Thanks to all of the DFT members and progressive activists across Texas that cast a vote in this past week's poll on the presidential race here in Texas. Here are the results.
We asked, you answered. Loud and clear. The winner of our presidential poll is Senator Barack Obama, with 73.2% of the 2,760 votes cast.
Just a note, this was one of DFT's most successful and engaged e-mail campaigns. The positive energy from the supporters of both candidate (and including some for John Edwards!) speaks well to how ready Texas activists are to participate in this election.
(Voting ends Wednesday night! - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
I serve on the DFT steering committee but wanted to invite the BOR audience to be aware of this poll. Democracy for Texas is running a final Texas presidential poll now that the race is down to 2 candidates in Texas and may in fact endorse if the opinion of Texas progressives is clear!
In December, we ran our first presidential poll. At that time, there were a lot of choices, but the field has narrowed. Who is your candidate now -- Clinton or Obama?
Few of us would have guessed back when the Lege was arguing over the primary date that leaving it on March 4 would actually allow Texans to have a voice in who our nominee will be, but we do. So tell us who you'll be working for over the next 26 days!
I'd like to share this with everyone in part because I'm on the steering committee of Democracy for Texas but also because I think it's just plain cool to get another read of where the Texas progressive community is on the Presidential primary. This just launched and runs through Sunday.
Democracy for Texas was founded by supporters of Howard Dean's campaign for President in 2004. But now it's 2008, Governor Dean has a new job, and there are a whole lot of other candidates looking to run the show.
We all know any of the Democratic candidates would do a better job than George Bush just by showing up for work. But DFT is a network of progressives, and we suspect one of the progressives in the race has caught your eye.
Click here to vote and, if you like, tell us why you support your candidate.
Looking for a way to make a difference in Iowa without wearing a goofy orange cap and getting frostbite? Join the thousands of people across the country who are writing letters to Democracy for America members in Iowa who will be attending the caucuses on January 3 and urge them to support a progressive.
Our poll ends Sunday, December 16, and the results will be announced December 17.
A few years back, in the heady post-Dean days of the presidential cycle, as Democracy for America and Latinos for America took shape on the national level, Latinos for Texas was formed to engage more Hispanics in the political process. In helping coordinate DemocracyFest 2005 and its dozens of speakers on dozens of topics across two or three days, I got to know LFA'er Nathan Gonazales, and he said something that has actually stuck with me, although i don't think he even knows it.
Last night was an incredible success for TexBlog PAC. Over 150 individuals, candidates, elected officials, and bloggers attended the inaugural fundraiser at the home of Austin attorney Amy Clark Meachum. Our friend and fellow TexBlog PAC board member Vince Liebowitz drove in to town to celebrate with us, and there is a lot to celebrate.
TexBlog PAC is less than two months old, and already we can say that it is an overwhelming success.
In less than two months over 5,000 people have signed up to take back the House. We have raised over $10,000 from a little over 100 donors. We have a working coalition that includes our largest supporter to date, the Texas Democratic Party, the Lone Star Project, the House Democratic Campaign Committee (who's board includes Rep. Jim Dunnam, Rep. Pete Gallego, and Rep. Garnet Coleman), and Democracy for Texas. This doesn't even begin to cover the more than a dozen Democratic State House Members that have given generously.
A very special thanks to the 7 Democratic House members who took the time to attend the event last night-- Pete Gallego, Lon Burnam, Elliott Naishtat, Eddie Rodriguez, Tracy King, Mark Strama, Valinda Bolton.
All this and we are just getting started. Not a single person on the board is getting paid for their efforts, and still, every blogger across the state is devoting their personal time and energy to this project. We are uniquely committed to taking back the State House, and it appears you are too.
Last night, my former boss, Rep. Gallego spoke to the crowd and told them we are at a crossroad. In 2001, we had 78 Democrats in the House. In two short years that number fell to 62 because of Tom DeLay and Tom Craddick. Over the past 4 years, we have increased our numbers from 62 to 70 Democrats in the House. It is our turn to join with groups like DFT, HDCC, TDP, and local counties and organizations to help win the next 6 seats.
Texas Bloggers will only be as successful as you allow us to be. Your donations will allow us to build a movement and elect good Democrats next November.
