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Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel
Jan 7, 2025 - Andrew Hodge
New County Democrats Chair plans to refocus locally
Nacogdoches County Democrats selected a new chairman in December, and he intends to refocus on local issues after a challenging election cycle. ​
John Watt, who was elected after Bruce McNellie stepped down in December, said he was surprised when he was approached for the position. ​“Somebody needed to do it, so I said yes,” Watt said. “I’m capable of doing it, and I’m here. I felt like I had a responsibility to step up.”
Increasing the presence of Democrats on the Nacogdoches County ballot is first on his list of priorities, Watt said. ​“I’ve found it to be a little disconcerting that during the general election, everybody local was running unopposed,” Watt said. “I’d like to see that changed. We need to identify and recruit people who have a chance of winning.”
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Republicans were the clear victors in Texas during the 2024 general election, with strong victories for presidential candidate Donald Trump and incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz, no changes to the ratio of the U.S. House delegation, and slight increases in both state legislative chambers.
The number of Democratic voters in Nacogdoches County dropped significantly in 2024 compared to the 2020 election, while Republicans made small gains.
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Between elections, Watt wants to focus on local issues and ensure that Democrats’ voices are heard at public meetings. “City, county, school board — I want to have someone at all of these meetings, so we can make sure what’s going on and identify any issues as they come up,” Watt said. “We need to stay informed.”
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Precinct | Chairperson |
|---|---|
12 | Open |
13 | Willie B. Scott |
14 | Patricia Crain |
15 | Raul Garza |
16 | Victoria Free |
21 | Mike Strong |
24 | Anne Keehnen |
26 | Jorge Salas |
27 | Row Edward Boldon |
32 | Mike Ward |
33 | Sue Whatley |
34 | Hudson Hart |
41 | Marilyn Griffith |
42 | Bernice Wright |
43 | Doris Evelyn Perkins |
44 | Dennis Davis |
45 | Marjorie Curl |
46 | Gerrie Lockett |
47 | Zachary Brogan |
Democrats can emphasize points of commonality with Republicans by being active and contributing at the local level throughout the year, building trust within the community, Watt said.
“It’s my belief that we need to look at the things we have in common, not our differences,” Watt said. “We all want Nacogdoches to prosper. I’d like to concentrate more on those similarities to bring us together instead of separate us this year.”
Watt has already begun to make appearances at City Council meetings. During the Dec. 17 meeting, Watt spoke during public comment against a resolution that requested the state legislature to give city and county officials control over the appointment of the Nacogdoches County Hospital District’s governing board. “Something needs to happen with the hospital. We’ve got to have a county hospital for indigent and lower-income people,” Watt said. “Taking money away from it to add to the city, I don’t think it’s going to help.”
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Watt also wants improved mass transit for Nacogdoches residents, more sidewalks, and to attract high-paying work in forward-facing industries like tech.
“Nationally, what we do is a ripple in the ocean, but I think we have a bigger chance of a larger impact locally,” Watt said. In the long term, Watt hopes that changes at the local level can contribute to a blue shift for the state of Texas. “I’d like to bring it back to the ’70s, when Democrats were the majority in East Texas,” Watt said. Texas has not supported a Democratic candidate for president since Jimmy Carter in 1976. “The more people we get involved, the more people vote, the stronger our democracy is,” Watt said.
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Watt originally moved to Nacogdoches in 1969 to attend Stephen F. Austin State University. He stayed until 1986, when he moved to Colorado. In 2016, he retired and moved back to Nacogdoches. He first got involved with the county Democrats in March and worked as the office manager for the county office.