I Believe that We Will Win!
“I,”
“I believe,”
“I believe that,”
“I believe that we,”
“I believe that we will win!”
It’s the chant continually echoing in my head since the 2020 general election. It will not stop, the feeling won’t go away. It’s a constant reminder that the job of making lives better is far from over.
Texas is on the path to turning blue, joining our southern sisters Arizona and Georgia. Recent gains have shown progressives are knocking on the door.
The proof is in the counties that are adjacent to our state’s largest counties. Tarrant County, a traditional GOP stronghold, went for President-Elect Biden; the first time a Democratic Presidential candidate won the county since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. Williamson and Hays Counties, both historically Republican Texas areas, followed suit. Fort Bend County solidified its status as a blue county, electing its first Black woman as county attorney and its first Black sheriff since Reconstruction — both Democrats.
Our state’s largest county, Harris, stayed the course and won every countywide seat on the ballot. Under the stewardship of County Chair Lillie Schechter, the Harris County Democratic Party accounted for 1,259,340 texts sent, 775,353 phone calls, 520,217 people reached on social media, 1,222 volunteers, 2,732 volunteer shifts, and 5,746,663 digital impressions allowing for success this past election cycle. All in the midst of a global pandemic.
Organizing and progressive policies are working. People believe. However, there is still work to be done and plenty of it.
Biden didn’t win Texas, Democrats didn’t capture a statewide seat, and we failed to capture the majority in the State House; a feat we haven’t accomplished since 2001.
In Harris County, Trump made gains in 2020 by picking up an average of +5.36% from 2016 in the 15 State House districts where a Democrat holds the seat and +7.25% in the 13 Democratic State House districts where a minority holds the seat. We must do better.
Tip O’Neill, former Speaker of the U.S. House, once said, “all politics is local” and we should keep it that way. Particularly, when hiring campaign operatives and framing our messages.
This is Texas, we operate a little differently than the others in the Union. And as the Democratic Party here in the Lone Star State, we should embrace this.
We should start by hiring and selecting local operatives for campaign teams. The bench we build locally should be immersed and entrenched, in and around the community surrounding them. Neighbors and friends should at the very least, recognize their faces. The talent is there and it is our job to find, engage, and cultivate it. This is a tremendous moment in time to invest the wisdom of our elders into the energy of a younger generation yearning for change and direction. Now is the time to capitalize and not cannibalize.
Consultants from Washington D.C., New York, San Francisco and any other area or city outside of Texas, alone are not going to get the job done. We need homegrown Texas talent. If you don’t believe me, ask the Black women in Georgia how life is turning out for them when you keep it in the family and trust yourself. Grassroots organizing wins elections.
High schoolers, trade workers, engineers, law students, activists are all motivated to see a better life and brighter future. They are ready to fight for policies we all believe in. Let’s get them involved and equipped for this. It’s time to center campaign schools in neighborhoods and communities we’ve never thought about going into, paying a living wage for campaign operatives, and trusting people outside the “friends, family, and legacy” circles. Campaigns can function without the usual family business operatives and the “big donor” family friend looking for the connection. The process should involve everyone and not just the privileged select.
The creators of the message and messengers are equally as important as the message. When we have a local, diverse coalition behind the scenes, we win. It’s that simple. Black and brown culturally competent and targeted messaging makes a difference. Our message resonates better with a broad spectrum of people and we don’t rely on outside forces to hold our water.
Look at the positive gains made by Democrats around Texas mentioned earlier, this was all work done locally with messages framed by those homegrown.
Texans want Medicaid expanded; increased voter access; fully funded and equitable public education; affordable housing; an economy working for them and not just the top 1%; minimum wage increased to $15 an hour; free secondary education, whether it be trade schools, apprenticeships, or college; legalized marijuana; criminal justice reform, which includes, divesting from the police and investing in social services so unarmed Black and Brown people aren’t getting killed; and so many more progressive policies we champion on a daily basis. It’s imperative we get back to talking about these issues and not get distracted by national talking points and catch phrases.
If Oklahoma can pass a measure to expand Medicaid, so can Texas. If Montana can vote for two initiatives in favor to legalize, regulate and tax recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older, so can Texas. If Florida can enact a red flag law to remove firearms from a person who can be a danger to themselves and others, so can Texas. All issues, progressives are right on and everyday Texans want instituted.
All of this is there for us to lead on and elect leaders who will fight for it, without a shadow of a doubt. There is work to be done and it won’t be easy, but I know what progressive Texans can do when progress starts locally.
We will win, I believe it!
