several Anglo candidates in future races. This is not only disrespectful, it’s shameful. [...] Chairman Schumer, when speaking at a 2007 Texas fundraising event in San Antonio you said, “The eyes of Texas are upon us, but the eyes of the DSCC are upon Texas.” During this same event, you also alluded to the fact that the DSCC considers Texas to be in play as a possible pickup state, noting that it would take $15 million to run a full-fledged campaign against Cornyn. Institutions such as the DSCC continually raise millions from Texas contributors for the benefit of Democrats across the country. Texas Democrats, especially Rick Noriega, did not benefit from Texans’ generosity. Yet, in the 2002 race between the Democratic nominee Ron Kirk and candidate John Cornyn, the DSCC spent $4.5 million on ads in support of Kirk. Kirk was able to garner 43% of the vote. Rick Noriega was able to garner 43% of the vote in his race against Cornyn, the incumbent, without any financial support from the DSCC. If just half of the amount spent on Kirk had been invested in the Noriega campaign, we might well be discussing the transition of the first Latino US Senator from Texas. [...] The DSCC’s decision is shameful and disgraceful, and we will do everything we can to prevent this disrespect from happening again. For the face of the US Senate to represent the true face of America, we must all work together to invest in quality candidates such as Rick Noriega, not take a walk when our candidate is not a member of the millionaires club. We have invested in Texas, and will continue to do so. Please consider joining us in investing in these efforts as well.
Senator Leticia Van de Putte is head of the Texas Senate Democratic Caucus, served as Co-Chair to the Democratic National Convention in 2008, and is former President of the National Conference of State Legislatures. Senator Mario Gallegos, a true hero to his community, is most famous and remembered for defying doctor's orders and, after receiving a liver transplant, set up a bed just outside the Senate chamber in order to stop partisan-driving voter suppression legislation (the "voter ID" laws) in 2007. Needless to say, they are two heavy hitters who should have the full attention of the DSCC. The recent announcement that John Sharp will run for U.S. Senate -- with implicit backing from the DSCC -- no doubt sparked the letter, in part. The letter raises a serious point for Democrats -- how to capitalize on our growing Hispanic demographic in the state. It clearly takes a large investment of money, something the DSCC refused to do in 2008. The letter (which should be read in full) details how the DSCC sent $4.5 million for Ron Kirk in 2002 -- yet Kirk got the same percentage of the vote as Noriega did, and Noriega didn't get a dime. In the Houston Chronicle story this morning, Noriega was quoted as follows: Noriega said he was unaware of plans by Gallegos and Van de Putte to write the letter. After being shown a copy, he said, "I am honored by their support and believe that their comments speak to a larger issue than a single election, or one individual, but rather an issue that affects all of Texas."
Noriega is absolutely correct on that. In their letter, Van de Putte and Gallegos point out the work they and the Texas Democratic Party has done in recent years to earn the trust of Hispanic families: We are doing our part. The Texas Democratic Party and key allied groups spent illions of dollars in support of Democratic efforts in Texas. In the election which just concluded, our voter contact efforts included over 2.2 million pieces of direct mail and 1.4 million phone calls. Over 25 percent of our efforts were aimed squarely at Latino households. In Harris County alone (Houston), 70,000 Latinos were targeted, receiving 5 mail pieces and 6 GOTV calls. In Dallas County, we used direct support for Sheriff Lupe Valdez, the only Latina sheriff in the United States, as a driving force to turn out Latino voters across the county, to the benefit of the entire Democratic ticket.
The DSCC and other Washington insiders trumpet the line that Texas is such an expensive state, they'd rather spend money on states that would get them more Senators for equal or less money. I don't buy it. It took Democrats tens of millions of dollars to win in Florida in 2008, and they aren't even assured that there is a growing base of support in the state. However, an investment in Texas -- and specifically in the Hispanic communities throughout Texas (not just along the border, but in North Texas and the greater Houston area) would tremendously boost the Texas Democratic Party. Not only would we have more and better Democrats at local levels, we could regain some statewide seats that creates a stronger bench for our state, more Democratic Congressman in the U.S. House, and 34 electoral votes that, if won, would guarantee an election. Senators Van de Putte and Gallegos demonstrated true leadership by issuing such an honest assessment of the facts regarding Texas politics and how Washington decision-makers view the Hispanic community in Texas. Here's hoping their letter makes some waves up north. |
