Running on TRUST and Rainwater is the title of the memoir written by Stephanie Lochte Ertel about her campaign for State Representative in 2016.  The book is full of insights and pokes at conventional wisdom, with the purpose of encouraging other Democrats to run for office.  Running for office as a Democrat is the ultimate resistance to the Republican efforts to make Texas a one-party state.    .   

The book is available at Democratic Party events including the Bandera Democratic Party meeting on September 16 at 3:00 at the BEC building in Bandera, the Kerr County Democrats meeting on September 19 at Riverside Nature Center, 150 Francisco Lemos in Kerrville at 6:15 p.m., and the Hill Country Texas Democratic Women luncheon at 11:00 at Kroc Center in Kerrville.

On Tuesday, June 20 at the Roddy Tree Lazy Days Canteen, the Kerr County Democratic Party will hold a dinner and theater event to raise funds for office and campaign expenses in the 2017-18 election cycle. The Cash Bar will open at 5:00 p.m., dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m. and the performance of “Ann Richards: Backwards & in High Heels” will begin at 7:00 p.m.  Tickets are $40 each; send checks to the Kerr County Democratic Party to PO Box 290614, Kerrville TX 78029.  Stephanie will reprise her one-woman show which debuted in 2010.

April is full of Lobby Days when I will bring information to Legislators, especially our State Senator and State Representative about constituent concerns as key pieces of legislation are finalized.

April 4–Hill Country Chapter of Texas Democratic Women travel by bus to Austin to spend the day talking to Representatives Murr and Biederman and Senator Buckingham.

April 5–Planned Parenthood Lobby Day in Austin

April 19–Interfaith Lobby Day organized by Texas Impact

April 22–March for Science in Austin–Celebrate Earth Day

Today is the second day of the Lutheran Legislative Event at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Austin.  Almost 100 Lutherans from Texas learning about the State Budget, sanctuary cities, payday lending, CPS, environment, water and other issues before the legislature and our faith-rooted responses as we prepare to lobby our legislators tomorrow.  Texas Impact provides the education, spiritual leaders provide the reminders that we are called to love and care for every child of God.

The Women’s March on Washington will take place on Saturday, January 21, 2017.  Over 200,000 participants are expected in Washington, with over 600 sister marches organizing around the U.S. and the world.  Austin will have a Women’s March on January 21, starting at noon on the South lawn of the Capitol.  Over 70 women are coming to Austin from Kerr and Gillespie County alone!  We will march on a 14 block route down Congress and up Lavaca and gather on the South lawn for speeches and performance, all designed to express our solidarity with all people who are at risk under the incoming Trump administration.

The 5th Circuit decision on July 20, 2016 that struck down the Texas Voter ID Law is celebrated in a new video posted on YouTube by Stephanie’s campaign.  Watch for our second video, “Let’s Vote” just compiled by our Media Director Brandon Curtis.  Owen Sutter, Stephanie’s grandson, has a big part in this video.