DOCSLIB.ORG

Scanned Using Book Scancenter 5030

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Scanned Using Book Scancenter 5030 EESTIMATINGstimating theTHE IMPACTImpact OFof THEthe PRESIDENTIALPresidential CAMPAIGNCampaign ofOF DDONALDonald J. TRUMPTrump ONon HISPANICHispanic REGISTRATIONRegistration and AND VVOTINGoting inIN HHARRISarris COUNTYCounty RICHARDRichard MMURRAY*urray* ANDand JERONIMOJeronimo CCORTINA**ortina** I. INTRODUCTION 4545 n.II. REVIEWINGReviewing HHISPANICispanic PPOPULATIONopulation GGROWTHrowth andAND LAGGINGLagging POLITICALPolitical PPARTICIPATIONarticipation in IN HHARRISarris CCOUNTYounty.............................. 5050 III. PATTERNSPatterns ofOF HISPANICHispanic VOTERVoter REGISTRATIONRegistration AACROSScross HARRISHarris COUNTYCounty INin RECENTRecent YEARSYears .................................................. 5353 IV. NON-PARTISANNon-Partisan EEFFORTSfforts inIN 20162016 TO to INCREASE Increase HISPANICHispanic REGISTRATIONRegistration and ANI) VVOTINGoting inIN HHARRISarris COUNTYCounty......................... 5555 V. CONCLUSION:Conclusion: WILLWill THEthe TRUMPTrump CANDIDACYCandidacy MATTERMatter INin HARRISHarris COUNTY?County? ......................................................................................... 5858 I. INTRODUCTIONIntroduction In June 2014, I1 (Richard(Richard Murray) wrote a report forfor thethe officeoffice of HarrisHarris County Attorney Vince RyanRyan entitledentitled "Increasing“Increasing Hispanic Voter Registra-Registra­ tion andand ParticipationParticipation inin Harris County,County, Texas:Texas: ChangingChanging DemographicsDemographics Suggest anan AlternativeAlternative Approach."Approach.” ThatThat report notednoted that Texas oftenoften ranked deaddead last among the fiftyfifty statesstates inin votervoter turnout, turnout, andand thatthat HarrisHarris County had the lowest level ofof votervoter registrationregistration as a percentage of voting age populationpopulation (VAP) of thethe largelarge urbanurban counties inin Texas.Texas. TheThe principalprincipal reason for these poor rankings waswas thethe veryvery lowlow levels ofof registeringregistering andand voting among Hispanic Texans inin thethe statestate as aa wholewhole andand HarrisHarris County in particular.' * Professor of Political Science,Science. BobBob LanierLanier Chair in Urban Public Policy,Policy, University of Houston. Director ofof Surveying, Hobby Center forfor PublicPublic Policy,Policy, University of Houston. Ph.D., Political Science,Science. UniversityUniversity of Minnesota.Minnesota. M.A.M.A. andand B.A.,B.A.. Government, Government. LouisianaLouisiana StateState University. **•* Associate Professor,Professor, Department ofof Political Science andand the Center for Mexican Ameri-Ameri­ can Studies. Ph.D., Political Science,Science. ColumbiaColumbia University. M.Phil., Political Science, ColumbiaColumbia University. M.A., PublicPublic Administration,Administration, Columbia University. 1.1. See RICHARDRicharfj MURRAY,Murray, INCREASINGIncri-asing HHISPANICispanic VVonothr R REGISTRATION Registration ANI)ani> PARTICIPATIONParticipation IN HARRISHarris COUNTY,Counit, TEXAS:Texas: CHANGINGChanging DEMOGRAPHIC Demographic SUGGESTSucrihst anAN AALTERNATIVEi ternative AAPPROACHpproach 2-5 2-5 (2014).(2014). 45 46 STCLH HISPANIC Hispanic JOURNALJournal OFof LLAWaw && POLICYPolicy [Vol.[Vol. 1:451:45 After reviewing census data andand countycounty registrationregistration and votingvoting pat-pat­ terns, I suggestedsuggested that a nonpartisan effort to increase Latino civic engage-engage­ ment by workingworking withwith partnerspartners likelike thethe locallocal RomanRoman CatholicCatholic archdiocesearchdiocese was more likely to bebe successfulsuccessful inin HarrisHarris CountyCounty thanthan partisanpartisan effortsefforts like Battleground Texas which are closely alignedaligned with the DemocraticDemocratic Party or its candidates. There were two reasonsreasons why thisthis mademade sensesense inin mymy opinion.opinion. First, only about one-halfone-half of citizencitizen votingvoting ageage HispanicsHispanics identifyidentify withwith the Democratic