Kendall was maybe the first person I met at the Democratic convention in 2024. Considering we both live in Dallas that means something. For too long TDP has been a consultant run glass tower project, same with the county parties. Not actually following up with volunteers who have skills that can be organized into a massive turnout machine. Both of the other two folks challenging Kendall for chair had the opportunity to meet and interact with me multiple times. Neither of them showed me the time of day, treated me with respect or invited me in. When I asked for help they ignored me, told me no or flat out lied. That isn’t leadership. I guarantee they only know my name as someone on their list and haven’t even bothered to personally reach out or remotely show up. But Kendall has. When I call he shows up. When I ask for resources he helps. When I disagree with something he listens. He teaches me. He keeps us razor focused. And he has never lied. He may say he can’t now, or he doesn’t know. Or explains why the resources aren’t there or directs me. But he is always a partner. And it is because of him and his vision for lasting infrastructure change that I am a sustaining donor for the first time ever. He moved the office out of bubble blue Austin to North Texas because this is the volcano of 8 counties that will flip the state. And the center of that volcano is Irving/Arlington.
Thank you MIchelle and thanks guys for all the insights in the comments. I have been getting a little worried about how to navigate voting at the convention as I don't know the inside stories. I'm relieved Michelle is going to be providing guidance there. I was already on board with Kendall, having met him a couple of times. I really appreciate having the back-up now. And, I'm looking forward to the endorsements.
Taking what I'm learning about the Texas Democratic party right now, what I saw of the Republican convention, along with what I'm reading on Substack from Texas Republicans, I conclude Republicans have been coasting on Democrats not competing with them. It will be extremely interesting to see how Republicans fare when they have an actual fight on their hands.
This is very interesting: https://substack.com/@johnhuffman It's the Republican defeated in the SD-9 jungle primary. His take on his party seems accurate.
I cannot imagine why delegates would not re-elect him but that seems to be the case these days. He has a sense of order but never discards consideration of individuals. And, he is prompt with replies!!!
I felt compelled to respond! It got my attention. I wonder though. I completed the form but I don’t know the first thing about what I’m doing. I would like to be on the executive committee but I’m not even sure I signed up correctly for the position.
Thanks for a very informative article. You have stated,”For years, the TDP’s coordinated campaigns operated on a simple, lazy assumption. Anyone who scores above 70 on the Democratic support model is a lock, so don’t bother talking to them. Spend the money trying to flip Republicans instead. Scudder pointed out the obvious flaw in that model himself. The 1.1 million Texas Democrats who voted in 2020 and stayed home in 2024 scored between 70 and 90. They were exactly the people the Party decided weren’t worth the phone call. In response to that, the coordinated campaign is moving to a 100% universe commitment rather than writing off your own voters because they’re inconveniently reliable. That’s a structural fix to a structural failure.”
Is this voter score available for all voters in Texas? If so, is it the same as voter scores in Van? It is good to know that Scudder is investing in building the Data infrastructure. Is he or leading candidates like Talarico planning to reach out to all voters with scores over fifty meaning inclined to vote for Democrats in the November elections and explain the stakes for them?
Thanks for this information, Michelle. I would not know much about Texas politics without stumbling upon your newsletter.
I do have to add something that happened in the Rio Grande Valley, Hidalgo County and that I’ve written on my Substack.
Due to Mothers Against Greg Abbott RGV and later Mothers for Democracy RGV, that I lead for a while, we began recruiting precinct chairs. Honestly, I did not keep count, but I may have recruited a dozen. My precinct chair recruits went on and did the same. Some are now leading their own grassroots efforts. This group of PCs put pressure on the local Democratic Party, and that’s when the party began recruiting their PCs. There were 3 PC runoff’s this May, unheard of in the RGV.
But all this brought awareness to our region. We went from about 20 active PCs in 2023 when I first started to 60+ in 2024 to close to 150 this June 2026. Nancy Thompson was the catalyst- she initially guided us and educated us thru her PAC. Once we knew what to do we took off.
