Paid Political Hack to Direct Fort Bend County Coordinated Campaign

When do you become aware that a sleepy backwater suburban county Democratic Party apparatus has suddenly shaken awake? The answer is the moment when an all-volunteer effort hires a paid political hack to oversee its coordinated campaign. We all knew that this would happen once County Chair Steve Brown was elected and sworn into office, but it’s nice to see it when the change that is promised becomes the change that is delivered.

Today, in a news release, the Fort Bend County Democratic Party announced its new Executive Director.

Quoting from the release:

The Fort Bend County Democratic Party has named political campaign veteran Nick Hellyar as Executive Director of the party's Coordinated Campaign, party Chair Steve Brown announced.

Hellyar, who has managed and worked on campaigns for a variety of Fort Bend and Houston-area Democratic candidates, will be responsible for all aspects of the Blue Fort Bend in 2010 local candidate campaign.

"As Executive Director, I'll be responsible for turning out the Democratic vote in the upcoming November elections," Hellyar said."That means working to provide essential support, resources and training to promote our candidates and agenda. Over the next several weeks, we’ll be block-walking, phone-banking, registering voters and hosting a series of rallies aimed at informing and exciting Fort Bend’s Democratic base."

Said County Chair Steve Brown of Hellyar’s hiring:

"I think Nick's hiring further demonstrates how committed we are to turning out Democrats in upcoming elections. His background is a perfect mix of campaign experience along with a familiarity with Fort Bend County. Both of these attributes are essential to our overall success."

Hellyar will maintain an office at the county party’s coordinated campaign headquarters at 31 E. Highway 90A in Richmond (right next to Baytown Seafood). These are some digs that, curiously, lacks a leaky roof and water-stained ceiling tiles that have marked campaign headquarters of the past.

So first, no leaky roof and now a paid director. To say that things are looking up for a Democratic presence in Fort Bend County would be an understatement.