Party, with the remainderremainder aboutabout evenlyevenly splitsplit betweenbetween Republi-Republi­ cans and politicalpolitical Independents.Independents. That being the case, itit seemedseemed logicallogical to separate any Latino civiccivic engagementengagement effort fromfrom anan overtlyovertly partisanpartisan (i.e.,(i.e., Democratic) voter drive. Second,Second, censuscensus datadata clearlyclearly showedshowed thatthat thethe great-great­ est growthgrowth in HispanicHispanic citizens of voting age was not inin thethe oldold barriobarrio neighborhoods like Denver Harbor, Magnolia, and SouthSouth Houston that areare strongly Democratic inin partisan elections,elections, butbut inin thethe demographicallydemographically mixedmixed outer suburbansuburban communitiescommunities inin schoolschool districtsdistricts likelike Cypress-Fairbanks, Cypress-Fairbanks, Spring, Katy, and Goose Creek—areasCreek—areas that tendtend toto votevote RepublicanRepublican in par-par­ tisan elections. At the time I wrotewrote thethe 20142014 report,report, itit appearedappeared thatthat bothboth majormajor partiesparties were likely to vigorouslyvigorously competecompete for thethe votesvotes ofof HispanicHispanic AmericansAmericans inin the 20162016 presidentialpresidential election.election. TheThe RepublicanRepublican PartyParty NationalNational CommitteeCommittee had, for example, released an "autopsy“autopsy report"report” afterafter thethe disappointingdisappointing 20122012 defeat of theirtheir nomineenominee MittMitt Romney,Romney, notingnoting that:that: If HispanicHispanic AmericansAmericans perceive that aa GOPGOP nomineenominee oror candidatecandidate does not wantwant themthem inin thethe UnitedUnited StatesStates (i.e.,(i.e., self-deportation),self-deportation), theythey will not pay attention to our next sentence. ItIt doesdoes notnot mattermatter whatwhat we say about education, jobs, or thethe economy;economy; ifif HispanicsHispanics thinkthink we do not want them here, they will close their ears to our policies. We are not a policy committee, but amongamong the stepssteps RepublicansRepublicans take in the Hispanic community and beyond,beyond, wewe mustmust embrace and cham-cham­ pion comprehensive immigration reform.reform.^2 In 2014,2014, thatthat recommendationrecommendation seemed likely to bebe adopted.adopted. AA bipartisanbipartisan comprehensive immigrationimmigration reformreform billbill hadhad passedpassed thethe U.S. Senate by a large margin, and head counts amongamong U.S.U.S. HouseHouse membersmembers showedshowed it en-en­ joyed majoritymajority supportsupport inin thatthat body.body. ProspectiveProspective RepublicanRepublican presidentialpresidential candidates like U.S. Senator Marco Rubio andand formerformer FloridaFlorida governor Jeb Bush were actively behind the effort,effort, asas werewere manymany GOPGOP governorsgovernors andand other party leaders. Passage of thisthis legislationlegislation wouldwould havehave laidlaid thethe ground-ground­ work for a vigorousvigorous competitioncompetition forfor HispanicHispanic votersvoters acrossacross thethe countrycountry inin 2016, a competition that, in our opinion, wouldwould havehave beenbeen decidedly healthy for ourour politicalpolitical systemsystem inin general,general, andand thethe growing growing LatinoLatino populationpopulation specifically. 2. RepublicanRepublican National National Committee,Committee. Growth and OpportunityOpportunity Project,Project. 2013,2013. at 8. 2016] IIMPACTmpact onON HISPANICHispanic REGISTRATIONRegistration andAND VOTINGVoting 47 However, we nownow knowknow that that comprehensive comprehensive immigration immigration reformreform failed. U.S. HouseHouse ofof Representatives Representatives SpeakerSpeaker JohnJohn Boehner was unableunable to overcome the fiercefierce oppositionopposition ofof TeaTea PartyParty membersmembers ofof thethe RepublicanRepublican Conference and ended up letting the legislationlegislation diedie ratherrather than bring it to the floor and pass itit withwith aa majoritymajority of DemocraticDemocratic votes. TheThe unexpectedunexpected failure of the immigrationimmigration reform