Kendall Scudder Is the New Texas Democratic Party Chair--Now What?
A progressive millennial takes the reins. Can he turn things around in time for 2026?
https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/kendall-scudder-is-the-new-texas
After a brutal 2024 election cycle that saw Trump dominate the state and Democrats lose more ground across Texas, party leaders have chosen a new face to lead them forward: Kendall Scudder. The former finance chair won a seven-way race on the first ballot and now faces the monumental task of rebuilding the party.
Kendall Scudder isn’t a household name yet, but he’s no stranger to Texas Democratic politics. A native of East Texas and the son of a paramedic and a corrections officer, Scudder first stepped into the political spotlight in 2018, when he ran for State Senate in SD-2, a traditionally conservative district. He didn’t win, but his campaign earned him a reputation as someone willing to go where the party typically doesn’t bother.
Since then, Scudder has worked his way through the ranks, most recently serving as the Texas Democratic Party’s finance chair. He’s been vocal about the party’s failure to build lasting infrastructure in rural communities and has criticized leadership for prioritizing high-profile races at the expense of local organizing.
He’s younger (a millennial, like me) and far more comfortable talking about the party’s working-class base than his predecessors. His message? Stop relying on consultants to craft generic messaging and start speaking to people where they are, in their language, with their priorities in mind.