House District 96 contains most of the southern areas of Arlington and Fort Worth, along with the communities of Crowley, Kennedale and Rendon and parts of Mansfield and Burleson.
In 2006, Republican Bill Zedler narrowly avoided a loss, managing only 52.46% of the vote:
House District 96 – 2006 Election Results
Vote Totals
% of the Vote
Bill Zedler (R)
19,520
52.46%
Chris Youngblood (D)
16,483
44.29%
Sam Thomas (L)
1,206
3.24%
TOTAL
37,209
-
Additionally, as Turner’s website shows, Democrats turned out in the March primary at a rate almost 2.5 times higher than Republicans – a larger ratio than the statewide average. More Democrats voted in the HD 96 House District in Tarrant County than in any other House District in the County.
About Chris Turner – A Committed, Hard-Working Candidate
Born in Sherman and raised in Dallas, Chris went to Dallas’ Skyline High School and is a UT-Austin graduate with a degree in Government. Before launching his campaign, Chris Turner worked as District Director for Texas Congressman Chet Edwards (D – Waco). During his time with Congressman Edwards, Chris gained experience working across party lines to meet the needs of Texans from all walks of life.
Chris’ experience with the highly successful Congressman Edwards campaign will come in handy as he runs for office in HD 96. From his website:
Chris has also managed Edwards’ last four highly competitive and successful re-election campaigns, during which he was recognized for his leadership ability and organizational skills in the midst of challenging circumstances.
Donate to Chris Turner Today and Help Us Take Back the House!
We will be writing more about Chris in the coming days, weeks, and months. In the meantime, please join our efforts and donate anything you can – $10, $25, or $50 – to help us take back the House as we do our part to turn Texas blue!
Last week, TexBlog PAC made its inaugural endorsement. After a lengthy discussion about all of our great Democratic challengers, the TexBlog PAC board unanimously endorsed Diana Maldonado and donated $5,000 to her campaign to enable her to have the early money necessary for victory. Diana is running in Williamson County in House District 52, a seat once held by Republican incumbent Mike Krusee, but now completely open.
Diana has been elected here before. In 2003 she was elected President of the Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees with 60.12% of the vote.
She is running for State Representative in District 52 because she understands we need leadership that represents people, not special interests. After twenty-two years as an award winning government efficiency expert in the Texas Comptroller's Office and a track record of success in building diverse coalitions and achieving specific goals, she is ready to represent the people of Texas and bring balance and common sense back to the people's house.
In 2006, incumbent Republican Mike Krusee barely won reelection. Under-funded Democrat Karen Felthauser spent a mere $16,000 and held Krusee to an unimpressive 50.4% of the vote.
In the 2004 Presidential election an impressive 43,903 Texans voted in House District 52. In the 2008 Democratic Primary Maldonado earned 16,870 votes, identifying more than enough Democrats to be competitive during this historic election.
As a Trustee and former President of the Round Rock School Board, Diana has the hands-on experience needed to represent the people of Williamson County. Her campaign is focused on making sure our classrooms are fully funded and staffed with terrific, professional teachers. Diana will look for equitable solutions to funding Texas schools.
Diana knows that making healthcare accessible and affordable is fundamental to all Texas children and families. She has pledged to pursue federal matching funds that will ease the price of healthcare to Texas taxpayers and to restore the Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and enroll all eligible children.
As a single mother who worked her way through college, Diana understands first-hand how tough it is for Texas families to afford higher education. That's why she wants to increase access to public universities, technical schools, and community colleges for working families and young people. As a full-time manager at the Texas Comptroller's Office, Diana has a wealth of experience that will make her a great State Representative for House District 52.
We proudly join, Annie's List, Education Round Rock, AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers, Texas State Teachers Association, and many more in endorsing Diana Maldonado for House District 52.
(Bumped for the weekday crowd. Thank you! - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
On April 1st, we asked you to help make Tom Craddick and his top lieutenants April Fools-- All it was going to take was 50 donors to give $1,500. You exceeded our wildest expectations and 56 people gave an amazing $2110.
