Tuesday, January 20, 2008

The day we have all been waiting for.
Join us as we celebrate with distinction the Inauguration of our 44th President, Barack Obama!
For the first time ever the TCDP will be hosting an Inaugural Ball. No need to travel 1362 miles when you can dine, dance and celebrate with your fellow Texas Democrats right here.

This will be the largest Inaugural celebration in North Texas. Without question, it will be a night to remember, a night to tell your grandchildren about.

Black Tie Optional.

We are currently awaiting proposals from several of the finer hotels in Downtown Fort Worth. We insist this be a special evening and are therefore taking care to select the right location.

Tables of ten places: $500.00
Individual Tickets: $75.00
Sustaining Members: $50.00

• On the Gulf Coast, Senate District 17 is in play with a December runoff election - former gubernatorial candidate Chris Bell is our candidate.
• Gov. Rick Perry today announced a special runoff election to fill the vacancy in Senate District 17 to be held on Dec. 16, 2008. A special election to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Sen. Kyle Janek was held during the November 4 general election; however no candidate received a majority of the votes, as mandated by state law. Early voting will run from December 8 through December 12.
• Read a message from State Senator Kirk Watson on this important battleground race. The future of the next legislative session is at stake.

Fellow Democrats,

When we started out with this election cycle, we all knew that Democrats were well on their way to making real gains, from the White House to the county courthouse. 

Well, can you say “President-elect Barack Obama”?

And I know you were as energized and excited as I was about our extraordinary success here in Texas on Election Day.  Texas Democrats made sweeping countywide gains in Harris County, held our ground in Dallas County, elected Wendy Davis to the State Senate in Tarrant County, and won six seats in the State House. 

But we’re not done yet: we have one more Democrat to elect to the State Senate.

My friend Chris Bell is running in a special election for the State Senate in District 17 in Harris County.  Chris was the top vote getter on Election Day, but will have very little time to organize before the run-off election.  And that’s why I’m writing you today: we need your help now to elect Chris to the State Senate.

Click here to make a contribution of $100, $50, $25, or $10 to Chris Bell’s campaign.  Your contribution right now will help Chris turn out each and every one of his supporters for the run-off.

Many of you have already given generously of your time and resources during this election cycle, and I wouldn’t be asking you again if the stakes for Democrats weren’t so high.

With the election of Wendy Davis on November 4th, Democrats will hold 12 of 31 seats in the State Senate.  With Chris as our lucky number 13, Senate Democrats will be able to make a real difference for Texas families by fighting for high-quality public schools, affordable utility rates, and accessible health insurance. 

This special election will resonate far beyond Harris County, so it’s up to each of us to help Chris get over the finish line.  Click here to make an immediate contribution of $100, $50, $25, or $10 to Chris’s campaign.  

Working together, we can finish this historic election with one more big win, and a victory for our families.

Thank you for all that you have already done, and for standing up with me one last time to take back our state.
 
Sincerely,

Kirk Watson
Texas State Senator

First, don’t fall for internet scams. No one has tickets to sell yet.

For info about the inauguration please visit Change.gov

Tickets to the Inaugural ceremony are distributed to members of congress, who then distribute them to their constituents.

Statement issued by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies:

The public should also be aware that no website or other ticket outlet actually has inaugural swearing-in tickets to sell, regardless of what they may claim. Tickets will not be distributed to Congressional offices until the week before the inauguration and will require in-person pick-up.

“Any website or ticket broker claiming that they have inaugural tickets is simply not telling the truth,” said Howard Gantman, Staff Director for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. “Tickets for the swearing-in of President-elect are all provided through members of Congress, and the President-elect and Vice President-elect through the Presidential Inaugural Committee. We urge the public to view any offers of tickets for sale with great skepticism.”

Members in the majority party receive more tickets then those in the minority. Although allotments have not been decided it is likely locally each office will receive approximately 150 tickets.

If you live in:
US HD 6
Congressmen Joe Barton’s District
Contact
Julianne
202-225-2002

US HD 12
Congresswoman Kay Granger’s District
Contact
Nicole
202-225-5071

US HD 24
Congressman Kenny Marchant’s District
Their list is very full but if you wish to be added
Fax your request to his office at 972-409-9704

US HD 26
Congressman Michael Burgess’s District
Call his office at (817) 531-8454
Anyone will be able to assist you, but his list
is very long as well.

The Day After is always a time to reflect.

