Yesterday, at the invitation of a fellow Republican, I attended a meet-and-greet for a Democratic candidate who is opposing Sheila Jackson Lee. For those of you who follow Big Jolly Politics, and who may have read my response to Dan Patrick’s comments about the CD-18 race, this is not inconsistent with my position in support of our efforts in this race. Instead, it was designed to enhance our growth into this community.
The reality is that we have over 200 precincts in CDs 18, 9, and 29 (Lee, Al Green and Gene Green, respectively), where we literally have no organizational presence, but where Ed Emmett and Pat Lykos had some success in the 2008 election. My goal is to talk to those people who supported Judge Emmett and District Attorney Lykos, and build on what they started in order to bring conservatives in these communities, who now vote primarily for Democrats, over to our party permanently. You can’t do that unless you actually interact with them where and when they gather.
So, here are a couple of reflections on my experience.
First, there were Republicans (and independents who vote Republican) at this event, and I was able to talk with them about our primary and supporting our candidates. There is a lot of support for Judge Emmett and other Republicans among these voters. They are energized about what we are trying to do to expand the party and include them, but they are still listening to what the Democrats have to offer—we are no where near closing the deal with these voters yet for their support for our entire ticket.
Second, I learned what issues are being discussed in this race by the Democrats with members of the Latino, African American, and Asian communities. The Democratic candidate presented a largely pro-growth, pro-education message, which resonated with the conservatives in these communities. However, I saw that he is vulnerable over charter schools and school choice—the people in these communities want someone who will be strong in their support of these initiatives and he waffled. He also is vulnerable over how much he wants to expand federal programs into these communities. If this candidate doesn't beat Sheila Jackson Lee in the Democratic primary, we can use these issues to connect with these voters, who are obviously disenchanted with the incumbent.
Last night, I shared my observation with one of our CD-18 candidates, and I will share them with the other two soon, so that who ever wins our primary will be prepared for the general election campaign and for competing for the votes in these neighborhoods.
I know that there will be some fellow Republicans who may criticize me for going to an event like this one. But think for a second—how do you expect to learn how to connect with voters who agree with us, but who are used to voting for Democrats, unless we actually observe this type of event? Sometimes you actually have to go to where the opposition is meeting and challenge them with your presence. Remember, we didn't grow as a party over the last generation by avoiding contact with Democrats who agreed with us. In fact, such contact and conversion is how President Reagan, Governors Connally and Perry, and Judge Pressler, ultimately joined our party after being life-long Democrats, and that is how our conservative coalition grew. In order to attract them, we actually had to interact with them where they congregated.
So, let’s be clear: I do not support any Democratic candidate, nor do I embrace Dan Patrick's idea about creating a "Republicans for Jarvis Johnson" movement. Nothing "rubbed off" on me by attending this meeting—I am immune to the Democratic philosophy. Instead, I'm hoping my presence made those in the room who might support us realize we care about them; we are unafraid of going to where they live, work and meet; and we are going to compete for their vote.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Massachusetts, the Supreme Court Ruling and Future of the HCRP
Two political earthquakes struck last week: Brown’s victory in Massachusetts; and the Supreme Court’s ruling on campaign finance. Both developments were the result of battles that conservatives have long fought, and our immediate reactions to them were pure joy. However, as euphoric as Brown’s win remains, the Supreme Court’s ruling presents both challenges and opportunities to the Harris County Republican Party.
A wholly new political environment was created. PACs and 527 organizations are now irrelevant--and will probably disappear. Any organization--corporations, unions, chambers of commerce, trade associations, and issue-advocacy groups--now can freely publish endorsements, ads, and documentaries for candidates and issues. Right now this is a mixed-blessing for the GOP, because the left has as many, if not more, groups who are ready to independently spend money to support the Democratic Party and its candidates.
In the meantime, limits on candidates and parties are still in place, including: contribution limits for candidates; allocation restrictions for party organizations; prohibitions on coordinated campaign activities between candidates (and parties) and outside organizations; and the threat of recusal of a judge in any case involving corporations and other entities, whose independent advocacy significantly benefits the judge’s campaign.
The next Chair of the HCRP must address this new reality immediately. If I am elected, I will convene the best political and legal minds to create a strategy to take maximum advantage of this new situation, while helping our candidates and elected officials navigate it. As part of this new strategy, I will re-establish direct relationships with the business community. As evidence of my ability to build this bridge, last week I received the endorsement of the C Club, which is the first time the club has ever made an endorsement in a race for party chair.
