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Democratic Party Hoping To "Turn Texas Blue" In 2014

David Martin Davies
/
TPR News

Almost 200 Democratic party chairs from counties across Texas made their way to San Antonio over the weekend for training to "turn Texas blue," as the party continues its marketing push to get to voters it feels it can persuade.

State Democratic Executive Committee member Susan Bankston said county chairs learned more about online outreach through social media. She said the party can be more efficient by focusing on the voters that are fed up.

"I'm not going to get Louie Gohmert (U.S. Congressman in Texas' First Congressional District) to ever vote as a Democrat, but I can sure persuade some women in Louie Gohmert's district to not vote for him again," Bankston said.

Comal County Chairwoman Robbi Boone says the"persuadables" have common complaints and Democrats are confident they can turn Texas into a blue state by 2014.

"Because of the attitudes on immigration, because $6 billion was taken out of education, because there does not seem to be a real regard for the people -- there's no heart. I think also our minorities are angry with this voter I.D. and the flagrant attempts to keep people from participating in our system."

Bankston said more young people joining the Democratic party, and older Democrats are getting the outreach training they need to make a difference. She said the party has more resolve now than in years past.

"We are determined to turn Texas blue," she said. "Electing republicans is a whole lot like putting gas in a car that you have already wrecked."

Eileen Pace is a veteran radio and print journalist with a long history of investigative and feature reporting in San Antonio and Houston, earning more than 50 awards for investigative reporting, documentaries, long-form series, features, sports stories, outstanding anchoring and best use of sound.