A new group is looking to make its mark in Texas through combatting voter suppression and ensuring every district has a well-funded Democratic nominee.
Blue Texas, which is a joint venture between Power the Vote and Every State Blue, is a grassroots effort with the mission is to leave no voter behind. They are holding an introductory meeting this evening as part of their launch, and they have big plans throughout the state.
The Signal spoke with Kimberly Allen, who is the Founder of Power the Vote and Michele Hornish, who was the Executive Director of Every State Blue, ahead of their launch. Blue Texas has a dual purpose: half their funds will go towards combatting voter suppression, and then the other half (after the primary) will go towards Democratic legislative nominees. Blue Texas wants to ensure that every district in Texas, no matter how red, has a Democratic nominee.
Allen emphasizes the importance of investing in Texas, even if the national narrative would not consider the state a battleground. “It’s a really important place to put our time and energy,” says Allen.
Hornish also believes that ensuring Texas Democrats have more resources will pay off. “There’s a lot that we can do just by getting people to run and then by making sure that they have at least a minimum amount of money to be able to share their message with neighbors,” she notes.
In 2022, 41 Texas House districts had no Democratic nominee, and on top of that another 34 Democratic nominees were seriously underfunded. From their work across the country, both Allen and Hornish have witnessed just having a Democratic nominee in a district can increase vote share at the top of the ticket by 1.5 percent.
Blue Texas is finalizing their Advisory committee, which currently includes Congressman Veronica Escobar and Luke Warford, the 2022 nominee for Railroad Commissioner. And their launch meeting will feature 2022 lieutenant governor nominee Mike Collier and State Rep. Gina Hinojosa.
A longtime writer and journalist, Jessica was thrilled to join the Texas Signal where she could utilize her unique perspective on politics and culture. As the Features and Opinion Editor, she is responsible for coordinating editorials and segments from diverse authors. She is also the host of the podcast the Tex Mix, as well as the co-host for the weekly SignalCast. Jessica attended Harvard College, is a onetime fitness blogger, and has now transitioned to recreational runner (for which her joints are thankful).
