Dateline: April 3, 2008

Local Democrats pick reps for state meeting

Donley County Democrats will send two delegates to the state convention this summer, and both will be supporting New York Senator Hillary Clinton’s bid for the presidency.

County Chair Jean Taylor said all the delegates from last month’s precinct caucuses attended Saturday’s county convention. And while Illinois Senator Barack Obama did have one delegate from Precinct 401, the final result of the county caucus was Clinton 10, Uncommitted 1.

Taylor will attend the State Democratic Convention in Austin on June 6-7 as the local party chair, and her husband, Jim, will be the county’s elected delegate at the state convention.

The county convention also considered resolutions handed up from the precinct caucuses. One dealt with water, one called for increased funding for community colleges, one sought to change the way delegates are chosen for the Democratic Party, one dealt with children’s health insurance, and two pertained to renewable energy sources.

Taylor said all of the resolutions passed at the county level except for the one dealing with changing the party’s delegate system.

“It would have done away with the super delegates, and that would have diminished the influence that Texas has at the national level,” Taylor said.

The remaining resolutions will be forwarded to a committee that will consider placing them before the state convention for a vote.