We will need to treat the business community, as well as other pro-conservative organizations, as constituents with whom we work to develop our political agenda and support our candidates. I will create a strategy that is legal and ethical, and I will do so while we rebuild our organization to mobilize Republicans to vote in 2010 and 2012.
Old strategies will not be effective in this new environment. For example, our approach to candidate promotion must be more sophisticated than sending an ad-based “Chairman’s Report” by mail on the eve of Election Day. Not only are such late mailings ineffective when 75% of voters now vote early, but the current approach has allowed at least one Democrat to buy ads and has been designed primarily to benefit the incumbent chair’s re-election campaign. This must end.
In fact, let’s stop this practice now. The incumbent has just mailed a solicitation to all candidates on the primary ballot to pay for ads in a new “Chairman’s Report” for the primary. Let’s tell the incumbent that this practice is ineffective and improper, and challenge him to produce a Voter Guide that is even-handed and promotes the party’s candidates—not his campaign.
Let's take control of the new reality and use it to win elections, rather than continue the same, ineffective practices of the past.
Ed Hubbard
Candidate for Chair of the Harris County Republican Party
www.HubbardForHCRP.com
A wholly new political environment was created. PACs and 527 organizations are now irrelevant--and will probably disappear. Any organization--corporations, unions, chambers of commerce, trade associations, and issue-advocacy groups--now can freely publish endorsements, ads, and documentaries for candidates and issues. Right now this is a mixed-blessing for the GOP, because the left has as many, if not more, groups who are ready to independently spend money to support the Democratic Party and its candidates.
In the meantime, limits on candidates and parties are still in place, including: contribution limits for candidates; allocation restrictions for party organizations; prohibitions on coordinated campaign activities between candidates (and parties) and outside organizations; and the threat of recusal of a judge in any case involving corporations and other entities, whose independent advocacy significantly benefits the judge’s campaign.
The next Chair of the HCRP must address this new reality immediately. If I am elected, I will convene the best political and legal minds to create a strategy to take maximum advantage of this new situation, while helping our candidates and elected officials navigate it. As part of this new strategy, I will re-establish direct relationships with the business community. As evidence of my ability to build this bridge, last week I received the endorsement of the C Club, which is the first time the club has ever made an endorsement in a race for party chair.
We will need to treat the business community, as well as other pro-conservative organizations, as constituents with whom we work to develop our political agenda and support our candidates. I will create a strategy that is legal and ethical, and I will do so while we rebuild our organization to mobilize Republicans to vote in 2010 and 2012.
Old strategies will not be effective in this new environment. For example, our approach to candidate promotion must be more sophisticated than sending an ad-based “Chairman’s Report” by mail on the eve of Election Day. Not only are such late mailings ineffective when 75% of voters now vote early, but the current approach has allowed at least one Democrat to buy ads and has been designed primarily to benefit the incumbent chair’s re-election campaign. This must end.
In fact, let’s stop this practice now. The incumbent has just mailed a solicitation to all candidates on the primary ballot to pay for ads in a new “Chairman’s Report” for the primary. Let’s tell the incumbent that this practice is ineffective and improper, and challenge him to produce a Voter Guide that is even-handed and promotes the party’s candidates—not his campaign.
Let's take control of the new reality and use it to win elections, rather than continue the same, ineffective practices of the past.
Ed Hubbard
Candidate for Chair of the Harris County Republican Party
www.HubbardForHCRP.com
Friday, January 22, 2010
A Message From Ed Hubbard About Recent Disinformation
My Fellow Republican,
Since late Friday afternoon you may have received an email from Kathy Haigler announcing her support for one of my opponents to be the next Chairman of the Harris County Republican Party. I respect Kathy's decision, as I do the decision of everyone within this party to choose a candidate in this race—that’s why we embrace competition.
However, in the email she also made incorrect assertions about the amount of money I had contributed to the party, and a false accusation that I gave a large contribution to a Democratic candidate in 2001. I could have ignored the former mistake, but the latter accusation was patently false and demeaning. I have never contributed to a Democrat, and the only candidate I ever gave that much money to was George W. Bush in 2000.
Within minutes of receiving this email, a review of the Texas Ethics Commission records indicated that, indeed, the contributor was another Ed Hubbard--one from Granbury, Texas. If I could find this information that quickly, so could Kathy. This was a sloppy and irresponsible accusation by Kathy, and I immediately asked Kathy to issue a retraction of her disinformation, which she had already forwarded widely within the party. As of the time of sending this email, I have not received any response—no apology, no promise of a retraction, nothing. This silence in the face of such a clear mistake is beneath the dignity of the office of Secretary of our state party, which she currently holds.