billbill suggested the recommendations of thethe Growth and Opportunity ProjectProject on on immigrationimmigration reformreform were were goinggoing to face very strong headwinds in the 20162016 RepublicanRepublican presidentialpresidential primary.primary. Nota-Nota­ bly, thethe juniorjunior senatorsenator from Texas, Ted Cruz, although himself an immi-immi­ grant with a Cuban American father, was an early declared candidate for the White House who mademade opposition toto immigrationimmigration reform a key element of his strategystrategy for winningwinning thethe GOPGOP nomination.nomination. Strong headwinds became a category five hurricanehurricane in the summer of 2015. OnOn JuneJune 16th,16th, businessmanbusinessman Donald J. Trump and his wife MelaniaMelania rode the escalator down to thethe mainmain floorfloor ofof Trump Trump TowerTower inin Manhattan. Manhattan. Mr. Trump stepped upup to a microphonemicrophone and announced his candidacy for the 2016 RepublicanRepublican presidentialpresidential nomination. That waswas not especially sur-sur­ prising. Mr. Trump had talked about runningrunning forfor presidentpresident inin previous cy­cy- cles. TheThe surprise surprise waswas thethe content content ofof his his announcement announcement speech—aspeech—a brutalbrutal assault on illegalillegal immigrationimmigration inin generalgeneral
Load more

Recommended publications
  • May 27, 2015 Sent Via Email and U.S. Mail the Honorable Carlos H
    May 27, 2015 PARTNERS C. Andrew Waters (CA, DC, NC, OR, TX) Peter A. Kraus (CA, MO, TX, VA) Charles S. Siegel (PA, TX) Sent via email and U.S. mail Troyce G. Wolf (NY, PA, TX) Michael L. Armitage (CA, LA) The Honorable Carlos H. Cascos B. Scott Kruka (PA, TX) Secretary of State Leslie C. MacLean (PA, TX) Paul C. Cook (CA) Executive Division, Office of the Secretary of State Gary M. Paul (CA) P.O. Box 12697 Kyla Gail Cole (PA, TX) Austin, Texas 78711 John S. Janofsky (CA, DC) Michael B. Gurien (CA) Scott L. Frost (CA, GA, IN, KY, TX) [email protected] Loren Jacobson (NY, TX) Jonathan A. George (CA, PA, TX, VA) Kevin M. Loew (CA) Re: Failure to Comply with Voter Registration Obligations at Texas Gibbs C. Henderson (TX) Department of Public Safety Demetrios T. Zacharopoulos (MD) Dimitri N. Nichols (CA) Wm. Paul Lawrence, II (LA, TX, VA, WA) Dear Secretary Cascos, David Bricker (CA, IL) ASSOCIATES We write on behalf of several eligible voters in the State of Texas — Mark Berry, Joy Sparling (IL) Susannah B. Chester-Schindler (LA, TX) De’Andre Carter, Donovan Cooper, Wendy Faems, Richard Gates, Cynthia Hawkins, Andrew Seitz (CA) Benjamin Hernandez, Deidre Miller, Marni Phon, Pedro Rodriguez, and Totysa Louisa O. Kirakosian (CA) Caitlyn Silhan (TX) Watkins — and others similarly situated, to notify you that, based on our investigation, Erin M. Wood (TX) the Texas Department of Public Safety (“DPS”) is not meeting its voter registration Shawna Forbes-King (CA) R. Walker Humphrey, II (CA, SC) obligations under Section 5 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (the Anne N.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution of the Digital Political Advertising Network
    PLATFORMS AND OUTSIDERS IN PARTY NETWORKS: THE EVOLUTION OF THE DIGITAL POLITICAL ADVERTISING NETWORK Bridget Barrett A thesis submitted to the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at the Hussman School of Journalism and Media. Chapel Hill 2020 Approved by: Daniel Kreiss Adam Saffer Adam Sheingate © 2020 Bridget Barrett ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT Bridget Barrett: Platforms and Outsiders in Party Networks: The Evolution of the Digital Political Advertising Network (Under the direction of Daniel Kreiss) Scholars seldom examine the companies that campaigns hire to run digital advertising. This thesis presents the first network analysis of relationships between federal political committees (n = 2,077) and the companies they hired for electoral digital political advertising services (n = 1,034) across 13 years (2003–2016) and three election cycles (2008, 2012, and 2016). The network expanded from 333 nodes in 2008 to 2,202 nodes in 2016. In 2012 and 2016, Facebook and Google had the highest normalized betweenness centrality (.34 and .27 in 2012 and .55 and .24 in 2016 respectively). Given their positions in the network, Facebook and Google should be considered consequential members of party networks. Of advertising agencies hired in the 2016 electoral cycle, 23% had no declared political specialization and were hired disproportionately by non-incumbents. The thesis argues their motivations may not be as well-aligned with party goals as those of established political professionals. