Dallas attorney Taj Clayton today announced that his congressional campaign raised $216,253.74 in the last 10 weeks of 2011.

“We’re off to a very strong start, and this is only the beginning. We are gaining momentum as people get to know me and see what I’m about. We’ve exceeded our expectations because people are ready for new results and new leadership. We’re tired of seeing South Dallas County deal with the same problems year after year. The time for change is here,” said Clayton.

Renee Hartley, Clayton’s campaign manager, said the good fundraising start occurred even without the support of political action committees and loans from the candidate. “By raising all the campaign’s money from individuals, Clayton is answering an important question about viability,” said Hartley.

“I think Taj Clayton’s fundraising totals show that there are a lot of people not willing to wait for the torch to be extinguished before it’s passed to a new generation of leaders,” said Hartley. “We need some fresh blood and new ideas, and a lot of people are excited about what Taj has to offer South Dallas County. He’s a special leader.”

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson released the following statement on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ resignation from the U.S. House of Representatives:

“Congresswoman Giffords’ unbreakable spirit is a lesson that fear will not drive us. Unity and the dedication to our democracy will help us rise above all adversity.

The victims of this tragedy were individuals who were committed to the well-being of their community. They had gathered that Saturday morning a year ago in Tucson to discuss making their community and our world a better place. It is in good spirit that before Congresswoman Giffords resigns she has chosen to finish what she started by holding a private gathering in Tucson with some of the people who were at present that tragic day a year ago.

As Ranking Member on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology I have worked with Congresswoman Giffords closely for the past five years, where she served as both the Chairwoman and Ranking Member of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee.

She has made an immeasurable contribution to our work on the Committee, and has been a steadfast champion of NASA and encouraging our next generation of scientists. She is one of the most devoted Members of the House of Representatives, and has served our country with distinction.

Congresswoman Giffords is a shining example of our Democratic system of government – a system where we all have a voice. As she departs these hallowed halls of Congress, I take comfort from the fact that she is doing so to devote her energies to restoring her full health, and I wish her the best in her continuing recovery. She and her family will remain in my thoughts and prayers.

I pray that we can rise together as a nation and embody those values of service that Congresswoman Giffords has personified.”

In 2012, residents of Dallas County will have the opportunity to break free from the status quo. If the moment is seized voters could trigger historic changes that would resonate throughout the state.

Will citizens of Southern Dallas be content with business as usual or will they help facilitate a changing of the guard that many believe is long overdue?

The most anticipated races in recent memory involve two of the most recognizable political figures in Texas: Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price and Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson.  Both have been entrenched in their positions for years, due in large part to name recognition that past challengers have not been able to overcome.  But in 2012 they could be as vulnerable as they have ever been.

In 2011 Commissioner Price became the target of an ongoing FBI investigation, though no indictments have been handed down. It’s hard to predict how voters will view the commissioner’s legal troubles.  History shows that JWP’s constituents are very forgiving.

Congresswoman Johnson hit a speed bump in 2010 when it was revealed that four of her relatives and a top aide’s two children received scholarship money from the Congressional Black Caucus.  The Congresswoman has since repaid the scholarship money, but it remains to be seen if this issue will linger in the minds of voters.

In either case, the question becomes will voters be compelled to make a change in 2012?  Neither incumbent has embraced the role of mentor during their tenure.  No one has been “groomed” to step into these positions. However, for the first time there appears to be formidable opponents in each race.

For Commissioner Price, Betty Culbreath is a familiar foe having worked for the Commissioner from 1985-1991. Ms. Culbreath touts herself as having a “Record of Making a Difference” and has been quoted as referring to Commissioner Price’s effectiveness as “an illusion.”

Ms. Culbreath is a seasoned veteran and understands how to navigate the treacherous political waters in Dallas County. On the other hand, challenger Sylvia Rhodes Bradley (SRB) has virtually no political experience. She declared that she would run as an independent, then as a Democrat, now as an independent once again.  SRB will have an uphill battle.  The same can be said for Rev. Micah Phillips.