If you are not familiar with me, I have been incredibly open during the entire campaign process. I released what became known as "The Hubbard Plan", shortly after the election of 2008. No other candidate has put forward such a plan to detail how they would lead the party, including the current chairman. In the spirit of Ronald Reagan, I have been going from one end of the county to another, having conversations about the greatness of our party, the greatness of Texas and the greatness of America. I have been forthcoming on my website, on Facebook and on my blog, about my ideas and about my plans for the future of the Harris County Republican Party.
I thank you for taking the time to read this email. I have received the support of many great individuals in and around Harris County (you can view that list here), and these attempts to distribute disinformation not only offends them, but it offends those of us who have worked to build the party up by finding the best in people and working with them, not attempting to destroy those who disagree with us.
If I win this race, I will no longer tolerate such behavior among fellow Republicans in this county.
All my best,
Ed Hubbard
Candidate for Chairman of the Harris County Republican Party
www.HubbardForHCRP.com
**UPDATE**
Saturday morning 8:50am
Late last night Kathy Haigler sent out the following retraction/correction of her earlier email:
Republican Friends,
I made a huge mistake in not checking all my facts before I sent out the email this afternoon. Although I stand by my endorsement of Jared Woodfill, I wish to now correct my own misinformation: the people who gave $2,500 to John Sharp in 2001 were Edward and Gerry Hubbard of Granbury, TX, and that is not the same Ed Hubbard running for Harris County Chairman.
I am sending this note of retraction to everyone I sent the original message to, and I ask that if you forwarded my e-mail to anyone else, that you also forward them this correction.
I apologize to Ed Hubbard for any anxiety from my incorrect statement about that donation.
Kathy Haigler
Kathy and I also traded private emails at about midnight. With this correction, and based on our private conversation, I thank Kathy for her effort to correct her mistake, and I retain my respect for her as a leader of our party, and as a friend. We both now consider this issue over, and ask everyone else in our Republican family to consider it over as well.
Ed
Since late Friday afternoon you may have received an email from Kathy Haigler announcing her support for one of my opponents to be the next Chairman of the Harris County Republican Party. I respect Kathy's decision, as I do the decision of everyone within this party to choose a candidate in this race—that’s why we embrace competition.
However, in the email she also made incorrect assertions about the amount of money I had contributed to the party, and a false accusation that I gave a large contribution to a Democratic candidate in 2001. I could have ignored the former mistake, but the latter accusation was patently false and demeaning. I have never contributed to a Democrat, and the only candidate I ever gave that much money to was George W. Bush in 2000.
Within minutes of receiving this email, a review of the Texas Ethics Commission records indicated that, indeed, the contributor was another Ed Hubbard--one from Granbury, Texas. If I could find this information that quickly, so could Kathy. This was a sloppy and irresponsible accusation by Kathy, and I immediately asked Kathy to issue a retraction of her disinformation, which she had already forwarded widely within the party. As of the time of sending this email, I have not received any response—no apology, no promise of a retraction, nothing. This silence in the face of such a clear mistake is beneath the dignity of the office of Secretary of our state party, which she currently holds.
If you are not familiar with me, I have been incredibly open during the entire campaign process. I released what became known as "The Hubbard Plan", shortly after the election of 2008. No other candidate has put forward such a plan to detail how they would lead the party, including the current chairman. In the spirit of Ronald Reagan, I have been going from one end of the county to another, having conversations about the greatness of our party, the greatness of Texas and the greatness of America. I have been forthcoming on my website, on Facebook and on my blog, about my ideas and about my plans for the future of the Harris County Republican Party.
I thank you for taking the time to read this email. I have received the support of many great individuals in and around Harris County (you can view that list here), and these attempts to distribute disinformation not only offends them, but it offends those of us who have worked to build the party up by finding the best in people and working with them, not attempting to destroy those who disagree with us.
If I win this race, I will no longer tolerate such behavior among fellow Republicans in this county.
All my best,
Ed Hubbard
Candidate for Chairman of the Harris County Republican Party
www.HubbardForHCRP.com
**UPDATE**
Saturday morning 8:50am
Late last night Kathy Haigler sent out the following retraction/correction of her earlier email:
Republican Friends,
I made a huge mistake in not checking all my facts before I sent out the email this afternoon. Although I stand by my endorsement of Jared Woodfill, I wish to now correct my own misinformation: the people who gave $2,500 to John Sharp in 2001 were Edward and Gerry Hubbard of Granbury, TX, and that is not the same Ed Hubbard running for Harris County Chairman.
I am sending this note of retraction to everyone I sent the original message to, and I ask that if you forwarded my e-mail to anyone else, that you also forward them this correction.
