Where to Vote on Tuesday, November 4, and Why—So Much Is at Stake

Where to Vote on Tuesday, November 4, and Why—So Much Is at Stake

The polls will be open all across Texas on Tuesday, November 4, from 7 am to 7 pm.  If you have not voted yet, this is your chance. If your family and friends have yet to vote, this is your chance to nudge them to the polls.

You can find out where to go vote here:  http://votetexas.gov/voting/where/.  At this site you can use the Online Voter Central link to identify your polling place (or places, if you are in a county like Travis, where you can vote at any polling site regardless of where you reside). Another source of information is here:  www.mytexasvotes.com.  Don’t forget to take along one of the acceptable forms of photo ID, such as a Texas driver’s license. For the whole list of acceptable IDs, see http://votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/need-id.  

For the story of what is stake in this election and which candidates in key contested races are the true friends of Texas schoolchildren, public education, and educators, visit our Election 2014 Web site:http://www.texasaft.org/election-2014/.

For information on which candidates have earned the support of the Texas AFL-CIO as friends of working Texans, go here: http://www.texasaflcio.org/index.cfm?action=article&articleID=d3afc349-d0c7-44e2-ab65-b60af8c43f9a.

And for the lowdown on State Board of Education races, our friends at the Texas Freedom Network, a watchdog on the SBOE, have compiled key information here:http://www.tfn.org/site/PageNavigator/issues_sboe_elections.html.

The stakes really are huge, in races from top to bottom of the ballot. 

If Wendy Davis is elected governor and Leticia Van de Putte wins the lieutenant governor’s office, we will have on our side two staunch supporters of increased school funding, supporters of equal pay for women, leaders who will use federal funds to expand health coverage to 1.2 million uninsured Texans, and backers of an increase in the minimum wage. They both consider expanded educational opportunity, from full-day pre-K through affordable higher education, to be the best investment the state could make in its economic future. Their opponents, Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick, are on the opposite side of every one of these issues. With the latter pair in the state’s top two offices, we could expect a continuing push to underfund our public schools, misuse test scores to declare them a failure, and hand them over to private operators.

You have the power through your vote to make a positive change in the future of our state and your community. You have the power to help reclaim the promise of public education for Texas schoolchildren and their families by electing leaders who are interested in solving problems, not scoring political points. Don’t give your power away by failing to vote!

Leticia Van de Putte in Longview

Gregg County Democrats are pleased to welcome State Senator Leticia Van de Putte, Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor, to Longview on Wednesday October 29, 2014 at 11:00 AM.

Let's give Leticia a big Gregg County welcome, and help her move towards victory on November 4. She is a great candidate and will be a great leader for the Texas State Senate.

Voting is Underway - Jump in and Join Us

The 2014 election is already underway.

This week, hundreds of thousands of mail-in ballots are hitting mailboxes.

If you received one, make sure to turn it in right away. You’ll be able to vote in the comfort of your own home for Wendy Davis, Leticia Van de Putte, and the rest of our fantastic ticket.

If you’d like to vote by mail, we’ve created an online system to request a ballot. Request a ballot today if you’d like to vote by mail.

Here are some of the reasons you may be eligible to vote by mail:

• You are 65 years of age or older;
• You are disabled; or
• You will be out of your registered county on Election Day and during the early voting period. For example, you are a college student away at school. 

Sounds like you or someone you know? Then turn in your application for a mail-in ballot today (deadline is October 24):

http://act.txdemocrats.org/VoteByMail

Have a question? Email votebymail@txdemocrats.org or call toll free 1-855-336-1339 for assistance from Texas Democratic Party staff.

Happy voting!

A Texas Story: Wendy Davis for Governor of Texas

WHY WINDY?  

A TEXAS STORY

Like any true Texan, Wendy Davis has taken on her share of tough fights.

Raised by a single mother, Wendy began working after school at age 14 to help support her mom and three siblings. By 19, she was on her way to becoming a single mother, working two jobs just to make ends meet.

