The Texas Progressive Alliance is proud to announce the House Leadership team of State Rep. Jim Dunnam, State Rep. Garnet Coleman, and State Rep. Pete Gallego as our 2007 recipients of the Texan of the Year award.

There may not be another three individuals who have done more for Democrats in the state of Texas over the past four years than Rep. Jim Dunnam, Rep. Pete Gallego. Together, they have led the fight for the resurgence of the Texas Democratic Party. Every day is another story. They fought through the 2006 elections, and then they fought for the months leading up to the first day of session. They led the fight against Speaker Craddick in the final days of the session, and are now poised to add to the Democratic gains in the House as they continue their roles as Co-Chairs of the House Democratic Campaign Committee.

Their work together is imperative to the continued progress of Democrats in Texas, but it’s their individual efforts that really demonstrate how this leadership team makes the best of one another for the good of all Texans. Here is a brief highlight of what each of these leaders did over the past year:

State Rep. Jim Dunnam

In 2003, we had a mere 62 members in the House in 2003. Today, there are 70, including State Rep. Kirk England who announced his intentions to switch parties and run as a Democrat next cycle. In only 5 years, there was full frontal attack on Speaker Craddick’s ability to lead, launched by one question by the Waco Democrat: “Mr. Speaker, what is the process of removing the Speaker of the Texas House?” His mastery of the House rules is incredible to watch.

During the 80th Regular Session, Rep. Jim Dunnam led efforts to clean up the mess Governor Perry and the Republican leadership made at the Texas Youth Commission. He worked with Rep. Coleman and Rep. Gallego to lead the fight against expanding new tax cuts for the richest 10% of Texans at the expense of health care and education opportunities for Texas families. He passed numerous bills for his district, but he will forever be remembered for the efforts he made on the House floor, challenging the absolute power of Speaker Craddick.

State Rep. Garnet Coleman

Rep. Garnet Coleman is one of the most progressive members of the Texas House. Rep. Coleman filed over sixty piece of legislation, including (1) legislation end tuition deregulation, (2) legislation to overturn the ban on gay marriage, (3) legislation to prevent the construction of any new toll roads anywhere in the state of Texas. But beyond these strong policy positions, he successfully passed legislation to expand health care opportunities for former foster children and double the funding for cancer research. He continued his fight to fully restore CHIP — an effort he’s worked for ever since Speaker Craddick and his allies cut hundreds of thousands of kids off of health care since 2003.

Beyond his legislative work, Rep. Coleman is the top fundraiser for Texas Democrats, and is well-known for his non-stop efforts in supporting House Democrats across the state. He chairs the Legislative Study Group, which received a Silver Star award from the TPA for its incredible policy work.

State Rep. Pete Gallego

Rep. Pete Gallego is the chair of of the largest bipartisan legislative caucus in the Texas House– the Mexican American Legislative Caucus. He also sits on the national board of NALEO. He was a top lieutenant for Speaker Pete Laney, and his trust from that better time in the Texas House allows him to remain as one of the most trusted members in the Texas House.

His policy issues are far-reaching, and can range from helping protect our state’s natural resources to preventing those horrid voter ID bills behind the scenes. Rep. Gallego also helped temper some of the more controversial issues of the session, including immigration and security.

Rep. Gallego often makes waves quietly inside the Capitol, but his efforts help thousands of Texans from all walks of life. Together, Rep. Gallego, Rep. Dunnam, and Rep. Coleman are extremely deserving for our 2007 Texan of the Year award.

Don’t forget! The Texan Of The Year Will Be Announced On Friday!!!!

State Sen. Mario Gallegos

We all like to think that when our beliefs and principles are truly put to the test, that we will be able to answer the call and stand up for the things we hold dear, even if it means putting our own well-being at risk. Most of us never find ourselves in that position, and it’s often just as well, for as the Apostle Peter could tell us, it’s easier said than done. But when it is done, it serves as an inspiration for all of us.

