On The Record: Steve Tillery

For this episode of On The Record, we speak with Steve Tillery, the Committeeman for Senate District 2 and the Executive Director for the Dallas County Democratic Party.

How did you get started in politics? Did you come to it in your youth or later on?

Both of my parents were politically active and both were involved in labor. My mother was a Teamster, and my father was an International Representative for the United Auto Workers.

I tagged along with my father putting up yard signs and knocking doors and that kind of fostered my interest.

What would you say are the primary issues concerning Dallas County?

Most of the issues are being addressed now, mostly county wide issues. The 47 county wide elections won in 2006 gave us the majority of judicial seats in the county. The remaining administrative seats have Democrats in most of those positions.

There are some problems in the county, like the county jail. Lupe Valdez didn’t cause those problems; those problems were there when she was elected. The problems had begun many years before, but now they’re trying to lay them on Lupe. Sheriff Valdez is doing a good job of resolving problems at the jail, and if she had some help from the Commissioner’s Court she would be further along in resolving these problems, I think.

Dallas County Chair Darlene Ewing has been stopped at the courthouse, and attorneys have relayed that the widespread change of judges has been great, that now they can find judges and get hearing on their cases, when that had been difficult before the election of the Democratic judges.

There are a few more Republicans up for election in 2008. There are eight county wide offices on the ballot in 2008, and we’ll win those. After the elections in 2010 all countywide offices in Dallas County will be Democratic.

Do you have any ambition for higher office? Do you have plans to run for any other party office, or possibly even public office?

No, I don’t have ambition for higher office.

Who are some of your political heroes?

I didn’t get to experience much of his influence because I was too young, but Ralph Yarborough is a hero of mine. My parents and grandparents always held him in such high regard.

John F. Kennedy, even though I was young when he passed, having lived during that period I admire him a lot. I also admire Robert Kennedy; I was older and was able to be more aware of his campaign and influence.

I grew up in the Eastern part of Dallas County, and I always supported Jim Mattox and John Bryant. I thought they were wonderful leaders.

What are you looking forward to in the coming cycle?

I’m looking forward to the eight county wide candidates getting elected, and, hopefully Allen Vaught holding his seat in District 107. I would like to see the replacement of state representatives in Districts 101 and 106.

What one thing would you say a political organization never has enough of?

Volunteers, because there’s always an abundance of ideas, and there is the need for money to make them work sometimes, but some just need more people power. With all of the technology we have, it’s harder to make personal contact with the voter. Caller id and answering machines inhibit people from answering when they don’t recognize the number or choose not to talk to them.

Every local candidate must knock on doors. I think knocking on doors is the most effective contact with the voter.
Allen Vaught is a good example, because he knocked on the doors and walked the neighborhoods of the district. He ran a very effective campaign. Candidates need to stay ahead of the curve with voter contact. The way candidates run elections is changing due to the changes in technology.