Dems lay platform for revival

[Judi Lynn]

June 9, 2006, 2:13AM
Dems lay platform for revival
Delegates see state convention as the first step in party's comeback


By CLAY ROBISON
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

FORT WORTH - Texas Democratic activists prepared to open their state convention today, hoping to boost some long-shot candidates and reclaim some long-lost political turf.

Several thousand delegates will elect a party chairman, applaud speeches ringing with optimism and vow to strengthen the grass roots and rebuild the party.
(snip)

Some political watchers predict it will remain Texas' minority party for several more years, regaining strength as the growing, heavily Democratic Hispanic population increases its political participation.

But Democrats say they are optimistic about their prospects now, encouraged by Republican ethical scandals in Austin and Washington, as well as by President Bush's political struggles, which, they hope, will rub off on Perry.

"Democrats are on a trajectory to return to majority party status in the state in the next 10 to 15 years," said Southern Methodist University political science professor Cal Jillson.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/3953508.html

[Stevepol]

1. The reason TX Dems lose is the voting machines.

The decline started in 1994, about the time the machines came in (along with perhaps a slight pull that year toward the conservative candidates), and it will continue as long as the machines count the votes w/o being audited, regardless of how much the voters want change.

[AlinPA]

2. Is it at all possible for a Democrat to ever win a senate seat in Texas?

From what I gather, it is almost all republican in that state.

[Gopens]

3. Republicans occupy every statewide office

There are pockets of Democratic strongholds in South Texas, Southeast Texas and Austin, but otherwise the GOP owns everything by large margins. This is just an uneducated guess on my part, but I feel pretty certain Chris Bell, our Democratic candidate for governor, will finish fourth in the race.

[AlinPA]

4. Lots of re-building needed in Texas.