State Sen. Mario Gallegos was in that position this spring. Having undergone a liver transplant shortly after the legislative session began, he spent most of the rest of the session in Houston recuperating. His absence meant that the Democratic Senate caucus had only ten members in it, which by itself was not enough to block a divisive partisan bill, such as the many that were filed to restrict voting rights by requiring photo ID. Sen. Gallegos asked Lt. Gov. Dewhurst to give him notice if a voter ID bill was going to be on the docket, so he could do his duty and prevent it from passing. Dewhurst made a one-time-only guarantee, so against the advice of his doctor, Gallegos arrived in Austin and vowed to stay there until sine die to protect all voters’ rights. And it was a good and necessary thing that he did, as later events proved Dewhurst’s willingness to pass such a bill by any means necessary. His health was weak, but his will was strong, and the battle was at a standstill.

But alas, just as victory seemed assured, his fragile health sent him back to Houston, and it looked like Dewhurst would finally get his chance. And then, when everyone least expected it, he came back, and he left no doubt as to the force of his resolve.

Ailing state Sen. Mario Gallegos, D-Houston, has a hospital bed set up in the sergeant’s office — about a 100 feet from Gallegos’ Senate chamber desk, Monday so that he could help block a contentious voter ID bill from debate.

“I’m hurting. I’m hurting,” Gallegos said a few minutes ago as the Senate went into session.

[...]

In the meantime, Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, is monitoring Gallegos’ health. Deuell is a physician.

In the face of such resistance, Dewhurst finally capitulated, and let Sen. Gallegos return home where he could get the treatment he needed. He left the Senate chamber to a standing ovation, and the lasting gratitude of all Texans who cherish the right to vote.

For literally putting his life on the line in order to protect democratic principles, State Sen. Mario Gallegos is a deserving winner of a Gold Star from the Texas Progressive Alliance.

Molly Ivins. Had Molly Ivins been born in 1984 instead of 1944, she might have been a modern-day blogger. Instead, she was an award-winning, best selling journalist, columnist and author. A Texan, a progressive, a feminist, and a survivor, Molly Ivins passing earlier this year marked the end of an era for Texans and those who loved her fiery, populist brand. Molly Ivins gave progressives a prominent, national, voice.

In honoring someone as distinguished as the late, great Molly Ivins, sometimes it’s best to do so in someone else’s words. In this case, Molly’s:

I used to say, having once been a card-carrying Sixties radical, that if I had to be called a liberal, I’d just as soon be the worst kind of liberal–a bleeding heart. I wound up being a liberal because I was for civil rights and against the war in Vietnam and that’s what I got called. I missed the New Deal and McCarthyism and all that good business.

I’ve got more important things to worry about–three-year-old kids getting raped and denied admission to a hospital because their mamas don’t have any money and things like that. I carry neither brief nor guilt for the many sins of liberals past and present: there’s too much to bleed over. And laugh over.

Indeed, Molly Ivins. Indeed. For this and more, we name you a Texas Progressive Alliance 2007 Gold Star.

Denise Davis. Few stories this year enthralled the politically inclined among us this year like the ongoing turmoil in the Texas House of Representatives. From the Speaker’s race at the onset of the 80th Legislative Session to Rep. Pat Haggerty’s call for members who wanted to remove House Speaker Tom Craddick to take the keys to their voting machines and follow him out of the chamber at the end of the session, this year was a watershed moment in Texas political history. While there were many, many, elected officials who deserve (and, indeed, will receive) recognition and historical remembrance for the parts they played in the pageant of chaos that was the 80th Texas Legislature, one other individual–who happens not to be an elected official–also deserves to be recognized for the role she played in the unprecedented drama. Denise Davis, the former Parliamentarian of the Texas House of Representatives was never an uncontroversial figure. Throughout her tenure–which lasted for nearly three sessions–some Democrats privately criticized Davis for some of her rulings and believed her to be an unrepentant loyalist to House Speaker Tom Craddick. That changed near midnight on May 25, 2007 when Denise Davis walked out of the Parliamentarian’s Office and into the pages of history. Around 9 .m. that night, after House Democratic Leader Jim Dunnam attempted to get Craddick to recognize a motion to vacate the chair, Craddick walked off the dais and left the House in utter chaos, ‘adjourned’ until 11 p.m. What happened in the interim to some degree remains a blur, although one thing is clear: Parliamentarian Denise Davis (and her deputy, Chris Griesel) resigned, and House Speaker Tom Craddick appointed two enforcer-thugs to take their place. Denise Davis departed House Speaker Tom Craddick’s service that night rather than legitimize his dictator-like hold over the Texas House. It is a move that took courage, because the full weight of Craddick’s office–in attempts to keep her quiet about what happened in those last days–came down upon her and demanded she say nothing about her tenure publicly. While Davis, for her own reasons, has not spoken about what happened in those last days and hours of her tenure, one thing is sure: when the history of the 80th Legislature is written, amidst the legislators who will occupy the pages of the texts that tell this story, there will be one other person whose part will be recognized, and that person will be Denise Davis–for her courage.

