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As the November election comes to an end, I would like to take a moment and express my deep gratitude to all our Texas Democrats who worked so hard this election cycle. First, I would like to thank our candidates for stepping up and putting themselves forward to serve our community. It takes a special person to run for office and I am extremely proud of everything they did. Thank you.
We owe a huge thank you to everyone who worked so tirelessly to keep our elections safe and our polls open and running smoothly. Their commitment to our elections and our voters meant that every vote was counted and everyone who was eligible to vote, and wanted to vote, did. Thank you.
I would like to acknowledge and thank our organizers and activists who phone-banked, text-banked, canvassed, supported and gave up their precious time. I am so grateful.
Statewide, we did have some great achievements: the GOP multi-million campaign to flip South Texas failed, and Democrats held onto every Congressional District that voted for Biden in 2020. It was not a red wave. In several counties, Democrats flipped seats-including the County Judge seat in Presidio County, a County Commissioner and County Attorney seat in Hays County, a State seat in Collin County and several county seats in Harris and Dallas Counties. We also held the line with our State House seats which means there is no red supermajority.
The change that we are working so hard towards cannot be achieved overnight, and we need to keep moving forwards. There is so much at stake.
The next legislative session is approaching and there are over 900 bills filed. As Democrats, we need to be holding our state representatives liable for their votes. Texans are suffering and we remain the only party fighting for lower costs on working families; quality education for all our Texas kids; accessible healthcare; lower property taxes; Texas women’s rights to bodily autonomy; a working electric grid; freedom from senseless gun violence and comprehensive changes to our nation’s immigration system to make it fair, legal, orderly and humane.
In the upcoming legislative session, we are expecting a renewed push towards extremism from Texas Republicans. Gerrymandering and the voter suppressions created by SB1 mean that we must continue to build, organize and mobilize a base of support that will hold our politicians accountable, and bring us back to democracy in Texas.
For now, thank you to all our candidates, organizers and volunteers for the conversations they’ve shaped, the people they’ve mobilized, and the Texans they’ve inspired.
JULIE HILBERG is the Atascosa County Democratic Chairwoman. You may reach her at atascosademocrats@outlook.com.
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