About Us
Battleground Texas is a people-based, metrics-driven organization that is dedicated to the idea that volunteers, in their neighborhoods, can and do significantly impact local, state and national elections. We’re turning Texas into a battleground state by treating it like one.
Every day, we’re expanding the electorate by registering more voters – and, as importantly, mobilizing those Texans who are already registered but who have not been engaged in the democratic process. And we’re using the data-driven, people-focused approach that has helped win grassroots campaigns around the country.
The Lone Star State is changing. With its size and diversity, our state should be a place where all elections – from local elections all the way up to the President of United States – are hotly contested.
Texans in every corner of the state – from Amarillo to Brownsville and El Paso to Beaumont – are standing up to say that they’re tired of not being heard, tired of not being represented in Austin and in Washington, D.C., and tired of the same Republican playbook which is failing our communities and ignoring the needs of countless Texans.
Battleground Texas is a local effort with national implications. With our 38 electoral votes, once Texas goes blue, a Republican can never make it to the White House again.
Change does not come easy, but taking the harder road for a better future is what our state is all about.
Our organizing strategies are working in Texas. As a metrics-driven organization, we understand the importance of accountability. We regularly measure our progress and hold ourselves to the goals we set. We also use data extensively to ensure our programs are having an impact.
As a people-based organization, we are focused on leadership development, training, and empowerment. We work with volunteer leaders to ensure they have all the skills they need to successfully recruit new volunteers and register, persuade, and turn out voters.
Change will take time – but together we can make Texas a battleground state. From top to bottom of the ballot, we can change the face of Texas politics together.
Questions? Call us at (512) 270-0583 or email [email protected].
Our Advisory Board includes Board Chair Jenn Brown, Naomi Aberly, Jeremy Bird, former Dallas Mayor and Ambassador Ron Kirk, Congressman Joaquín Castro, community leader Eric D. Johnson, Austin Ligon, Brownsville Mayor Tony Martinez, volunteer leader Jennifer Longoria, labor leader Marvin Ragsdale, Eddy Morales, Amber Mostyn, Carrin F. Patman, Kirk Rudy, and Lynda Tran.
Our Programs
Our government is tasked with representing the people of Texas, but right now those serving in the capitol aren’t very reflective of our state. Our legislature — but certainly not our state — is mostly white and male. We believe our legislature functions best when its members reflect the people they serve, and that’s why we’re committed to electing more Texans of color. Our Texas Future Leadership Program is a training and 6-month fellowship program for Texans of color who want to run for office or work on progressive campaigns.
With our Blue Star Project, we identify and work with candidates in key legislative races. We rally support for these candidates and ensure that more Texans’ voices are heard, so that our elected officials represent the diversity of our great state. We welcomed our first class of Blue Star candidates in 2014, and we saw a significant increase in democratic performance in 9 of our 11 Blue Star districts — in one district we saw an 11.33% increase! In 2016, all three of our Blue Star candidates — State Rep. Victoria Neave (House District 107), State Rep. Phil Cortez (House District 117), and Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar Ann Harris Bennett — won their races.
Movimiento Texas is a training and leadership development program for Latinx Texans who want to turn out the 4.8 million eligible Latinx voters in Texas. Latinxs possess so much political power but are underrepresented at the ballot box. We’re empowering and engaging more Latinxs in the political process by training new Latino organizers throughout the state and giving them the tools they need to organize where they live.