Departing head of Travis County Democrats laments perceived divide
Chris Elliott won’t run for party chair in 2008, but two hopefuls have already surfaced

Austin lawyer Chris Elliott, who has presided over the Travis County Democratic Party since 2004, won’t seek a third two-year term as chairman.

Elliott, 45, who alerted officeholders and party leaders to his decision last week, has been county chairman while voters elected Democrats to two local Texas House seats that had been held by Republicans as well as other local offices held by Republicans.

Chris Elliott has led Travis County group since 2004.

Who’s next? Will it be more of the same?

“In Travis County, there’s a sense that the ‘white liberals’ control the party and make all the decisions. While I disagree with that assessment, and I’ve tried to be very inclusive during my term as chair, there is that perception,” Elliott said. “There is still a divide of sorts between the party itself and the African American community and some parts of the Hispanic community.”

Certified public accountant Rosie Mendoza and lawyer Andy Brown have surfaced as aspirants for the unpaid post, to be filled by voters in the March 4 Democratic primary.

Let’s hope there are more than TWO contenders to lead Democrats in Travis County. Texas Democrats need a statewide shot in the arm. Democrats need to be SOMEWHERE on the same page. There is a lot of reparation to be made.

What would Ann Richards do?

What would Barbara Jordan say?

I thought I knew Texas pretty well, but I had no notion of it’s size until I campaigned it ~ Former Governor Ann Richards

I love Texas because Texas is future-oriented, because Texans think anything is possible. Texans think big ~ Senator Phil Gramm

“Good thing we’ve still got politics in Texas - finest form of free entertainment ever invented.” ~ Molly Ivins

“All new states are invested, more or less, by a class of noisy, second-rate men who are always in favor of rash and extreme measures, but Texas was absolutely overrun by such men.” ~ Sam Houston

“There’s an old saying in Tennessee - I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee…that says, fool me once, shame on…shame on you. Fool me…you can’t get fooled again George W. Bush

“The Clinton administration launched an attack on people in Texas because those people were religious nuts with guns. Hell, this country was founded by religious nuts with guns. Who does Bill Clinton think stepped ashore on Plymouth Rock?” ~ P. J. O’Rourke

“All new states are invested, more or less, by a class of noisy, second-rate men who are always in favor of rash and extreme measures, but Texas was absolutely overrun by such men.”- Sam Houston

I am delighted to be here with you this evening because after listening to George Bush all these years, I figured you needed to know what a real Texas accent sounds like. ~[Ann Richards, 1988 keynote address, Democratic National Convention]

“As they say around the [Texas] Legislature, if you can’t drink their whiskey, screw their women, take their money, and vote against ‘em anyway, you don’t belong in office.”~ Molly Ivins

“All new states are invested, more or less, by a class of noisy, second-rate men who are always in favor of rash and extreme measures, but Texas was absolutely overrun by such men.” ~ Sam Houston

“Yogi met George Bush during an election campaign. Bush said Texas was important. Yogi said Texas has a lot of electrical votes.” ~ Yogi Berra quotes

“Guns have little or nothing to do with juvenile violence. The causes of youth violence are working parents who put their kids into daycare, the teaching of evolution in the schools, and working mothers who take birth control pills.” [on causes of the Columbine High School massacre, 1999] ~ Tom DeLay

Naturally, when it comes to voting, we in Texas are accustomed to discerning that fine hair’s-breadth worth of difference that makes one hopeless dipstick slightly less awful than the other. But it does raise the question: Why bother? Oh, it’s just that your life is at stake. Molly Ivins

In Texas, we do not hold high expectations for the [governor's] office; it’s mostly been occupied by crooks, dorks and the comatose. Molly Ivins

I dearly love the state of Texas, but I consider that a harmless perversion on my part, and discuss it only with consenting adults. Molly Ivins

BossKitty sez: Texans have the power to change anything they set their mind to; it just takes a lot to get their attention.