Dear Friends,

With a leaden spirit, I today share with you my decision-and it is final--not to run for a second time for the State Senate (SD 25) in 2010.

There are many reasons, but first and foremost is family. I have mentioned some health issues with Lettie and they are ongoing. I need to be with her, as much for myself as for her.

I really have enjoyed and have come to love the people who live in SD 25. I've made some friends I believe will be friends for life and I was itching to be on the hustings again. Hometown parades, picnics and celebrations; endorsement meetings with groups and media outlets; candidate forums and several thousand conversations with individuals-I loved the whole thing and it was a privilege to help make the democratic process work, even in a small way.

I'm not putting political activism out of my life completely; indeed, it would probably be impossible for me to do that, even if I wanted to. I will campaign for some of our excellent local Democrats next year--in Primaries if necessary and definitely in the Fall, but I need the flexibility to be with Lettie whenever she needs me.

I'll be campaigning, too, for "Clean Elections" and Single-Payer health care, as these are two things I believe we need desperately. Of course, if we had clean elections (as in, no big corporate buck$ going to political candidates) then we'd probably already have Single-Payer health care. The biggest obstacle to genuine reform now is the unholy cabal of insurance companies and "Big Pharma," as we have taken to calling the legal drug lords. If their money no longer bought them access and, yeah, even legislators, think of the terrific legislation we'd have. I'll still be writing my blog at http://kathithomas.blogspot.com/ as well as speaking out in other forums about the issues that I believe demand our attention and our passion.

It's a safe bet I'll continue to urge my fellow Texans to get behind a broadened state tax base, with a state income tax supplanting the property tax. A proper tax system is based on the fair notion that we should pay according to our ability to do so and on a mandate to bring in enough revenue to enable the state to do those things it ought to do. Our current system fails both tests.

We need a good person to beat Jeff Wentworth in November of 2010, for so many reasons, particularly his gun shenanigans this year. I am thrilled to announce that we've got a good person running- John Courage, a man I greatly admire. John mentored me when I ran in 2006, and is running this time, so that our great Democratic message gets out. Wentworth should never get a "free ride", and John will run a good race. Let's all get behind John to get him elected to be our Senator- Senator Courage, I LIKE the sound of that.  You can go to http://couragefortxsenate.com/ to learn more about John, donate to his campaign, and/or volunteer to help.

To those of you who worked with me in 2006 and who had committed to making that sacrifice again in 2010, "THANK YOU"--from the bottom of my heart. I hope you'll use your energy to help elect good, principled Democrats to our local and state offices. 2010 is not a year to "let Jill (or Joe) do it," but rather one in which to go "pedal to the metal." We need only 2 more seats to take the Texas House (remember, redistricting will be on the 2011 legislative agenda) and we mustn't lose any seats if we want to capture the House and depose the Radical Right crew which owns the Texas Republican Party completely.

For those of you who donated money toward a 2010 race, a special "thank you." I will pay all outstanding debts and then, if anything is left, will survey you to learn where you'd like me to donate the remaining dollars. I won't be joining any exclusive, secret societies with money you donated in good faith. (Jeff Wentworth pays his dues and travel to the Bohemian Grove with campaign funds.)

Let's work to give Texas a fair and decent state government. As I end my exploration of this opportunity, I challenge each of you, as I did repeatedly in 2006, to not only "IMAGINE a better Texas, but to "WORK for a better Texas!!"

As always,
Kathi Thomas