I’m often asked, “Should I vote in the Texas primary election?” Yes, you should. Your vote is a reward for the past and hope for the future.
First, you will need to choose either the Democratic or Republican primary. These are two separate and exclusive elections. You need to decide which party earned your vote and can be trusted with power.
Democrats have a long list of accomplishments for the past 100 years. Franklin Delano Roosevelt successfully led America through the Great Depression and the Second World War. The Texan Lydon Bains Johnson championed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and the creation of Medicare.
Bill Clinton and Barack Obama cleaned up the messes of their predecessors. Clinton negotiated a budget that balanced the budget, while Obama ended the reckless and expensive war in Iraq. Republicans successfully blocked Clinton’s plans for health insurance reform, but Obama successfully crafted the Affordable Care Act (Obama) to withstand wave after wave of conservative attempts to repeal it.
Joe Biden has continued with this Democratic tradition. As the pilot of our ship, he successfully navigated the treacherous waters of Covid 19, Putin’s war in Ukraine and Hamas terrorists in Israel. Conservatives in Congress and the states have created obstacles, but still America remains steady and sails forward.
Biden’s success has meant that he has no substantial opposition in the primary. A vote for him would express gratitude for the first four years and wisdom and hope for the next four years of wisdom and calm seas.
The primary election, however, is more than just the presidential race. Politics is a team event. Voting in the Democratic primary lets you pick the rest of the team. Personally, I want people that will contribute to team America.
For example, the Democratic primary will select the nominee to challenge Ted Cruz. Cruz wants to let insurance companies deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. Cruz already voted against the Inflation Reduction Act that created American jobs, invested in new energy sources, and allowed Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices.
There are nine candidates that want to join President Biden and make America stronger. U.S. Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas and state Sen. Roland Gutierrez of San Antonio are the clear front runners. Allred has a solid record as a US Congressman, while Gutierrez is a proven fighter in Austin.
Down ballot races are equally important. Democrats in the Texas House and Senate want to invest in public, not private education. Democrats want to bring your taxes in Washington back to Texas and expand Medicare. Democrats trust women, not politicians, to make private medical decisions.
Your vote is a powerful statement about the past and the future. Do we want leaders that stop crying and start working? Do we want leaders who will join team America instead of team temper tantrum? Your vote in the Democratic Primary can send a powerful message that America needs Liberty and Justice For All.
Glenn Melancon is the longtime Chair of the Grayson County Democratic Party. He is a professor of history at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. He can be reached at [email protected]