Knowing that education was the only path to creating a better life for her young daughter, Wendy enrolled at Tarrant County Community College. After two years, she transferred to Texas Christian University. With the help of academic scholarships, student loans, and state and federal grants, Wendy became the first person in her family to earn a bachelor’s degree, graduated first in her class, and went on to Harvard Law School.

LISTEN to Wendy Davis and her daughter tell why she's running for your vote.

COMMITTED TO PUBLIC SERVICE

After graduating with honors from Harvard Law, Wendy helped grow a successful business in Fort Worth and served nine years on the Fort Worth City Council, where she was recognized as a leader on economic development issues. As chair of the City’s Economic Development Committee, Wendy helped create numerous public-private partnerships and successfully helped bring thousands of new jobs to Tarrant County.

Wendy was elected to the Texas Senate in 2008, defeating a longtime incumbent in a race widely considered one of the biggest upsets in Texas politics in recent years.

A RECORD OF STRENGTH

In 2011, Senator Davis stood up and filibustered a budget that slashed over $5 billion from our public schools. And Wendy’s leadership in the legislature was instrumental in getting a majority of that funding restored to the budget in 2013.

Wendy believes our children deserve access to a world-class education. She believes that improving Texas education can create jobs and keep Texas on top. She continues to work on improving public schools by reducing the number of standardized tests given to students and negotiating the first cost-of-living increase for retired teachers in more than a decade.

Wendy Davis has also pushed for and supported policies that would create jobs for our service men and women upon their re-entry into civilian life and make sure that veterans, service members, and their families are provided every opportunity for a quality education.

Wendy has helped pass important accountability measures to ensure taxpayer dollars meant to help Texas businesses are spent in the manner in which they were intended — to create jobs and boost economic development efforts across the state of Texas.

A VISION FOR TEXAS

Wendy is running for Governor because she loves Texas — not just for how good it is, but for how great it can be. The opportunities that Texas made available to Wendy — quality public education, a strong community college system, college loan and grant programs for deserving students — are what made the difference in her life. Wendy knows that every Texan deserves those same opportunities to do better. She’ll fight every day to ensure that Texas remains a state where hard work and determination are rewarded and everybody has the chance to succeed.

JOIN THE TEAM - ELECT WINDY DAVIS

#TeamWindy 

READ MORE

Lt. Gov. Candidate Van de Putte’s Education Proposals—Fulfilling the Promise of Public Education

State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio), candidate for lieutenant governor, laid out her vision for the future of Texas public schools today in terms that left no doubt how much she differs from her opponent, Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston).

Accompanied by supporters including Texas AFT members from San Antonio affiliates, Van de Putte spoke outside a San Antonio elementary school whose students are among the five million enrollees in our state’s public schools who would benefit under her plan.

Linda Bridges, president of Texas AFT, offered this comment today on that plan:

I don’t know how the contrast between Leticia Van de Putte and Dan Patrick could be any clearer after reading Van de Putte’s plans for education.

On the one hand, you have a proven leader who has fought for public education throughout her 14 years on the Senate Education Committee, while on the other you have a guy who spent his first term chairing that committee with the intent to dismantle public education via private-school vouchers and bills to help turn neighborhood schools over to private charter operators.

Patrick didn’t even wring his hands over the $5.4 billion cuts to education and resulting loss of 11,000 teachers in 2011. He twiddled his thumbs, then voted for the cuts, while Van de Putte fought to bring sanity into the budget and provide full support for the 80,000 new students that enter our schools each year.

Our teachers and the parents who support them understand that the best way to educate our kids is to give them full support, equal opportunity and proven policies like pre-K and smaller class sizes featured in Van de Putte’s plan. They know that further segregating our schools into the haves and have-nots—as Patrick proposes with his privatization efforts—is the biggest mistake we can make for Texas’s future.

