Jaworski Still Rolling

Not too long ago, I wrote in this space about Joe Jaworski, a candidate for State Senate in District 11. He was in Dallas last night at a fundraiser coordinated by Russell Langley, and he continues to impress: the out-of-district event last night brought in about $30,000 for his campaign.

This was his second big event of the fall and it won't be the last. I was particularly interested to hear that he'd had an event in late September in San Marcos, in which he raised $8,100 from many $25 donors. Last night's event at the home of Clay and Chrissy Jenkins was well attended — Jess Hay, Trammell S. Crowe, and plenty of other high-profile people were in attendance — and it speaks to the excitement around Jaworski's campaign that he's able to generate this kind of action.

I think I was most excited to hear about this other event he's having in Austin on November 3, because of who's going to be there. During the Texas Book Festival, Jaworski is having a big event with some very good writers at the Westgate. Alan Cheuse, Gary Cartwright, and Robert Draper (who just recently published Dead Certain: The Presidency of George W. Bush) will get together with a bunch of other high profile authors and have a party for Jaworski. Robert Draper is Jaworski's cousin, and one thing led to Jaworski meeting Art Cheuse at a release event for Draper's book recently.

So, in addition to all of the out-of-district success (and, let's not forget, his in-district success), Jaworski is also going out and having interesting events. I hear about enough fundraisers so that most of the press releases slide off the radar. But the Book Festival sounds different, and fun, and interesting. It is a tad untraditional, but I think that works in the event's favor.

So, a Democrat running for state Senate who has already raised a bunch of money continues to have success all over Texas. I think that's encouraging. So is the campaign of Judge Susan Criss, running for Supreme Court. Both Rick Noriega and Mikal Watts, in the hunt for the Democratic nomination for US Senate, are making noise and getting press. This is a great time to be a Texas Democrat.