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES .................................................................................................................... V POLITICAL CONSULTING AND PARTY NETWORKS ...............................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • How Labor Unions Finance Their Political Agenda: 2014 Employeerightsact.Com
    How Labor Unions Finance Their Political Agenda: 2014 employeerightsact.com Hundreds of special interests, candidates and pro-labor organizations that are aligned with the Democratic Party and support America’s Largest big labor’s agenda received nearly $140 million in funding principally from union member dues. Labor Unions $140,000,000 + $4,529,795 $1,830,986 MAJOR LABOR UNIONS to Left-Wing Special Interests CIVIL RIGHTS DEMOCRATIC PARTY & ALIGNED GROUPS (continued) LEFT-WING MEDIA AFL-CIO 21 Progress The Illinois Coalition for New Americans Central Committee Progressive Democrats of Wisconsin WOMEN VOTE! American Prospect Center for Media and The Nation Institute Auto Workers (UAW) A. Philip Randolph Immigrant and Refugee National Urban League Kitsap Committee for America Workers’ Defense Action Netroots Nation Democracy The Progressive, Inc Five Major Recipients Institute Rights New York Immigration Democracy Progressive Majority Fund Center for American Ed Schultz Broadcasting Uptake Institute Carpenters (CJA) Advancement Project Jewish Labor Committee Coalition Leadership For Jobs and Progressive States Working Families Party of Progress Action Fund Progress Illinois Cloud Tiger Media of Big Labor Money Alliance for Citizenship Labor Coalition for Ohioans for a Voters Bill Leading For Change Network New York Communications Workers American Immigration Community Action of Rights League of Young Voters Project New America Working Families for a Council Latino Policy Forum People First Voting Project Local Experience We Robert F. Kennedy
    [Show full text]
  • VERTICAL TARGET May 29 2014.Qxp
    VOLUME 17, NO. 11 THE TIPRO TAARGETRGET May 29, 2014 Texas Independent 2014 TEXAS PRIMARY RUNOFF RECAP Producers and Following an unusually heated primary election season, voters in Texas have selected final party Royalty Owners nominations for a number of highly contested statewide races. Association After the May 27 runoff election, Ryan Sitton won the Republican party nomination in the race for railroad commissioner, gaining a 15-point lead over rival candidate former state Representative Wayne Christian. A native Texan, Sitton graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in mechanical engineering. During his career, he has led or provided technical expertise on projects at dozens of refineries and chemical plants in such areas as mechanical integrity programs, Risk Based Inspection (RBI), fixed equipment reliability, and inspection/equipment optimization. In 2006, he founded the oil and gas engineering firm Pinnacle AIS, and currently serves as president and chief executive office of the company. Altogether, Sitton holds more than 15 years of experience in the oil, gas and petrochemical industry. “I think the voters really loved the idea of someone who has real expertise serving in office. Being an engineer, being in the industry for 15 years was a real differentiator. I think voters really liked that,” said Sitton in an interview with the Texas Energy Report. “I spent a lot of time doing town halls, going out and meeting voters directly and talking about the technical aspects of what the energy industry does,” he added. “I had a lot of Tea Party support, Tea Party leaders and Tea Party organizations.