Van de Putte’s plan as outlined today (see http://leticiavandeputte.com/texasfirst-education/) includes these key elements:

--restore full-day funding for quality pre-K programs;

--reduce class sizes in pre-K (because currently there’s no cap on class size in pre-K);

--invest in the schools, proven programs, and teachers our schoolchildren need to reach their potential;

--end the over-reliance on and punitive nature of standardized testing—return to diagnostic use of testing, reduce the number of tests, and make tests more timely so that early interventions can help students graduate and get a head start on college and career;

--promote access to blended learning for all students, expanding broadband availability to all, ensuring that digital learning is of high quality, and maintaining vital face-to-face interaction with teachers; and

--improving community-based control and accountability to parents and taxpayers—for example, by ensuring that parents have real access to the board members who determine curriculum and instruction for their children (in contrast to some charter s that have been allowed to open here without anyone physically located in Texas on their governing board).


In contrast, Sen. Patrick in his time in the Senate not only has embraced deep cuts in education funding, but also has sought to expand the misuse of standardized testing, and he has served as the enthusiastic pitch man for private, corporate takeover of public schools via private-school vouchers and other schemes.

Texas AFT represents more than 65,000 teachers, paraprofessionals, support personnel, and higher-education employees across the state. Texas AFT is affiliated with the 1.5-million-member American Federation of Teachers.

Candidate for State Comptroller to Visit Longview

Mike Collier, the Texas Democratic Party candidate for state comptroller will be in Longview, Texas, on the 31st of July, at 5:30 PM.
Tyler Street Bistro, 102 E. Tyler Street, Longview, TX 75601

Join the Facebook Event Page.

The location will be determined soon, so check back for updates, or contact Jim Cogar, JLCOGAR3@aol.com

As "a cop on the beat," Mike built a reputation for rigorous financial analysis, independent decision-making, and a commitment to telling the truth, no matter what. That's what Texas needs right now. Texas needs a Comptroller that can dig into the numbers and be a financial watchdog.

Texas needs a Comptroller who will blow the whistle on the boondoggles and giveaways. And Texas needs a Comptroller independent of the special interests and who isn't afraid to tell the politicians when they're wrong.

Texas needs Mike Collier as our next Comptroller. Read more about Mike Collier.

The Conventions are Over: How do the Platforms Compare?

The Conventions are over, and how do the two platforms compare?

Let's see how the Texas GOP compares with the Texas Dems...

COMPARE THE PLATFORMS:

Texas Republicans	Texas Democrats
REPEAL the Voting Rights Act of 1965	ENFORCE the Voting Rights Act of 1965
REPARATIVE THERAPY to “cure” homosexuality	STRONGLY OPPOSE “reparative therapy” for LBBT Texans
Climate change is A CONSPIRACY	Climate change is REAL AND SERIOUS THREAT
DRUG TEST welfare recipients	REDUCE POVERTY and hunger
ABOLISH the Department of Education	Education is BUDGET PRIORITY
OPPOSE a guest worker program	SUPPORT comprehensive immigration reform
DENY a woman’s right to choose, even in cases of rape and incest.	RESPECT women’s autonomy and rights
OPPOSE non-discrimination laws	TAKE ACTION against all forms of discrimination
DEFUND Texas Schools	UNIVERSAL ACCESS to Pre-K and Kindergarten
REJECT the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child	IMPROVE THE HEALTH of Texas Children

Join Battleground Texas

Juneteenth and Gay Pride Events Highlight Freedom and Happiness

From the Left, by James L. Cogar

Yesterday, June 21st, I saw something in Longview I can't remember seeing before. I saw a level of happiness that exceeded any I have ever seen since arriving in East Texas 22 years ago.