A time to reflect on the most historic electoral victory in our history. A
time to reflect on the heroic efforts of our local candidates, and the pride
we feel for them, whether they won or lost.

And especially a time to reflect on how we achieved such remarkable success.

Barack Obama will be the 44th president of the United States. I never get
tired of saying that. It is the first time I have ever felt that the
“Change” that is repeated over and over in the campaign is actually Change
that will happen. Our country is about to change—and for the better.

Wendy Davis and Chris Turner won their elections, and join Lon Burnam, Marc
Veasey, and Paula Pierson in Austin. We lost a friend and an eloquent
advocate when Dan Barrett wasn’t reelected, but the Tarrant County presence
in Austin has never been stronger or more effective. Although our other
legislative and county-wide candidates didn’t win, their efforts made us a
better Party. The enthusiasm generated by these folks produced a higher
number of voters, and a greater level of enthusiasm, than I have ever seen.
Thank you so much, Chris Utchell, Sheila Ford, Kalandra Wheeler, Nancy
Moffat, Jerry Lee Phillips, Randy Turner, Maureen Tolbert, Warren Gould,
Hank Pope, Tracey Smith, Tom Love, Ken Leach, and Ludwig Otto for everything
you did, and for moving us one step closer to the day when Tarrant County
turns blue.

More than anything else, the greatest accomplishment for which we should all
be proud is the unifying of our Party to achieve the results we did.
Thousands of new voters proudly joined the ranks of the Democratic Party.
Thousands more devoted their time and unceasing efforts to make the election
of our candidates a reality. Hundreds of you volunteered to work at the
Party Headquarters to make calls, stuff envelopes, block walk for our
candidates, answer phones, set out signs, and any number of a hundred other
things that were needed to support our Party. I doubt anyone will ever know
the amount of time–the nights and weekends–the constant pressure of not
enough time to get everything done (and not having enough money to do
it)–that our Executive Director, Keith Annis, devoted to this job. Thank
you, Keith for a superb performance. Thank you to our staff, Brandy Wicker,
Claudia Wilson, Barbara Mayfield, Steve Norder and to our volunteer
“regulars”, Jo-Ann Zimmerman, Betty Fischer, Ann McClure, Betty Parkhill for
everything you did. Thank you also to Jane Hamilton, Liz Cleveland, Brett
Rosenthal, Angie Dickson, Natomi Austin, Lee Henderson, Josh Whitehouse,
Stephen Sargent, John Sargent, Ryan Ray, Emma Allen, and all of the dozens
more of you who gave a part of your lives over the past few months to make
it possible for this Party to accomplish what it did.

We took thousands of Tarrant County residents, with thousands of differing
backgrounds, ideas, occupations, values, and suggestions, and joined all of
them at their hearts and souls to produce the greatest local Party in the
country. And see what we accomplished!

Lest this message be read as a closing act, know that what we have done this
year is only the beginning. We are more organized, more motivated, and more
capable than we have ever been. There are some great races coming up, and we
are going to win them.

Thank you for sharing this experience with me.

Steve Maxwell

Voter turnout continues at a record pace, providing further encouragement that the high turnout bodes well for our candidates up and down the ballot. If you have not voted, please get to the polls as soon as you can. If you have not encouraged your family, your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers and everyone else you come into contact with to vote, NOW IS THE TIME!!

If there was ever a thought that we have been exaggerating the level of enthusiasm this election has produced, come by the Party Headquarters today. We have never seen anything like the energy and the desire to help like what we have seen today. Literally hundreds of volunteers have shown up at our Office asking for assignments. There has never been a Democratic Party as unified as what we are at this moment.

This all points toward victory for our candidates this evening. What a party we are going to have at the Hilton tonight! In fact, it is now looking like there are going to be so many celebrating Democrats joining us, we have lined up two secondary party sites to handle the overflow. The first of these sites is EMBARGO, which is located across the street from the Hilton. Live music will be featured. The other site is the POUR HOUSE, located at 5th and Throckmorton. The celebration kicks off at the Hilton at 8. Don’t miss the fun-and don’t dare be absent when we start announcing the victories of our candidates! They will all be present and eager to share the thrill of victory with the folks that made it possible.

See you tonight!

Steve Maxwell

It is here. After months and months of planning, fundraising, and incredible effort, we have finally arrived at the moment that will change the political history of our country. It is the day to which we have dedicated our hearts and souls. It is also the day that will produce the victories we have dreamed of all our lives.