Challengers for the U.S. House District 30 seat mirror those in the County Commissioners race.  Congresswoman Johnson will have to fend off Barbara Mallory Caraway, another seasoned political veteran, who spent 8 years on the Dallas City Council and most recently served in the Texas House of Representatives District 110.

Attorney Taj Clayton faces a daunting task and at the end of the day his lack of experience may work against him. But his implementation of an effective Social Media and fundraising strategy could make things interesting.

In the end, the outcomes of both of these races will be decided by Southern Dallas voters.  Commissioner Price and Congresswoman Johnson have held a stronghold in Southern Dallas that no one has been able to break.

They have also both benefited from voter apathy as their districts are known for low turnouts at the polls.  Now more than ever the voting savvy of Southern Dallas voters will be on display.

Will residents of Southern Dallas be able to move past name recognition and toward analyzing the effectiveness of the incumbents?  Is Southern Dallas ready to usher in a change?  In the words of the great Richard Pryor, we will see.

Michael Hubbard is a freelance writer and blogger.  A native of Dallas, TX, he is a proud graduate of James Madison High School.  Michael brings a unique, hometown perspective to his political and social commentary.  You can follow his opinions atmikeondallas.blogspot.com, and Mike can be reached at Mhubbard23@aol.com.

Betty Culbreath, candidate for Dallas County Commissioners Court District 3

Betty Culbreath, who carries a packed resume of experience in Dallas politics, has chosen to jump into the race against her former mentor John Wiley Price because “enough is enough.”

“If the new court will not take a stand and declare enough is enough from one commissioner, then someone has to do that,” she said. “It’s plain as daylight that it’s time, and that’s what surprises me. I thought the new court would have the fortitude to make decisions to benefit the people, but they don’t.”

Culbreath worked for Price at the beginning of his career as a commissioner from 1985 to 1991. She said in that time, Price was a different man who had the people in mind and got along with those that didn’t share similar ideology – something she thinks is missing now.

“To me, it’s almost like Commissioner Price has been there so long that the positions that he takes is like the district belongs to him personally, and however he wants to use the power of the position, to intimidate or punish, he will do that,” she said.

And while Culbreath admits Price still has a following in Southern Dallas, she believes that when he is made to answer hard questions, that popularity will fade. She equated him to Rick Perry, who she said “could never have lost in Texas” before he was up on the national stage answering the tough questions. Now, Culbreath said, “Perry would never win.”

“It’s very easy to paint an illusion as long as you don’t have to answer any real questions,” she said. “If you never have any opponents, you get up and protest and punch the button that you know is important to your people.”

The “button” Culbreath thinks Price is pushing is “the race card,” which she said he plays to his advantage in order to gather the support of his people even when “race has nothing to do with it.” She believes the people who support Price will be swayed by his inability to demonstrate the real effects of his time in office.

“When you ask people why they support him, they say, ‘Well he has done a lot for us,’ but when you ask them they cannot tell you one thing he has actually done. Not one,” she said.

Culbreath said she believes that “if given the chance” the people of Southern Dallas will choose to vote for someone else, and that the person with the best name recognition and track record will be able to win – two things she believes she has.

“[My opponents] have no record in this city, I have one,” she said. “I have big name identification in this city, I have integrity. I have worked for the county for years. I don’t have to go down there and have on the job training, and people know that.”

She believes her motivations for running for office also set her ahead of her opponents, who she speculated may be looking for a new job.

“I am not looking for a career, I’m not looking for a check. It’s gotten to the point where I could not allow the commissioner to continue to behave like he is,” she said.

If she does beat out Price for his seat, she said her first move will be to focus her efforts on attracting businesses to the area that may have been intimidated to move to Southern Dallas because of Commissioner Price.