Just days before, 50 readers from across the country chipped in an equally impressive $1772.09 during our convention coverage. That means in one week, TexBlog has 106 new donors and has raised $3782.09 to take back the Texas House!
With your generosity, TexBlog PAC will now be able to make its first endorsement before Summer and begin raising the funds we need to endorse 4 more challengers. Our endorsement will come with $5,000, an e-mail to over 40,000 people throughout the state, and constant fundraising from now until November. This early support will be the difference between winning and losing. It will be the difference between a Democratic House or one controlled by out of touch ultra-conservative Republicans like Tom Craddick, Warren Chisum, Frank Corte, and many many others.
We asked for some support to achieve these goals, and you did so much more. Now we can prove that we are a source of change. 106 donors and $3782.09 later, we have proven we are committed to our cause.
(Only 3 more until we break our 50 donor goal, having already surpassed our "$1,500 in five days" goal! Can our BOR community put us over the top tonight? Another $25 and we'll break the $2,000 mark as well! - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
Right now TexBlog PAC has 42 45 donors who have given an amazing $1845, $1925 $1975. We have shattered our dollar goal, but we still need 8, 5 3 people to reach our donor goal.
The deadline is midnight tonight so please give any amount you feel comfortable giving and help us reach our goal of 50 donors by midnight tonight!
We are so close to reaching our goal of 50 donors and $1,500 raised by April 5th. Currently we have 27 31 donors who have donated $1365.01 $1470.01!
We have 27 31 generous donors who have given an average donation of $50.56 $47.42 to our campaign to take back the Texas House. Now we need even smaller donations. For us to hit both goals we need 23 people to give an average of $5.8719 people people to give an average of $1.58.
The deadline is rapidly approaching and we need you to help give Democrats the resources they need to take out Craddick Republicans.
For those that have donated, tell us why. For every Texan reading today, tell us what races we should be watching. You will drive what we do with these funds and what candidates we endorse in the upcoming weeks, and thanks in advance for all of your support.
To read more about the TexBlog PAC, visit the website or read part of our mission below.
We know that Tom DeLay and Tom Craddick are fools no matter what month it is, but we didn't want to launch this fundraising effort yesterday lest you think it's a joke. We're serious- earning back a majority in the Texas House has enormous repercussions on issues important to all Texans.
A Democratic majority means we can fight to expand CHIP, ensure environmental protects are written by Texans and not by corporations, and give teachers the support they need to improve education for every child.
This April you can ensure TexBlog PAC has the resources to endorse 2 challengers and help defeat Tom Craddick.
Our goal is to have the funds and resources to donate at least $5,000 to 5 Democrats this election cycle. Right now our PAC has $8,500 in the bank from close to 150 donors, today we are launching a 5 day challenge to the online community- 50 new donors in 5 days to raise $1,500.
We can work to take back the Texas House and make Tom Craddick and his Lieutenants in the House look like April Fool's.
Together we can take back the Texas House and return to the days of responsible government. Together we can end the era of cronyism and corruption. All it takes is a donation of any size to make a difference.
We have 5 days to get 50 new donors and raise $1,500. With an average donation of $30, we can achieve our goal and ensure we have the financial needs to endorse 2 candidates.
Texas is on pace to pick up as many as 4 new congressional districts. Booming growth in Texas cities and the conglomeration of the suburbs in addition to states like California, Ohio, Florida, and New York all seeing their growth stagnate or even decline means that Texas will have the largest increase in congressional strength.
It is likely these seats could lean Democratic looking at the 2000 census. According to those numbers, McAllen, Austin/San Marcos, and Laredo all ranked in the 10 fastest growing cities. With out having hard numbers, I would speculate the other area that may see an addition to the Congressional delegation would be in the DFW or San Antonio area, but that is total speculation.
In any case, these 4 seats could mean big gains for us if Democrats have a say in how the new map is drawn.
There is one way to have a say in the process and prevent another purely partisan map. A constitutional amendment in 1951 established the redistricting process and established the Legislative Redistricting Board (LRB). The board is composed of the lieutenant governor, speaker of the house, attorney general, comptroller, and land commissioner. Let's go through this really quickly; David Dewhurst, Tom Craddick, Greg Abbott, Susan Combs, and Jerry Patterson will determine the fate of these 4 new seats along with the 32.