Consider these numbers: more than 466,000 Tarrant County voters cast early votes. That is nearly 50 percent of all of the registered voters in the county. IT IS THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF EARLY VOTES CAST IN ANY OF THE 5 LARGEST COUNTIES IN TEXAS. It is also only about 30,000 votes shy of the total number of early votes cast in Dallas County. From all appearances, the huge increase in the number of early votes cast can be attributed to the turnout of voters who are likely to be voting Democratic. If that is true, things are looking very good for our Party and our candidates.

Things look good. You can feel the hope intensifying. This is going to happen. But we face a dedicated, well funded adversary. We cannot let up even the tiniest bit. We must now focus all of our effort into getting out the people who haven’t already voted—and making sure that they vote the straight Democratic ticket.

If you have the time, we still can use Poll Greeters and Poll Watchers. Call us at 817-335-8683 and let us know when you would be available. If you haven’t already gone through training, we will give you a Crash Course on how to be a Poll Greeter or a Poll Watcher - it’s not difficult, and it can make such a huge difference in the way undecided voters end up casting their votes. Please try to get here early!

At the end of the day tomorrow, a celebration years in the making will begin. We want everyone who has dreamed of this day to join us. It will take place at the Fort Worth Hilton, which is located at the corner of 8th and Main across from the Convention Center. All of our Tarrant County candidates will be there to share this special moment with us. There is no charge for admission, and there will be a cash bar. Things get started at 8, and you are encouraged to arrive early, light snacks will be available. We expect to fill the Hilton to capacity and have two overflow sites, Embargo and the Pour House. It will be something you will remember for the rest of your lives. Please join us for an unforgettable night.

In memory and appreciation of a wonderful man and our great friend.

Frederick M. “Fred” Baron, the plaintiff’s lawyer who amassed a fortune that he used to rejuvenate the Democratic Party in Texas, died Thursday at his Dallas home of complications of cancer. He was 61.

Mr. Baron founded the Texas Democratic Trust in September 2005, enabling Dallas’s gains in Democratic representation, and working hard for this year’s progress in Tarrant County.

Texas Democratic Chairman Boyd Richie said Mr. Baron was a true champion of the people.

“A fierce advocate for those who believed they had no voice, Fred made it his life mission to protect and defend those who needed the most help,” he said.

Former U.S. Rep. Martin Frost called Mr. Baron a great man.

“He was generous and believed in the Democratic Party,” Mr. Frost said. “He believed that people should have an opportunity in life. He single-handedly started to change the political face of Texas.”

Services will be at 4 p.m. Monday at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home. He will be buried in Hillcrest Memorial Park.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Baron is survived by two adult children, a son, Andrew Baron, and a daughter, Courtney Baron, both of New York; and three young children, Alessandra Baron , Nathalie Baron and Caroline Baron.

The family asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Texas Democratic Trust at www.texasdemocratictrust.com or the Lance Armstrong Foundation at www.livestrong.org.

Including Excerpts from the Dallas Morning News - Oct 31 - Joe Simnacher

As voters begin to understand the historical significance of this election, they are showing up at the polls in ever-increasing numbers. As of the end of the day yesterday, more than 400,000 Tarrant County voters had cast early voting or absentee ballots–just over 40% of the registered voters in the county! Clearly we are witnessing an election unlike any we have seen in our lifetimes and, one that is likely to change the political landscape forever.

What is especially gratifying about what we see happening is the fact that the historic results of this election can be traced directly to the efforts of literally thousands of Tarrant County citizens who made a commitment to see an end to Republican rule, not just in Washington, but here in Texas and in Tarrant County as well. Every day hundreds of volunteers are out there walking to get out the vote, handing out campaign literature, putting up signs, and volunteering here at the Party Headquarters. The outpouring of help has been incredible.

But we’re not finished. We need hundreds of volunteers to work as Poll Greeters and Poll Watchers on Election Day. The last push to victory will take place at the polls on Tuesday. We have got to secure the votes of people who still haven’t made up their minds–and by far the most effective way to do that is to greet them as they arrive at their polling locations, answer their questions, and hand out literature. With 388 polling locations, and a need for at least two volunteers per location, it’s easy to see what kind of challenge we have for Tuesday.

Please volunteer to help us with this last great effort. Training will be provided for Poll Watchers and Poll Greeters. Training Sessions are scheduled for this weekend.

This final effort could literally make the difference in many of the races. Don’t let us get this close without finishing the job!

Sincerely,

Steve Maxwell
Chairman, Tarrant County Democratic Party