Technorati Tags Denise Davis, Tom Craddick

Rick and Melissa Noriega. These two Houston Democrats could easily be called Texas’ new Political Power Couple. Melissa Noriega made news early this year with her run for the Houston City Council seat vacated by Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, who resigned the seat to assume the last six weeks of former Congressman Tom DeLay’s term in 2006. Through a special election, a runoff, and a general election battle to win the seat for a full term, Melissa Noriega’s progressive message endeared her to Houston voters, earned her statewide media recognition, and helped mark her as part of a new generation of progressive leaders with statewide potential. Rick Noriega’s story is one that is also well known. A veteran of the “War on Terror,” Rick Noriega started generating buzz early in 2007 as a number of progressive Netroots activists and bricks-and-mortar Democratic activists created a movement to “draft” Noriega into the Democratic Party’s race for United States Senate. Rick Noriega answered the call to service and threw his hat into the ring to take on John Cornyn and the Texas Republican machine in the 2008 election in spite of the fact that he could have easily won reelection to his seat in the Texas Legislature or even run for another office where the fight would have been small to none. Instead, he had the courage to stand up for all Texans and say enough is enough. A true people-powered candidate, Rick Noriega, along with Melissa Noriega, have both made significant sacrifices to serve the people of Texas. For this and many other reasons, the Texas Progressive Alliance is pleased to recognize Rick and Melissa Noriega among its 2007 Gold Stars.

For our Third Annual Texan of the Year Awards, the Texas Progressive Alliance elected to not only name a Texan of the Year–the Texan or Texans who contributed the most to the cause of the Progressive movement in 2007–but also recognize other Texans whose contributions were also important to the Progressive cause and worthy of recognition.

The Texan of the Year will be announced next Friday, December 14. Between now and then, the Texas Progressive Alliance will announce its list of Texans whose contributions to the progressive cause it believed worthy of special recognition. This begins today, with the announcement of the Texas Progressive Alliance’s Silver Stars. Starting Monday, four additional “Gold Stars” will be announced followed by the TOY on Friday.

Without further ado, here are the 2007 Texas Progressive Alliance Silver Stars (in alphabetical order):

Texas Ranger Brian Burzynski. It has been said that persistence is as much a virtue as patience. Inasmuch as that is so, it is also true that persistence pays off. In the case of Texas Ranger Brian Burzynski, persistence also saved thousands of Texas children from a certain Hell at the Texas Youth Commission. For nearly two years, starting in 2005, Burzynski investigated allegations of sexual misconduct in Texas’ juvenile prison system. He was rebuffed by state authorities, local prosecutors, and even the United States Department of Justice. In spite of these rebuffs, Burzynski continued to push his case–investigating, making noise, not letting go, and never taking ‘no’ for an answer. The end result? It broke open one of the largest criminal justice scandals in the history of Texas and brought forward a flood of legislative reforms, and victims. For this and more, the Texas Progressive Alliance is pleased to confer upon Ranger Brian Burzynski a 2007 Texas Progressive Alliance Silver Star.

