ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MARY BETH ROGERS is the last person to successfully campaign-manage a Democrat into the statehouse in Austin. Rogers previously held the Lloyd M. Bentsen Chair in Business and Public Policy at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin before becoming president and CEO of the PBS affiliate in Austin. Rogers is the author of Cold Anger: A Story of Faith and Power Politics and Barbara Jordan: American Hero. She lives in Dallas.

Turning Texas Blue: What It Will Take to Break the GOP Grip on America's Reddest State (St. Martin’s, 2016) was reviewed by Lone Star Literary Life Feb. 28, 2016.

3.25.2018  Texas Women's Hall of Famer and new TIL inductee Mary Beth Rogers on timely topics from turning Texas blue to #MeToo

In 1982 the Texas Democratic Party swept the entire slate of statewide elections, choosing a little-known Travis County commissioner as state treasurer. In one of her first acts in that office, Ann Richards hired Houston native Mary Beth Rogers of Dallas as deputy treasurer, and the two created a department that was a model of efficiency for the entire country. Eight years later Rogers served as Richards’ campaign manager — the last time a Democrat won state office. Rogers has spent a lifetime in public service and writing about public servants and trailblazers. Next week she will be inducted in the Texas Institute of Letters, and we caught up with her fittingly in the month of March — primary season — to get her take on Texas politics, writing, and life in the times of Trump.

Where did you grow up, Mary Beth? Was your family political, or involved in public service? And how did you meet Ann Richards, future governor of Texas?

My family was always interested in politics, but never engaged in any kind of official activities. Political discussions were part of our lives, and my mother volunteered in campaigns for progressive Democratic candidates in Dallas. I actually met Ann Richards through my mother’s involvement with a group of women who studied and took action about issues they believed to be important. At the time, Ann was living in Dallas, and my husband and I were living in San Antonio, where I became actively involved in local politics. I had the opportunity to work in political causes and develop the kinds of skills that are required to manage successful political campaigns. It was also during this time that I began writing articles for the Texas Observer and other publications.

By the time my husband and I, along with our two children, moved to Austin in 1970, Ann and her husband David Richards had lived there about a year. One day I got a call from Ann, who said, “Your mama wanted me to call you and welcome you to Austin.” She invited us to a party at her home, and we soon became friends. We were both active in various campaigns and were involved in organizations that promoted opportunities and advancement for women. When Ann ran for Travis County commissioner, I helped in her campaign. In 1982, Ann was elected state treasurer and she asked me to become the deputy treasurer.

What was it like to be the campaign manager for the first woman to win the governorship of Texas in more than fifty years?

When Richards ran for governor in 1990, she “drafted” me to run her campaign. It was a demanding, extremely hard-fought campaign against incredible odds. We managed to develop a strategy and put together the resources and volunteers necessary to win. We also managed to have a lot of good luck along the way, which always helps in a hard-fought campaign. After Ann’s victory, she asked me to become her chief of staff, a position I held for eighteen months before I started teaching at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at UT Austin.

Recently you published a new book, Turning Texas Blue: What It Will Take to Break the GOP Grip on America's Reddest State (St. Martin’s, 2016).Can you describe this book (and your earlier ones) for our readers?

Four years ago, pundits were proclaiming Wendy Davis to be the next Ann Richards. Richards had skyrocketed onto the national stage with the convention speech. Davis had skyrocketed onto the national stage with the filibuster, but she lost to Greg Abbott by 20 points. What was the difference between those two campaigns? Is Texas bluer in 2018 than it was in 2016? Why or why not?

My experiences in politics and government naturally informed several of the books I have written. Cold Anger, A Story of Faith and Power Politics, was about Ernesto Cortes, who is one of the nation’s masters of community-based organizing. Barbara Jordan, An American Hero was, of course, about the amazing leader who was such a moral force in American life.

When I wrote Turning Texas Blue in 2016, it was my attempt to tell the story of how Texas had drifted away from the progressive policies of Ann Richards to become one of the most conservative states in the nation. While many compared candidate Wendy Davis, who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2014, with Ann Richards, they ran at totally different times in the history of our state and nation. By the time Davis ran, Texas had developed into such a hard-right Republican state, it was virtually impossible for a candidate like her to have won.

What do you think happened in the 2016 U.S. presidential election? Why do you think Hillary Clinton lost?

First, I was simply blown away by the women’s marches all over the world after Trump’s inauguration. I was totally surprised by the size and passion exhibited. It was a culmination of the horror among women about the outcome of the 2016 election of a man who seemed to delight in demeaning and disrespecting women. I guess my surprise was that so many women, particularly young women, felt the same as I did. It was an amazing time of solidarity and a harbinger of things to come. We have been seeing a massive move away from Trump among college educated women since then and this may help provoke a Democratic wave election in the midterm elections next November.

Secondly, so many clues, which now seem obvious, were missed by Democrats during the course of the 2016 election. The Clinton folks seemed tone-deaf to the surge of resentment and racism that were rising from working-class folks who felt shut out of the nation’s prosperity. However, I don’t think there is any single factor that contributed to Clinton’s loss. Rather it was a combination of many things — the Comey letter, the Clinton campaign failing to heed warnings of disaster from in three key states, the Russian interference and email thefts on WikiLeaks, etc.

Also, cable news ran Trump’s entertaining campaign rallies nonstop, helping him spread his message without having to spend a dime. In short, the whole campaign was a nightmare — at least for me. There are so many lessons to be learned from the 2016 election, and I think that even now we are merely scratching the surface of the underlying causes of Trump’s victory. It seems like more revelations come out every day. I’m just hoping we know more by the time we get to the 2020 presidential election. Our democracy is at stake.

What do you think of the women’s marches, #metoo, the kids’ marches? Do you correlate this new wave of activism to a lack of political correctness with Trump, or is it something else?

I’m actually more hopeful about the future of Texas now than I have been in a long time. I think the “me too” movement, plus the activism of a new generation of fearless high school students in the aftermath of the Parkland shootings is causing voters to pause and take a hard look at some of the senseless policies that are destructive to humane endeavors. I think we will begin to focus on practices and politics that will allow all people — not just the privileged few — to rise and reach their potential. I don’t know if we will see a female president or not in the near future. But I do feel that after our experience with the current administration in Washington, we will more carefully assess the talent, temperament, competency, character, and compassion of those who seek the presidency in the future. Female or male, I believe our future leaders will bring a different, more inclusive perspective to public office. At least, that is my hope.

Congratulations on being inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters. You've been recognized with many honors, such as being selected for the Texas Women's Hall of Fame. Is there something special about being recognized for your writing and for contributing to the body of Texas letters?

I am delighted and truly honored to become a member of the Texas Institute of Letters, and to join with others who value the literary tradition in our state. I have been extremely fortunate to grow up in Texas, and to have the opportunity to write about those who bring decency, humor, and honor to our common life.

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