As chair of the Gregg County Democratic Party, I attended two events. The first was the Juneteenth Celebration at Broughton Park and then went to Heritage Plaza to see the first Longview Gary Pride celebration. In many ways, both celebrations were similar. Each was a chance for participants to exhibit and display the joy of their culture and opportunity afforded to citizens of the United States to be who they are and share that joy with friends and loved ones. Each event was unique in that only in this country can such celebrations occur.

At Juneteenth, the park was filled with families commemorating the arrival in Texas of the news that

slavery had come to an end in our great state. Music, food, dress and dance were all on display as hundreds participated to mark the historic occasion. A great emancipation had taken place back in 1865, and descendants of those former slaves, both spiritual and actual, gathered to not only remember that day but to mark the progress that has occurred since. They not only used the day to celebrate the righting of a great wrong but to showcase the milestones that has taken place since. The pride and happiness was palatable and much deserved.

Later in the afternoon, I traveled just a few miles to downtown Longview and witnessed much of the same joy as our city hosted its first Gay Pride celebration. Once again, a segment of our society that has been subjected to discrimination and injustice was free to show the city the progress our nation has made and is continuing to make. People were free to express themselves as who they are and showcase their love for their partners. Supported by family and supporters, members of the LBGT community proudly proclaimed that emancipation from fear and ignorance was just around the corner, if not already here.

If you were there at either or both events, I know that you could see in the faces of all participants a sense of freedom that was almost palpable. Next year's Juneteenth and Gay Pride celebrations may not be on the same day, but it is my most fervent hope and prayer that each will be even more successful and joyous than this year's but that will be a tough act to follow.

See also publication in the Longview News Journal, June 22, 2014

Add your name to fight LGBT discrimination: Fight for Equality. 

Texas Democratic Party Offers Messaging Memo

Want to stay up to date on all the latest political news from the Texas Democratic Party?  You can have it sent to your email directly in English and Spanish is available.

Sign up for the Texas Democratic Party daily clips email by sending your name and email to:clips@txdemocrats.org

Sample Memo from May 31, 2014                                                     Download the Messaging Memo in Spanish

Tea Party Tidal Wave Republican Tea Party candidates across the board beat their opponents in the runoff races. The story across Texas isn’t just that Tea Party candidates beat establishment candidates, but now it is more apparent than ever: the Tea Party is the Republican Party. The days of a pragmatic Texas Republican Party are over. These Republican candidates across Texas are far more interested in rhetoric than solutions for Texas families. A battle between the Tea Party and Texas Democrats provides a clear contrast. Our candidates believe in a better Texas; a Texas that’s about real life solutions and not political ideology. That is why we are confident that this November, Texans will entrust Texas Democrats with the future of our state.

Leticia Van de Putte stands with Texas Business Business Leaders are concerned that Tuesday’s results will push the Texas Senate further into Washington-style partisan, do-nothing politics. Business leaders heard the hateful rhetoric that threatens trade with Mexico, our number one trading partner, and the jobs trade supports. Texas - which brought in $280 billion in exports in 2013 - is the top exporting state in the nation, and that 52% of that very trade is with Latin America and Mexico. Texans and business leaders want a lieutenant governor who is practical, not polarizing. Someone who cares about investing in our infrastructure, taking on the tough challenges, and doing our part for the next generation. That leader is Leticia Van de Putte.

Greg Abbott: Political Insider Greg Abbott is just another insider working for other insiders and his own political donors, at the expense of hardworking Texans. Greg Abbott's $20 Billion Bond Deal Scheme: The latest example of Abbott choosing to line the pockets of his political donors at the expense of hardworking Texans. When it came time to approve bonds, Abbott gave the green light to $20 billion in deals while he collected almost $1 million in donations from law firms that made money off that bond work. Cancer Research: While serving on the oversight committee of Texas’ cancer research center, Abbott’s political donors received $42 million in taxpayer funds - much of which with little or no oversight. Payday Lending: Abbott accepted nearly $200,000 in donations from his buddies in the payday lending industry, as he allowed them to continue preying on military families.

