Ronnie Dugger Endorses Rachel Barrios-Van Os

Legendary progressive journalist Ronnie Dugger (Recently featured in “Ronnie Dugger: The Free Man", Austin American-Statesman, 4-29-2012) endorses Rachel’s campaign for State Party Chair:

“Speaking as a Texan and lifelong observer of Texas politics, if I’ve ever seen a political party that desperately needs a new style of leadership, it’s the Texas Democratic Party. It hasn’t won a statewide election in 18 years, and now it has fallen to its lowest point in the history of Texas, holding no statewide offices and only 48 seats in the 150-member Texas House of Representatives.

This record is a disgrace to the proud history of the Texas of old.

The candidacy of Rachel Barrios-Van Os for the Texas Democratic State Party Chairmanship is like a bugle call to alert all Texas Democrats that their Party must come back to life and fight like hell for Barack Obama to carry Texas in 2012.

Rachel is a strong, tough Texas woman who is a born fighter and visionary. She offers the winner’s style and attitude that Texas Democrats desperately need. Rachel’s decision to run for the party chairmanship gives me more hope for the Democratic Party in Texas than I have felt in a long time.”

-- Ronnie Dugger
Winner of the George Polk Career Award in Journalism for 2011
Author, Our Invaded Universities, The Politician (Lyndon B; Johnson biography), and other critically acclaimed books
Founding Editor, The Texas Observer (for identification only)

Why Hank Gilbert endorses Rachel Barrios-Van Os for State Chair

Hank Gilbert Endorses Rachel Barrios-Van Os

Hank Gilbert, one of the top statewide Democratic vote getters in 2006 and 2010 in his spirited races for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, endorses Rachel for State Party Chair and tells us why:

“I met Rachel on the campaign trail when we campaigned across Texas back in 2006. It really impressed me that even though Rachel was managing her husband David’s campaign for Attorney General, she always promoted the whole Democratic ticket at every event. She is pure Democrat to the core.

Rachel will stand up for the hard-working people of Texas and won’t back down to the Republicans or to any other talking heads. This party needs someone with courage, conviction and the backbone to do the right thing. Rachel will unite the people to support the Democratic Party and bring it back to a majority in this state.

She’s one tough woman with a heart of gold and I support her all the way for State Party Chair.”

Faith Chatham endorses Rachel Barrios-Van Os for State Chair of the Texas Democratic Party

Faith Chatham endorses Rachel Barrios-Van Os for State Chair of the Texas Democratic Party.

I have worked with Rachel on several state wide campaigns. She is tireless, organized, and resourceful. Rachel is no novice to the electoral process. She has directed several state wide races and ran for local office in one of Texas's largest cities. During the 2006 election cycle, Rachel traveled to EVERY COUNTY in Texas and personally met with the county chairs and activists. She values EVERYONE and assists others.
Rachel is absolutely right about the deplorable plight of the leadership of this state. Democrats have not won a statewide race for decades. We cannot continue doing the same thing and expect a different outcome.

The goal of the State Democratic party once the voters have selected the party's nominees in the primary should be to do everything we possibly can to get our nominees elected. Numerous former statewide candidates have told me many times that they had more resistance from the state party than from Republicans! This must stop. Rachel will recruit, energize, train, and equip Democrats throughout the state to band together and effectively support the party's nominees. The goal is to win and Rachel knows how to do it and is relentless when she fights for the people of this state.



Here is a link to an interview by the Texas Tribune.
http://www.texastribune.org/texas-politics/texas-democratic-party/rachel-barrios-van-os-tt-interview/