Rachel's view of what it will take for the Texas Democratic Party to carry the state again differs from Gilberto's: Rachel does not believe any one ethnic group or any one region will carry it for us. She believes to win statewide again the Party will have to organize statewide coordinated campaigns that increase the Democratic numbers in all regions and all demographic groups. She believes the potential Democratic voting majority is enormous and that it exists across the state, but that it hasn't been turning out because of the attitude of pessimism the Party projects about its ability to win statewide. This attitude of pessimism displays itself in things like not running candidates in all statewide races - for example, no candidate for Comptroller in 2010 and no candidates in four of the six statewide judicial races this year. The attitude of pessimism also displays itself in the continual, annual refrain that we are "in a rebuilding year". People are not fools. Many people who hear that refrain every election year conclude, why should I bother to vote, I ain't a Republican, but the Democrats don't think they can win, so I won't waste my time voting. Respectfully toward Gilberto, who is a good man, as a matter of goals and plans for the party methinks I hear the same old "it's a rebuilding year".
If Rachel is elected party chair, she is going to go to work immediately on organizing for statewide victory by holding regional planning meetings across the state for SDEC members, county chairs, and local activists to roll up their sleeves, not just serve as an audience, but to roll up their sleeves and go to work planning and organizing, interactively together, for a coordinated campaign to carry the state for President Obama, our Senate nominee whomever it may turn out to be, Michele Petty for the Supreme Court and Keith Hampton for the Court of Criminal Appeals, our Congressional candidates, legislative candidates, and everybody else. She plans to hold the first regional meeting on June 23 to be followed by another one every two weeks thereafter. Rachel believes every Democratic nominee must be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve for making the huge sacrifice to run for office, and all our nominees deserve to be promoted by their Party equally. She believes we all need to relearn how to believe in ourselves and our ability to win Texas, to learn to think and act like winners, and to let the public and the pundits know in no uncertain terms that we intend to win this state, not "next time" but this year. Rachel insists that a winning attitude will do wonders. I know that she has the winning attitude. She truly believes we CAN win the state. Anybody who spends two minutes with her will find her enthusiasm contagious.
Rachel developed these views not sitting in an armchair, but traveling Texas in three statewide campaigns and listening to many good people of Texas outside the political-activist bubble in all parts of the state.
Gilberto is someone whom I consider a friend and a good man. In this race, he and Rachel have been nothing but respectful toward each other. She is absolutely committed to engaging in no negativity toward Gilberto and I feel sure he will not engage in any negativity toward her. I am sure they both will engage in a sincere display of unity at the convention after the votes are counted, regardless of who wins. This also includes my friend Fidel Acevedo, who is still running.
Before I leave this post, I think this is a fair comment which is not negative, but relates legitimately to plans and goals for the party. Would the current management, including Richie, be so eagerly promoting Gilberto if they thought he was going to be a big change from the way they have run the party?
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