“The first thing I would do is to let the people know that the district is clean, that you don’t have to pay to play,” she said. “I will let them know that I will do anything within my power as a county official to help them.”

Read the rest of Jessica’s interview with Ms. Culbreath at Politically-Inclined.com

Democrat Taj Clayton today filed for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Congress,  to represent Texas’ 30th Congressional District.

“I am running for Congress because without new leadership, we won’t get new results.  We need a fresh start,” said Clayton. “We need to improve the way we address problems in Washington now if we’re ever going to improve the results we get in our community.  We need better jobs and better schools, not the same problems that we’ve had year after year. I can provide new leadership to take South Dallas and the surrounding communities in a new direction. My number one goal is to make sure everyone in this area has an equal opportunity to achieve the American Dream no matter where they live.”

For weeks it has been assumed that community activist Claudia Fowler would run in the Democratic Primary for District 110 in the Texas House of Representatives.  Fowler worked with Obama Dallas back in 2008, has worked with the Urban League and currently hosts “The Queen of Community Conversation,” on the DFWiRadio.com.

The last two times I saw Claudia she said she was seriously considering becoming a candidate herself. But today the word came down that Ms. Fowler has decided not to run, and is throwing her support behind Larry Taylor.

District 110 currently includes Fowler’s home area of Joppa.  “I care deeply about Joppa and my district and had even been considering a run myself,” said Fowler in a recently released statement.

She went on to say ““I am enthusiastic about Larry Taylor’s campaign because he shares my Democratic values and because he will stand up for the needs of this community.”  Fowler said she will encourage citizens of Joppa as well as her friends and family to support Taylor’s candidacy.

State Representative Eric Johnson (D-Dallas) announced today that he has officially filed for re-election to the Texas House of Representatives in District 100.  Johnson has represented District 100 since April 2010, after winning a hotly contested Democratic primary election over a longtime incumbent with 75% of the vote and a subsequent special election where he ran unopposed.  Johnson was then re-elected in November 2010.

“Last session’s failure to adequately fund our public schools and to provide for the basic needs of our community has made a difficult situation even worse for the working families of Texas,” said Representative Johnson. “I want to return to Austin for the 83rd Texas Legislature so I can work to make education, from Pre-K to PhD, a real priority in our state.  Without a renewed focus on education, Texas will be unable to compete in the global marketplace in which we now find ourselves,” concluded Johnson.

Although it was only his first session, Representative Johnson was appointed to two prominent standing committees of the Texas House: the powerful Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Higher Education.  Johnson authored thirteen pieces of legislation, including a groundbreaking ethics reform bill aimed at public corruption.

Two measures that Johnson authored, one dealing with election reform and the other dealing with criminal justice reform, were signed into law.  Having distinguished himself during his first session, Johnson was named by Speaker Joe Straus to the House and Senate Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence, and Transparency, the only freshman member to be appointed from either the Texas House or the Texas Senate.

Since the conclusion of the 82nd Texas Legislature, Representative Johnson has received a number of awards, including the first ever Courage in Public Service Award from the Dallas Regional Chamber.  The Texas Junior Chamber of Commerce has also named him one of their Five Outstanding Young Texans for 2011.

Larry Taylor

Former Eddie Bernice Johnson staffer and current Craig Watkins prosecutor Larry Taylor has filed as a candidate for the Texas House 110 Democratic Primary in 2012.  ”I am excited to begin this journey to bring House District 110′s values to Austin,” Taylor said in a message to supporters “but I cannot do this alone.”

Last week Taylor dropped by our newsroom to discuss his decision to run for elected office.  He’s worked for the House Parliamentarian in Austin, as Director of Outreach for Congresswoman Johnson and a Misdemeanor Prosecutor for Dallas County.  ”I decided to take my public service to a new level,” he said.  ”Having worked with state, federal and now local agencies has provided me with insight on how I can further help House District 110,” said Taylor.

