Texas Democratic Party: Moving Texas Forward

The following is the list of candidates who filed with the Texas Democratic Party on 11-30-2011. To keep up with candidate filings in real-time follow @TXDemParty on Twitter or hashtag #TXD2012.

Congress

Neil Burns

Congressional District 8

Texas Senate

Carlos I. Uresti

Senate District 19

Texas House of Representatives

Gus Ruiz

House District 35

J.M. Lozano

House District 43

Court of Appeals

Nelda Vidaurri Rodriguez

13^th Court of Appeals, Place 4

District Attorney

Jaime Esparza

34^th Judicial District

Carlos Omar Garcia

79^th Judicial District

Becky Bybee McPherson

110^th Judicial District

Judicial District Court

W.H. (Bill) Hently

50^th Judicial District

Parties Contest Election-Monitoring Techniques Roll Call

The Campaign Legal Center supported the Texas Democratic Party in a lawsuit against King Street Patriots. It argues that the tea party group made an in-kind donation to the Republican Party by training the poll watchers, which would violate Texas campaign finance law. Chad Dunn, a lawyer for the Texas Democratic Party, said voters have a right to know “what big business or corporate interests are funding it.”

Oops. Rick Perry doesn’t know the legal voting age Dallas Morning News

The Texas Democratic Party was quick to tweak the governor on his blunder. In a statement with the perky headline “Is Rick Perry Smarter than a Fifth Grader?,” the party notes that there are 308,709 registered voters in Texas between the ages of 18 and 20.

Perry gets U.S. voting age wrong in New Hampshire speech Houston Chronicle

“Rick Perry commits a major blunder and continues to embarrass our state each time he opens his mouth,” said Texas Democratic Party spokeswoman Rebecca Acuña. “After holding public office for more than two decades, Rick Perry can’t even get the voting age right. Next time Rick Perry stumbles, he should think about consulting a fifth grader.”

Texas Dems: Is Rick Perry smarter than a fifth grader? The Washington Times

The Texas Democratic Party questioned Tuesday whether Gov. Rick Perry could outwit a fifth-grader after the Republican presidential contender appeared to forget — or not know — that the legal voting age in the United States is 18 during a campaign swing through New Hampshire.

Perry Gets Nod From Arizona Sheriff Joe Texas Tribune

Texas Democrats attacked Perry for campaigning with Arpaio. Party spokeswoman Rebecca Acuña said Perry was “getting in bed with one of the most xenophobic figures in the country.”

Sheriff Joe Arpaio says Rick Perry will be “a tough-on crime president” Houston Chronicle

The Texas Democratic Party quickly responded to the news, branding the endorsement as a desperate attempt by Perry’s campaign to appease right-wing hardliners. “This reeks of desperation from Rick Perry,” the TDP said in a release. “Perry’s trying to inject a lifeline in his doomed presidential campaign by getting in bed with one of the most xenophobic figures in the country.

Dream Act Texas: Demócratas impulsan referendum para 2012 AOL Latino

Disgustados por la forma en que sus opositores republicanos ”demonizan” a los estudiantes indocumentados en los debates políticos, los demócratas texanos pidieron que se terminen los ataques hacia esos jóvenes que tienen acceso a educación universitaria con matrícula de residentes estatales.

Straus weighs in on redistricting Houston Chronicle

The Texas Democratic Party responded soon after, saying the speaker’s refusal to take responsibility for the maps and pushing the blame on state attorneys speaks volumes to the speaker’s leadership. “State employees don’t get a vote on the House floor and they certainly don’t wield the power that comes with the Speaker’s gavel,” said party spokesman Anthony Gutierrez. “This is a transparent attempt to pass the buck on a map, which every reasonable person who isn’t trying to pander to the Tea Party, recognized immediately as a blatant violation of the Voting Rights Act.
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The following is the list of candidates who filed with the Texas Democratic Party on 11-29-2011. To keep up with candidate filings in real-time follow@TXDemParty on Twitter or hashtag #TXD2012.

