Harris in Texas: A New Era for the Democratic Party
She is leading the change, and let’s hope she continues to do so, time and time again, all the way beyond 2028.
It remains fresh in my memory: Beto O’Rourke first egged on, and then literally begged, Biden’s team to send him to campaign in Texas in 2020.
But the visit never happened. Aside from President Biden’s one trip to Texas at the end of May 2020, he did not return to the state. During that time, Beto O’Rourke wasn’t running for office; instead, he was tirelessly mobilizing voters across Texas. His efforts were aimed not only at helping his party but also at supporting Democratic candidates in the future.
Biden could have taken a similar approach. He lost Texas by just 5.6 points in 2020 — the closest margin since 1996.
Campaigning in states where you might not secure a victory is sometimes essential. When the GOP instructed its voters to see Democrats as the opposition, it was necessary; now, as the MAGA-GOP encourages its supporters to view the opposition as enemies of the state, it has become critical.
Lies propagated by the GOP become accepted truths only when we allow them to go unchallenged. Over the years, Democrats have often done little to counteract these narratives, letting MAGA lies seep into various parts of the country: election denial has been normalized, insurrection has become a rallying point, and draconian measures to control women’s rights are increasingly accepted.
It’s crucial to recognize where the impact of MAGA is most acutely felt — not in California or New York, but in deep red states. You cannot effectively counter their lies and diversionary tactics by remaining within the blue wall; you must do the opposite.
Where was President Biden and the Democratic Party when people in Kentucky lined up to vote against abortion measures pushed by the Republican Party? Imagine if Biden had been on the ground throughout Kentucky on the eve of the 2022 midterms, raising awareness about the Dobbs decision by the Supreme Court and rallying women to vote against the measure.
The entire country would have seen that Biden has nothing to gain personally from his efforts and that he is truly fighting for them. But he didn’t get out there, and Democrats didn’t get out there. It has been over two years now, and women in red states are already paying a steep price. If nothing is done and done soon, they will end up accepting the pain and resigning themselves to living with it.
No other state has so aggressively encroached on women’s rights as Texas, and the results are already beginning to show.
JAMA Pediatrics “reported increased infant mortality in Texas following passage of Senate Bill 8, banning abortion in early pregnancy.
The increase appeared pronounced among infants with congenital anomalies, potentially owing to frail fetuses more often being carried to term following the implementation of abortion restrictions”.
Now, whose responsibility is it to raise awareness about the problems caused by the GOP’s pandering to the Christian right? Of course, the Republicans are not going to do it; the Democrats have to step up. You can’t do the right thing by selectively choosing states to visit based on the electoral votes they might yield or by campaigning only in areas where you have a chance to win.
You need to change your approach.
Stay within MAGA territory; pitch a camp there if necessary.
Kamala Harris is not going to win Texas, but she visited the state this week.
Kamala Harris and Beyoncé ignited a Houston rally with a double-barreled argument against Donald Trump on Friday, with the superstar telling the Democratic nominee’s biggest crowd ever that it was “time to sing a new song” as Harris warned that her GOP opponent was dead set on further eroding women’s rights.
For anyone watching from another state, if you think you are protected from Trump abortion bans because you live in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New York, California, or any state where voters or legislators have protected reproductive freedom, please know: No one is protected. Because a Donald Trump national ban will outlaw abortion in every single state. — Kamala Harris
How to Stop the MAGA take over of the Republican party?
There are two parts to this objective.
First, make people aware of what the MAGA-GOP is up to. You cannot do this if you remain in Washington, D.C., or keep campaigning in California and New York. You need to go where people are hurting the most. Consider the educational attainment rates in West Virginia and Mississippi, which are the lowest in the entire country. Look at the rising infant death rates in Texas. Go to those states and start explaining to them what is happening, why it is happening, and how you plan to help them escape their “jail cell.”
Second, there is nothing the Democrats can do to convince those who want to turn America into a medieval Christian land. You have to let them be. However, there is a lot that can be done to reduce the MAGA margin among non-college-educated white voters and white women. This can be addressed at the national level, but the message must be delivered in deep red states.
I’m so glad that Kamala Harris continues to discard the tired old Democratic playbook. She first rejected the Hispanic playbook that treats them solely as immigrants, and now she has moved away from the strategy of staying within the blue wall.
She is on the right track.
My only hope is to see her continue in this direction even after she gets into the White House. That was the mistake Biden made. There’s no point in discussing fixing the Supreme Court when you refuse to show up in Kentucky as they prepare to push back against the Dobbs decision.
Fight for justice even when you know you may not succeed. People will take note. At the end of the day, you are fighting for them. Results will come when they understand you are on their side.