I want to tell y'all a story about a lady named Elaine MItchell. She lives in Concho County (popl 3,000) out on the Edwards Plateau. It is cattle country. She called our party Secretary in San Angelo wanting to find out how she could become a delegate to the State Democratic Convention since there was no Democratic County Party where she lived. I called her back and we started working through the steps with her to get her and her husband pre-registered. Then we started talking about holding a County Convention in Eden. (Marco Orrentia and the TDP Staff were a great help throughout this process.)
At the same time, Omar Saldibar had been encouraged by another local Democrat, to become the Democratic County Chair. Elaine and her husband Mark did not even know about Omar until she went to vote and saw Omar's names on the ballot for County Chair. Omar had no experience in party politics. Neither did Elaine. But on their own initiative they began figuring it out, found out about each other, and The 134 PAC offered to help. Some might call it a coincidence. But I do not believe in coincidences.
Yesterday, I was present when Omar called to order the the first Democratic County Convention in living memory in that county at the library in Eden, Texas. I was expecting maybe three people. Eleven Democrats showed up.
With a little guidance, they elected their two delegates to the State Convention. and passed three resolutions, one on rural heath care, one on term limits and one on rural broadband. They wanted to make sure the voices or rural people were heard at the State Convention, I was so glad to be there to witness this historic moment.
They did not leave before planning their next meeting in April and discussing their desire to meet on a regular basis and form a county party for their small county of 3,000 people. We will continue with them on this journey. The thing we know that many rural Democrats do not, is we think we are alone out here, but we aren't. We have each other, and hope for the future.
Jon Mark Hogg is a San Angelo lawyer, co-Founder of The 134 PAC and is County Chair of Tom Green County in San Angelo, Texas.