Congress

Al Green

Congressional District 9

Ruben Hinojosa

Congressional District 15

Henry Cuellar

Congressional District 28

Texas Senate

Eddie Lucio

Senate District 27

District Attorney

Omar Escobar

229^th Judicial District

Rene Pena

81^st and 218^th Judicial District

Today in New Hampshire, Perry had another “oops” moment where he seemingly forgot the voting age is 18. TDP spokesperson Rebecca Acuña released the following statement:

“This is the leader of the Texas Republican Party saying to the 300,000-plus* Texas voters between the ages of 18 and 20 that they are irrelevant.

Rick Perry commits a major blunder and continues to embarrass our state each time he opens his mouth. After holding public office for more than two decades, Rick Perry can’t even get the voting age right. Next time Rick Perry stumbles, he should think about consulting a fifth grader.”

* There are 308,709 registered voters in Texas between the ages of 18 and 20.

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TDP spokesperson Rebecca Acuña released the following statement in response to Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s endorsement of Rick Perry:

“This reeks of desperation from Rick Perry. Perry’s trying to inject a lifeline in his doomed presidential campaign by getting in bed with one of the most xenophobic figures in the country.

Perry’s made it clear he’s willing to do anything to appease the extremists in his party even if it means throwing Hispanics under the bus. The endorsement by a person who is currently being investigated by the DOJ for discriminatory activity is not one any reasonable candidate should seek. Clearly, Perry’s efforts to pander to the most reactionary elements of the Republican Party have gone far beyond reasonable.”

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The following is the list of candidates who filed with the Texas Democratic Party on 11-28-2011. To keep up with candidate filings in real-time follow @TXDemParty on Twitter or hashtag #TXD2012.

Congress

Ciro Rodriguez

Congressional District 35

Texas Senate

Rodney Ellis
Senate District 13

Kirk Watson
Senate District 14

Juan “Chuy” Hinjosa
Senate District 20

Judith Zaffirini
Senate District 21

Texas House of Representatives

Ryan Guillen
House District 31

Efrain V. Valdez
House District 74

Poncho Nevárez
House District 74

Tracy King
House District 80

Court of Appeals

Nora Longoria
13th Court of Appeals

District Attorney

Staley Heatly
46th Judicial District

Fred Hernandez
63rd and 83rd Judicial Districts

Rod Ponton
83rd Judicial District

Roberto Serna
293rd Judicial District

Judicial District Court

Clay Johnson
8th Judicial District

Richard C. Terrell
79th Judicial District

Bob Parks
143rd Judicial District

State Board of Education

Michael Soto
District 3

Straus Attempts to Pass Blame for Illegal Map onto Advisors

Following is a statement from TDP Spokesperson Anthony Gutierrez in response to the release [1] sent by Speaker Straus which, contradicting what he said during session[2], attempts to place the blame for the illegal maps he passed onto the state attorneys:

“State employees don’t get a vote on the House floor and they certainly don’t wield the power that comes with the Speaker’s gavel. This is a transparent attempt to pass the buck on a map, which every reasonable person who isn’t trying to pander to the Tea Party, recognized immediately as a blatant violation of the Voting Rights Act.

After letting the Tea Party Republican freshmen run his chamber, I can understand why Straus would prefer the illegal Republican-heavy map that might keep him in the Speaker’s chair. However, following the Voting Rights Act is not optional.”

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[1]
“Members of the Texas House approved a redistricting plan that is fair and that the State’s lawyers have advised us is legal.”
Speaker Joe Straus
11/21/2011

[2]
House Speaker Joe Straus said the map “is fair, legal, and that reflects the demographic change that our state has experience over the past decade.”
Joe Straus
4/29/2011

Austin—The State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC) of the Texas Democratic Party held their quarterly meeting over the weekend. The SDEC voted to include two referendums on the 2012 primary ballot as well as to bring a question to Democratic voters.

The SDEC voted to put a question on the ballot for Texas Democratic Party voters asking if they would support legalizing casino gambling to fund public education.

Should the Texas Legislature allow the people of Texas to vote to legalize casino gambling with all funds generated being used only for education?

“We want to see where Texans stand on this issue,” said TDP spokesperson Anthony Gutierrez. “The Republican legislature left our state with a devastating budget that will hurt our children and our schools. Rather than decimate public education, we want to examine all potential sources of revenue.”