    [Show full text]
  • Representative List of Texas Law Summer and Permanent Public Interest and Public Defense Placements
    Representative List of Texas Law Summer and Permanent Public Interest and Public Defense Placements Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Aid of Arkansas, Inc. Alliance for Children's Rights Legal Aid of Northwest Texas American Civil Liberties Union National Office Legal Aid Society of Columbus American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California Lone Star Legal Aid American Civil Liberties Union of Texas Lower Colorado River Authority Animal Welfare Institute Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project Arlington Public Defender Marin County Public Defender Association of Texas Professional Educators Mental Health Advocacy Services Austin Tenants' Council Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund Baptist Foundation of Texas NARAL Pro-Choice America Battleground Texas National Education Association Bernardo Kohler Center Office of the Colorado State Public Defender Blue Ridge Legal Services Office of the Public Defender - State of New Jersey Capital Area Private Defender's Service Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Catholic Charities of Central Texas Open Society Justice Initiative Catholic Charities of Dallas Orleans Public Defender Catholic Charities of Dallas - Immigration & Legal Services Palm Beach County Public Defender Catholic Charities of Fort Worth Public Counsel Law Center Catholic Charities / Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia Constitutional Law Center for Muslims in
    [Show full text]
  • Environmental Studies
    CENTER FOR CAREER & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Major Possibilities: Environmental Studies Quick Facts A bachelor’s degree in environmental studies can help pave the way for roles in environmental policy, environmental advocacy, and environmental compliance. Students can complement an environmental studies major with additional science coursework to pursue environmental science fields. For such fields, employers prefer a master’s degree in environmental science, hydrology, or a related natural science; a Ph.D. degree generally is required for research or college teaching positions. Environmental studies majors can apply what they learn in the classroom to environmental activism within their communities. Involvement in the on-campus group SEAK (Students for Environmental Activism and Knowledge), HEAT (Human-Environmental- Animal Team), and the Garden Club are great ways to gain experience in environmental activism. Internships (including research experiences) help shape professional identities, develop 21st century career-readiness skills, and make meaning of the academic experience. Environmental Studies Major Synopsis The Environmental Studies major is an interdisciplinary program that examines the many connections between humans and nature from a wide variety of perspectives. Environmental studies considers the physical and biological properties of the environment; concepts of the environment from a range of social, religious, artistic, and philosophical perspectives; and public policy approaches to understanding and grappling with
    [Show full text]
  • 1 in the United States District Court
    Case 5:20-cv-00046-OLG Document 73 Filed 05/21/20 Page 1 of 11 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS SAN ANTONIO DIVISION JARROD STRINGER, et al., § Plaintiffs, § § v. § No. SA-20-CV-46-OG § RUTH R. HUGHS, et al., § Defendants. § DEFENDANTS’ REPLY IN SUPPORT OF MOTION TO DISMISS The Democratic Party Intervenors1 do not have standing to assert their claims and their participation adds nothing to this litigation. They are partisan political organizations whose sole purpose is to see their candidates elected, and they are attempting to use this Court as a platform to achieve a policy outcome, not vindicate a legal right. The Intervenors cannot show any concrete and particularized injury that stems from Defendants’ conduct, nor have they presented evidence that any of their members have been aggrieved. Article III Courts are not a forum for the airing of generalized grievances. Accordingly, because the Democratic Party Intervenors lack standing and have failed to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, the Court should grant Defendants’ motion to dismiss. See ECF No. 56 (“Mot.”). I. The Evidence A. The Texas Democratic Party (“TDP”) TDP is a partisan political organization whose singular mission is to elect Democrats to public office—not to register Texas voters who interacted with DPS online. See TDP Depo. at 1 “Democratic Party Intervenors” or “Intervenors” means the Texas Democratic Party (“TDP”), the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (“DCCC”), and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (“DSCC”), collectively. 1 Case 5:20-cv-00046-OLG Document 73 Filed 05/21/20 Page 2 of 11 22:1-13 (attached hereto as Exhibit A).
