February 2, 2012

TAJ CLAYTON OUTRAISES CONGRESSWOMAN EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON & REP. CARAWAY BY $100K COMBINED

Clayton: “South Dallas County is ready for change.”

According to campaign finance reports turned in yesterday, Dallas attorney Taj Clayton today announced that he has outraised a 10-term congressional incumbent and a Texas state representative over the last three months of 2011 by over $100,000 combined. Last week his congressional campaign revealed that he raised $216,253.74 in the last 10 weeks of 2011.

“We’re off to a very strong start, and this is only the beginning. We are gaining momentum as people get to know me and see what I’m about. We’ve exceeded our expectations because people are ready for new results and new leadership. We’re tired of seeing South Dallas County deal with the same problems year after year. The time for change is here,” said Clayton.

Renee Hartley, Clayton’s campaign manager, said that by outraising his opponents without the help of political action committees, Clayton showed that he was building an important base of support among people committed to change.

“I think Taj Clayton’s fundraising totals show that there are a lot of people ready for change,” said Hartley, “but I think the contrast with his opponents’ fundraising totals shows that people are committed to change.”

In the 4th quarter of 2011, U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson raised $95,186.50 and ended the year with $228,522.70 in the bank. Almost half of that total - $46,500 – came from political action committees, and her campaign reported a debt of $71,744.47.

Over the same period, Texas Rep. Barbara Caraway raised $15,741 and ended up with $413.92 on hand.

Taj Clayton worked his way through Harvard by cleaning dormitory bathrooms and sweeping staircases, among other odd jobs. He graduated with Honors after making the Dean’s List every semester and went on to receive his law degree from Harvard Law School. Today, Taj Clayton is an attorney at the international law firm of Fish & Richardson. He has been recognized as a “Rising Star” by Texas Super Lawyers magazine. Prior to joining Fish & Richardson, Mr. Clayton was a Law Clerk to Chief Judge Mark L. Wolf of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Taj has been happily married to his college sweetheart, Tonika, for 11 years and is the proud father of two daughters with a son on the way in February. In his spare time, Taj Clayton serves on the Board of the Dallas Children’s Theater and volunteers with the Dallas KIPP Charter School and the Circle of Support program. In 2008, he served on the Texas 2008 Obama Campaign Finance Committee and was a delegate to the Dallas County and Texas state Democratic conventions.