Last month, we examined our fifth Advocacy Attribute: investing your time, talent, treasure, and testimony. This month, we explore resilience.
Advocacy involves victories and defeats. In politics, wins matter, but so do losses. The 2024 primary run-off election produced joy and pain. FWAA member Craig Goldman won the Republican nomination for Congressional District 12. However, FWAA member Stephanie Klick lost her Texas House District 91 run-off. Goldman’s overwhelming victory affirms FWAA’s proactive involvement in political affairs. Klick’s heart-breaking defeat poignantly reminds FWAA members that in politics, there are no guarantees.
For the past twenty-five years, FWAA and FWAA PAC-endorsed/supported political candidates have won more than 95 percent of their contests. That winning percentage is impressive! Ironically, it is the losses that we remember: Kim Brimer for State Senate, Betsy Price for County Judge, Matt Hayes for Justice of the Peace, Kelly Allen Gray for City Council, and Klick for State Representative.
FWAA did not allow these defeats to define us nor diminish our efforts to fight for our industry. FWAA learned from these setbacks and purposely chose (when possible) to work with the winners. Wendy Davis defeated Brimer. Tim O’Hare beat Betsy. Judge Sanders conquered Matt Hayes. Nettles ousted Gray. Lowe deposed Klick. In the aftermath of these losses, FWAA gained insight into the ever-shifting political dynamics in FWAA’s service area.
The challenge: do not let our losses define us. FWAA PAC donated $5,000 (the largest amount ever donated by FWAA PAC to a candidate) to former Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price’s Republican primary campaign for Tarrant County Judge. Her defeat did not deter FWAA PAC from making large donations. Less than six months later, FWAA PAC gave $7,500 (the most ever) to Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker’s re-election effort.
The attribute: Resilience. Resilience. Resilience. FWAA members must practice resilience corporately and individually. Politics is a contact sport. Sharp elbows and tough skin are prerequisites for playing in the political arena. Get knocked down, get up, dust yourself off, and continue to fight.
President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt said it best:
“Credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
FWAA advocates with great enthusiasm for worthy causes while daring greatly.
FWAA MEETS WITH JOHN MCQUEENEY – Last month, FWAA member attorney and Government Affairs Committee member Jim Floyd with Padfield Stout along with FWAA staff members Kevin Pellegrino, Shane Maxwell, and Perry Pillow met with John McQueeney the newly elected Texas House District 97 republican candidate. McQueeny is a business owner and TCU alumni. HD 97 includes west and southwest Tarrant County.
FWAA HOST HOUSING AFFORDABILITY ROUNDTABLE – FWAA President Bryan Downer, CEC; FWAA President-elect Sarah Turner, Steward + Helm; FWAA Secretary Nicole Zaitoon, Allied Property Management; FWAA board members Becca Brown, Intersolutions; Laurie Root, Asset Living; Jamie Woody, Trinity Residential; and Kristin Vick, Stowes; Kim Baxley, RPM; along with FWAA staff members Ed Blinn, Gregory Ann Goldrick, Kevin Pellegrino, and Perry Pillow host a roundtable discussion on housing affordability with Tarrant County affordable housing advocates Paige Charbonnet, LVT Rise; Mary Margaret Lemons, Fort Worth Housing Solutions; Tara Perez, City of Fort Worth; Lauren King, Tarrant County Homeless Coalition; and Deanna Ray and Jyme Gordy from Arlington Housing. The discussion focused on opportunities for FWAA to partner with these social services and housing providers to increase the affordable housing stock.
BUSINESS EXCHANGE – Just a reminder, Owner/operator and supplier registration is underway for the FWAA 2024 Business Exchange presented by Perma Pier on August 6th at the Hurst Conference Center. To register, go to: https://www.aatcnet.org/events/aatc-2024-business-exchange. Owner/operators: Yours and your colleagues’ attendance ensures that FWAA can assist NAA PAC in raising the necessary funds to fight the highly onerous CARES Act 30-day Notice to Vacate! The Business Exchange is FREE for owners/operators. FWAA supplier partners: This year’s event is $400 per supplier attendee; there is a limit of four attendees per supplier company. Owner/operators – be sure to register your purchasing folks and team members who make or influence buying decisions! Suppliers – Do not wait until it is too late! Register today!
CONTRIBUTE TO THE FWAA PAC – FWAA advocacy efforts depend on all our members doing their part to support candidates that align with FWAA’s financial interests. Please contribute here: https://form.jotform.com/220464310148143
Perry Pillow is FWAA’s Director of Government Affairs. For more information, contact Perry at
ppillow@aatcnet.org or call 817-701-6353.