    [Show full text]
  • CHANGING STATES: a FRAMEWORK for PROGRESSIVE GOVERNANCE the Range of States Is Deliberate: We Wanted to See Whether Our Analysis Worked in States That Might Be 3
    CHANGING STATES A FRAMEWORK FOR PROGRESSIVE GOVERNANCE USC PROGRAM FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND REGIONAL EQUITY BY MANUEL PASTOR, JENNIFER ITO, AND MADELINE WANDER MAY 2016 PRIMARY AUTHORS Manuel Pastor Jennifer Ito Madeline Wander CONTRIBUTORS Chris Benner Vanessa Carter Robert Chlala Jared Sanchez Alejandro Sanchez-Lopez ABOUT USC PROGRAM FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND REGIONAL EQUITY Established in 2007, the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) is a research center within the University of Southern California (USC) Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts & Sciences. PERE conducts research and facilitates discussions on issues of environmental justice, regional inclusion, and social-movement building. PERE’s work is rooted in three R’s: rigor, relevance, and reach. It conducts high-quality research in its focus areas that is relevant to public policy concerns and that reaches to those directly-affected communities that most need to be engaged in the discussion. In general, it seeks and supports direct collaborations with community-based organizations in research and other activities, trying to forge a new model of how university and community can work together for the common good. For more information, please visit http://dornsife.usc.edu/pere. TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Have You Heard of Battleground Texas?
    2A RATES & INFO TUESDAY OBITUARIES 979-237-0113 June 10, 2014 email [email protected] Obituaries are a paid feature of The Facts • Deadline for submissions is 3:30 p.m. Sunday-Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday John G. Mavris on many of their travels Ascend Pantry store in Alvin. women’s shelter website,” John G. Mavris of Lake and literally showed them “I said, ‘Why don’t we Hudson said. Jackson, Texas, passed the world. Since his father CONTINUED FROM COVER just stop by and see if Women’s shelter repre- away Saturday, June 7, emigrated from Greece, his they can do anything?’” sentatives also mentioned 2014. He was born in Beggs, most meaningful trip was to put it in your calendar.” Hudson said. the need for a small Oklahoma, on August 3, to take grandchildren to Ascend, based in The manager of the refrigerator. 1920 to George Mavris and visit his relatives in Greece. Houston, has five plant H-E-B told the Chocolate “We were needing a small Ada Diles Mavris. He grew He was preceded in locations throughout the Bayou team he could give refrigerator. We keep some up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, death by his father, George Southeast. It manufactures them $150 in groceries on of our residents that stay and graduated from Tulsa Mavris; mother, Ada Mavris; polyamide raw white and the spot. at the shelter’s medicine in there,” shelter Executive Central High School. He brother, Nick Mavris; sister, dyed fi bers and fi laments The team did some quick for textile and carpet yarn calculation, found that was Director David Moore said.
