Apparently so according to this rather stunning quote by
Kelly Fero, former consultant to the Texas Democratic Party as late as
last year. (who for all intents and purposes is one of the best damn consultants in the state otherwise).
Austin Chronicle: "I consider the state party to be at its best when it's almost wholly irrelevant, which it currently is."
-Kelly Fero
Yup, roll up the carpet, close the shutters, the Democrats of Texas are apparently best served by not actually having a party at all- a ringing endorsement for the leadership.
Of course, I'm of the opinion that we should bother to actually have a Democratic Party in Texas. One that might actually be able to help statewide candidates from having to waste their time building infrastructure that should be the job of the Party. Call me crazy.
From the article, which is mostly a piece on candidate for party Chair Glen Maxey for the better and worse, a response.
"We need a party that allows statewide candidates to run for office without having to build an infrastructure for their campaigns," Maxey said. "Right now, Chris Bell and Barbara Radnofsky have to go county to county to create an infrastructure. My goal is to rebuild the nuts and bolts of the organization."
Regardless of who people support for Chairman, I would hope at the very least that there is agreement that having an irrelevant state party is probably not the best idea.
Eye on Williamson adds their thoughts.
Let me see if I have this straight. The Republicans who have had more success than the Democrats in Texas over the last 20 or so years have built a party infrastructure and have have taken over the state. The Democrats whose party has fallen into disarray has strengthened the tradition of the Democratic party's irrelevance in putting Democrats in office, no longer holding any statewide office. That looks to me like the Party with the "more relevant" party is running everything. I don't see how what Mr. Fero said proves his point of the Democratic Party's irrelevance being a good thing. It probably proves why he's no longer working for the party though.
How relevent do you feel the Texas Democratic Party or your own state party is? Any success stories?