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Arab-American woman headed to Boston convention

By Crestina Chavez
News 8 Austin
Posted on Thursday July 22, 2004

Austin is sending 24 delegates to the Democratic Convention in Boston.

First-time delegate Samia El-Badry is on her way, but it wasn’t an easy gig for her to snag.

El-Badry had to do a little campaigning for it at the state convention in Houston last month.

“It was the most amazing moments of my life. I’ve never run a campaign. I don’t sell myself,” she said.

El-Badry’s win makes her the only Arab-American from Texas going to the DNC.

“People actually took Arab-American issues seriously. That they actually took foreign policy, and civil rights, and the occupation of Palestinian lands seriously,” she said.

Democrats won’t easily win over the Lone Star State in the November election.

Former Texas Gov. George W. Bush makes Texas his home away from Washington D.C.

And President Jimmy Carter was the last Democratic president Texas voted into office.

But El-Badry feels like Kerry still has a chance in here.

“It’s not a clear message yet. I think having Edwards will help in repackaging this message to say, hey, that’s what he stands for,” she said.

Despite a tough sell here in Texas, El-Badry is coming back on a mission to get voters to the polls.

El-Badry said three-fourths of the Democratic delegates from Travis County are first-timers. Most of them are leaving for Boston Sunday.