Kendall was maybe the first person I met at the Democratic convention in 2024. Considering we both live in Dallas that means something. For too long TDP has been a consultant run glass tower project, same with the county parties. Not actually following up with volunteers who have skills that can be organized into a massive turnout machine. Both of the other two folks challenging Kendall for chair had the opportunity to meet and interact with me multiple times. Neither of them showed me the time of day, treated me with respect or invited me in. When I asked for help they ignored me, told me no or flat out lied. That isn’t leadership. I guarantee they only know my name as someone on their list and haven’t even bothered to personally reach out or remotely show up. But Kendall has. When I call he shows up. When I ask for resources he helps. When I disagree with something he listens. He teaches me. He keeps us razor focused. And he has never lied. He may say he can’t now, or he doesn’t know. Or explains why the resources aren’t there or directs me. But he is always a partner. And it is because of him and his vision for lasting infrastructure change that I am a sustaining donor for the first time ever. He moved the office out of bubble blue Austin to North Texas because this is the volcano of 8 counties that will flip the state. And the center of that volcano is Irving/Arlington.
Thank you MIchelle and thanks guys for all the insights in the comments. I have been getting a little worried about how to navigate voting at the convention as I don't know the inside stories. I'm relieved Michelle is going to be providing guidance there. I was already on board with Kendall, having met him a couple of times. I really appreciate having the back-up now. And, I'm looking forward to the endorsements.
Taking what I'm learning about the Texas Democratic party right now, what I saw of the Republican convention, along with what I'm reading on Substack from Texas Republicans, I conclude Republicans have been coasting on Democrats not competing with them. It will be extremely interesting to see how Republicans fare when they have an actual fight on their hands.
This is very interesting: https://substack.com/@johnhuffman It's the Republican defeated in the SD-9 jungle primary. His take on his party seems accurate.
Well I should hope so! 😉
I cannot imagine why delegates would not re-elect him but that seems to be the case these days. He has a sense of order but never discards consideration of individuals. And, he is prompt with replies!!!
“‘Enforcement’ form”?
lolololol of all the stupid brain farts in the world.
I felt compelled to respond! It got my attention. I wonder though. I completed the form but I don’t know the first thing about what I’m doing. I would like to be on the executive committee but I’m not even sure I signed up correctly for the position.
Thanks for a very informative article. You have stated,”For years, the TDP’s coordinated campaigns operated on a simple, lazy assumption. Anyone who scores above 70 on the Democratic support model is a lock, so don’t bother talking to them. Spend the money trying to flip Republicans instead. Scudder pointed out the obvious flaw in that model himself. The 1.1 million Texas Democrats who voted in 2020 and stayed home in 2024 scored between 70 and 90. They were exactly the people the Party decided weren’t worth the phone call. In response to that, the coordinated campaign is moving to a 100% universe commitment rather than writing off your own voters because they’re inconveniently reliable. That’s a structural fix to a structural failure.”
Is this voter score available for all voters in Texas? If so, is it the same as voter scores in Van? It is good to know that Scudder is investing in building the Data infrastructure. Is he or leading candidates like Talarico planning to reach out to all voters with scores over fifty meaning inclined to vote for Democrats in the November elections and explain the stakes for them?
Thanks for this information, Michelle. I would not know much about Texas politics without stumbling upon your newsletter.
I do have to add something that happened in the Rio Grande Valley, Hidalgo County and that I’ve written on my Substack.
Due to Mothers Against Greg Abbott RGV and later Mothers for Democracy RGV, that I lead for a while, we began recruiting precinct chairs. Honestly, I did not keep count, but I may have recruited a dozen. My precinct chair recruits went on and did the same. Some are now leading their own grassroots efforts. This group of PCs put pressure on the local Democratic Party, and that’s when the party began recruiting their PCs. There were 3 PC runoff’s this May, unheard of in the RGV.
But all this brought awareness to our region. We went from about 20 active PCs in 2023 when I first started to 60+ in 2024 to close to 150 this June 2026. Nancy Thompson was the catalyst- she initially guided us and educated us thru her PAC. Once we knew what to do we took off.
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 he wins! I agree with you 100%!
Thank you, Michelle! I enthusiastically concur!!! Shared on bsky around 8 pm. WE WANT KENDALL, WE WANT KENDALL!!!