Juneteenth Celebration Events: Volunteers Needed

The GCDP will be participating in Longview's Juneteenth festivities. We need volunteers to walk in the parade and some help in manning a booth we are sharing with battleground Texas.

The celebrations take place, Saturday June 21st, starting at 10:00am. The parade will last an hour, and the shifts at the table will be 2 hours.   

We will be able to register people and (hopefully) we will have a practice voting machine so those who are not familiar with it can practice. 

Please confirm how you can help 

by emailing Jim Cogar, JLCOGAR3@aol.com

or by phone at 903 295-4040. 

Let's make this a real turnout and show the county we are here and vibrant. 

Additional information:

Join the

NAACP Facebook Event!

The parade will begin at Ryder Drive and proceed north on MLK to Broughton Park. Line up time is 9:00 am. Each parade entrant will be given a lineup number at the time of registration. Registration is $5.00 and can be picked up from Broughton Recreation Center. To call ahead dial 903-237-1276.

The parade will be immediately followed by the Community Wide Picnic in the Park. It will be hot, but we all will be cool! Just another Community Collaboration. Get ready for those Turkey Legs, Burgers, Fried Catfish, and Snow Cones.

Congratulations to the Dems!

In the recent primary run-off election, Gregg County democratic voters showed up for the races.

Voters had to choose between party regular David Alameel and fringe candidate Kesha Rogers, and in the county where Rogers campaigned, she bested Alameel with 53 percent of nearly 1,100 ballots cast. Rusk and Upshur counties’ results were closer to the statewide winning percentages for Alameel.  

Dr. David Alameel won with 71 percent 

of the vote across Texas. 

Democrat David Alameel believes in the American Dream because he has lived it himself. He came to America when he was just twenty years old leaving behind his large Lebanese Christian family. David pumped gas and worked in the fields to help his family. 

He proudly served in the U.S. Army, then worked his way through college and received a Dental degree from the University of Texas. Later he moved to Dallas and founded a network of dental clinics that grew into a multi-million dollar enterprise. In recent years he sold that business and has become a highly successful investor and an expert in financial markets. 

He is a strong critic of Wall Street and says we must reform current policies "that subsidize big banks and corporations and hurt the middle class."

In the only other Democratic runoff for statewide office, Jim Hogan earned the votes over Richard “Kinky” Friedman in the race for Texas Agriculture Commissioner.  Hogan drew about 54 percent of the vote across Texas. This was similar in Gregg County, but voters in Rusk County gave Hogan an even wider margin of victory.

Jim Cogar, Gregg County Democratic Chair remarked on the voting record for Gregg County.

"Kudos to all those voters who voted in the democratic primary run-off.  But I must admit, we made history!" he said.  "We were the only county in East Texas who had a majority voting for the candidate who runs as a democrat, but wants to impeach the President and has disrespectful graphics on her campaign site."

Cogar concludes that there is work to be done in Gregg County.  "Who says we don't need voter education?" he said.

A Letter from Leticia Van De Putte

A Letter from Leticia Van De Putte:

There’s a woman in Cleburne named Kathy. Every month, Kathy donates $7.50 to my campaign. You might be thinking, “What a specific amount...”

Well, that’s what I thought, too, until I realized: That’s what Kathy can do to support me and keep Texas strong.

I've set a goal to raise $25,000 by midnight on Saturday. Will you join Kathy and pledge to make a monthly donation of $7.50 or more today?





Kathy's $7.50 means the world to me, because I know that’s not just a donation—that’s an investment—in me, and in the future of Texas.

Texans who truly understand the importance of investing their time and their money in this campaign.
Donate $7.50 or more per month, and help us meet our May goal:

www.leticiavandeputte.com/endofmay

I know that your contribution shows your belief in me, my campaign, and our hopes for a better and stronger Texas.

With help from people like you and Kathy, we can win this election.

