EL PASO COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR
Almost 25 years ago, I embarked on a journey with our El Paso County Democratic Party. I vividly remember stepping into our office, eager to make a contribution.
Since then, I have supported numerous Democratic candidates in their political journey. I've had the honor of serving our party on the State Democratic Executive Committee for 12 years, overseeing our party's primary elections for several cycles, and being elected as the first El Pasoan to serve as President of Texas Young Democrats in 2005. I have had the great honor of serving as your El Paso County Democratic Party Chair since 2022.
Together, we've elevated our party.
We're at a crucial moment in our democracy. While Democrats win in El Paso County with an overwhelming percentage, national and state Republicans want to take over. We need to educate the next generation of voters to know that Democratic values are El Paso's values. Strong leadership is needed more than ever, and I'm asking for your support to continue as your chair. Within these last four years, we've moved our party forward, and we're just getting started.
I'm prepared to fight with you for our community!
- Michael
About The Chair
Michael Apodaca, a lifelong resident of Central El Paso, was inspired by his mother, Gloria, a respected realtor, to embrace hard work and community engagement. His early involvement in service organizations sparked his passion for public service. After graduating from Austin High School in 1999, he attended The University of Texas at El Paso, where he revived the University Democrats chapter to encourage political activism among students.
From 2004 to 2010, Michael represented the Democratic Party in Austin as a State Democratic Executive Committee member, and in 2012, served as Treasurer of the Texas Democratic Party. His campaign experience includes notable roles such as State Field Director for Organizing for America during President Obama's re-election and managing Congresswoman Veronica Escobar's successful 2018 campaign.
In 2022, Michael was elected Chair of the El Paso County Democratic Party and reelected in 2024. He has since increased membership and launched an internship program to engage young Democrats in our local community. Whether working locally or across Texas, Michael remains committed to amplifying the community's voices and ensuring El Paso's status as a democratic stronghold.
A Chair With Experience
Campaign Experience
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Former local consultant for several campaigns and committees, including:
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Joe Moody for State Representative
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Rick Olivo for County Commissioner
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Paty Baca for Judge
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David Stout for County Commissioner
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Josh Acevedo for EPISD
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Leah Hannany for EPISD
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Michelle Morales for Municipal Court
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Josh Herrera for Justice of the Peace
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2016 EPISD Bond
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2017 SISD Bond
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In 2010, served as Deputy Field Director for Organizing for America in Texas and later as State Field Director in 2012 during President Obama's re-election campaign.
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In 2018, served as Congresswoman Veronica Escobar's field director, helping to elect her as one of the first Latinas to Congress from Texas.
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Later, in 2018, joined Beto O'Rourke's senate campaign as state training director.
Party Involvement
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Involved with the El Paso Democratic Party since 2000
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Served as Precinct Chair for numerous years
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Elected to the State Democratic Executive Committee in 2004
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Elected as President of Texas Young Democrats 2005
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Elected as Treasurer of the Texas Democratic Party in 2012
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Served as Primary Election Director for the Party in 2006 and 2008
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Served as Treasurer for the El Paso County Democratic Party in 2013
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Elected into the El Paso Democratic Hall of Fame in 2013
Accomplishments since being elected as your Chair
Michael's mission since becoming Chair in 2022 has been to create the next generation of Democratic voters and leaders in El Paso.
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Started the Summer Internship Program that provides high school and college students with an insight into our party.
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Tripled the number of El Paso Democratic Compañero members who give a small monthly contribution to sustain the party.
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Worked to rebrand the party's image on social media, including our website and other media, to be more engaging and active.
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Since June 2024, worked to bring in new precinct chairs to fill vacancies throughout the county.
- Led two Unity Campaigns to expand voter engagement that involved person-to-person voter contact through door knocks, phone calls, texts, and mail.
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Participated in a grant program with the Texas Majority PAC to fund our first full-time Organizing Director to build relationships with our chairs and volunteers.
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We had the highest cash-on-hand report in the history of the El Paso Democratic Party, as reported through our Texas Ethics Reports. We worked to stabilize our financial situation, building financial trust with elected officials and donors.
And, there is still more work to do!
While we have bolstered our finances, increased our volunteer and voter contacts, and become more active in the community, we still have work to do.
I want to focus on the following this next term:
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Strengthen our Neighborhood Team program.
In 2024, I presented to attendees at our state convention on the importance of neighborhood team organizing. In 2025, with our organizing director, we initiated the implementation of this program. While we have a target group of voters during the election, we tend to leave areas untouched that traditionally support us. We need to reimagine how we engage our neighbors. Through this program, the goal is to reach every neighbor not only during election time but throughout the year as well.
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Continue to expand our volunteer base.
In 2024, we identified 500 individuals who expressed interest in volunteering with the party in various capacities. My goal is to triple this number, thereby increasing our outreach to El Pasoans who want to step up and help. By doing this, potential neighborhood leaders and precinct chairs are brought into the party.
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Focus on areas in the county that have not been active in our party.
El Paso County is the Democratic Stronghold of Texas! However, there are communities to which we have lost connections, and certain areas have become inaccessible. My goal is to reach out by organizing meetings and events, as well as conducting direct voter contact in these areas.
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Continue to reach out to new voters, 2024 stay-at-home voters, and more.
Starting in 2025, I made an effort to reach out to new voters because it's not enough to register; we need to attempt to talk to those who are newly registered to give and receive information. Additionally, we have almost 65,000 voters who cast ballots in 2020 but did not return in 2024. I want to ensure we continue to push these universes to build the next generation of Democratic voters in El Paso.
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Continue to expand our financial resources.
Ultimately, we need to ensure that our party is financially stable. That has been my mission as Chair. I will work to continue expanding our party's reach and build a small to medium donor base that can support our long-lasting efforts.
Endorse Michael
I hope to count on your support to continue as your Chair of the El Paso County Democratic Party. Fill out this form to show your support and endorsement!
Contact Michael
Have a question, feel free to contact me!