Letter from Texas
Beto O’Rourke’s strong race in Texas has Democrats buzzing, about Beto and the state’s changing politics. For insight, I turned to my politically astute brother-in-law in Texas, Tillman Cooley. He allowed me to share this note, which he wrote to his grandkids:
All my life I have generally voted Republican. I live in a very nice suburban Republican neighborhood in Dallas – mostly white, well-educated, informed and thoughtful folks. Our US and Texas State Representatives have been solid, long-term, well known Republicans. My only two lawn signs were proudly for them. But we also tend to vote for people, not party.
Now, my new US Representative is a black former NFL player. My new State Representative is a Hispanic high school dropout who had a kid when she was 15. Both are Democrats. What happened?
Democrat Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke developed a strong following, and his signs were common in my neighborhood. I felt his message was one of positive, inclusive ideas, unlike his opponent. A large number of Republicans (including me) voted for him. Still, he lost. What does that have to do with my Representatives?
One factor: people are naturally in a hurry. Texas allows a voter to push a single button and vote for all nominees of that party. Total time 15 seconds. Folks like me, voting for various nominees, spend 15 minutes hunting up and down the ballot, checking the different pages, etc. Guess what many people choose.
What now? You decide.
(1) My new US Representative is Colin Allred, an African-American attorney, president of his class at Hillcrest HS in Dallas, graduate of Baylor and UC-Berkeley law school. (He did play football as well.) He has worked in the Obama administration and in private practice, mostly in housing and civil rights.
(2) My new State Representative, Ana-Maria Ramos, dropped out of HS to have a baby and got married. She had another child and got divorced. She earned a GED, and graduated from Eastfield Community College, UT-Arlington, Texas Women’s University (MBA), and SMU Law School. She is in private practice in family law, and is a part-time college professor. Her parents were immigrants, her daughter is a teacher.
As for me, with people this determined to succeed in life, I will keep an open mind and hope for success. Might get lucky.
Politics is interesting.
Letter from Texas
Beto O’Rourke’s strong race in Texas has Democrats buzzing, about Beto and the state’s changing politics. For insight, I turned to my politically astute brother-in-law in Texas, Tillman Cooley. He allowed me to share this note, which he wrote to his grandkids:
All my life I have generally voted Republican. I live in a very nice suburban Republican neighborhood in Dallas – mostly white, well-educated, informed and thoughtful folks. Our US and Texas State Representatives have been solid, long-term, well known Republicans. My only two lawn signs were proudly for them. But we also tend to vote for people, not party.
Now, my new US Representative is a black former NFL player. My new State Representative is a Hispanic high school dropout who had a kid when she was 15. Both are Democrats. What happened?
Democrat Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke developed a strong following, and his signs were common in my neighborhood. I felt his message was one of positive, inclusive ideas, unlike his opponent. A large number of Republicans (including me) voted for him. Still, he lost. What does that have to do with my Representatives?
One factor: people are naturally in a hurry. Texas allows a voter to push a single button and vote for all nominees of that party. Total time 15 seconds. Folks like me, voting for various nominees, spend 15 minutes hunting up and down the ballot, checking the different pages, etc. Guess what many people choose.
What now? You decide.
(1) My new US Representative is Colin Allred, an African-American attorney, president of his class at Hillcrest HS in Dallas, graduate of Baylor and UC-Berkeley law school. (He did play football as well.) He has worked in the Obama administration and in private practice, mostly in housing and civil rights.
(2) My new State Representative, Ana-Maria Ramos, dropped out of HS to have a baby and got married. She had another child and got divorced. She earned a GED, and graduated from Eastfield Community College, UT-Arlington, Texas Women’s University (MBA), and SMU Law School. She is in private practice in family law, and is a part-time college professor. Her parents were immigrants, her daughter is a teacher.
As for me, with people this determined to succeed in life, I will keep an open mind and hope for success. Might get lucky.
Politics is interesting.