The Gonzales County Democrats kicked off the fall campaign season in style with a Sunday afternoon get-together at the American Legion Hall in Gonzales.
A crowd of roughly 100 Democratic Party supporters and well-wishers gathered for a good old-fashioned political pep rally, hearing stump speeches from local Gonzales County candidates as well as candidates and representatives from statewide and national races.
Democratic Party Chair Ken Mosher II kicked off the event shortly after 3 pm by greeting all of the Democrats who turned out to hear the candidates and introducing Antonio “Tony” Espinosa, candidate for Justice of the Peace in Precinct One. Espinosa was followed on the dais by Judge Eulogio “Lacho” Melchor, Justice of the Peace in Precinct Three. The JP candidates were followed by Mike Harris, candidate for County Commissioner in Precinct Two and Larry Davis, candidate for County Commissioner in Precinct Four. County Judge David Bird rounded out the slate of local Democratic candidates.
Each of the local candidates laid out their positions on issues relating to their particular precincts and Gonzales County as a whole. Each emphasized the importance, especially in this election cycle, of getting every single Democrat in the county out to the polls in November to support the entire Democratic ticket.
Following the local candidates, Frank Estrada, Mayor Pro-tem from Lockhart, spoke on behalf of Bill White, who is running for Governor. White is the incredibly popular former Mayor of Houston, who achieved 80-90 percent approvals during his tenure in that office.
Texas State Senate candidate Pat Olney gave an impressive speech about the need to grow the economy of Texas again and more specifically in Senate District 18. Olney spoke about the need to get Texas back in the business of building our economy again, rather than just cutting budgets and running from the economy as our current Republican legislature has done, pointing specifically to the money the legislature has proposed cutting from the teacher’s retirement fund in an effort to make up for Governor Rick Perry’s $18 billion dollar budget shortfall. She reminded her audience that Senate District 18 has consistently, until very recently, been a strong Democratic District, and that it is time for this to be a solid Democratic stronghold once again.
The highlight of the afternoon was the keynote speech by Congressman Lloyd Doggett. The congressman was in exceptional form giving a hard hitting and poignant speech about the hard work being undertaken right now in the House of Representatives, and detailing the work he has done on behalf of this county including the millions of dollars that have come here for the Nixon-Smiley School District, Gonzales EMS, the Waelder Fire Department, Gonzales Healthcare Systems and the Gonzales County Sherriff’s Department.
He also expressed, in no uncertain terms, his displeasure with the fact that federal monies sent to Texas to be used for education had been diverted by Governor Perry into other projects.
Doyle Hines wrapped up the event with a brief discussion of the need for the Gonzales County Democrats to organize, work hard, raise money, and stick together, in order to be victorious in November.
– By Ken Mosher, II
Source: Gonzales Enquirer
