Texas Democrats Focus On Building Party
HOUSTON (AP) - Texas Democrats must take control of the party's public image, painting it as pro-family and pro-education, in order to defeat more Republicans in November, party leaders said Friday.
Gilberto Hinojosa, a candidate for party chairman, said Democrats need to stop allowing the GOP to define them.
"We need to rebrand ourselves so that when it comes to the issues that affect Texas families, we're their champions," he told the state Democratic Party convention in Houston. "Texans need to know that (Republicans) cut the education budget of the state of Texas by $5 billion in a year that they should have increased it, given the fact that as have had huge population growth."
Outgoing Chairman Boyd Richie said that as Republicans become more and more conservative, Texas voters will lose patience with the cuts to public education and health care. He said that's when Democrats will have a chance to win more elections.
"I think the other side has been so anti-immigrant, it's been so anti-worker, it's been so anti-health care, it's been so anti-education, and the list goes on," Richie said. "People are beginning to have buyer's remorse and I think it's going to come home to roost."
All of the candidates to become state party chair are Hispanic, guaranteeing that it will be led by a member of the Hispanic community for the first time ever after an election on Saturday. Hispanics delegates to the convention said the party's future depends on their community turning out to vote at the same level as non-Hispanics.
"If we don't get out and vote, they are never going to take us seriously," said Lenora Sorola-Pohlman, a party vice chair, addressing why national party leaders don't support Democratic candidates in Texas. "We have to get out the vote for the president down to the county courthouse."
Richie, who is stepping down from the post he's held since 2006, said he's spent the last six years building the foundations of a competitive political party in a state dominated by Republicans. No Democrat has won a statewide office since 1994, and Republicans hold a 102-48 supermajority in the Texas House. But redistricting is expected to bring that number down in November, and Richie feels Democrats could make additional gains.
Democrats have also won important local elections in all of the state's major urban areas. Boyd said it's time to start promoting those politicians to run for statewide offices.
The convention also hopes to highlight the rising stars in the Texas party, Ritchie said. On Friday night, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro is expected to give the convention's keynote address and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, a former Dallas mayor, is scheduled to give a major speech. The convention concludes Saturday with the election of a new party chair.
(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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