(CNN) - Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine appears to have his eyes set on Texas, announcing Monday the organization's fall meeting will be held in the Lone Star state.
"Not only is Texas a great, beautiful and diverse state, it represents a tremendous growth opportunity for the Democratic Party," Kaine wrote in an e-mail to DNC supporters.
Now, some might find that notion odd given Texas's traditionally conservative bent and its recent history of supporting Republican candidates for elective office," Kaine continued. "But I don't find it odd at all - and in fact, I am more convinced than ever that Texas is trending our way and will continue to do so."
Obama lost to Republican presidential candidate John McCain by 11 percentage points and close to 1 million votes. Still, that margin is less than more than half of what it was when the state's favored son George W. Bush was on the presidential ballot.
In his letter Monday, Kaine specifically cited Texas' large Hispanic organization and the grassroots infrastructure put in place by the Obama campaign in 2008 as reasons the traditionally-considered red state may turn blue.
"In so many ways, I believe Texas is poised to move towards our column, just as Virginia has," Kaine said.
Full letter after the jump:
Dear Friend:
It's time to announce the location of the DNC Fall Meeting, scheduled for September 10th – 12th, 2009. I'm excited to be the first to tell you that this year's meeting will be in Austin, Texas. In a phrase, we are Lone Star State bound!
Of course, as you know, not only is Texas a great, beautiful and diverse state, it represents a tremendous growth opportunity for the Democratic Party. Now, some might find that notion odd given Texas's traditionally conservative bent and its recent history of supporting Republican candidates for elective office. But I don't find it odd at all - and in fact, I am more convinced than ever that Texas is trending our way and will continue to do so.
It wasn't that long ago - less than 10 years, in fact - that Virginia was considered just as strong a lock for the Republicans as Texas has been. In Virginia, we had Republican Governors, Republican U.S. Senators and a strong Republican majority in our Congressional delegation and state legislature. And we didn't merit any attention from Presidential candidates during general elections because no Democratic candidate since Lyndon Johnson had won Virginia's electoral votes.
Today? I'm the second consecutive Democrat to serve as Governor of Virginia, we took back the State Senate and have reached near parity in the House of Delegates. Both of our U.S. Senators are Democrats, and Democrats are the majority of our U.S. House delegation. And of course, in November, Barack Obama became the first Democratic Presidential candidate since 1964 to carry the Old Dominion.
In so many ways, I believe Texas is poised to move towards our column, just as Virginia has. Texas is an increasingly diverse state with a burgeoning and politically active Hispanic population that went strongly for Barack Obama in 2008. And, as a result of investments made by my predecessor, the commitments we've made, and the hard work of the Texas Democratic Party - which has done an outstanding job rebuilding the party, attracting good candidates, and expanding our reach - we have a strong and growing Democratic Party infrastructure. Add to that the significant investments we plan to make in Texas through Organizing for America (OFA), and the work OFA will be doing in communities across the state in support of the President's important and popular agenda, and we have every reason to feel bullish about our chances in Texas. Exciting things are possible because we believe every single state on the map is important.
Of course, it's also a very exciting time for us to meet because of what Democrats have accomplished electorally in the past year and because of what the President - with our support - has accomplished during his first few, short months in office.
President Obama was elected on a mandate for change. Because of his victory last November and Democrats' relentless work to make the change he promised during the campaign a reality, women will finally receive equal pay for equal work, four million additional children have access to health care through the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and a historic economic recovery package is putting Americans back to work. And of course, by the time we meet the Senate should have confirmed the President's historic choice, Judge Sonia Sotomayor, for the Supreme Court.
I look forward to seeing you in Austin on September 10th at this historic time for our party and the DNC. Austin is a world-renowned destination - a truly wonderful city - and I know we'll all have a great time. Information about making a reservation can be found below, and if you have any questions whatsoever please don't hesitate to contact XXXXXX at XXXXX or XXXXX, or the Secretary's Office at XXXXX.
Hope to see you there,
Governor Tim Kaine
Chairman
From CNN Politics
© 2011 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Contact us | Work for us | Help
Not if we can help it, Mr. Kaine.
