Lloyd Doggett: Texas Representative finally comes out of the socialist “closet”

Rep. Lloyd Doggett

Lloyd Doggett, a long time Texas congressman from the Austin/San Antonio area, has finally come out of the socialist “closet.”

Dogget has held office as a legislator in the Texas State Senate and served as a justice on the Texas Supreme Court, before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994.

Now after more than 20 years in Congress,  Representative Doggett has finally joined the socialist Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Founded in 1991 by the Marxists of Democratic Socialists of America and their decades-long ally Bernie Sanders, the Progressive Caucus is now 74 members strong and is far and away the most powerful faction in the Democratic Party.

DSA backed Lloyd Doggett before he was even a congressman.

In July 1984, Houston DSA members decided to support that year’s election campaign, by then State Senator Lloyd Doggett.

According to the August 1984 newsletter of the Houston Democratic Socialists of America:

At the July meeting we decided that DSA should provide identifiable DSA campaign workrs to the Lloyd Doggett campaign this Fall.

Sen. Doggett is certainly a candidate we can all support enthusiastically…

If you would like to be a DSA Doggett volunteer, call Bruce Griffiths at….

But Rep. Doggett would never openly support DSA’s congressional front group.

In 2014, DSA front group Progressive Democrats of America assigned activists to deliver their material to almost every US Congressman and Senator, Tim Duda, a one time leader of San Antonio Democratic Socialists of America, was assigned as the contact for Rep. Doggett.

Since 2015, DSA’s Austin local has re-formed and is now several hundred members strong. It has huge influence in the Travis County Democratic Party and has forged a strong alliance with Rep. Doggett, partially through its front group, the Austin local of Texas Alliance for Retired Americans.

Doggett with Danny Fetonte, Texas Alliance for Retired Americans and Democratic Socialists of America

Dogget, and Glenn Scott, Texas Alliance for Retired Americans, Democratic Socialists of America

According to DSA member Glenn Scott, President of the Austin Chapter of Texas Alliance for Retired Americans:

“Austin Reports a Terrific Medicare Event”, June 2015;

We had a terrific event on Saturday. We have put Austin TARA on the Austin/Central Texas political and advocacy map! Over 147 people attended the event which means we met our goal of 150! In part due to Congressman Doggett’s great reputation, we brought in many new faces. We went well beyond the TARA contact list for this event.

We built stronger ties with labor groups through this event. At least 8 unions or CLC and Building trades council contributed $. One key to turnout was our list of over 30 endorsing organizations. Most of the endorsing organizations sent at least 1 or 2 and some brought as many as 8 to 10. Austin DSA got 10 members there and TSEU brought the most with at least 12 or more. Congressman Doggett’s staff was another factor, – they did a letter to constituents and sent emails and did press for us in addition to our own efforts…