    [Show full text]
  • The Texas Weekly/Texas Tribune Insider Poll for the Week of 27 June
    The Texas Weekly/Texas Tribune insider poll for the week of 27 June 2014 INSIDE INTELLIGENCE: The Texas Weekly/Texas Tribune insider poll for 27 June 2014 INSIDE INTELLIGENCE: The Texas Weekly/Texas Tribune insider poll for 27 June 2014 INSIDE INTELLIGENCE: The Texas Weekly/Texas Tribune insider poll for 27 June 2014 INSIDE INTELLIGENCE: The Texas Weekly/Texas Tribune insider poll for 27 June 2014 The Texas Democratic Party is holding its state convention this week. Based on the primaries and the runoffs, how would you describe the dominant forces in Democratic Party politics in Texas right now? • "You forgot to include as options, • "Ann Richards RUINED the Texas Park Slope New York liberals and Democrats by throwing logic to the Hollywood check-writers." wind and replacing it with LIBERAL, BIG GOVERNMENT ideology." • "DeMostynCrats is the dominant force in Democratic Party politics. He • "And independents" who control the purse strings usually gets what he wants." • "The Texas Democrat party has become little more than out of state • "Pro-choice advocates." choreographers that do not have a clue about Texas Politics. They try to • "The Democratic primaries did not present an unreal picture of what have enough participation to clearly Texans are and claim that it is normal. identify factions." They further try to make everyone believe that their left wing views are • "Dominant and Democratic Party they way everyone thinks. And now are three words I wouldn't use we hear about how the strongest together in a sentence." economy in the nation has it all wrong. Texans need to take back the • "Texas trial lawyers" Democrat Party or they will be nothing but a freak show." • "Let's see, late term abortion would seem a bit to the left, maybe liberal? • "Ultra liberals, Plaintiffs trial Ya think?" lawyers, immigration activists and labor unions.
    [Show full text]
  • Voting in Texas in 2014
    VOTING IN TEXAS IN 2014 By Mimi Marziani & James Slattery Political advertising paid for by Battleground Texas, www.BattlegroundTexas.com, not authorized by any federal candidate or candidate’s committee. —PRINTED IN HOUSE— VOTING IN TEXAS IN 2014 ABOUT BATTLEGROUND TEXAS Founded in 2013, Battleground Texas is a people-based, metrics-driven organization dedicated to the idea that volunteers, in their neighborhoods, can and do significantly impact electoral results. Through the neighborhood team model of grassroots organizing, Battleground Texas is working to expand and mobilize the Texas electorate. Through professional development and training, we are also empowering the next generation of political leaders in the Lone Star State. Our long-term mission is to turn Texas into a battleground state, where elections are competitive at all levels of government. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are particularly grateful to Wendy Davis, whose hard-fought campaign inspired millions of Texas voters, tens of thousands of volunteers and the entire Battleground Texas team. We owe endless thanks to our tireless Voter Protection Program volunteers — without you, the 2014 Voter Protection Program would not have been possible. Special thanks are owed to volunteers John Barcus, Brittany Brantley and Elizabeth Beck-Johnson, who oversaw our public hotline on Election Day. The other members of our Voter Protection team were also instrumental to its success: Thank you, Colin Allred, Liliane Bedford and Sarah Harrison, for your hard work, leadership and passion for voting rights. Finally, we applaud the efforts of the Elections Division of the Secretary of State’s office, the county election officials, and so many dedicated election workers for their countless hours of service to the voters of Texas.
    [Show full text]
  • Texas Report
    Texas Report February 2014 Contents I. Executive Summary............................................................................ 1 II. Demographic Trends ...................................................................... 2 II. State-Level Participation and Influence A. Registration and Turnout ................................................................ 3 B. Turnout Scenarios ............................................................................... 4 C. Constraints and Congressional Districts ................................... 6 III. Mobilization and Immigration Issues ................................ 8 IV. Conclusions ...................................................................................... 10 Executive Summary Texas is a compelling subject for researchers, parties, and others with vested interests in politics because of the burgeoning eligible Hispanic electorate. Virtually all articles and studies written about the future of Texas politics hold Latinos at the centerpiece of the narrative, and rightfully so. Using data from public sources along with Latino Decisions polling in the state, this report address the magnitude of demographic change and the growing influence Hispanics have in state politics. • The Hispanic population in Texas is just under 10 million, which is larger than the entire state population in forty-three states. • Texas is already a minority-majority state, 38% of Texans are Hispanic. Within the next six years, Hispanics will constitute a plurality of the population (43% by 2020).
    [Show full text]