I apologize to Ed Hubbard for any anxiety from my incorrect statement about that donation.
Kathy Haigler
Kathy and I also traded private emails at about midnight. With this correction, and based on our private conversation, I thank Kathy for her effort to correct her mistake, and I retain my respect for her as a leader of our party, and as a friend. We both now consider this issue over, and ask everyone else in our Republican family to consider it over as well.
Ed
Friday, January 8, 2010
First Endorsement List Released
I am proud to release the first round of endorsements for my campaign. This list, and the names to follow, demonstrates the broad, wide support I have received and I am very honored to have the idividuals behind our efforts.
Betsy Lake
Former Chair of the Harris County Republican Party;
Former President of the Bay Area Republican Women;
Former President of the Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women;
Founder of United Republicans
Robert Shults
Precinct Chair—258
President of United Republicans,
Former President of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club
Kay Waghorne
Precinct Chair—642
Former President of the Cy-Fair Republican Women
Larry Tobin
Current Precinct Chair—90
Former President of the Clear Lake Republican Club
Former City Councilman--Taylor Lake Village
Kay Shillock
Former and New Precinct Chair—513
Former President of the Northwest Forest Republican Women;
Former President of the Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women
Justin Jordan
Former Precinct Chair—630
New Precinct Chair—76
Former President of the Texas chapter of College Republicans
Atemio Muniz, Jr.
New Precinct Chair—591
Founder of Conservador Alliance;
Statewide director of the Latino National Republican Coalition
Barbara Buxton
Precinct Chair—668
Matt Hefferman
Precinct Chair—127
Eric Walligura
Current Precinct Chair—265
New Precinct Chair—439
Eric Smith
Precinct Chair—460
Joe Spence
Precinct Chair—732
Becky Flowers
Precinct Chair—771
Carmen Cuneo
New Precinct Chair—210
Tom Hodges
Former Precinct Chair—440
Rita Huggler
Former Precinct Chair
Lo Wallace
Former Precinct Chair
Former President of Village Republican Women;
Board member of the Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women;
Board member of United Republicans
Sandie Myers
Houston Community College Board member;
Immediate Past President of the Daughters of Liberty Republican Women
Susan Kellner
Immediate Past President of the Spring Branch ISD School Board
Theresa Kosmoski
Member of the Spring Branch ISD School Board;
Immediate Past President of the Memorial West Republican Women
Lilian Norman Keeney
Mayor Pro Tem of Taylor Lake Village;
Currently 2nd Vice President, Greater Houston Council
District Director for Senate District 11 for the Texas Federation of Republican Women;
Former President of the Bay Area Republican Women
John Faulk
Candidate for U.S. Congress, District 18
Jon Keeney
Former candidate for the state legislature
Bill Moore
Former candidate for the Criminal District Court
Toni Anne Dashiell
Immediate Past President of the Texas Federation of Republican Women
Rebecca Williamson
Current Vice President of Programs for the Texas Federation of Republican Women;
Immediate Past First Vice President of the Texas Federation of Republican Women
Jo Konen
Immediate Past Vice President of Bylaws for the Texas Federation of Republican Women;
Former President of the Northwest Forest Republican Women;
Former President of the Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women
Jan Ott
Currently 2nd Vice President of the Texas Federation of Republican Women;
Director Greater Houston Pachyderm;
Immediate Past Treasurer of the Texas Federation of Republican Women;
Immediate past First VP of the Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women;
Founding President of the Cy-Fair Republican Women
Carolyn Hodges
Current 1st Vice President of the Texas Federation of Republican Women;
Director Greater Houston Pachyderm;
Immediate Past Regional Deputy President, Region II, of the Texas Federation of Republican Women;
Former President of the Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women;
Former President of the Village Republican Women