To all of you who made it last night, a huge thank you. To those who have supported us, thank you. We have one year to work together and take back the people's house. Help TexBlog PAC achieve that goal.
Last night we proved we were more than an echo chamber.
(I would have written this since I'm DFT's webmaster, but I see that it's already been blogged! I'm promoting this to share the news, not to take a side as I've abstained from taking part in this poll other than handling the technical portions of it to fulfill my duties to DFT. - promoted by KT)
You have spoken loud and clear. With overwhelming support from all over the State, Rick Noriega is the stand-out choice of the grassroots to face John Cornyn in the race for the U.S. Senate. The final results are:
To the person who has been stuffing the Democracy for Texas Senate Endorsement Poll with over 100 Mikal Watts votes from the same two IP addresses over the last two hours without a single mailing address or comment... please stop.
I don't know who you are but you are doing a disservice to your candidate and the integrity of the poll. All of your votes will be thrown out. As the operator of the poll (in my role as DFT's webmaster), I've implemented additional measures on our recently upgraded account to preemptively block this behavior on behalf of either candidate.
The Democracy for Texas steering committee is taking this poll seriously and we have been impressed by the response to date- both in number and in the passion of the canddiates' supporters. We look forward to hearing from more of our members and other legitimate Texas voters.
Our poll will continue through midnight this Saturday the 22nd.
Note: I am happy to verify votes or correct mistakes but we're taking the security of the poll seriously. Accidents happen and duplicate votes cast can be easily removed. This is the challenge of extending the one person, one vote philosophy in an online poll.
The is really pretty amazing and speaks to the excitment and importance of the U.S. Senate race in re-energizing Texas Democrats. Democracy for Texas (DFT), founded out of the Dean for Texas movement, is conducting a poll of its membership and the wider left-of-center community here in Texas about who to endorse in the U.S. Senate race.
DFT has received in-depth responses from both campaigns- some of the first on the record statements about a variety of issues. BOR will be exploring these more in days to come though they are linked below if you'd like to start reading them now.
The following went up on the DFT website this afternoon.
John Cornyn has been on the wrong side of countless issues that are critical to Texans in general and DFT supporters in particular. Beyond that, well, he’s just an embarrassment. But we’re not telling you something you didn’t already know, right?
Democracy for Texas has never endorsed a candidate for public office. But this race is too important to the future of our state and our country not to put all of our resources behind the candidate we feel best represents our “socially progressive, fiscally responsible” philosophy.
Two candidates - State Representative Rick Noriega and Mikal Watts - are running to be the Democratic nominee to oppose Cornyn. Which one should get DFT’s support?
I just wanted to provide a quick reminder to anyone who is interested in attending the training provided by Democracy for America, the Houston area training begins this weekend. Class is Saturday and Sunday. If you can't make this one, it is Austin's turn in April.
I am actually heading out the door in 20 minutes for the boring drive from Dallas to Houston. So if any of our readers are attending, please remember to say hello to me when I am there. See you all at Jax Grill.
Our very own PDiddie posted this reminder to the calendar:
Experienced campaign professionals will cover practical strategies and tactics including communications, fundraising, voter targeting, online organizing, and building a sustainable grassroots movement. We design the program so you can go out and use the skills you learn right away. Co-sponsor: SEIU $70 the day of the training $60 for general attendees who pay in advance $30 for attendees with low income or students RSVP and pre-pay at this link. Pre-event social and early registration on Friday March 2, 6-9 pm at Jax Grill, 1613 Shepherd, Houston TX 77007. Live zydeco music, cash bar, dutch treat, no need to register! Just come early for a seat! Join Democracy For Houston on Saturday March 3 6:30-9 pm for an AFTER TRAINING ACADEMY SOCIAL EVENT at Kobain's, 33 Waugh Drive, 77007. Kobain's is directly behind Chatter's Restaraunt on the south end of Heights Blvd. Whether you attend the Training Academy or not, ALL progressive Democrats are invited to attend this social! Light buffet included, cash bar available. Music provided by the in-house DJ. Tickets $20.00 in advance and $25.00 at the door (includes buffet.) Go to http://www.democracy... to prepay.
Where: CWA union hall, 1730 Jefferson St. Houston, TX 77003
When: 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM
From DFT's 