Early Years

Bill Burch has been politically active since 1979. At that time, he met with Fred Meyers, the Dallas County Republican Party Chairman, and became convinced that he should run for Texas State Representative for Southeast Dallas. He began building a campaign team and gained significant support among Republicans in the District. His Campaign Consultant was John Weekley, who showed him the ropes and helped Bill win the Republican Primary with over eighty percent of the vote against a formidable opponent.

After the Primary, Bill received more support in the form of special training by Congressman Jim Collins at his ranch in Irving. Bill had many significant gains, such as convincing the Democrat County Chairman, Joe Devaney, to cross party lines and join the Republican Party. Many friendships were developed during this period that is still strong today, such as with Tom Paukin, former Republican Party State Chairman. Bill lost this election against John Bryant by a narrow margin, learning some valuable lessons that he retains today. One of the lessons is that the Democrats believe in campaigning on the philosophy of the end justifies the means. Truth is an issue that they don’t allow to get in their way. Helping senior citizens vote by marking their ballots for them is justifiable and, if necessary, get people to vote as many time as they can get away with it. There were even more tactics used by the Democrats who want to win by any means available.

Bill and Jane, Bills wife, continued their involvement, but at a much lower level due to business requirements. In 1987, Bill and Jane moved to Arlington, Texas. They would make their home in Arlington for the next twenty years. In 1996, as the first of their children left for Texas A&M, Bill began to increase his activity again. New friendships were being developed as Bill made an unsuccessful bid for Congress.

Bill and Jane attended the 1996 State Convention as Delegates for Senate District 10. In 1998, Bill and Jane continued their efforts by working for the election of several candidates and attended the 1998 and 2000 Senate and State Conventions. In 1998, Governor Bush won re-election and Bill and Jane were invited to their first Gubernatorial Inauguration. Two years later, Bill and Jane would be invited to their first Presidential Inauguration.

In 2002, Bill’s activities became more pronounced in Tarrant County as a result of redistricting and Bill’s becoming a Precinct Chairman for Precinct 2031 the prior year. Now, in Senate District 9, Bill was appointed by Duane McGuffey (the 2002 Chairman of the Tarrant County Senate District 9 Republican Convention), to be the Chairman of the Nominations Committee, a position he has held through the 2006 Convention. This is the committee that determines (subject to the approval of the body of the convention) who will go to the State Convention as a Delegate or Alternant Delegate.

After the Senatorial Convention, Bill joined Jane at the State Convention, where Jane ran for and lost her election for SREC. This was a close election in number of votes, but Jane would bounce back.