Carol Prince
Immediate Past President of the Village Republican Women
Gaye Neeley Wylie
immediate past president of the Bay Area Republican Women
Gail Shubot
Immediate Past President of the Houston Professional Republican Women
Sue Ann Lurcott
Immediate Past President of the Northwest Forest Republican Women
Patricia McCall
Former President of the Magic Circle Republican Women;
Former President of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club
Sue Kikis
Former President of the Northwest Forest Republican Women;
Former President of the Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women
Claudette Martin
Former President of the Northwest Forest Republican Women
Deborah Guitian Roan
Former President of the Bay Area Republican Women
Ruby Cubley
Former President of the Bay Area Republican Women
Carole Ragland
Former President of the Bay Area Republican Women
Joan Buschor
Officer of the Magic Circle Republican Women
Cathie Nenninger
Current officer of the Clear Creek Republican Women;
Past officer of the Bay Area Republican Women
J.D. Joyce
President of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club;
Board member of United Republicans
Alex Montgomery
President of the Pachyderm Club of North Houston
Claver Kamau-Imani
Founder of Raging Elephants.org;
Host of "The Christian Politician" Radio Show and blog;
Former director of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club
Jackelyn Viera Iloff
Candidate for Precinct Chair—499;
Founder and President of “Magdalena’s Table”;
Former Chair of the HCRP Finance Committee;
Creator and Former Chair of the HCRP “First Friday” Program;
Former aide to the Repbulican National Committee;
Former aide to Governor George Allen of Virginia
Rajada Fleming
Former officer of the Village Republican Women;
Officer of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club
John Fedorko
Former officer of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club
Nelson Fisher
Former President of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club
Robert Stevenson
Officer of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club
David Norman
Former candidate for the state legislature
Barbara Jordan
Kingwood Republican Women
Joe Slovacek
Alvin Walker
Itze Soliz-Mathews
Don McFall
Lloyd Lake
Dr. Mark Fleming
Harold Wallace
Robyn Joyce
Hermann Buschor
Suzanne Testa
George Hrdlicka
Judy Hrdlicka
Kirk Whitehouse
John Manley
Larry Buxton
Bill Ott
Jim Prince
Steve Shaffer
Dr. Rekha Ramesh
Dr. G.S. Ramesh
Phillis Shults
Penny Uselton
Roxie Hefferman
Ilana M. Blomquist
John C. Blomquist
Mickie Comiskey
Charles Comiskey
Chuck Konen
Steve Liljeberg
Ed McCool
Debbie Lindeman
Brian Bayne
Cecil Bishop, Jr.
Tom Whitson
Vanessa Sudeth-Muse
Cindy Hemminger
David Hemminger
Joan Alford
Sally Stricklett
Roxanne Moore
Cindy Kueneke
David Kueneke
Gina Halle
Richard Halle
Kathleen Kearns
Phillip D. Sharp
Raymond G. Hofker
Fred Y. O. Ho
Joy Gregory
Ford Bankston
Patience Myers
Betty Howell
Lucy Forbes
Gienna Adovasio
Gianpaolo Garrone
Ruth Palmer
Robert Palmer
Karen Plante
Dawn Shull
Aaron Simpson
Terence Abrams
Donald K. Eckhardt
Debra Eldridge
Bonnie Norman
Liz Norman
Jeffrey Norman
Wallie Womack
Kevin Yankowsky
To be added to this list when we release future names, please click here, or emails us at HubbardForHCRP@gmail.com.
Betsy Lake
Former Chair of the Harris County Republican Party;
Former President of the Bay Area Republican Women;
Former President of the Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women;
Founder of United Republicans
Robert Shults
Precinct Chair—258
President of United Republicans,
Former President of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club
Kay Waghorne
Precinct Chair—642
Former President of the Cy-Fair Republican Women
Larry Tobin
Current Precinct Chair—90
Former President of the Clear Lake Republican Club
Former City Councilman--Taylor Lake Village
Kay Shillock
Former and New Precinct Chair—513
Former President of the Northwest Forest Republican Women;
Former President of the Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women
Justin Jordan
Former Precinct Chair—630
New Precinct Chair—76
Former President of the Texas chapter of College Republicans
Atemio Muniz, Jr.