Muchísimas gracias,

Leticia

Dan Patrick Voted GOP Nominee for Lieutenant Governor

Dan Patrick is the Republican Party's nominee for lieutenant governor. Now that the GOP primary is over, let's get to know the Tea Party hero who wants to lead the Texas Senate.

Check out the top 5 things to know about Dan Patrick -- and pitch in $5 or more to help Leticia Van de Putte defeat him in November.

The last thing Texas needs is a lieutenant governor who's anti-immigrant, anti-women, and anti-education. Dan Patrick doesn't believe climate change is real. He has stated that Hispanic immigrants are bringing "third-world diseases" into Texas. And he says he talks about how to deny women access to health care they need.

Senator Leticia Van de Putte is the polar opposite of Patrick. She'll fight for women's rights, respect all Texans regardless of where they come from, and find pragmatic solutions to our state's problems in education and infrastructure.

We can't let Dan Patrick occupy one of the highest offices in the state of Texas -- and we won't, as long as we have the resources to keep organizing and getting more Texans to vote.

Chip in $5 or more to help Battleground Texas and Leticia Van de Putte get a head start against Dan Patrick:

https://donate.battlegroundtx.com/Defeat-Dan-Patrick

Gregg County Democratic Party Launches Redesigned Website

Today, the Democratic Party of Gregg County, in East Texas proudly launches their newly redesigned website.

This site will provide tools for supporters across the county to become more involved with local campaigns and to give them online access to candidates, elected officials and each other. Democrats will now have a place to go to find all the democratic events happening in their community and around the county.

Featuring links to the new Gregg County Election website, citizens will quickly access information of Democratic candidates and office holders across their community as well as the state and nation, including candidate information, upcoming events, and local party information.

View Website for the Gregg County Democratic Party

“These days people are extremely busy and have limited time, so it is important that our supporters can find all of their local events in one place in order to stay informed and involved, said Jim Cogar, Incoming Chair of the Democratic Party of Gregg County “We are excited that this site will allow more citizens to be involved and informed.”

Texas Democratic Party Fellowship Program

The Texas Democratic Party (TDP) has begun a fellowship program to train the next generation of Democrats. They have begun a Texas Democratic Party Fellowship program that will provide resources to assist the county chairs and at the same time serve to train the next generation of leaders.

The idea is to match up college age young people with fellowships in counties to help them organize as we head into the Fall campaign.

Counties who are interested in this program are asked to contribute $2000 to help pay for the program. The TDP will provide the training courses at the beginning of the program as well as regular check-in calls and site visits.

Gregg County has decided to participate in this program, and in partnership with Harrison County will raise $1000 and share the fellowship, with the work being done out of Harrison County Democratic Party Headquarters on E. Grand St.

"We are asking the democrats of Gregg County to pledge any amount that they can spare so we can join in this worthwhile project," said Cogar.  "I know that we can count on the supporters here to make this idea a reality in Gregg County." 

View More Information: Flier

Contact Jim Cogar at jlcogar3@aol.com with your pledge. We have until the end of the month to commit to be involved with the project with the money due by the 16th of May.   For more information, contact James L. Cogar, GCDP incoming Chair: jlcogar3@aol.com.

Jim Cogar, Interim Chair of the Gregg County Democratic Party

The filing deadline to serve as a candidate in the upcoming Democratic Party Primary Election was on March 4, 2014, and Jim Cogar ran unopposed for Chair of the Gregg County Democratic Party.  

Find out more about Jim, and his qualifications and goals for the GC Democratic Party.

Qualifications to be chair of the Gregg County Democratic Party

• As a retiree, I am able and willing to devote the time, as well as the energy to serve the Democratic Party.
• My 22 years’ experience in the U.S. Navy taught me the skills to lead, organize, and delegate so as to bring structure and efficiency to the GCDP.
• As a former president of the Connecticut Soccer League, I have experience in dealing with a wide variety of interest, cultural, and social groups.

Goals as Chairman for the Gregg County Democratic Party