[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 139 (Friday, September 8, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1741-E1742]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


HONORING BOB SLAGLE FOR HIS SERVICE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE TEXAS DEMOCRATIC 
                                 PARTY

                                 ______


                            HON. KEN BENTSEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 7, 1995
  Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to submit the following 
statement on behalf of myself and my Democratic colleagues in the Texas 
delegation:

       Our friend Bob Slagle, who has served as Chairman of the 
     Texas Democratic Party since September, 1980, has announced 
     that he will not seek reelection in 1996. Party activists and 
     party officers are often typecast and miscast as ``political 
     hacks'' engaged in a cynical electoral game that emphasizes 
     only winning and cares little about policy and its effect on 
     people. Often the work of party leaders is taken for granted, 
     as credit and glory is showered on consultants, candidates, 
     and high profile political gurus.
       Over the span of 15 years, Bob Slagle has sacrificed his 
     time and energy serving his party, his state, and his nation, 
     and we are thankful for the respect and commitment he has 
     shown to those of us who have run for office and serve in 
     this great body. Today we are proud to salute our Chairman, 
     Bob Slagle, for his commitment to the people and his belief 
     that this great system of government we call democracy must 
     work to make sure all Americans have the opportunity to fully 
     realize their talents and put them to work for the common 
     good. Although he is a fierce partisan, Bob is an even 
     fiercer patriot, a man whose politics are driven by a belief 
     that the more people participate in politics, the better our 
     government will serve the people.
       When one stops to think about what it must be like to deal 
     year round will all the different groups and factions within 
     a political party, one has to appreciate the dedication Bob 
     has shown to working to keep Democrats together as we have 
     fought for those things we believe are important for our 
     country. As Chairman, Bob has worked to make sure the Texas 
     Democratic Party is truly an inclusive, democratic party, the 
     party where all calls are taken, where everyone still counts. 
     At the same time, the Texas Democratic Party has pioneered 
     many modern campaign concepts during Bob's tenure, including 
     the ticketwide coordinated campaign; the development of a 
     statewide computerized voter file that contains voter 
     history, targeting, and demographics data to allow campaigns 
     to target voter contact efforts; and the implementation of a 
     secure, on-line interactive communications network.
       Thanks to Chairman Slagle's tireless efforts, Democratic 
     officeholders have not been ``defeated with a redistricting 
     map,'' while at the same time the protection and creation of 
     African American and Hispanic districts have been achieved. 
     Perhaps most important, Bob worked to build a solid small 
     donor base to assure the party of a stable funding source, 
     and he and the party staff have traveled all over Texas to 
     conduct workshops, hold rallies, and campaign for Democrats 
     up and down the ticket. All this has helped keep the 
     Democrats the majority party in Texas at a time when many 
     other states with similar demographics have been flooded by a 
     ``Republican tide.''

[[Page E 1742]]

       For 15 years as Chairman and long before that, Bob has 
     worked side by side with people from all walks of life to 
     make our state and nation stronger through their 
     participation. His friends include the famous and the 
     unknown; rich and poor; black, brown, and white; urban and 
     rural; conservative and liberal; and even some Republicans--
     all those who believe that by bringing people together to 
     find the common good, the great American democratic system 
     offers ``the best hope on earth.''
       On Saturday, September 9th, Texas Democrats and friends 
     from around the country will join in ``A Salute to Bob 
     Slagle'' in Austin. We join in saluting Bob and thanking the 
     Chairman for his 15-year tenure of service and lifetime of 
     commitment to his party, state, and nation.
           Respectfully submitted by:
         Henry B. Gonzalez, Twentieth District; E ``Kika'' de la 
           Garza, Fifteenth District; Charles Wilson, Second 
           District; Martin Frost, Twenty-Fourth District; Charles 
           W. Stenholm, Seventeenth District; Ralph M. Hall, 
           Fourth District; John Bryant, Fifth District; Ronald 
           Coleman, Sixteenth District; Solomon P. Ortiz, Twenty-
           Seventh District; Jim Chapman, First District; Pete 
           Geren, Twelfth District; Chet Edwards, Eleventh 
           District; Gene Green, Twenty-Ninth District; Eddie 
           Bernice Johnson, Thirtieth District; Frank Tejeda, 
           Twenty-Eighth District; Kenneth E. Bentsen, Jr., 
           Twenty-Fifth District; Lloyd Doggett, Tenth District; 
           Shelia Jackson Lee, Eighteenth District.
           

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