The SDEC unanimously voted to add a referendum in support of the federal DREAM Act and in-state tuition for DREAM Act eligible students.

Any graduate of a Texas high school, who has lived in the state for at least three years and lived here continuously for the last year, should be eligible for in-state tuition at state supported colleges and universities and given the opportunity to earn legal status through a higher education or military service.

“An educated workforce is the only sustainable economic position for the future of Texas and our support for educational opportunities for students who grew up in Texas stands in sharp contrast to the Republican Party,” added Gutierrez. “Republicans continues to use immigrant students as scapegoats. We recognize that young students who have grown up here and want to pursue college or serve this nation in the military are an asset to our state and our country.”

The SDEC also voted to include a referendum in support of college affordability for Texas students.

“Because a college education is increasingly necessary for jobs that allow our citizens to achieve middle class lifestyles and become the entrepreneurs who create the jobs that our economy relies on, we call on the Texas Legislature to fund colleges and universities such that tuition and fees can be affordable to all Texans.”

“Since Republicans deregulated tuition, tuition rates at public universities have skyrocketed,” said Gutierrez. “Tea Party extremists put a higher education even further out of reach by slashing state aid to students from every day families. We need to look forward, not continue to move backwards. College achievement is imperative for a strong middle class and a prosperous state.”

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The following are remarks delivered by Bob Slagle, Democratic National Committee Member and former Chairman of the Texas Democratic Party, announcing his intention to resign from the DNC but not “from the Democratic Party as it and what it stands for, yesterday, today, and tomorrow, represents one of the great loves of my life.” Chairman Slagle will be greatly missed on the DNC and on the State Democratic Executive Committee but we are grateful beyond words for his lifetime of service:

My friends and fellow Democrats,

I asked for the floor to state my intention to resign as one of your National Committee members and request Chairman Ritchie to send an official notice so that the next State Committee meeting may act on selecting a replacement.

This is not a health related action. It is age related, at 76 and half years of age I am well aware of my own mortality as well as my obligations to my loving wife and family. Some of my time should be their time too.

And frankly, at National and State meetings I often think about how I miss many of my long-time friends who have preceded me in death or retirement. Sometimes  I am almost haunted by the voices missing in debate or discussion, the often outrageously loud laughter in the hallways or bars, and the friendly handshake or embrace from these friends.

Having been honored to represent Texas on the Democratic National Committee as either Chairman or National Committeeman for more than 31 years, it would be thoughtless of me not to thank the now 3 or 4 generations of Texas Democrats who made this service possible.

My campaign for Chairman in 1980 was principally staffed by young Democratic leaders from 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s such as Barbara Stanley, Dwayne Holman, Jim Allison, Bill Brannon, Tom Walker, James Bode, who had weathered many fights with me in the YD’s of the Democratic Party. I would be remiss if I did not honor the support of the Texas AFL-CIO, the TFT and TSTA, the Black Caucus with the Derilyn Davis’, the Jesse Jones’, the Anthony Halls, the Mexican American Caucus peopled with the late Mayor Leo J. Leo, Matt Garcia, the late Lena Guerrero, Judy Zaffirini, Frumencio Reyes, the young mayors in the Valley and former Chairman Calvin Guest, Gov. Briscoe, Ralph Yarborough, and County Chairs such as Calvin Gamble. I could go on, but time constrains my doing so. But since many of these have gone on to their Democratic rewards in heaven, it is special to sound their names once again in a Democratic forum.

Please note that I am not resigning from the Democratic Party as it and what it stands for, yesterday, today, and tomorrow, represents one of the great loves of my life.

My special thanks to Chairman Richie and my fellow National Committee members, and to each of you who are committed to continue the fight for a fairer and better tomorrow and  Democratic Victories.

When I was Chairman I closed every State Committee meeting with the prayer, “May the Lord watch over me and thee while we are absent one from the other.”   I say the same to you today.

Austin—TDP spokesperson Anthony Gutierrez released the following statement in response to the interim House and Senate maps:

“These maps are a step forward for Texas voters and underscore the importance of the Voting Rights Act. We’re pleased that the judges took all the evidence into consideration and stood up for the voters.

We’re going to challenge Republicans on their failed records and prove that we’re the better choice for Texas families.”

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