The Man In the Bow Tie

Mr. Taylor is touting the endorsement of his current boss Dallas County District Attorney Watkins as well as State Senator Royce West, saying he would consider himself “blessed to be able to join Senator West in the State Legislature.”  Taylor said he has reached out to many local officials though he has yet to speak with current District 110 Representative Barbara Mallory Caraway.

Anyone who has watched Taylor as he’s moved around Dallas the last few years can’t help but notice that he’s always fitted with a bow tie.  He said he does so because of something his great-grandmother said when she saw him in a bow tie one day.

“She told me I looked exactly like my great-grandfather who worked on the train,” Taylor explained.  ”Since then I’ve always worn bow ties,”  he said, “my great-grandfather and I were very close.”

Education and Business for District 110

According to Taylor, education is going to be a big focus of his campaign and would be an issue he would champion in Austin.  He doesn’t have to look very far to find someone who will give him an earful about the state of education in Texas. “I just call my mom and put her on speaker phone,” said Taylor, “because she’s a teacher.”  He called recent budget cuts to state education “a bad move” saying teachers are having to do more with less resources for their students.

The Texas A&M and Thurgood Marshall School of Law graduate also says he wants to bring more business opportunities to the area that currently includes portions of Dallas, Balch Springs, Hutchins, Mesquite, Seagoville, and unincorporated Dallas County.

“You shouldn’t have to travel outside the district for everything,” Taylor said.  ”If we can’t get Starbucks to come to our community, there has to be someone in District 110 that can make a good cup of coffee,” he said.  ”Then we have to support them”

Part of a New Generation

As more candidates for the 2012 race make themselves known, it’s clear that a younger group of Dallas .  ”A lot of our current elected officials are my mentor’s,” he explained,” but I’m that new generation, with a new way of thinking.”  Taylor said it’s important that younger leaders respect those who have come before them and use their lessons to build a better tomorrow.

He joins Sylvia Rhodes Bradley (Dallas County Commissioner Court Place 3) and Taj Clayton (U.S. House District 30) as candidates who are running as part of the new guard in Southern Dallas. But most of all he hopes to join State Representative Eric Johnson who actually broke through and won his Texas House 100 race last year. “My skill set and my experience make me a good fit for the State House position.”

For more information about this candidate, visit www.votelarrytaylor.com

Democrat Taj Clayton officially filed paperwork to launch his candidacy for United States Congress in Texas’s 30th District.

Clayton kicked off his campaign saying, “Our community represents the greatest untapped resource in Texas. I’m running to make sure we reach our full potential. For too long, people have been talking about lifting up our community, but we face the same problems year after year. We don’t have any more time for talking. We need better jobs, better schools and safer streets today. We need a fresh start to make things happen right now through new ideas, a new approach, and a new direction. There’s no time to waste.”

The son of former glass factory workers, Clayton worked his way through Harvard College where he graduated with Honors. He went on to receive his law degree from Harvard Law School. Today, he practices law at Fish & Richardson in downtown Dallas where he specializes in commercial litigation. Clayton has been recognized as a “Rising Star” by Texas Super Lawyers magazine.

Taj Clayton and his wife of eleven years, Tonika, live in DeSoto with their two young daughters, Daisha and Raiya.

Last week, the Dallas Morning News reported that Clayton hired Jason Stanford as his general consultant. Stanford has consulted for more than two dozen members of Congress across the country.

Find out more about Taj Clayton at www.TajClayton.com.

Last week Larry Taylor told me he is considering a run Texas House of Representatives District 110.  Most folks in Dallas know Taylor from his bow tie and role as Senior Outreach Director for Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson.  Many didn’t notice that he transitioned to serve as a prosecutor for Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins earlier this year.

District 110 is currently represented by Barbara Mallory Caraway who has announced her plans to challenge Taylor’s old boss (Rep. Johnson) in the 2012 race for U.S. House District 30.

Taylor is a graduate of Texas A&M University as well as the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University.  He says he’ll be making a final decision shortly.