Burnt Orange Report

SDEC Seat Open in SD 24

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

Senate District 24, out of which I was elected a delegate to the Democratic National Convention last year, has an open SDEC seat. Kirsten Hancock who is moving up to DC has submitted a letter announcing her resignation as Committeewoman. (full text in extended entry, selected text below)

I ask you to share my status and reason for resigning with the SDEC at the October 15th meeting, take nominations from the floor and fill my vacancy as soon as possible. When a replacement is named, I will move my voting registration to my new permanent DC address.

On a personal note, if I could say something to the SDEC and the Texas Democratic Party, it would be this. I believe Texas can elect statewide Democrats again... I earnestly believe Texas needs to recruit and support other young activists to survive. Nurture them and raise them to be leaders when you are gone or unable to do as much.

...

The Texas Democratic Party raised me from a scrappy, idealistic kid who typed data, licked stamps, stuffed envelopes, walked blocks, phoned voters, passed out stickers and palm cards, drove circuits on election day and organized, organized, organized into a savvy, young political operative who needs to spread her wings and help the Democratic party in other ways now that she’s grown up.

My friends and I gathered at Texas A&M during the Young Conservatives of Texas’ State Convention in January 1994 to form the College Democrats of Texas. We had an idealistic vision of youthful leadership and inspiration for the Texas Democratic Party. We believed that one day we would be in our thirties and run for office, that there would be momentum and spirit behind our campaigns. Ann Marie Schroeder, Angela Brewer & Christine Asbury were part of that nucleus of leadership eleven years ago.

They are still around and serve on the SDEC, but where did our friends and fellow young activists go? I daresay most of them did not stay involved because there was not a seat at the table for them and because the old guard was not willing to listen to new ideas or mentor them into the next generation of fundraisers, candidates and party leaders.

Kirsten served as Texas' youngest SDEC member after being elected without opposition from the SD24 caucus at the State Convention in Houston last June.

October 1, 2005

Dear Chairman Soechting,

As you know, I resigned from Abilene Independent School District July 13, 2005, after teaching 8th grade U.S. History for two years. On August 1, I began working as Arkansas’ Senior Regional Organizer for Wal-Mart Watch’s Higher Expectations Week, November 13-19. My contract with the Center for Community and Corporate Ethics/5 Stones expires December 31, 2005.

When I left Abilene to go to Washington, DC, I maintained my residence at 1549 Woodard, Abilene, TX 79605 with the intention of coming back to Abilene and continuing to serve as Committeewoman for Senate District 24. However, as I look towards my own future and what I can contribute to the Democratic Party and its’ ideals, I believe I can best serve and be true to myself by remaining in Washington, DC or working in full time politics outside of Texas State Senate District 24.

For the past two months, I communicated with my county chairs and Democrats in SD 24 to keep them informed of my status. I relied on former Committeewoman T.J. Mabrey for advice and guidance and asked activist Linda Conger to act as Committeewoman in my absence.

With sadness, I submit my resignation from SDEC, effective immediately. It has been my honor to serve as Texas’ youngest SDEC Committeewoman since June 2004 when SD 24 elected me in Houston. I pledge my continued financial and personal support of the Texas Democratic Party, as I have since my family moved to Abilene in 1981.

I ask you to share my status and reason for resigning with the SDEC at the October 15th meeting, take nominations from the floor and fill my vacancy as soon as possible. When a replacement is named, I will move my voting registration to my new permanent DC address.

On a personal note, if I could say something to the SDEC and the Texas Democratic Party, it would be this. I believe Texas can elect statewide Democrats again. I believe Texas can gain a majority in the state legislature again. I believe Texas can reclaim their Courts from Karl Rove’s claws. I believe West Texas can take back their court houses from the Republican infiltration I have witnessed my whole life, raise money and elect city council members, school board members and county commissioners. I believe Texas will recover from Tom Delay’s untimely redistricting that caused me to lose my Congressman, Charlie Stenholm, and Texas to lose 100 years of legislative experience by four amazing statesmen. I earnestly believe Texas needs to recruit and support other young activists to survive. Nurture them and raise them to be leaders when you are gone or unable to do as much.

I love many things in life. I love God, my family, my friends, traveling, reading, live music, writing poetry, watching CNN, 6th Street and looking at the Texas Capitol lit up at night. I love flying into Washington, DC and looking down on the most fantastic city in the world. But I especially love the Texas Democratic Party. For me, the Texas Democratic Party is Governor Ann Richards, Congressman Charlie Stenholm & his lovely bride Cindy, Congressman Chet Edwards, Martha Whitehead, Paul Hobby, Dan McClung, Gerry Tyson, Senator Rodney Ellis, Senator Mario Gallegos, Senator Gonzalo Barrientos, Kim Hall, Tina Oliver, the late Mae Jackson, Randy & Cathryn Fleming, Ken Bailey, Chris Bell, June Deadrick, Sue Schechter, Dalia Stokes, Donna Beth McCormick, Debbie McCall, TJ Mabrey, June Hicks, Curtis Smith, Alice Ann Wallace, Dot Larimer, Dave Haigler, Ken Mohlberg, Martha Williams, Judy Donahue, the late Billie Carr, Annise Parker, Sue Lovell and a couple of other folks I’m sure I forgot to mention.

The Texas Democratic Party raised me from a scrappy, idealistic kid who typed data, licked stamps, stuffed envelopes, walked blocks, phoned voters, passed out stickers and palm cards, drove circuits on election day and organized, organized, organized into a savvy, young political operative who needs to spread her wings and help the Democratic party in other ways now that she’s grown up.

My friends and I gathered at Texas A&M during the Young Conservatives of Texas’ State Convention in January 1994 to form the College Democrats of Texas. We had an idealistic vision of youthful leadership and inspiration for the Texas Democratic Party. We believed that one day we would be in our thirties and run for office, that there would be momentum and spirit behind our campaigns. Ann Marie Schroeder, Angela Brewer & Christine Asbury were part of that nucleus of leadership eleven years ago. They are still around and serve on the SDEC, but where did our friends and fellow young activists go? I daresay most of them did not stay involved because there was not a seat at the table for them and because the old guard was not willing to listen to new ideas or mentor them into the next generation of fundraisers, candidates and party leaders.

I respectively submit my resignation from the SDEC and look forward to helping the Texas Democratic Party for the rest of my life. May there be no more sad election nights in Texas for Democrats.

Sincerely,

Kirsten Hancock
Texas SDEC Committeewoman SD 24 2004-2005

Posted by Karl-Thomas Musselman at October 6, 2005 04:32 PM | TrackBack