Hank Gilbert. When Hank Gilbert’s race for agriculture commissioner ended last November, he kept on going. During his 2006 campaign, Gilbert promised Texans that–win or lose–he wouldcontinue to fight against toll roads, mandatory animal ID legislation, and international corporations that threatened the citizens of Texas. Gilbert organized a Texas Independence Day March on Austin. Working with farmers, ranchers, Democratic activists, and disillusioned landowners, brought nearly 1,000 Texans to Austin to testify against the Trans Texas Corridor at a session of the Texas Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security the day before the march. Thousands more Texans showed up the next day to continue the fight. Gilbert has been instrumental in forming a statewide umbrella organization of anti-toll groups to continue the fight against toll-enabling legislation. As a director for Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom, he continues to travel the state and nation speaking out against the takeover of taxpayer funded infrastructure by private interests. For this and more, the Texas Progressive Alliance proudly names Hank Gilbert recipient of a 2007 Texas Progressive Alliance Silver Star.

Congressman Ciro Rodriguez. In 2006, Ciro Rodriguez was the “come back kid” of Texas Politics, winning a seat in congress after a runoff about the time the Texan of the Year for 2006 was announced. This year, Rodriguez took office as part of the first Democratic congress in nearly a generation, and has served his San Antonio-based district honorably. His race is considered one of national Republicans’ top targets, although Rodriguez’s constituent services and his support from Democratic Leaders like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will no doubt help him retain the district.

Texas Bloggers Who Made A Difference. This year, for the first time, Texas Bloggers determined that some of their own were worthy of special recognition for their work during 2007: John Cobarruvias (Bay Area Houston Blog); Vince Leibowitz (Capitol Annex); Edmundo “Xicano Power” Roca (XicanoPwr); and Sharon Wilson (TxSharon of BlueDaze). A note on each blogger:

John Cobarruvias has almost single handedly changed the way Texas legislators use and report their campaign/officeholder expenses. Because he has held their feet to the fire through his Spending Campaign Cash series, organizing a group of volunteers to file complaints against offending legislators and urging media to report on spending abuses, legislators have cleaned up their acts. The Texas Ethics Commission has issued written reminders to legislators about the very problems with reporting expenses that Cobarruvias uncovered.

Vince Leibowitz. As the 80th Session of the Texas Legislature ended in turmoil–with parliamentarians resigning, a walk-out, and two stooges of House Speaker Tom Craddick on the dais as officers of the Texas House, Leibowitz decided that the whole story of those final days wasn’t being told and started digging. Through public information requests, he uncovered a sheaf of documents from House Speaker Tom Craddick’s office that helped piece together exactly what happened in those final hours. No main-stream media outlet had dug into this, and Leibowitz’s work broke new ground and proved that House Speaker Tom Craddick’s actions were the premeditated acts of a Speaker on the edge.

Edmundo Rocha. Blending lends heavy-handed social critiques, local and national politics, and a heaping dose of common sense in his blog, Edmundo Rocha tackles heavy topics like imigration, teenage pregnancy, racial and gender politics, and backs up everything with a sense of style and spirit. With a loyal and unwavering audience (his Texan of the Year nomination, in fact, was suggested in the comments of a blog by one of Edmundo’s readers), Rocha has rapidly become one of the state’s most prominent Latino bloggers. No issue is too tough, and none taboo for this blogger.
Sharon Wilson. Most Texans don’t know what the Texas Railroad Commission is or does. In 2007, one Texas blogger changed that: Sharon Wilson. Wilson’s reporting on the injection well drilling in the Barnett Shale region and its impact on the water quality and the environment in Wise County and surrounding areas has been exceedingly important to bringing wider attention to the dangers this practice poses across the state. Wilson has nearly single-handedly stood up to large oil companies and made the companies and state agencies–including the Texas Railroad Commission–take notice. Relentless in her drive to educate the public and elected officials to the damage being done to the Texas environment, Wilson’s investigative reporting and blogging is worthy of recognition.

