Scudder Will Be the Next Texas Democratic Party Chair

The Texas Democratic Party’s executive committee on Saturday elected Kendall Scudder as its next party chair.

Scudder secured 65 votes in the first round of ranked-choice voting, a majority of the 121 voting members of the executive committee. Patsy Woods Martin got the second-most votes with 27 votes, while Lillie Schechter received 26.

Delia Parker-Mims got 2 votes and Meri Gomez won a single vote. All other candidates in the race received no votes of support. 

“I can’t wait to work with every one of you to build this Texas Democratic Party,” said Scudder, who until Saturday’s vote served as the vice chair of the state party’s finance committee. “Let’s build a party that the working men and women of this state can be proud of.”

At 35, Scudder is one of the youngest party chairs in decades, a trait he emphasized throughout his campaign.

He also overcame a challenge brought against his candidacy by a member of the executive committee that the state party’s legal counsel upheld. His service on the Dallas Central Appraisal District Board of Directors conflicted with new party rules and a 2021 change to state election law prohibiting candidates for state party chair from serving in federal, state or county elective office.

This week, Scudder announced that he would resign from his seat on that board, while criticizing the inquisition as an attempt to buck his support just before the election.

The executive committee met in Austin at the United Association of Journeymen, Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 286.

Scudder will replace outgoing party chair Gilberto Hinojosa, who announced his resignation in November following substantial Democratic losses around the state and country.

This is a developing story. It will be updated with more information.