New Precinct Chair—591
Founder of Conservador Alliance;
Statewide director of the Latino National Republican Coalition
Barbara Buxton
Precinct Chair—668
Matt Hefferman
Precinct Chair—127
Eric Walligura
Current Precinct Chair—265
New Precinct Chair—439
Eric Smith
Precinct Chair—460
Joe Spence
Precinct Chair—732
Becky Flowers
Precinct Chair—771
Carmen Cuneo
New Precinct Chair—210
Tom Hodges
Former Precinct Chair—440
Rita Huggler
Former Precinct Chair
Lo Wallace
Former Precinct Chair
Former President of Village Republican Women;
Board member of the Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women;
Board member of United Republicans
Sandie Myers
Houston Community College Board member;
Immediate Past President of the Daughters of Liberty Republican Women
Susan Kellner
Immediate Past President of the Spring Branch ISD School Board
Theresa Kosmoski
Member of the Spring Branch ISD School Board;
Immediate Past President of the Memorial West Republican Women
Lilian Norman Keeney
Mayor Pro Tem of Taylor Lake Village;
Currently 2nd Vice President, Greater Houston Council
District Director for Senate District 11 for the Texas Federation of Republican Women;
Former President of the Bay Area Republican Women
John Faulk
Candidate for U.S. Congress, District 18
Jon Keeney
Former candidate for the state legislature
Bill Moore
Former candidate for the Criminal District Court
Toni Anne Dashiell
Immediate Past President of the Texas Federation of Republican Women
Rebecca Williamson
Current Vice President of Programs for the Texas Federation of Republican Women;
Immediate Past First Vice President of the Texas Federation of Republican Women
Jo Konen
Immediate Past Vice President of Bylaws for the Texas Federation of Republican Women;
Former President of the Northwest Forest Republican Women;
Former President of the Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women
Jan Ott
Currently 2nd Vice President of the Texas Federation of Republican Women;
Director Greater Houston Pachyderm;
Immediate Past Treasurer of the Texas Federation of Republican Women;
Immediate past First VP of the Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women;
Founding President of the Cy-Fair Republican Women
Carolyn Hodges
Current 1st Vice President of the Texas Federation of Republican Women;
Director Greater Houston Pachyderm;
Immediate Past Regional Deputy President, Region II, of the Texas Federation of Republican Women;
Former President of the Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women;
Former President of the Village Republican Women
Carol Prince
Immediate Past President of the Village Republican Women
Gaye Neeley Wylie
immediate past president of the Bay Area Republican Women
Gail Shubot
Immediate Past President of the Houston Professional Republican Women
Sue Ann Lurcott
Immediate Past President of the Northwest Forest Republican Women
Patricia McCall
Former President of the Magic Circle Republican Women;
Former President of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club
Sue Kikis
Former President of the Northwest Forest Republican Women;
Former President of the Greater Houston Council of Federated Republican Women
Claudette Martin
Former President of the Northwest Forest Republican Women
Deborah Guitian Roan
Former President of the Bay Area Republican Women
Ruby Cubley
Former President of the Bay Area Republican Women
Carole Ragland
Former President of the Bay Area Republican Women
Joan Buschor
Officer of the Magic Circle Republican Women
Cathie Nenninger
Current officer of the Clear Creek Republican Women;
Past officer of the Bay Area Republican Women
J.D. Joyce
President of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club;
Board member of United Republicans
Alex Montgomery
President of the Pachyderm Club of North Houston
Claver Kamau-Imani
Founder of Raging Elephants.org;
Host of "The Christian Politician" Radio Show and blog;
Former director of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club
Jackelyn Viera Iloff
Candidate for Precinct Chair—499;
Founder and President of “Magdalena’s Table”;
Former Chair of the HCRP Finance Committee;
Creator and Former Chair of the HCRP “First Friday” Program;
Former aide to the Repbulican National Committee;
Former aide to Governor George Allen of Virginia
Rajada Fleming
Former officer of the Village Republican Women;
Officer of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club
John Fedorko
Former officer of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club
Nelson Fisher
Former President of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club
Robert Stevenson
Officer of the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club
David Norman
Former candidate for the state legislature
Barbara Jordan
Kingwood Republican Women
Joe Slovacek
Alvin Walker
Itze Soliz-Mathews
Don McFall
Lloyd Lake
Dr. Mark Fleming
Harold Wallace
Robyn Joyce
Hermann Buschor
Suzanne Testa
George Hrdlicka
Judy Hrdlicka
Kirk Whitehouse
John Manley
Larry Buxton
Bill Ott
Jim Prince
Steve Shaffer
Dr. Rekha Ramesh
Dr. G.S. Ramesh
Phillis Shults
Penny Uselton
Roxie Hefferman
Ilana M. Blomquist
John C. Blomquist
Mickie Comiskey
Charles Comiskey
Chuck Konen
Steve Liljeberg
Ed McCool
Debbie Lindeman
Brian Bayne
Cecil Bishop, Jr.
Tom Whitson
Vanessa Sudeth-Muse
Cindy Hemminger
David Hemminger
Joan Alford
Sally Stricklett
Roxanne Moore
Cindy Kueneke
David Kueneke
Gina Halle
Richard Halle
Kathleen Kearns
Phillip D. Sharp
Raymond G. Hofker
Fred Y. O. Ho
Joy Gregory
Ford Bankston
Patience Myers
Betty Howell
Lucy Forbes
Gienna Adovasio
Gianpaolo Garrone
Ruth Palmer
Robert Palmer
Karen Plante
Dawn Shull
Aaron Simpson
Terence Abrams
Donald K. Eckhardt
Debra Eldridge
Bonnie Norman
Liz Norman
Jeffrey Norman
Wallie Womack
Kevin Yankowsky
To be added to this list when we release future names, please click here, or emails us at HubbardForHCRP@gmail.com.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
A Final Update on the Precinct Chair Filings
Well, the filing deadline for the Republican Primary has passed, and the campaign season is upon us. Soon I will be out on the campaign trail, but my focus for the last two weeks has been on our precinct chair predicament—we don’t have enough precinct chairs now, and not enough incumbent chairs were re-filing for their seats. As some of you may know, I’ve been posting updates about this issue on this website and on the Big Jolly Politics website.