Texas Legislative Study Group. The policy clearinhouse for Progressives, the Texas Legislative Study Group is full of unsung heroes. Policy analysts who help Legislators keep up with the more than 50 bills that come up a day in the Texas House, the Texas Legislative Study Group and its policy analysts could perhaps be considered the most important behind-the-scenes players in the legislative process when it comes to safeguarding progressive principles. Legislators carry their reports around on the House floor like bibles. Their arguments against the Appropriations Bill, some versions of Jessica Law, and the Castle Doctrine were masterful. Also important to note is that the brilliant minds behind the work of the LSG aren’t aged policy veterans, but rather among the best Texas minds of more recent generations, “Generation X” in particular. The men and women who daily toil at the LSG are indeed the men and women who will shape Texas public policy for generations into the future.

TexBlog PAC. Started by just a handful of Texas progressive bloggers, TexBlog PAC has harnessed the energy of the online community. In a state with one of the largest netroots communities in America–and the most vibrant progressive blogosphere, TexBlog PAC is poised to build on victories bloggers helped happen in 2004 and 2006. Having already raised over $10,000 in its initial months, the PAC will play a key role for Democrats as we try to take back the House in 2008.

David Van Os. Following his defeat in the 2006 Attorney General’s race, Van Os made good on his promise to “keep fighting ‘em on ice.” From helping groups like TURF in their fight against the private takeover of government infrastructure to helping workers who were intimidated when nooses started showing up in their workplace (securing the removal of both the noose and the supervisor), Van Os hasn’t stopped fighting for working Texans. In addition, from musicians to probation officers to non-profit workers, Van Os has continued his life’s work on behalf of the working men and women of Texas.

State Representative Mike Villarreal. In 2003, many were ready to write Mike Villarreal’s political obituary. Fast forward to 2007, and Villarreal has become one of the Progressive leaders in the Texas House of Representatives. Authoring legislation that would have made created contribution limits for political candidates and an independent redistricting commission, Villarreal took a lead with these progressive issues. In addition, Villarreal took a lead on GLBT rights by authoring HB 900, which would have provided protections from discrimination in housing and employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression for the GLBT community. This, coupled with the compromise he sought to proffer when Republicans tried to take over the House and suspend the constitutional provision concerning the consideration of legislation early in the session, make Villarreal worthy of recognition.

The Alliance announced Boyle’s selection on Wednesday following several days of discussion and voting among writers, editors and owners of some of the state’s most prominent and often read progressive political blogs.

Boyle and Texas Parent PAC were among more than 40 individuals and organizations initially nominated for the honor by the bloggers. The race for Texan of the Year was very close due to the many influential organizations and candidates that played a role in Texas politics during 2005.

Other finalists who were neck-and-neck with Boyle and the Parent PAC included the Dallas County Democratic Party (for their transformation of the political landscape in Dallas County) and State Rep.-elect Juan Garcia (D-Corpus Christi), for the high quality campaign he waged leading to his defeat of Rep. Gene Seaman (R-Corpus Christi) in a tough district.

The selection of Boyle and Texas Parent PAC recognizes the tremendous impact both Boyle–individually– and the PAC had on Texas politics in 2006.

Texas Parent PAC was founded in 2005 by Boyle, a former public relations executive who is well-known in the Texas Capitol as an advocate for Texas public schools.

In the midst of an overly-partisan, anti-public education atmosphere that has engulfed the Texas Legislature since its takeover by Republicans in 2002, Texas Parent PAC has had in one election cycle as a great an impact as groups such as The Texas Association of Business, Texans For Lawsuit Reform, and Texans for a Republican Majority did in 2002.

“Carolyn Boyle and Texas Parent PAC proved that you don’t have to be a prominent, wealthy donor to make positive changes in the Texas political landscape,” said San Antonio’s Matt Glazer, Senior Writer for Austin-based Burnt Orange Report and founder of Just Another Blog. “Overnight, Parent PAC became the most sought-after endorsement in Texas politics,” Glazer continued.

