50-State Strategy: Texas has COURAGE

John Courage is running for Congress is the 21th Congressional District of Texas. I had the opportunity to meet him before I came to the DNC, while I was working in Texas and a few things were apparently evident: he is a favorite of his District's activists, he is working hard, he's got the right stuff and he's got momentum.

Today MyDD profiles him as their latest addition to the netroots list.

This week, John took the time to answer a few questions.

What made you decide to run for Congress?

I’m running to restore honesty and integrity to Congress and to go to Washington to make government work for the people.

What is it like for Dems in Texas right now?

The atmosphere and attitudes of Texas Democrats is really great right now. More and more ‘new’ Democrats are stepping up to take back Texas and take back our country. The Democratic establishment in Texas is getting reinvigorated by this wave of determined, energetic Democratic Activists!

What about your opponent? What do we need to know?

Consistently over nearly 20 years my opponent has voted:

• against supporting public education by not fully funding federally mandated educational programs like IDEA and NCLB
• against healthcare by voting to cut Medicare funding and promoting private health plans and supporting this disastrous Medicare Plan D program that is too complex and too expensive
• against our veterans by allowing medical facilities in his district to deteriorate, by raising their cost of services, by not being responsive to veterans groups that have asked for his help
• against the environment by supporting Big Oil and the coal mining industry with tax breaks and relief from meeting pollution standards that has allowed a dangerous increase in global warming, by not voting to really fund alternative energy development
• against protecting Social Security and earned retirement programs by voting to privatize Social Security and by voting to deregulate the protections for worker retirement programs

I could go on and on, suffice it to say he is on the opposite side of most of the people who live and work in the 21st Congressional District.

What are you hearing from people on the ground?

They are ready for a change. They are tired of the culture of corruption in Washington and the cost of corruption in Congress, the no bid contracts, the tax breaks for companies making huge profits, the earmarks, the lack of meaningful legislation on education, healthcare, the economy, the rising deficit, a war with no end in sight etc. etc. etc. They want a government that works! In a recent poll we conducted only 31% of the voters in my district would vote to reelect Smith if the election were held tomorrow. 69% would vote for a new representative who will serve the public interest, not the private and special interests. I am that representative.

What has the campaign been like so far?

We launched our field program on Memorial Day. We have hundreds of volunteers committed to walking calling and mailing. We are energizing our base and identifying committed Democratic voters and likely ones as well and we are planning on informing independent and disaffected Republican voters (of which there are many, with the numbers growing daily) about what I stand for as a person and what I will do in Congress on their behalf. We also are preparing our media campaign which will kickoff this summer and we will be using all forms of media, mail, newspapers, radio, television and the internet. We have a comprehensive media program going. We are also holding a series of Town Hall style meetings in every county in the district to communicate with voters on a personal basis.

Working in Texas was quite the surprise. I didn't expect to find a thriving community of committed activists deep in the heart of Texas, but I did. Just another reason why we need The 50-State Strategy, and and why it is going to work.

[UPDATE]: The Courage Campaign just let me know that they will be hosting events for The Democratic Reunion. RSVP for Austin or San Antonio!

Comments (9) «

I'm happy to live in John Courage's district in SW Austin. I attended the Austin fundraiser in April where Sen. Russ Feingold spoke on John's behalf. I have a yardsign in my front yard proclaiming "Congress Needs Courage". Boy, isn't that the truth!!! Looking forward to November.

1

lw on June 30, 2006 at 12:23 PM

Marvelous interview!

We certainly need more people like John Courage to run for, be elected to, and serve as congressman; not only for those in the 21st of Texas, but all of America.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Work it, lw.

2

Esmeralda on June 30, 2006 at 01:07 PM

Glad to join this space for a great Democratic party

3

Eljefe on June 30, 2006 at 03:59 PM

I am working very hard to elect all democrats looking for office in November, Courage is the best.

4

Eljefe on June 30, 2006 at 04:01 PM

I am working very hard to elect all democrats looking for office in November, Courage is the best.

5

Eljefe on June 30, 2006 at 04:01 PM

I am working very hard to elect all democrats looking for office in November, Courage is the best.

6

Eljefe on June 30, 2006 at 04:02 PM

There are actually some promising Democratic candidates in solidly RED states. Finally instead of the Democrats "having a good run," they actually have a shot in these states.

7

angry_idealist on June 30, 2006 at 09:01 PM

A 50 state strategy will work best as a 1 nation strategy. We must be on the offensive as often as possible. This will secure our majority and sway those middle voters that we are the way to go. No offense but to those of you on the political inside, you may be a bit removed from what we everyday people think. I promise you that the single thing that irritates so many of us is that we are sick to death of the Republicans firing at us with baseless attacks while we have the basis to rip them pieces politically and,,,,we dont. Why dont we hammer away with each and every failure of the republicans and insist over and over that not only are we the better choice, we are the only choice. Americans like confidence that borders on arrogance. Its gotten Bush elected twice. Bush once said "you gotta catapult the propaganda." If we keep repeating ourselves over and over, eventually, the message will sink in. How do I get a job for the party as a strategist?

8

Siren on July 2, 2006 at 12:01 AM

I believe the 50 state strategy is a good policy, necause it targets the whole of America, not just the portions deemed most highly revered, however... I also believe the idea to be strategically unsound, within the context of the Electoral College (and I understand that is what this marketing campaign is developed around) will be the tool that corrupts the strategy. Ultimately proving to be the failing of your strategy... This is proven by the fact that you are trying to the 34 electoral votes in TX... and are highlighting that fact.
the problem dies not lay (at this point) with the system the rules are based on, but on how the extortion of the rules has been used to your disadvantage and how we, as democrats, must match their evil with our own.
yes this puts us at a disadvantage because many of our government representatives do not have the spinelessness of a Bush, Lay or Frist... but we can acknowledge the need to secure states like IL, OH,PN, or really any other state with over 10 electoral votes over the acquisition of South Dakota. Not that we should not represent the best interests of South Dakota (with 3 Electoral Votes), but we should ...as you believe... consider the aggregate good. And be able to lie, cheat and steal to get that goal accomplished.

9

Lamiaconfitor on July 3, 2006 at 03:04 AM

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