The 134 PAC: Why We Started, How We've Grown, and Where We're Going

Over the last few days, several people have asked me about The 134 PAC—how we got started, why we were created, and what our mission is today.

It's a fair question, and one that's worth answering.

The 134 PAC was founded because we saw a need that wasn't being met. For too long, rural Texas Democrats often felt forgotten. Resources, attention, and organizing efforts understandably followed population centers, but that left many rural communities wondering who was going to invest in them.

We believed rural Texas deserved better. Not because rural organizing is easy, it isn't.

Not because we expected overnight victories...we didn't. But because every Texan deserves to know that someone is willing to show up, listen, organize, and fight alongside them.

That's why The 134 PAC was created.

Since then, we've traveled tens of thousands of miles across this state. We've visited county parties, attended local events, helped candidates, encouraged volunteers, shared ideas, and most importantly, built relationships. We've celebrated successes, learned from setbacks, and never stopped believing that rural Texas matters.

Along the way, we've also been willing to speak up. When we believed rural Texas wasn't receiving the attention it deserved, we said so. We challenged decisions. We asked difficult questions. We pushed for change, not because we wanted conflict, but because we wanted progress.

Sometimes accountability is necessary.

But something important has happened over the past year.

We've begun to see genuine change. Are things perfect? Of course not.

No organization is perfect. No campaign is perfect. No county party is perfect. None of us are.

But we have seen a renewed effort from the Texas Democratic Party to engage rural communities in meaningful ways. We've seen new leadership willing to listen, ask questions, and invite rural organizers into conversations where decisions are being made.

That matters.

A perfect example happened just yesterday. The Chairman of the Texas Democratic Party spent the day walking a four-mile July 4th parade route through a rural Texas community. Not riding in an air-conditioned vehicle. Not making a quick appearance and leaving. Walking. Talking with people. Shaking hands. Taking pictures. Listening.

He could have spent that day in Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, or El Paso.

Instead, he chose rural Texas...deep RED RURAL TEXAS!

Moments like that don't solve every problem, but they do send an important message: rural communities deserve attention, too.

There's an old saying often attributed to Ann Richards:

"If you're not at the table, you're probably on the menu."

For years, rural Democrats struggled to even get a seat at that table.

Today, we're being invited into those conversations. That doesn't mean we stop holding leaders accountable. Accountability is healthy. It makes organizations stronger.

But when you're invited to help build solutions, you also have a responsibility to participate.

That's where The 134 PAC is today. Our mission hasn't changed.

We still believe in strengthening rural Democratic organizations, supporting county parties, developing local leaders, helping candidates, and creating the infrastructure rural Texas deserves.

But our role is evolving. We're moving beyond simply pointing out problems.

We're helping build solutions.

That spirit was on full display at the Texas Democratic Party State Convention.

Our PAC had the opportunity to meet with Democrats from every corner of Texas. We hosted conversations, staffed our booth, participated in panel discussions about rural organizing, strengthened relationships with county leaders, candidates, and organizations, and shared our vision for building long-term Democratic infrastructure across rural Texas.

The response was encouraging. People are recognizing that lasting change doesn't happen during election season alone. It happens county by county, relationship by relationship, volunteer by volunteer.

That's exactly what we've been working toward since day one.

The road ahead won't always be easy.

We'll still disagree at times.

We'll still have difficult conversations.

We'll still push for rural Texas whenever we believe it's necessary.

But we'll also recognize progress when we see it, and we'll continue working with anyone who shares the goal of making our party stronger in every corner of this state.

Because in the end, this has never been about winning an argument.

It's about building something that lasts.

The 134 PAC was founded because rural Texas deserved a voice.

Today, we're proud that voice is being heard.

And we're just getting started.

We Believe in Rural Texas.