Scoop: Texas Dems chair calls on party leader to resign after racist comment
Source: Axios
Why it matters: It's the first time Hinojosa, or the party, has publicly addressed the comment by Nancy Nichols, a member of the state Democratic Executive Committee from East Texas.
- "This is not a person that we want to be a part of our party, and I think she should resign from the executive committee " Hinojosa said, adding that he has not asked Nichols directly to resign as he gathers more information.
- Her comment "is a stain on our party," he noted.
The big picture: Nichols' comment came on a Feb. 8 call with Democratic county chairs when she mentioned a Tyler campaign event for gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke.
- "We had the trumpers at our Beto event today in Tyler," she wrote in the Zoom call chat obtained by Axios. "We had all kinds of quiet security, but basically the event was held on the chocolate side of town & the trumpers drove around, but kept a distance. I believe they were afraid to get out. Good."
- Of note: Nichols, who is white, represents Senate District 1, where Black residents make up roughly 17% of the population.
Read more: https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2022/02/24/texas-democrats-party-leader-resign-racist-apology
sigh.....
One of my standard questions when talking to DNC leadership is whether the State Parties they are sending financial resources to have their act together. This would give me pause.
Lonestarblue
(9,878 posts)Its one of the most extremist, crazy right-wing parts of Texas. Im sure shes heard that part of town described in derogatory terms all her life if shes a native. Louie Gohmert, one of the dumbest politicians on earth, is from Tyler,,Texas.
OneBro
(1,159 posts)And yet, I find myself asking . . . Is that all she said? I mean, was she someone with a history of costing the party more than she contributes, or is this a southern flavored one-off? I find the comment hella irritating, but offensive? Racist? I can't speak for the people of Tyler, but the response seems a bit much.
JI7
(89,173 posts)an apology or acknowledgement of what she said being offensive might be better.
onetexan
(12,994 posts)If this is the first occurence, agree she should apologize.
BelieveCassandra
(39 posts)She apologized during the call and afterwards; please read the entire article. She is a super activist & organizer, fighting a battle for changes in the party for policy and messaging changes in regards to rural Texas vote. I suspect this also includes pushing for party leadership changes, and the leader is pushing back.
The rural TX county I am in gets ZERO financial resources from DNC leadership, our volunteers are retired people, scraping together what we can to do mailings, GOTV efforts, texting - they all cost money. Ms. Nichols had been demanding more from the state party and an accounting of how the state party allocates resources.