When we started the year, we had about 450 precincts filled out of 874 precincts in the county. As of last night at 9:50 p.m., the HCRP posted that we had filings in about 454 precincts out of 885 precincts (11 new precincts were created last year). On the surface, one could say that we had not lost ground, but that really isn’t the whole story.
Through the remarkable efforts of many people and several organizations (especially those people connected with the local Tea Party movement), who recruited precinct chairs by focusing on filling vacant seats in order to expand the reach of the party, and who conducted training seminars for prospective chairs, 181 new people filed to become precinct chairs in Harris County. Again, this was a phenomenal effort and result. The net result meant that about 70 previously vacant precincts would now have GOP precinct chairs.
So what happened? Well, about 27% of the existing precinct chairs—more than 120—chose not to re-file. Therefore, many of our new recruits filed in occupied precincts just to maintain our presence in that precinct. The net result is that at least 60 occupied precincts will have new chairs, while 64 occupied precincts will become vacant.
That's such a shame--and a waste of a tremendous opportunity the HCRP had to expand its reach with all of this new energy. I know that Donna Boharich has worked very hard and deserves a lot of credit for getting the HCRP focused on the primary--this was not her problem to address, and the result is not her fault. Moreover, I have learned that an effort indeed was made in mid-December to finally contact the precinct chairs that had not already filed to find out what they were doing and to remind them to file, but that type of effort, just before the holidays, was too little too late.
I know that I seem like a broken record, but where was the incumbent Chair, our paid Executive Director, and the rest of the Richmond Avenue team on this issue all last year? Why weren't they canvassing the incumbents to determine who was going to run again, and then actively working to keep their seats filled? Why weren't they using their new-found attraction to the internet, and to Townhall audiences, to recruit precinct chairs? It isn't that hard. I was on the phone and using emails to make sure that a few of the precinct chairs who I knew had not re-filed were finding replacements, and that their replacements would file by the deadline yesterday--and that was just with a weekend's effort. Think of what could have been done with a concerted, focused effort by the current team over a period of months. While they were out performing to Townhall audiences and putting the incumbent's face on Voter Guides that were of no benefit to the party—and we were out recruiting new precinct chairs to fill the vacant seats—no one was minding the organization--and it failed once again. Another lost opportunity.
So why is any of this important? There are at least three reasons we should care about this predicament:
1. The precinct chairs are the "roots" of our grassroots organization. We can not grow the party without expanding our base into every neighborhood, and we will never permanently expand into every neighborhood unless we have a chair in every precinct where there are potential Republican voters. They form part of our farm team, and help find others to run for office in their communities to form the farm team; they help with ballot and election security; and they form the frontline that mobilizes our voters to vote and participate in our convention process.
2. The whole purpose of expanding the party is to elect Republicans, and there is a 7% average differential in turnout between those competitive precincts where we have a chair and those where we do not. Of the 64 currently-occupied precincts that we did not re-fill, we were competitive in all but a handful of them in the 2008 general election, and at least 27 of those precincts voted strongly Republican in that election. Of those 27 precincts, 11 had turnouts between 72% and 80%. A 7% drop in turnout in those precincts could spell disaster for our ticket this fall. It is clear that the presence of an effective precinct chair is key to our get-out-the-vote effort.
and
3. It is more difficult to recruit and approve precinct chairs outside the primary process. Because of the current Vacancy Committee process, coupled with the chronic failure to get a quorum of precinct chairs to attend the quarterly Executive Committee meetings, it is not unusual for a candidate to go a half year of more before he or she is approved to be a precinct chair. This drawn-out process is adding to our inability to put the "boots on the ground" we need to fight the Democrats.
I hope that the HCRP will place a priority on filling these 64 vacancies as soon as possible. To fill these chairs quickly, I propose that that the party immediately create a task force to focus on filling these seats as soon as possible, which must include creation of a “fast-track” process for expediting the candidates through the Vacancy Committee and approval process. We simply don't have the luxury to allow this process to drag-out for months, or even half a year or more, before these seats get filled.