This election cycle we can't do anything about the statewide candidates directly, but we can build the infrastructure necessary to secure one or more spots on the LRB.
We currently have 71 Democrats in the state house. If we can win back the House this cycle (pick up 5 more seats) we will have taken 1 of the 5 seats on the redistricting board. More importantly, we will have expanded our bench and trained more messengers.
Having Democratic elected officials lower down the ballot increases our strength at the top of the ballot. Having State Representatives, County Court at Law Judges, Constables, County Commissioners, and more we solidify our ability to win up and down the ballot by creating messengers and developing party infrastructure.
4 new congressional seats should serve as a wake up call and signal to focus our collective efforts on the Legislative Redistricting Board. That is one of the many reasons TexBlog PAC was formed, to take back the Texas House and secure a Democratic voice on the redistricting board.
Dan Barrett's victory tonight has implications beyond better representation for Fort Worth residents. To relay its importance, we have to look at what brought us to this point.
In 2001, Republican's drew a map they thought would elect 102 R's and 48 D's. They were wrong as only 88 Republicans and 62 Democrats were elected in 2002. Still, it was a striking blow to Democrats as we had lost our majority, the Speakership, and control of the operation of the Texas House. That was a low point for Democrats in Texas as well as nationally. The result was the rise of the neo-conservative, uber Republican Tom Craddick who slashed the budget and cut social programs like CHIP and education funding. To this day that funding has never been restored even with surpluses in the state budget.
In 2006, Democrats won 6 seats plus Donna Howard's special election. In 2007 we welcomed Kirk England to the Democratic Party and now we have Dan Barrett as member of our caucus as well. We've not even yet had a single vote cast the 2008 primaries, and there are now 71 Democrats in Texas House- a stunning and speedy reversal based on the same map that was drawn to have only 42 Democratic seats.
Yesterday's election in Fort Worth was a runoff between a Democrat and multiple Republicans even though only one Republican in name was on the ballot. It was a race between the Democrat fighting for fair representation and the Republican Speaker and his possible enabler. Dan Barrett vs. Tom Craddick and his crony Mark Shelton.
House District 97 was not drawn to be a Democratic seat. In 2006, Barrett had taken on the recently retired Anna Mowery and claimed only 40.82% of the vote. Tarrant County on the whole only gave Barbara Radnofsky, the U.S. Senate nominee, 34.80%, Chris Bell 31.07% in his bid for Governor, and the bellwhether Texas Supreme Court candidate Bill Moody 42.79% of the vote. The Republican's should have won this election based on the poor democratic performance index (DPI) of the district alone. During the special election yesterday, Barrett won with 52.2% of the vote.
In addition, Barrett was dramatically out spent. According to the 8 day out reports, Mark Shelton spent over $100,000 and raised (and presumably spent) another $10,000 from TexPAC before the election. Barrett on the other hand spent a little over $45,000 according to his 8 day report. Again, according to his telegram reports, raised an additional $4,000 in the final week of the election from Texas Parent PAC and two individuals.
Breaking it down, that means Barrett spent $9.13 per vote compared to about $23.40 per vote for Shelton.
This is a stunning referendum on Tom Craddick and whether change is needed in Fort Worth and through out Texas. The voters said yes to change.
This election is a sign of the future. In less than 2 years, Texas Democrats have picked up 8 state house seats with rumors circulating that another may be on the way. Before the primaries are over, the gains made by the Republican's have been cut in half while we still compete on the same Republican favored, unconstitutional, Tom DeLay sponsored map. We sit on the edge of a Democratic House because we have won special elections, general elections, and the hearts and minds of voters across the state.
Texas Democratic Party Chairman, Boyd Richie stated simply:
"I congratulate our newest Democratic State Representative Dan Barrett on his victory in House District 97. In an election marred with dirty tricks and Craddick cronies, Dan ran as an independent voice, who could be trusted to stand up against Tom Craddick's special interest agenda and fight for the best interests of Texas families.
