Photo: Dallas Green Alliance
The Sierra Club Political Committee of Texas (the Lone Star Chapter PAC) was active in supporting candidates again this Spring in the Dallas City Council elections. The PAC made contributions to several candidates which provided much-needed support in some of the hard-fought contests.
In a crucial election which was touted as a referendum on the future of several local environmental issues, namely the fate of the Trinity Toll Road, the plastic bag ban, and other matters related to Dallas’ fracking ordinance, the Sierra Club made endorsements in 12 of Dallas’ 15 city council districts. The goal was to elect a majority of at least eight environmentally leaning council members to advocate for those causes. Five of the Club’s stalwart supporters won re-election, and three additional endorsed candidates were elected as new members of the Council, bringing the potential of an eight vote majority on some of these important issues.
In Districts 4 and 9, Sierra Club-endorsed candidates Carolyn Arnold and Mark Clayton were elected in the May 9 election without a runoff by surprise majorities in multiple-candidate races. In the District 10 runoff on June 13, environmental advocates picked up an additional victory with Adam McGough in a close race decided by only 35 votes. Sierra Club volunteers mailed out endorsement cards and made phone calls to approximately 250 Sierra Club members in District 10 whose votes no doubt helped Adam score his narrow, but extremely significant, win.
Sierra Club volunteers worked closely with the newly formed Dallas Green Alliance and other allied groups in achieving an environmental coalition success. The PAC thanks all who supported those efforts.
-David Griggs
Lone Star Chapter Political Chair