2006 : A good year for Democrats by Glen Maxey

[sonias]

2006: A GOOD YEAR FOR DEMOCRATS

We have a man of ethics and esteem running for governor, a populist who ventures to parts of the state that few Democrats travel to in his campaign for attorney general, and after April 11, we will have an intelligent, dynamic U.S. Senate nominee.

We all know that Democratic voter turnout in November hinges on our candidates for U.S. senator, governor and attorney general. When they do well at the top, down-ballot candidates do even better.

CHRIS BELL FOR GOVERNOR

Chris Bell is a great candidate now to take on Perry and Strayhorn using his reputation of standing up for ethics to pound the Republicans and their culture of corruption in this state. His message to mainstream Texans about education and economic issues will resonate across Texas.

DAVID VAN OS FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL

Texans are responding to David Van Os’s populist message and his courage to take on the big boys of corporate Texas who are literally stealing our future. He said it best: "We the people of Texas today must similarly declare our independence from the despotism of corruption, cronyism, corporate government, and Bushite tyranny; and we must win our independence in a revolution at the ballot boxes this coming November."

… AND BARBARA ANN RADNOFSKY FOR U.S. SENATE

We finish setting our Democratic ticket with the addition of Barbara Ann Radnofsky in the upcoming runoff. Radnofsky cares about the issues that matter to Texans: education, transportation, the economy, health care, and our safety and security.

I encourage you all to make sure that Barbara Ann is our U.S. Senate nominee. Gene Kelly is a perennial candidate who has done nothing but file his name. Unfortunately, it’s the same name as a popular, deceased actor and dancer. We cannot afford to have Gene Kelly head this ticket. So if you’ve decided to spend your time working for a congressional, legislative, or local race this fall, please understand that the most important thing you do NOW for that local candidate is to make sure Barbara Ann Radnofsky’s name is the first on our ticket.

Things to do for Barbara Ann:

1. Get familiar with Barbara Ann Radnofsky at www.radnofsky.com.

2. Use your March 25 County and Senatorial District Conventions as an "organizing opportunity." Sign up volunteers to call those who voted March 7th to ensure they’ll return to the polls. Get a group of folks organized to leaflet Democratic doors.

3. Make a list of 10 people you know are Democrats and be personally responsible in getting them to the polls.

4. If you’re involved in a local run-off campaign, be sure to tell folks about this "other race" on the ballot. I guarantee you there is no harm for your candidate, since you’re not going to upset the non-existent Gene Kelly campaign.

5. Compose a letter to the editor about Barbara Ann. This is the most widely read section of the newspaper. Time it to tell people about the date when early voting begins (April 3) or ends (April 7) or just remind them of election day (April 11).

6. Simply make sure everyone in your family, workplace, church, and social organizations remembers to vote.

7. Write a personal letter to friends across Texas.

8. Email your entire list with the dates of early voting and election day.

9. Cast your vote for Barbara Ann Radnofsky!

10. And if you can’t volunteer, give a donation online using the "DONATE" button at www.radnofsky.com .

And when the top of the ticket is set, we can focus on the 31 congressional candidates or exciting Democrats running down the ballot across this massive state. It’ll be an amazing surprise to the nation when we do our work and take out Tom DeLay with Nick Lampson, Ron Paul with Shane Sklar, and Lamar Smith with John Courage. We have great Democrats running in more Congressional races than we’ve seen in a long while.

We will pick up seats in the Texas House. We can hold all our current seats, help Katy Hubener take back a Dallas seat, pick up HD 47 in Austin, and assist Ellen Cohen in knocking off Martha Wong in Houston. Other great legislative candidates are out there who’ll be keeping Republican incumbents running for cover and from their dismal record in Austin.

With a vibrant Democratic Party effort we CAN win local races such as JP, Constable and County Commissioner. Countywide elected officials will once again be overwhelmingly Democratic if we make this ticket work. Watch the local candidates in Dallas County this November…they’re going to sweep into office (if we do our work!). Imagine seeing Dallas County go blue…. a harbinger of what will happen across this state in the coming decade.

If we begin working for all of our candidates, we will continue turning Texas blue. There is no reason a volunteer, precinct chair, or county campaign cannot do the simple task of working for their local campaigns and the Democrats at the top of the ticket. This will only help all Democrats.

There is no better time than now to ensure we have the best chances to win in November. With Radnofsky, Bell, and Van Os, we will have three vibrant candidates to lead our work in their travels across the entire state.

Join me today in working to ensure a blue Texas.

Sincerely,

Glen Maxey
Candidate for State Party Chair in June at the CONVENTION