The GOP had better pray that they don't lose TX. Between Texas, New York and California, that's 120 electoral votes under the current system.
"Less than more than half...?" Proof-read, CNN.
As both a proud (transplanted) Texan and a Democrat, I could not be happier. Given the large number of Hispanics, this sounds like a grand opportunity! Come on down!
"that margin is less than more than half of what it was"? I think that could have been expressed more clearly.
If Democrats managed to move Texas into their column, it would be game over for Republicans. I think that Kaine is correct that Texas is diversifying politically, but it will probably be several more election cycles before Texas might actually go blue.
Today's Texas is principled and true to American values – and no place for Democrats.
please! texas would never vote democrat. that "state" is super backwards. for some reason they are so proud of absolutely nothing!
I don't think so Timmy. There's too many sensible people here – people who understand the value of hard work and self-reliance – to change to the party of the lazy.
Get real Kaine.
Texas may have had a conservative bent in recent history but this is also the state that gove us LBJ, Mission Control and a lot of other science and leadership that was anything but conservative. Texas had it's first female governor in 1927.
Houston and Dallas are both very liberal and diverse cities. Houston is the nation's 4th largest city and the county in which it resides, Harris, is the nation's 3rd largest county. Harris County was named the most ethnically diverse county in the nation in the most recent census.
Please do not let the Texas GOP and our backwards governor, Rick "Secession" Perry lead you to believe that all Texans are backwards, gun-toting, bible-thumping simpleton bigots. While we have more than our share of those, most of us are just hard working, middle-class Americans who are NOT racist, are NOT homophobic and are NOT Republican.
Kaine, you moron,....Virginia was a fluke. The entire Obama campaign was littered with corruption and intimidation of voters...also, they filled young, ignorant voter's heads with false hope. That's all coming to light now, in a big way. Liberals think OBama's done alot in 100+ days, well, one thing's for sure, he's lost more support than any other president has in their first 4 months. Texans will never succumb to such idiotic tactics that the DNC try to employ. I got nauseated at the article about the two thug blacks in front of the Philly voting location trying to intimidate voters...come on down to Texas boys, try that crap down here....
Texas is generally a fiscally conservative state. The present situation is so out of control from a spending(and soon to be taxing) viewpoint that I really don't see a Democratic takeover down here.
We in Austin love President Obama!
TAX CHEATING DEMOCRATES dont need to go to Texas, they might put the tax cheats in jail for once.
Obama won Texas...
...and the treasonous confederate governor Rick Perry and his secessionist co-conspirators...
...stole the state for McCain...
...The GOP's time has come and gone...
...Let's take Texas, and extinct 'em...
Get real! I'm from Virginia, and Kaine has devestated this state with his welfare spending. I think Texans have too much sense than to go blue!
that would so rock.
Texas could be a battle ground state in 2012 election. Texas is the fastest growing state for hispanics and minorties. This could help the Democracts to put this state in to the obama colum.
Austin TX is a Democrat city, even if it isn't in a Democrat state.
I think the entire state is more Libertarian than anything else. Good luck with that.
I'm from Texas and I have a question for Mr. Kaine: Are you high?
Could someone point me to the story where Obama issues a stern letter of condemnation for the killing of a U.S. military man at a recruiting center ? Same for the DNC, I missed their statement. Where is the Democrat Party news release of condemnation for the killing ?
Oh god I can only hope Texas goes blue. Even Pat Buchanan thinks thats a possibility.
I don't think he's far off..but I don't believe Texas will vote Democrat within this decade.
I sure as heck hope so! And I know Florida will stay BLUE!
Kaine is a moron. We will be glad when he leaves his part time job in VA.
Oh shucks, Tim. I wanted Texas to secede. If the best that they can produce is George W Bush, heck, than I prefer the state sink. After the way to RepubliKKKlan party has been treating Sotomayor, I have no doubt that the Hispanics in Texas will continue to reject the Republican party. After watching President Obama, a biracial man, turn red states blue last election, I believe that nothing is impossible for the Democrats anymore. i have faith in you Mr. Kaine! Go get 'em!
Hey Tim, buddy, good luck with that.
