--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I first put my hat in the ring…" description: "\"When I first put my hat in the ring, several very tried and true and loyal Democratic activists from our community said, 'What? She's not a Democrat. S..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/wendy-davis-10784_activists_when-i-first-put-my-hat-in-the-ring-seve_1169043.jpg" --- # When I first put my hat in the ring, several very tried… ![“When I first put my hat in the ring, several very tried and true and loyal Democratic activists from our community said, 'What? She's not a Democrat. She's a Republican.' I took that as a compliment, you know, that people didn't necessarily know what my ideology might be because I wasn't driven by…” quote by Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/wendy-davis-10784_activists_when-i-first-put-my-hat-in-the-ring-seve_1169043.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/wendy-davis-10784_activists_when-i-first-put-my-hat-in-the-ring-seve_1169043.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/wendy-davis-10784_activists_when-i-first-put-my-hat-in-the-ring-seve_1169043.jpg) > “When I first put my hat in the ring, several very tried and true and loyal Democratic activists from our community said, 'What? She's not a Democrat. She's a Republican.' I took that as a compliment, you know, that people didn't necessarily know what my ideology might be because I wasn't driven by that.” [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker highlights that political labels can be misleading and that personal actions define identity more than party affiliation. **In simple terms:** People judge by party, not actions. Key Takeaway Let actions speak louder than labels. Themes politics identity perception Mood defiant proud reflective Type political personal motivational When to use this quote - campaigning - community organizing - cross‑party collaboration - public speaking Key Concepts party affiliation personal integrity public perception Questions to Reflect On - How can you demonstrate values beyond party lines? - What actions best reflect your true convictions? A Different Perspective Labels can oversimplify complex beliefs and alienate allies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activists/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Compliment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compliment/) [Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) [Democrat Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat-republican/) [Democratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic/) [Democratic Activists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-activists-3381751/) [Driven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driven/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [Hat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hat/) [Ideology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideology/) [Ideology Wasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideology-wasn-3381749/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Loyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loyal/) [Loyal Democratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loyal-democratic-3381752/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Necessarily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessarily/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Our community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-community/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Put](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/put/) [Republican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republican/) [Ring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ring/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Said Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-democrat-3381750/) [Several](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/several/) [She](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/she/) [Took](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took/) [Tried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tried/) [True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true/) [Very](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [With that being said, you are a Democrat. You are saying, "Let's cut and run." And I have to tell you, I have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/with-that-being-said-you-are-a-democrat-you-are-saying-let-s-cut-and/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [Doesn't matter if you're a Democrat or a Republican in Michigan. We want jobs in Michigan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-stabenow/doesn-t-matter-if-you-re-a-democrat-or-a-republican-in-michigan-we/) [Debbie Stabenow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-stabenow/) > [I think it's clear to me that what - when I look at the tea party, it's about one-third Democrat, one-third Republican, one-third independents.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/i-think-it-s-clear-to-me-that-what-when-i-look-at-the-tea-party-it-s/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [The only thing dumber than a Democrat or a Republican is when those pricks work together. You see, in our two-party system, the Democrats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/the-only-thing-dumber-than-a-democrat-or-a-republican-is-when-those/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [“I'm not Democrat or Republican: I Vote Entrepreneur”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/i-m-not-democrat-or-republican-i-vote-entrepreneur/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [Whether you are a Democrat or Republican, whether you are a liberal or a conservative, we know that neither this President nor prior Presidents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whether-you-are-a-democrat-or-republican-whether-you-are-a-liberal-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Arlen Specter left the GOP because it is a lot easier to win in Pennsylvania as a Democrat than as a Republican. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-todd/arlen-specter-left-the-gop-because-it-is-a-lot-easier-to-win-in/) [Chuck Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-todd/) > [I am running for President because it is obvious that no Democrat or Republican is ever going to stop the relentless growth of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/i-am-running-for-president-because-it-is-obvious-that-no-democrat-or/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [I hate to hear people say this Judge will vote so and so, because he is a Democrat -- and this one so and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-hate-to-hear-people-say-this-judge-will-vote-so-and-so-because-he/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I think it has done us more harm believing in the huge differences between left and right, Democrat and Republican.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-etheridge/i-think-it-has-done-us-more-harm-believing-in-the-huge-differences/) [Melissa Etheridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-etheridge/) > [I am niether more a Democrat then I am a Republican much less an Independent, I am an American, and I am proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-a-batres/i-am-niether-more-a-democrat-then-i-am-a-republican-much-less-an/) [Joseph A Batres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-a-batres/) > [I think it is absolutely reprehensible to believe that any member of this House, Democrat or Republican, would want to do anything that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dreier/i-think-it-is-absolutely-reprehensible-to-believe-that-any-member-of/) [David Dreier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dreier/) > [We won't organize any black man to be a Democrat or a Republican because both of them have sold us out. Both of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/we-won-t-organize-any-black-man-to-be-a-democrat-or-a-republican/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The reality is, we're seeing these more intense events, we're seeing these mega-hurricanes. Nobody's disputing that and nobody thinks that's a Democrat or Republican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-x-suarez/the-reality-is-we-re-seeing-these-more-intense-events-we-re-seeing/) [Francis X. Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-x-suarez/) > [I will not be a Democrat or a Republican. They are the problem, not the solution. We need to abolish political parties in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-will-not-be-a-democrat-or-a-republican-they-are-the-problem-not-the/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) ## More by Wendy Davis > [“I am pro-life. I care about the life of every child: every child that goes to bed hungry, every child that goes to bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/i-am-pro-life-i-care-about-the-life-of-every-child-every-child-that/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [I care about life and I have a record of fighting for people above all else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/i-care-about-life-and-i-have-a-record-of-fighting-for-people-above/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [We can't accept that it's O.K. if only some kids get to go to college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/we-can-t-accept-that-it-s-o-k-if-only-some-kids-get-to-go-to-college/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [Let's make sure that we are working for age-appropriate sex education in our school system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/let-s-make-sure-that-we-are-working-for-age-appropriate-sex-education/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [My dad is truly the person who always made me believe in myself, to appreciate that I was smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/my-dad-is-truly-the-person-who-always-made-me-believe-in-myself-to/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [We believe in honoring our mothers and fathers and keeping our smallest residents - our children - healthy. The politicians in charge of Texas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/we-believe-in-honoring-our-mothers-and-fathers-and-keeping-our/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [I am running for my Senate district in 2014 and looking forward hopefully to earning the confidence of my community once again and being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/i-am-running-for-my-senate-district-in-2014-and-looking-forward/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [“We spend our lives trying to fill the empty places in our souls that lobe never got to, where there wasn't enough water to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/we-spend-our-lives-trying-to-fill-the-empty-places-in-our-souls-that/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [It's my strong belief that when people love each other and are desirous of creating a committed relationship with each other that they should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/it-s-my-strong-belief-that-when-people-love-each-other-and-are/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [We know that Texas is more than a state. Texas has always been a promise. The promise that where you start has nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/we-know-that-texas-is-more-than-a-state-texas-has-always-been-a/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [I was one of those kids that could just show up and take the test and do well on it. I didn't study a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/i-was-one-of-those-kids-that-could-just-show-up-and-take-the-test-and/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [A tree fell on Greg Abbott - he sued and got millions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/a-tree-fell-on-greg-abbott-he-sued-and-got-millions/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [“I pursued education not instead of being a good mother, but because being a good mother required that I build a better life for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/i-pursued-education-not-instead-of-being-a-good-mother-but-because/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [I think that the thing that holds so many of us back is our fear that we might fail, and I think we lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/i-think-that-the-thing-that-holds-so-many-of-us-back-is-our-fear-that/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [Texans deserve better than failed leaders who dole out favors to friends and cronies behind closed doors. It's time for a governor who believes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/texans-deserve-better-than-failed-leaders-who-dole-out-favors-to/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) [Explore all 63 Wendy Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) ## More Activists quotes > [We must always refill and ensure there is a critical mass of leaders and activists committed to nonviolence and racial and economic justice who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/we-must-always-refill-and-ensure-there-is-a-critical-mass-of-leaders/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [O.K., helplessness is repugnant to me, as a father, as a piece of protoplasm. My parents were activists. I don't believe you can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-brickman/o-k-helplessness-is-repugnant-to-me-as-a-father-as-a-piece-of/) [Marshall Brickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-brickman/) > [I think that compared to other politicians who have been put in jail in the past, compared to the human-rights activists in history who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-think-that-compared-to-other-politicians-who-have-been-put-in-jail/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Some kinds of activists are more willing to try stuff out, see if works and think on their feet, but some of the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-green/some-kinds-of-activists-are-more-willing-to-try-stuff-out-see-if/) [Duncan Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-green/) > [Activists take the risks, while advocates are professional tinkerers with the system. What's necessary is for those who are advocates to support those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/activists-take-the-risks-while-advocates-are-professional-tinkerers/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [My parents were civil rights activists, and my mother was active in the feminist movement. Issues concerning marginalized people and especially women of color…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-holmes/my-parents-were-civil-rights-activists-and-my-mother-was-active-in/) [Anna Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-holmes/) > [Too many activists have convinced themselves that they have a monopoly on truth. A little humility and a sense of history could move us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/too-many-activists-have-convinced-themselves-that-they-have-a/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [After the ignominious collapse of the Copenhagen global climate change summit in 2009, Bolivia organised a People's Summit with 35,000 participants from 140 countries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/after-the-ignominious-collapse-of-the-copenhagen-global-climate/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I believe people who practice their beliefs in daily life are activists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-guy/i-believe-people-who-practice-their-beliefs-in-daily-life-are/) [Jasmine Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-guy/) > [MPs are only elected thanks to the help of ordinary members - activists on the ground who traipse the streets, post leaflets and engage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-shapps/mps-are-only-elected-thanks-to-the-help-of-ordinary-members-activists/) [Grant Shapps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-shapps/) > [“To face the days ahead we must ask two questions: first, "Where are we?" and second, "Where do we go from here?" We Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-d-alinsky/to-face-the-days-ahead-we-must-ask-two-questions-first-where-are-we/) [Saul D. Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-d-alinsky/) > [“He was a son of the revolutionary movement when he and the revolutionary movement were still pristine. It was a special time for Filipino…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psyche-roxas-mendoza/he-was-a-son-of-the-revolutionary-movement-when-he-and-the/) [Psyche Roxas-Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psyche-roxas-mendoza/) > [The world you live in is not a given; much of what is best in it has been built through the struggles of passionate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/the-world-you-live-in-is-not-a-given-much-of-what-is-best-in-it-has/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [I know the activists I deal with, we sort of try and check each other to make sure that we haven't gone native, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/i-know-the-activists-i-deal-with-we-sort-of-try-and-check-each-other/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [The queue of activists, interest groups, and ordinary people wringing their hands over what a President Donald Trump might do in office is long,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-c-mann/the-queue-of-activists-interest-groups-and-ordinary-people-wringing/) [Charles C. Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-c-mann/) [Browse all 202 Activists quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activists/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I first put my hat in the ring, several very tried and true and loyal Democratic activists from our community said, 'What? She's not a Democrat. She's a Republican.' 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