Personal and Professional
I was born May 24th, 1952, in Louisville, which is in Jefferson County of the sovereign Commonwealth of Kentucky. 21 years later, almost to the day, I graduated Centenary College of Louisiana with a B.A. in Government.
I have three children: a son, Christopher Ryan, 25; and twin daughters, Colleen Rachel and Kelly Rebecca, 23. Chris is a specialist with Target, and plans to become a history teacher. Colleen teaches elementary school children who have severe mental retardation. Kelly is attending college. Their mother passed away in September of 2006. I have recently become engaged again.
I am a supervisor for a Fortune 500 company; I've been with them fourteen years.
Political History
I petitioned for the LP's first presidential ticket, John Hospers and Tonie Nathan, in 1972 and joined the LP of Louisiana the next year. Ms. Nathan, of course, was the first woman in U. S. history to ever receive an electoral vote.
In 1979, I ran for Houston City Council and, with a treasury of less than $2800 for a citywide race, drew two major endorsements and garnered 7.5% of the vote -- at a time when 4% in a city one-fourth the size of Houston was considered a good showing for an LPer.
Nine years later I ran for the U. S. Senate and set a new record for the LP of Texas in that race. I also doubled the usual LP showing in Harris County's African-Texan precincts.
In 1990, in a showing that earned me "Candidate of the Year" honors, I set an LPT record for a gubernatorial race: 129,128 votes (3.3%). Back then, that was a very high percentage for a "third party" candidate for Governor of any State. Not coincidentally, the rest of the Statewide ticket hit new heights, as well.
I was the first LPT nominee for Governor to run TV ads. By the way, the percentage attracted by the campaign earned the LPT automatic ballot status for four years, not just two.
I ran for Governor again in 2002, and more than doubled the votes drawn by the Green Party candidate just two years after Ralph Nader had brought the GP so much attention and "respectability".
I have also been active in many other ways, and have served as an LP official at the county and State level.
I think what I'm proudest of is the excitement -- and activity -- my campaigns have generated within the LPT. For instance, in 1990, one LPer in the Dallas area was so enthused over my campaign he had 700 bumper-stickers printed as an in-kind contribution; other LPers arranged for me to address a wide variety of audiences (Ron Paul's daughter, Joy, secured permission for me to address one of her college classes); and the county affiliates in Bexar and Travis counties both held fund-raisers for me.
I'm optimistic I can do even better this time around. The campaign already has a core staff of dedicated and knowledgeable individuals. There could be a free-for-all in the Texas Republican primary if Rick Perry decides to step down, and the Democrats could still be suffering from acute ethnic tensions as a result of this year's presidential nominating contest.
Of course, the more money the campaign can raise, the more voters we can reach -- and persuade. That's why I'm starting so early in raising funds.
If you'd like the same sort of excitement that my previous efforts have generated, and even better results -- including a good chance at once again earning four-year ballot status! -- I hope you'll help out both as a staffer or campaigner and with a generous financial contribution (there is no legal limit in State races), as well.
How high a percentage is it realistic to hope for? That's up to you.
To contribute by PayPal, simply go to www.JeffDaiell.com and click on "Donate". Checks and money orders should be sent to:
Jeff Daiell Campaign
Box 210
Suite G
9002 Chimney Rock
Houston, Texas 77096
As Shakespeare put it:
"Now bid me run, and I will strive
With things impossible -- yea, and get the better of them."
For Texas and Liberty,
Jeff Daiell