“This election cycle, Carolyn Boyle and Texas Parent PAC showed that soccer moms and PTA dads speak as loud as the James Leininger’s and Bob Perry’s, and that the folks those guys have been helping get elected all these years aren’t doing the job when it comes top public education,” said Vince Leibowitz of Grand Saline, publisher of Capitol Annex.

Candidates echoed similar sentiments. “Carolyn Boyle and Texas Parent PAC are the Davids who slew about 5 Goliaths. It shows that the electoral process in Texas still can work,” said State Rep.-Elect Juan Garcia.

“Texas Parent PAC helped, almost single-handedly, change the debate on public education over the past year.  In my race, when a handful of fringe, Republican donors attempted to buy an election, Parent PAC stood up and would not allow it to happen.  Texas, and the upcoming legislative session, will be a better, bipartisan place because of Carolyn Boyle and Texas Parent PAC,” said State Rep.-Elect Joe Farias, who ran in a district where Texas Parent PAC made a significant difference.

During the 2006 Republican Primary, Parent PAC supported pro-education Republicans over voucher advocates and other candidates who have been on the wrong sides of many public education issues. The first jewel in Parent PAC’s crown this year came when Dianne Patrick defeated State Rep. Kent Grusendorf in House District 94. In defeating Grusendorf, Parent PAC not only defeated its top target in 15 races in which it was actively involved, it also brought down the powerful Chairman of the House Public Education Committee.

During the general election, Parent PAC branched out, and supported Democrats as well, playing key roles in House District 118 where former school board member Joe Farias defeated George Antuna, a former staffer for Kay Bailey Hutchison.

In all, Parent PAC claims 11 victories between the primary and general election, including both Republicans and Democrats. The PAC raised money from more than 500 donors from across Texas.

Parent PAC winners included:

H.D. 32: Juan Garcia, D-Corpus Christi (defeated Rep. Gene Seaman)
H.D. 47: Valinda Bolton, D-Austin (open seat)
H.D. 48: Representative Donna Howard, D-Austin, (special election victory against Ben Bentzin in Feb.)
H.D. 54: Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen (open seat)
H.D. 71: Susan King, R-Abilene (open seat)
H.D. 72: Drew Darby, R-San Angelo (defeated Rep. Scott Campbell in the primary)
H.D. 85: Joe Heflin, D-Crosbyton (open seat of former Speaker Pete Laney)
H.D. 94: Diane Patrick, R-Arlington (defeated Grusendorf in the primary)
H.D. 101: Thomas Latham, R-Sunnyvale (defeated Rep. Elvira Reyna in the primary)
H.D. 107: Allen Vaught, D-Dallas (defeated Rep. Bill Keffer, another House Public Education Committee member)
H.D. 118: Joe Farias, D-San Antonio (open seat)
H.D. 134: Ellen Cohen, D-Houston (defeated Rep. Martha Wong)

ABOUT THE AWARD & THE ALLIANCE

The award is in its second year. In 2005, The Texas Progressive Alliance’s Texan of the Year award was given to State Rep. Carter Casteel (R-New Braunfels) for her courageous fight against school vouchers and on behalf of Texas public schools. The award gained such notoriety following its inception, Casteel’s receipt of the award was actually used against her in print advertising by her opponents in the 2006 Republican Primary.

The Texas Progressive Alliance includes more than 25 blogs and more than two dozen blog writers, editors and owners from across Texas. These blogs are: The Agonist, Annatopia, Bay Area Houston, Brains & Eggs, Burnt Orange Report, Casual Soap Box, Capitol Annex, Common Sense, District Sixer, Dos Centavos, Eye on Williamson County, Greg’s Opinion, Half Empty, In The Pink Texas, The Jeffersonian, Just Another Blog, Kuff’s World, McBlogger, Marc’s Miscellany, MindSpeak, Musings, North Texas Liberal, Off The Kuff, People’s Republic of Seabrook, Pink Dome, The Red State, South Texas Chisme, Texas KaOS, Truth Serum Blog, and Wyld Card.

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