Yesterday, Donald Trump spent a full day in Texas, traveling to Odessa and Midland for a campaign-style rally and fundraiser. There’s no better indication that the state is a battleground than for the incumbent Republican President to devote such a major chunk of time in what was once a reliably red state. Trump, full of the bluster and lies that have become staples of his stump speech, failed to mention how his cruelty and incompetence has failed Texans. More than 300 Texans died from Covid-19 in 24 hours, a record for the state, yet Trump failed to mention how the virus has ravaged communities, especially communities of color in the state.
Flanked by state leaders, Trump relied on his divisive rhetoric that ignored the reality we’re living in Texas.
According to Mario Carrillo, Texas-based campaign manager for America’s Voice:
Trump is scared of losing Texas. And rightly so. We’ve experienced firsthand the cruelty and failure of his administration and how it’s impacted our communities. Family separation, a useless border wall that is seizing the land of Texans, a failure to respond meaningfully to Covid-19, has tanked his prospects and made a state that long has been reliably Republican competitive. He didn’t bother to visit Covid victims or the essential workers that have kept Texas moving, many of whom are immigrants
His visit comes in the same week that his administration again moved to end DACA, a program that not only benefits young immigrants, but the state as a whole. Almost two-hundred thousand DACA-recipients call Texas home, including my own wife, and their families and loved ones have watched Trump endlessly rail against their ability to live and work here. And Texans are tuned in. We’ve seen our leaders, like Senator John Cornyn, kowtow to Trump at every turn, instead of representing all Texans.”
The future of Texas is on the ballot this November. Texans are tired of division, tired of cruelty, and are looking for leaders that bring us together and honor the diversity that makes Texas great. We need answers and we need leaders. John Cornyn and Donald Trump are also on the ballot. Hopefully, for the last time.
