America is waking up and we need to be ready!
By Gilberto Hinojosa
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Its been a great first few days on the job!
Ive had the opportunity to talk to Democrats across our state including leaders in the Texas House Texas Senate and U.S. Congress about the vision for the future of our Party.
Elected Officials & Community Leaders
My first visit as Chair was to Bexar Countys new Democratic Chairman Manuel Medina. Ive since met with:
- San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro
- Jim Hightower
- Ft. Bend County Chair Steve Brown
- President of the Tejano Democrats Sandra Tenorio
- SDEC member Don Bankston
- our new Finance Chair Farruk Shamsi
- Houston State Rep. Armando Walle and
- Leticia Van De Putte and
- Senator Kirk Watson
Ive also visited with several community leaders including the:
- National Jewish Democratic Council President Marc Stanley
- Executive Vice President Emeritus of the AFL-CIO Linda Chavez Thompson
- Texas AFL-CIO District 6 Vice President Katherine Thompson-Garcia and other AFL-CIO members
- Members of the Meyerland Democrats
- Dave Matthiesen and
- Bexar County Federation of Teachers President Tom Cummings
Were also working on an outreach program for the Texas Young Democrats and have met with Bexar County
Young Democrats President Dante Small and other young Democrats at Madhatters in San Antonio.
The TDP is supporting all of our Democratic candidates. I was pleased to introduce Nora Longoria the Democratic candidate for 13th Court of Appeals at a reception.
In all of these meetings a clear sense of hope emerged - the hope that we will energize our base better connect with voters and lead Texas into a better future. Over the next few weeks the TDP will roll out several new programs fund existing programs that work and continue to engage with Democrats across Texas.
Community Outreach
Were upgrading our communications Hispanic outreach Asian American outreach coordinated campaigns and progressive messaging. Were working with our County Parties to prepare for coordinated campaigns and have been doing significant outreach to raise much needed funds to create a stronger Party. Were also proud to inform you that in the near future the TDP will host an LGBT summit.
All these changes are fueled by a conviction that if we are audacious Texas will be blue again.
While we have to be patient I do not buy into the logic that success can only come after many election cycles. Ive been in politics long enough to know that when change occurs things move fast. Already the ground is moving from under the feet of the Republicans their special interests and the Tea Party. All the extreme positions they are taking are catching up with them.
America is waking up and we need to be ready!
Our Party knows that its historic allies are also our future partners in the leadership of this great state. The
TDP offices just relocated to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers building. Relocation means our financial resources will go further and our partnership with labor will be stronger.
The time is now for Texans to take back our state!
