Don Kirkpatrick is Wrong About the El Paso Young Democrats

Every once in awhile something or someone gets under my skin. I'll admit, its a bit of a weakness of mine, and it may someday be my undoing, but I love a good fight.


But this is beyond the rush of a good exchange.


I'm pissed.


Don Kirkpatrick,precinct chair, longtime Democratic Party activist and member of the Democratic Party Hall of Fame, sends out emails to party activists. Next to Don Williams' email list, its the largest in the party. 


Today, following the announcement of the endorsements of the El Paso Young Democrats, Mr. Kirkpatrick sent out the following email:

It is difficult to understand the Young Democrats' endorsement of a candidate who is backed solidly -- with significant financial support -- by a coterie of wealthy Republicans.  Their purposes, obviously, are diametrically opposed to the goals of all Democrats.

It seems to me, in view of the fact that City Council elections are non-partisan, that endorsements by political parties are inappropriate.


I'm pissed because of the audacity of the statement. 


So, I thought I would respond. Let me be clear, I am a member of the El Paso Young Democrats. But I am not writing this on behalf of the El Paso Young Democrats. I am writing on behalf of myself. My comments are mine alone and not necessarily a reflection of anyone else in the El Paso Young Democrats. 


Mr. Kirkpatrick says that it is difficult to understand the organization's endorsement of a candidate who is backed solidly by wealthy Republicans. What Mr. Kirkpatrick fails to do in his email, is name names. But I can only assume he meant Cortney Niland. 


Personally I find it difficult to understand why he has the courage to lay the critique of members of his own party, while failing to name the person of whom he speaks. 


Mr. Kirkpatrick's critique is hollow and without merit. Mr. Kirkpatrick himself has supported, endorsed, and voted for candidates that have been financially supported by the very same people. The wealth Republicans, whom he also fails to mention by name, also support nearly every Yellow Dog Democrat elected official in town now, and for the greater part of the last two decades. 


To criticize the El Paso Young Democrats for doing what he himself has done is the height of hypocrisy. Furthermore, he seems apt to point the finger at the El Paso Young Democrats and yet has remained silent about the other groups in town that have endorsed candidates that are financially supported by the very Republicans he fails to mention by name. 


I need point only to a recent election in which a Democrat was overwhelmingly, almost exclusively in fact, supported by Republicans. Mr. Kirkpatrick was silent on this issue. He has also been silent on the fact that several of our Democratic legislators have voted as Republicans. On issues that are central to our parties values, and dare I say, "diametrically opposed to the goals of all Democrats", several prominent Democratic members of our delegation have voted with the Republicans while Kirkpatrick was silent on their votes. 


And to be accurate, the candidate that I referred to earlier that was funded by the Republicans, has actually voted as a solid Democrat. I believe, that is an indication that a candidate can have a certain set of values that are independent of their benefactors.


Mr. Kirkpatrick also says that he thinks that endorsements by political organizations in non-partisan elections is inappropriate. Again, Kirkpatrick's hypocrisy knows no bounds. In the very same email he argues that Republicans are supporting candidates and also argues that parties, most notably the El Paso Young Democrats, should not support candidates. 


Well if the Republicans are doing it, why wouldn't we as Democrats?


I think I've made my point. But there are a couple of things I would still like to get off my chest. 


The El Paso Young Democrats are quickly becoming the life blood of the Democratic Party. To imply that our loyalties are anywhere but with the party we work so hard for is an insult. Some people are idle while members of the YD's are knocking on doors, phone-banking, educating voters, performing opposition research, and even managing campaigns of Democrats. 


We also had a thorough vetting process. Each candidate that addressed our organization was asked serious and in some cases, tough questions about their position on a range of issues. Yours Truly, and you can verify on any of the videos of the meetings, asked every candidate that addressed our organization the following question that they were required to answer, "Though this election is non-partisan, our organization is a partisan organization. Why should we as Democrats support you?"


That question was meant to reveal their values. It was on this question that many of us were able to find the candidates who's answers best reflected the values of the Democratic Party. 


If Mr. Kirkpatrick finds fault with our process, I humbly suggest he should join our organization and make contributions towards a process more to his liking. We have a special membership designation for people that are older than requirement for membership.


Because we represent the future of the El Paso Democratic Party, we don't hold to the sometimes petty ways of other Democratic Party organizations. We don't hold grudges. We don't exclude people that want to be part of the organization. Mr, Kirkpatrick's membership would be welcomed and his mentorship would be valued. 


Ultimately we are all on the same team fighting for the same goal. There is always room in our foxhole for a veteran who has been through many scraps with our mutual opponent.