We have it from good sources that progressives within the TDP are urging David Van Os to challenge Boyd Richie for chair of the Texas Democratic Party.
Van Os is an attorney who ran for Texas Attorney General in 2006 with the campaign slogan "Fight 'Em on the Ice." As a populist, Van Os has a strong and loyal following among Texas progressives.
Van Os is an attorney who ran for Texas Attorney General in 2006 with the campaign slogan "Fight 'Em on the Ice." As a populist, Van Os has a strong and loyal following among Texas progressives.
Van Os' Whistle Stop campaign targeted every county in Texas in 2006. Boyd Richie, who has been criticized by many activists within his party for targeting races, was elected in 2006 after beating a strong challenger in Glen Maxey. Maxey ran on the need to build organizational strength in every county.
One Van Os supporter noted that the practice of targeting races was one of the key failings of the Clinton campaign, and the strategy in Texas has led to the diminished strength of Democrats in areas outside of traditionally Democratic-leaning counties.
Richie recently surprised many Texas Democrats by going public with his support for Barack Obama. Richie responds to his critics and touts his successes in a recent Burnt Orange Report interview.
The question for both Van Os and Richie is, given the fact that the Democratic "old guard" is not well represented among the attendees to the state convention this year, how will a group of delegates not terribly familiar with the recent history of the state party chairman's race react to either candidate?
6 comments:
Wow. What an incredibly bad idea. Van Os need to put a stop to this. This is all just to feed his ego.
No thanks.
We have been doing a lot better with Ritchie. Not perfect but I'm happy with the gains we have made and that we are moving forward in a positive direction.
David Van Os turns off more than he turns on.
I see your opinion, but I don't see any reasons. Why would this be a bad idea? What gains have we made because of Richie? How do you know Van Os turns off more than he turns on? I must have missed that Zogby poll.
Here is what Philip Martin of BOR had to say about Richie has done:
* Doubled 1st quarter fundraising from 2006 to 2008 (from $303k in 2006 to over $623k in 2008), which includes $100,000 raised exclusively online.
* An e-mail list that has surpassed 289,000 names as of mid-April.
* Field, communications, and grassroots success that has led to more Democrats in the Texas House, more Democrats in Congress, a sweep of Dallas County, and more.
* Successful lawsuits to get Tom Delay off the ballot and to stop illegal attempts at voter suppression by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott .
I have seen and heard Van Os, in his silly little costume vest, yell and turn off people. He is too angry and not hopeful. His idealism is like good intention, worthless without planned and strategic action.
He is a tempest in teapot that dragged down good people who supported him into false hope with no chance of winning.
Tilt at windmills by yourself Don Quixote. Our energy is better focus on winning and not just talking.
david as TDP chair: that would be a death knell. he had a rather disappointing, some would say disastrous, stint as head of the travis county democratic party. it was a time when we ought to have consolidated our gains - electing dems in austin is an easy gig, compared to statewide - but we lost ground.
I have to assume folks urging david to run (are they really? or is david just saying they are?) do not have information about david's record with regard to being travis county chair. because if they knew the history, there would be no momentum to a "draft david" movement.
There are about 20 people that approached Van Os and asked him to run, not satisfied with Richie's performance. And not convinced that Brooks could do the job. Richie has done a great job promoting himself as he traveled the state, that's for sure. However, we need someone that will support all Democrats, not just a select few, chosen by an insider crowd. Richie has made it clear he's not focusing on assuring that Obama wins Texas, which I'm sure might surprise new delegates.
We are so close to taking back the House in Texas, Boyd R. has done a great job and will continue to do what is right for Texas.
Van Os is a joke and everyone knows it.
Post a Comment