Thursday, June 6, 1996

Thousands of Democrats meeting in Dallas

By STEVE RAY and ANNA M. TINSLEY
Harte-Hanks Austin Bureau

DALLAS - Hoping to redefine itself as the party of family values and mainstream Texans, 10,000 Democrats poured into Dallas today for a three-day convention featuring a school teacher turned political hero.

The Democratic convention theme is unity, but talk here centers on one man - U.S. Senate candidate Victor Morales, a Mesquite teacher who financed his successful political campaign with his meager savings.

Morales, rejected early on by most party leaders and state officeholders, drove a white 1992 Nissan pickup truck into the hearts of Texas voters, sideswiping three well-known Democrats to capture the right to face incumbent Republican Sen. Phil Gramm.

In the process, Democrats say, he captured the imagination of Texas voters and is inspiring a grass-roots excitement not seen in recent political history.

"Folks are really, really excited about him," said Taylor County Democratic Chairman David Dillman. "He's even generating a lot of attention among Independents and a lot of Republicans.
"I have had more phone calls from people asking how to get in touch with him, and how to work for him, than for any (candidate)."

The success of Morales' campaign, President Clinton's growing popularity and internal poll results are renewing Democrats' optimism that they can beat Gramm and carry the state for Clinton against Republican nominee Bob Dole.

That belief prompted state Democrats to spend $250,000 on ads promoting Clinton's re-election in critical television markets in East and Central Texas.

Recent polls conducted for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee show Clinton in a statistical dead heat with Dole in Texas and Morales within striking distance of Gramm.

Democrats say they hope to maintain that momentum with a convention filled with little dissension and a lot of emphasis on youth and traditional values.

"There's a revival of interest in public affairs among young people, who are the lifeblood of our party," Texas Democratic Party Chairman Bill White said.

To build on the desire for public involvement, Democrats will begin their convention by refurbishing homes for low-income and elderly Dallas residents.

"We have traditional values - hard work, opportunity, community, family, fairness and physical and health security," White said. "Those values are shared by most Texans."

But Texas Republicans say Democrats are stealing family value issues from their party.

"It's an attempt to do what Bill Clinton is trying to do," said state GOP chairman Tom Pauken. "They are trying to reposition the Democratic Party from a leftward tilt to someplace in the middle."

Austin political consultant Bill Miller, who works with both Democrats and Republicans, said Democrats have been successful at establishing family values as one of their major issues.

"Bill Clinton has set the example," Miller said. "(Democrats) have adopted some of the Republican issues and themes, trying to get into the swing. They don't want to be representing something unpopular."

Democrats are expected to pass resolutions stating their belief in traditional values. Clergy have been invited to speak on the meaning of family values, and a film that expresses the Democratic traditions of Texas will be shown.

Instead of party infighting that has divided many Democrats in the past, party members say this convention - the first under new party chairman White - will be harmonious and non-controversial.

Delegates were asked to bring their children to the convention to show their support for Texas values. Younger party members, from College Democrats to Texas Young Democrats, plan to attend and promote the party's renewed emphasis on attracting young voters.

"If you don't attract the youth, the party loses a lot of energy," Dillman said. "A lot of those people are willing to go out and do legwork. To be a party that's going to have a bright future, you have to continue to attract young folks."