About the Campaign
Dear Friends:
Thank you all for supporting my taped-together campaign—and wild idea to change Texas politics.
Last night, I left the polls as it got dark to make sure I talked to the last voters of the evening. And I am glad I did because this campaign was never about me; it was always about you.
So, I want to wrap up this election cycle with a story.
The first and only candidate forum I was ever invited to during this election cycle was back in February in Stonewall, Texas. Like the other candidates, I stood up and briefly explained why I was running. I remember saying people always asked me why I would run as an Independent because I couldn't win. And I told a room full of people, "I know it would be tough to win, but that isn't the point."
I ran to find a different path forward for our politics at the state level—and that process begins with educating people on the reasons why they are so frustrated—and how those frustrations translate to policies that impact our daily lives, too often, negatively—in particular, in the Texas Hill Country. And, to me, the Hill Country is worth fighting for.
About three weeks ago, I ran into two older women who saw me that night in Stonewall. And one of those ladies looked at me and said about that night, "You made sense." They assured me that I had their vote.
To that end, we did win last night. We won because scores of people understand the role of state government in their lives on policy issues like land, water, and school finance. We won because the 30 – 40-year-old people I met were profoundly intelligent and hopeful for a different path forward. We won because not once in this campaign did one single person have a harsh word to say to me, or me to them, when we had a policy difference—not once.
We won because we are in the beginning stages of making a change. This quotation from the Grumet article about the campaign sums it all up perfectly: "Reshaping our partisan landscape will take time. But in the Hill Country, just as the grazing livestock help loosen the sunbaked ground to absorb the next rainfall, Sawin hopes her campaign can soften the political turf for new conversations to take root."
I leave you with this. My late brother Joe's birthday was yesterday. And I wore this watch he found so funny that he gave me as a present years ago: a genuine H. Ross Perot watch. Little did he know it would serve a practical purpose someday. And for him and for you, we move onward to the next steps in our journey!
Go in Depth
– Austin American Statesman Profile: She was sick of divisive politics. So Kodi Sawin decided to run for Texas House
– Association of Texas Professional Educators survey: Teach the Vote
– Independent Americans Interview with Paul Reickoff: Episode 281
– Hill Country Patriot Interview with Matt Long: Kodi Sawin, Candidate for HD19
– Fredericksburg Standard: Third party candidate now running in District 19 race
– NAMI Texas General Election Voter Guide: Texas House of Representatives Candidates
Visit
Principles To Policies
About
Who is Kodi Sawin?
Kodi grew up with a football coaching dad and home economics teaching mom—sandwiched between two brothers.
Her grandparents were kind and generous with their wisdom. Her grandfather Marv is one of her all-time heroes—giant intellect, courageous heart, and talented poultryman to boot. He imparted to her the importance of knowing how the world works, threading conversations with honesty, and bringing folks together to get work done.
Kodi is a graduate of Canyon High School in the Texas Panhandle and Texas State University.
She founded the Sawin Group, specializing in public strategies for diverse clients with infrastructure and natural resource projects. Kodi is recognized for her knowledge and expertise in water issues in Texas. Additionally, Kodi served as the inaugural General Manager of the Southwestern Travis County Groundwater Conservation District and has served on several Hill Country legislative committees, including Texans for Responsible Aggregate Mining (TRAM) and Texas Hill Country Conservation Network water and wastewater committees.
Her work affords her the opportunity to travel both the proverbial and literal road between red and blue Texas on a regular basis and has for some time. She looks forward to traversing the same well-worn paths to talk about issues important to her neighbors including water/wastewater, fixing the grid, and land use and transportation.
Sign up for a yard sign, volunteering, or receiving updates.
Contact us
Contact the campaign
Campaign address
P.O. Box 12104
Austin, TX 78711