Texas Democratic Party Needs New Leadership

It seems that the current party leadership is no better than past leadership -- mistakenly believing that progressives can't win in Texas (and encouraging candidates to run as conservatives). I have said several times that this is a mistake -- that Democrats need to offer the voters a real progressive choice. There's no reason for people to go vote if it's just a choice between right-wingers.

Fortunately, there is someone running for state party chair -- someone that is not ashamed to be a progressive and knows that Democrats do better when they stand up for their progressive values. That person is Rachel Barrios-Van Os. She ran for party chair in 2012 and came up short, but she has tossed her hat in the ring again. I'll be voting for her at the convention, and I urge other delegates to do the same. Here is her letter to  state delegates:

Greetings, Fellow Delegates. I am Rachel Barrios-Van Os and I am a candidate for the office of State Chair of the Texas Democratic Party. Texas belongs to the People, not to the corporations, and definitely not to the Republican Party.

It's time we take back Texas and take back the reins of power from the rich and powerful who solely care about themselves and care nothing about the middle class or the under-privileged.

Everybody counts - not just the rich, everybody should count and that includes the poor and those who are less fortunate. In order for our society to continue to prosper and grow we must leave no one behind. Unfortunately our schools are failing us and our children are getting left behind more and more because some of our elected officials and leaders in government are ignoring what needs to be done to educate and improve the lives of our children.

We must insist on higher standards and higher ethical values to become a stronger party and to elect good-hearted, caring, ethical and honorable candidates who will work for the betterment of our society and its people.

  

We need an organized party that truly cares for the people. We need to connect with the people and communities of Texas all year long and not just during election season. Once the people know we care about them and that we will fight for them the voters will come back again to the Democratic Party but it takes more than sending emails and 'targeting'. The only targeting we need to do is to target Texas- and I mean the whole state of Texas not just the big 5 (Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Ft. Worth and Houston). We need to embrace each and every voter in every community across Texas and that includes the rural areas as well. Every vote counts! Every voter across Texas wants to feel that they have a voice in their community and with the right type of leadership at the top of the Texas Democratic Party we can change the course of history and turn Texas BLUE again! 

The secret to success in a political party is working with the people from the bottom up - not the top down. We need to go back to our roots because grass-roots campaigning is what we did when we used to win.

The next state party chair will be elected by the delegates at the State Convention in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday afternoon June 28, 2014. I look forward to seeing you there. Thank you for your consideration. It's time to win - Together we can make great things happen!

   

Thank you for your time and dedication to democracy in the hopes of great things to come for all the people of Texas.   

Viva Democracy!!!

Of, By and For the People,

Rachel