Reply #2: Also, from Boyd

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Here is a note I got from Boyd about why he was running.

I am running for State Party Chair for the simple reason that I love the Texas Democratic Party. I would like to try to give back through my time, talent and energy so that others may experience those things with which I have been blessed.

To understand this, I have to begin with my earliest campaign experiences. When I was ten years old my father had me and my siblings knocking doors and block walking for Ralph Yarborough in his races for governor. Those were in the days of Allen Shivers and the Shivercrats when politicians could file to run in both party primaries. Ralph Yarborough was so progressive that many people believed that he was a “fifth columnist” sympathizer. After we were able for Ralph to win a special election for U.S. Senate, I was fortunate enough to be appointed as a U.S. Senate Page. That allowed me to go to Washington, D.C., see John F. Kennedy inaugurated, and attend high school in the Library of Congress. I was in “hog heaven” for someone who had been raised in such a committed Democratic household.

In 1976, I ran against an incumbent District Attorney over a three county judicial district (he was a closet Republican). I was successful in that campaign and I have been successful in three subsequent campaigns for Young County Attorney. The Democratic Party has enabled me to feed, clothe, and educate my family. It has also shaped my character along with my spiritual values. In short I am a Christian because I am a Democrat and not in spite of it. However, my faith is very personal to me and I find it wholly unacceptable to attempt to impose my values on others particularly in matters of public policy.

I have worked on hundreds of campaigns in the last fifty years. Some were successful and some weren’t. However, the position of State Chair is not to run campaigns. Indeed, each campaign, stands on its own. While coordinated campaigns may be strategically advantageous, in the final analysis, the State Chair is a facilitator. My thought is that the primary function of the State Chair is to raise funds to continue the work and indeed the existence of the Party. If we don’t get our financial house in order, all of the technology and campaign strategy will not matter.

It is my position that our Party has been woefully deficient in the matter of minority recruitment and outreach. As Chair I will seek to identify, promote, and support minority leadership and candidates at every level. I am particularly proud that my first endorsement for this position was from Sheriff Greg Hamilton, the first African-American sheriff of a major metropolitan area in the history of Texas. In addition the first State Representative to endorse me was Representative Rafael Anchia of Dallas.

I am committed to rebuilding the infrastructure of our Party system across the state. Great strides have been made by staff additions to this effort and it is vital to our future success that we rebuild this Party from the ground up.

I have always believed that Democratic women may be the sole salvation of this Party – after all, we men don’t seem to have done such a wonderful job. To this end, I have always encouraged my wife to take leadership roles as precinct chair, county chair, past president of TDW, and as a Texas representative on the DNC. In addition, in 2000, Betty ran for state representative as the first female Democratic Party nominee in the 68th District which covered 13 counties and 11,000 square miles. We campaigned day and night. This was Betty’s first race for public office and while we were not successful, she was able to garner almost 43% of the vote and her fundraising was wonderful particularly in a Northwest Texas District which had never seen such a candidate. Our Party MUST do more to promote our talented women. After all, Donna Howard is just the beginning!!!

Unity is the key to our success. While I am not naïve enough to believe that I alone possess the ability to bring all of our disparate factions into harmonious unity, I do believe that I possess the skills to facilitate respectful dialogue. Hopefully, this is the springboard that will allow us to recognize that we are all in this together and we win only when we are unified.

I am sure that I have overlooked some things that I would like to communicate but what I am sending to you is what is on my heart.

Thank you,
Boyd