In the meantime, I will continue working with the groups I have been working with to find precinct chair candidates for the remaining seats that the party historically has left vacant, and we will direct them to the Vacancy Committee.
To everyone who filed, and to everyone who worked so hard to bring new applicants into this process--thank you. Let's now get down to the hard work of rebuilding this party.
When we started the year, we had about 450 precincts filled out of 874 precincts in the county. As of last night at 9:50 p.m., the HCRP posted that we had filings in about 454 precincts out of 885 precincts (11 new precincts were created last year). On the surface, one could say that we had not lost ground, but that really isn’t the whole story.
Through the remarkable efforts of many people and several organizations (especially those people connected with the local Tea Party movement), who recruited precinct chairs by focusing on filling vacant seats in order to expand the reach of the party, and who conducted training seminars for prospective chairs, 181 new people filed to become precinct chairs in Harris County. Again, this was a phenomenal effort and result. The net result meant that about 70 previously vacant precincts would now have GOP precinct chairs.
So what happened? Well, about 27% of the existing precinct chairs—more than 120—chose not to re-file. Therefore, many of our new recruits filed in occupied precincts just to maintain our presence in that precinct. The net result is that at least 60 occupied precincts will have new chairs, while 64 occupied precincts will become vacant.
That's such a shame--and a waste of a tremendous opportunity the HCRP had to expand its reach with all of this new energy. I know that Donna Boharich has worked very hard and deserves a lot of credit for getting the HCRP focused on the primary--this was not her problem to address, and the result is not her fault. Moreover, I have learned that an effort indeed was made in mid-December to finally contact the precinct chairs that had not already filed to find out what they were doing and to remind them to file, but that type of effort, just before the holidays, was too little too late.
I know that I seem like a broken record, but where was the incumbent Chair, our paid Executive Director, and the rest of the Richmond Avenue team on this issue all last year? Why weren't they canvassing the incumbents to determine who was going to run again, and then actively working to keep their seats filled? Why weren't they using their new-found attraction to the internet, and to Townhall audiences, to recruit precinct chairs? It isn't that hard. I was on the phone and using emails to make sure that a few of the precinct chairs who I knew had not re-filed were finding replacements, and that their replacements would file by the deadline yesterday--and that was just with a weekend's effort. Think of what could have been done with a concerted, focused effort by the current team over a period of months. While they were out performing to Townhall audiences and putting the incumbent's face on Voter Guides that were of no benefit to the party—and we were out recruiting new precinct chairs to fill the vacant seats—no one was minding the organization--and it failed once again. Another lost opportunity.
So why is any of this important? There are at least three reasons we should care about this predicament:
1. The precinct chairs are the "roots" of our grassroots organization. We can not grow the party without expanding our base into every neighborhood, and we will never permanently expand into every neighborhood unless we have a chair in every precinct where there are potential Republican voters. They form part of our farm team, and help find others to run for office in their communities to form the farm team; they help with ballot and election security; and they form the frontline that mobilizes our voters to vote and participate in our convention process.
2. The whole purpose of expanding the party is to elect Republicans, and there is a 7% average differential in turnout between those competitive precincts where we have a chair and those where we do not. Of the 64 currently-occupied precincts that we did not re-fill, we were competitive in all but a handful of them in the 2008 general election, and at least 27 of those precincts voted strongly Republican in that election. Of those 27 precincts, 11 had turnouts between 72% and 80%. A 7% drop in turnout in those precincts could spell disaster for our ticket this fall. It is clear that the presence of an effective precinct chair is key to our get-out-the-vote effort.
and
3. It is more difficult to recruit and approve precinct chairs outside the primary process. Because of the current Vacancy Committee process, coupled with the chronic failure to get a quorum of precinct chairs to attend the quarterly Executive Committee meetings, it is not unusual for a candidate to go a half year of more before he or she is approved to be a precinct chair. This drawn-out process is adding to our inability to put the "boots on the ground" we need to fight the Democrats.
I hope that the HCRP will place a priority on filling these 64 vacancies as soon as possible. To fill these chairs quickly, I propose that that the party immediately create a task force to focus on filling these seats as soon as possible, which must include creation of a “fast-track” process for expediting the candidates through the Vacancy Committee and approval process. We simply don't have the luxury to allow this process to drag-out for months, or even half a year or more, before these seats get filled.
In the meantime, I will continue working with the groups I have been working with to find precinct chair candidates for the remaining seats that the party historically has left vacant, and we will direct them to the Vacancy Committee.
To everyone who filed, and to everyone who worked so hard to bring new applicants into this process--thank you. Let's now get down to the hard work of rebuilding this party.
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