You weren't in San Antonio for the Tax Day tea party. In fact, you were likely yukking it up with the adolescent Beavis and Buttheads on PMSNBC, talking about "tea bagging." While you weren't paying attention, 10,000-15,000 people came out to the protest at the Alamo, people who have never come out to a protest before in their lives.
With the amount of out-of-control spending that has happened these past four months, if you honestly think you'll retain seats in 2010, you need to wake the hell up. 2010 will make 1994 look like a calm change from night to day. And RINOs, and "republicans" of every stripe, you shouldn't feel too comfortable, either.
RE-ELECT NO ONE!
The Obama's are one of the few presidents that portrays they are happily married not like other politicians married who married as an antic for politics. Yes, as taxpayer we should provide the security because they are our first family and we are responsible for their safety. At the end of the day they are a married couple with children so its our responsibility.
YEAH SURE, the state who loves their guns as much as they love their wives is going to cozy up to the party of UNIVERSAL GUN CONTROL. I think perhaps the Dimocrats are getting a little power punchy.
Aren't there any democrats who still love this country and what it once stood for before obama began destroying it? Is there any Christian democrats out there who love our country and the people in it or are they all happy to stand by and watch obama destroy our country? Haven't they figured out that destroying our country also destroys them and their families and their way of life?
before they go adding states they might want to add some jobs!!!!!!
Vote your party's challengers in the primary. Send your incumbents packing.
RE-ELECT NO ONE!
Incumbent Dump – 2010
One could drive through any neighborhood in America, wildly shooting paintballs out the window and hit 535 random strangers who would provide better representation than our current Congress.
In fact, 535 EMPTY SEATS would be a vast improvement over the current Congress.
This is great news! I would love to see Texas vote blue!
I'm a liberal Democrat and a Texan and even I don't believe this. Texas does have big cities where a Democrat could win if the candidate was right. No way rural Texas goes for anyone who won't pound the good book with them, though. Those good old boys would sign their whole paycheck over to anyone who agrees with them that if we just punished sinners severely enough, we could all go to heaven together one day. The numbers are just not right for a democratic takeover in Texas.
Unless the democrats get thegoverments financial house in order they will have a hard time in Texas and may lose Virginia again since the way they want to spend money after the goverment is already broke according to Obama they will have to raise taxes on not just the rich but the middle class and that will be their ending. Anyone who thought when they voted for Obama that middle class taxes were not going to be raised needs to take off their rose colored glasses. Look at Cap and Trade proposed, 10% Federal Sales Tax proposed, and who is going to pay for the new health care system.
He's right.
Didn't we sell Texas to Mexico.....just a dream we wish could be true.
Way to go Governor . . . you have an opportunity to bring a major fundraiser to the Commonwealth of Virginia and what do you do . . . you send it to Texas.
No way. The Democrats can't get Texas. They only won VA because the election law changed to allow college students to vote in their college town. Should the law be reversed, a state known for education will reverse to a red state.
Texas is a great, beautiful and diverse state. We would like to keep it that way. Stay out of our state. We are not interested in your policies
As someone who lives in Houston, we strongly want Texas to be a blue state.
HILLARY 2016!!!
Texas didn't give McCain the margin that Bush received, for a couple of reasons; McCain wasn't from Texas, and McCain was not a conservative by any stretch of the imagination.
Hey, if the DNC want to come to Texas and spend some money, I say go for it. But, as far as Texas and the Democrats, well lets just say the Republicans have nothing to worry about.
"Still, that margin is less than more than half of what it was when the state's favored son George W. Bush was on the presidential ballot."
Great moments in journalism.
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Don't tell Perry and his suceding buddies, but TX will have a dominant Hispanic group in a few years, and they are mostly Dems. Oooh my!
lol.... look, I am a pure Dem but Texas will never, ever be a blue state. NEVER!
Texas is changing & ready for the DNC. Bring it on.
Deep....eventually Texas will vote DEM.......again.