Dan Barrett won in a district drawn by Republicans to elect a Republican, and his victory is a slap in the face to Speaker Tom Craddick and the failed Republican leadership in this state. Voters have sent a message that they are tired of "business as usual" in Austin and want leaders who will replace the pay-to-play politics of the Republican Party with a state government that works for all Texans."
Presumptive Democratic Senate nominee and State Representative Lt. Col Rick Noriega added:
"Yesterday, Texans voted for change. They stood up for Texas values and said no to business as usual. They said no to the politics of division. They said yes to an independent voice who will put Texas families and children first.
Dan Barrett's win in the Texas State House is about change for Texas, but it's also about a change in how campaigns are won. We wouldn't have narrowed the Republican majority from 26 seats to 8 seats over the last five years without the work of Texas netroots. That's why your actions online - from raising attention to raising money - are so important."
The tide *is* changing. We are a mere five seats away from a Democratic majority in the Texas House and removing Tom Craddick from the dais. To the House Democratic Campaign Committee, Rep. Lon Burnam, Rep. Mark Veasey, the staff and many others involved in this race, congratulations. Now it is our job to elect more good Democrats and protect our current elected leaders.
When Republicans out spend us in Republican drawn districts and lose it solidifies our need to run everywhere. It means our message and our organizing skills are superior. It means supporting Tom Craddick and his style of Republican "leadership" is a losing proposition.
The Dan Barrett campaign wants your help getting out the vote for Dan.
This weekend and next weekend the campaign will be block walking in the mornings and phone banking in the afternoons and Dan needs your help. Rep. Lon Burnam is coordinating the efforts and said all he wants for the holiday's is your help.
The information of when and where to blockwalk and phonebank is below the fold, but please contact the campaign via e-mail or by phone (817-332-2580).
For those of you that do not want to block walk there will be phone banking going on all day at several locations. In short they can put to work anyone who comes.
We can of course also provide them with ample quantities of food and drink.
This morning Todd Hill mentioned a Dallas Morning News Article discussing Netroots Nation and online activism. There is no doubt that the progressive community is at the forefront of this new politic.
Texas Republican Party spokesman and political director Hans Klingler however continues to question our ability to change the face of Texas politics.
Now we have an entire nation of activists coming to Austin next year. Coincidently, it's a Netroots Nation-- a group of elected officials, candidates, activists, and campaign operatives all ready to maximize online tools to help elect Democrats. Our echo chamber continues to shed the light on cronyism and corruption at the highest levels of the Republican Party. We are advocating on behalf of organizations and spreading campaign messages beyond the daily newspapers or nightly news. We are real time and we are changing the political landscape by making politics a transparent endeavor.
The Texas Republican Party is afraid of you. They are nervous about us. And they are prepared to attack our community.
Republicans are seeing the change. In Texas, where lefty bloggers outnumber conservatives by an estimated 5-1 ratio, conservatives who once relied on direct mail and talk radio to get their message out are seeing the potential of new media to help their causes, too.
"The Democrats did a great job [with blogs], and the Republicans are catching up," said Hans Klingler, spokesman for the Republican Party of Texas. "This cycle is going to be a real test for how to translate a very active blogosphere into not only votes but also resources. ... Republicans are definitely doing better and definitely paying attention to the successes the Democrats have had."
In less than three months we have moved from echo chamber to a tool for change in the eyes of the Republican Party. TexBlog PAC has over $10,000 in the bank account to help elect Democrats to the Texas House. We have raised almost $1,500 for Dan Barrett in HD-97. Our presumptive U.S. Senate nominee, Lt. Col. Rick Noriega, has raised close to a quarter million bucks online.
For the first time, I agree with Klingler. This is a test for us, and if we fail, we know they will attack us. Remember how Klingler attacked Rick Noriega for actually hitting his online fundraising goal?
We are an "activist force", and it is time to show the Republican Party what we can do. You can prove Klingler wrong by donating TexBlog PAC or supporting your local Democratic candidate.
