Any hot races at the state convention this year? State chair? SDEC?

[TexasThoughtCriminal]

Is Boyd Richie running for re-election unopposed? I hear rumors in some parts that Garry Mauro will run, but is that for State Chair, or the state convention chair? Big difference.

What about SDEC? I haven't heard about any contested races in my neck of the state.
:shrug:

[sonias]

1. All rumors at this point

I haven't heard about any official filing for any of the positions. If someone is going to challenge a sitting SDEC member they better get moving. It takes a long time to effectively run an SDEC campaign. I have heard about one sitting SDEC member that might be challenged. Recruiting is in the process for one of the S.A. area SDEC spots. San Antonio has several SDEC members because it has several senate districts that intersect there.

And I can safely say it's not SDEC-25. We love our S.A. Representative Zada True-Courage!

Sonia

[crispini]

2. Should I run for SDEC?

I don't know if I want all that work, and I think the person who's in there is doing a good job, but I do have a couple of ideas. For example, I'd really like to see the SDEC members for our SD set up an email group that all of us could subscribe to, and would give us short updates on what's happening at SDEC meetings down in Austin. There is a real lack of communication about what goes on down there. Now, of course, those updates would likely be boring as heck, and not tell us much of anything, but the fact that we never hear squat about what's going on at the SDEC meetings creates a vacuum of knowledge that can lead to the perception that "our party betters" aren't telling us stuff. I know, realistically, that they're not telling us this stuff because it's not all that important or interesting (most likely) but the fact is that it creates this "inside knowledge" perception. If I could convince our existing SDEC members to buy off on this idea, that would be good enough for me, but it would basically be creating extra work for them, and you know that always goes down like a lead balloon. :D Understandably so.

[sonias]

3. We have an e-mail group for SD25

Zada did that the first year she took the helm. It's a Yahoo group.

I will tell you this about what she has said about the experience - it is expensive. You have to go to all of the quarterly SDEC meetings and they're all over the state. You pay your own way. So there is either gas expenses or flight expenses, plus hotel rooms.

There's also a huge time commitment. It's rewarding, if you're really a party activist, but you really need to have that fire. Since both she and her husband John are such activists they work as a team. Zada has appointed John to fill in for her when she was unable to attend a meeting. You can appoint someone as your proxy if you can't go to one of the meetings.

If you can talk to your SDEC person(s) perhaps you could volunteer to set that list for them. The list doesn't have to be all about SDEC stuff. It's a communication tool for the senate district. We've been using ours to talk convention stuff right now for example.

Good luck if you decide to jump in there. You know sometimes just making a challenge gets the incumbent to start actually "campaigning" for their jobs again and they get more effective.


Sonia

[crispini]

4. You know, I think I'd rather work my precinct.

I like getting out there and talking to voters. I just want to know what's going on, and if I could convince them to do the email list and updates, that would make me happy. I have a sneaking suspicion that all of those long meetings would give me indigestion. I am not one to suffer fools gladly. I'd rather get out there and ORGANIZE SHIT!

[WolverineDG]

5. I'm toying with it

but I have to get to state first. When's the deadline?

dg

[sonias]

6. I don't see a deadline in the rules

Executive Committees
2. SDEC Members.

(a) Membership. The SDEC shall be composed of two members elected from every senatorial district and the following additional members:

* two from the Texas Democratic County Chairs Association,
* two from the Texas Young Democrats,
* one from the Senate Democratic Caucus (nonvoting),
* one from the House Democratic Caucus (nonvoting),
* two from the Texas Democratic Women,
* two from the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats,
* two from the Hispanic Caucus,
* two from the Non-Urban/Agriculture Caucus,
* two from the Stonewall Democrats,
* two from the Texas Environmental Democrats,
* and two from the Asian American Democrats of Texas.

(b) Election From Senatorial Districts. The two members from every senatorial district shall be elected by the State Convention in June of even numbered years. One man and one woman from each senatorial district shall be recommended by the Delegates from the counties composing the respective senatorial districts. Each county shall vote its full Convention strength divided proportionately among its Delegates present.

Sonia