Oh Mr. Kaine....maybe I'm reading this wrong...(and I"m not talking about the above printed words) but I would say you are shoving some of that cow dung to Texas...not nice! lol
This is almost as laughable as Michael Steele's "renaissance in virginia" comment. Almost. I think it woudl be too extreme to suggest that Texas could ever go blue, but I'm sure there are House seats there that are competitive, or can become competitive.
Tim, please shut the hole. you are just another politician. I am so tired of the garbage and bashing that the DNC insists on. I am switching. Time to moveon.
The GOP is doing a grand job of ensuring that Texas will be a blue state in the very near future with thier extremist, shrill rhetoric and silly name calling.
The Hispanic vote will tip the scales in Texas for sure while Mr Obama and the dems will continue to runs circle around the the republican party nationally in '10 and '12
It is such a pleasure to watch the GOP come unhinged on a daily basis. They are like a rudderless sinking ship.
If there are Democratic romps both in 2010 and 2012, including Texas for Obama's reelection, then the Republicans may just go the way of the Whigs. They'll need to start over, just as the Republicans did themselves after the demise of the Whigs. Doubt it will happen, but it would be interesting political history to live through.
Makes sense, the Republican party has been hating on the Hispanic community for a while now. Well, hating on everyone that isn't white to be more precise. The larger cities are getting bigger, and with that brings more common sense, which means more votes for blue.
Of course it represents a "tremendous growth opportunity" ....that is because everyone and the grandmother are moving here from other states. Texas has jobs, affordable housing, no state income taxes and it's in pretty good shape financially when compared to other states. Now, if the DNC moves in here and tries to take control just how long do you think that will last? Be honest....It didn't do California a heck of a lot of good to be "blue" now did it? So my note to the DNC - back off and stay away. We like Texas just the way it is - not bankrupt.
This Texan has voted in the Democrat column since the 80s. Texas would look much better in blue.
can we also try arizona, georgia and definetely missouri.
Being from Texas myself, I sure hope he's right. However, he may be a little ambitious. We still have an awful lot of racism here. And LBJ nailed it when he said, immediately upon signing the 1964 Civil Rights Bill, that he felt he'd turned the South over to the Republicans for the next 30+ years. Only he underestimated the length of time involved. And, unfortunately, its probably a little premature to expect Texas to turn over a new leaf. Still a lot of hatred around here, but they (Repubs) will never admit that race is the real reason for it.
I'd prefer it be retunred to Mexico.
Sorry Tim, but Texas, with the notable exception of Travis county – the "keep Austin wierd" crowd – and those few counties along the border where 70% of the public school kids are illegals and buy into your identity politics, is still a conservative state.
Heck, even the Californians moving here every day are conservatives who can no longer stand being a part of their own beautiful state being trashed by bad democrat policies.
Yes, the last election wasn't as lopsided as the one before it. Big whoop. That's because the only conservative in sight was a veep with some of the worst campaign people in history. But if you want to believe it was some siesmic shift, Tim, you go right ahead and waste your time and money here in the land of no income tax and right to carry gun laws.
Buena suerte, gringo loco...
Keep up the good work Mr. Kaine. Fight for every vote, cede no territory.
Liberals, moderates, and conservatives can exist (and do) in the big-tent Democratic party. Competing ideas within a party are good, which also decreases the likelihood of complacency and staleness.
Democrats can talk about gun issues, life issues, and other important issues relevant to Texas and other states.
Lock-step, hardcore, no-compromising ideology and communication system leads you to where the GOP is at, circling the drain.
and take 'W' with them
"...that margin is less than more than half of what it was..."
yeah ok.
And this sentence is less than more than halfway intelligible!
We welcome you with open arms...Looking forward to some leaderships. Thanks
I have been saying this for some time. Glad to see that the DNC leadership has noticed! Texas is poised to go strongly Democratic along its entire Southern region within 100 miles of the border, in Dallas, and in its Western regions. The only regions in which this does not hold are those that are adjacent to Oklahoma, and those are retreating demographically.
THe wester parts of Texas bear more resemblance to New Mexico and Colorado, and as someone who spent some time in formerly Republican portions of Colorado helping get President Obama elected, aI can say that there 's hope in Texas just as there was in Colorado!
Welcome friend, anything but Palin. No one is blinded by thefailing GOP.