The midterm elections will be on Nov. 8, and their results will play a huge role in Texas’ political future.
The past few years have brought a wave of change in Texas politics due to the rise in issues that people face on a day-to-day basis. The candidates for governor this year include current Gov. Greg Abbott and longtime candidate Beto O’Rourke.
Abbott being a Republican has always upheld the same conservative views regarding hot political topics. O’Rourke, a Democrat, on the other hand, always strongly opposes them. Recently though, many people have felt like instead of respectfully stating their issues with the other’s opinion, the two seem to just bicker like children and spend their time trying to defame each other.
Their on-screen tiffs have at this point caused a disconnect between them and their intended audience. From passive-aggressive political ads to arguing during televised debates, their behavior has been truly immature.
Perhaps if they put the same amount of effort into proposing solutions as they do into arguing, we could finally make some progress as a state.
Many different issues come to mind when one thinks of the midterms, but some of the most pressing issues have been abortion, gun control and education. With the overturning of Roe v. Wade earlier this year as well as the Uvalde shooting, these topics hit close to home for many people.
For O’Rourke, these issues have become the base of his campaign, focusing on the families of the Uvalde victims and openly being pro-choice in a notoriously red state has brought much support for him this time around.
For Abbott, on the other hand, funding from the NRA took precedence above the victims of Uvalde. Even though he was given every opportunity to make a difference on gun violence issues, he chose to turn a blind eye with the label of “thoughts and prayers” every time.
As for abortions, Abbott’s response to the outrage from people on the nation’s most restrictive abortion ban was to state that he plans to eliminate all rapists from Texas, effectively proving he doesn’t understand the issue at hand in the slightest.
The responses, or lack thereof, by the current governor have prompted record voter registration. A new generation of voters has emerged and for them, the issues are no longer about party affiliation.
Along with the rise of newly eligible voters, there has also been a spike in new Texas residents coming from primarily blue states. This has caused a shift in the political landscape of the state.
The days of voting based on the sole reason they side with a particular political party are long gone. Voters are looking for change and are willing to hold their candidates accountable for the promises they make. This includes working on pressing issues like the education crisis.
Time and time again, funding for schools has been cut, and Texas teachers have paid the price, being forced to pull from their already limited funds to try and get together the basics needed to run their classrooms.
Teachers need a livable wage, and the state needs to provide for its classrooms the same way it provides for its law enforcement.
These are not political issues. They are fundamental rights issues. Children deserve the right to be safe at school, people deserve the right to have bodily autonomy, and teachers deserve the right to live comfortably with fully stocked classrooms.
The future of Texas has been up in the air for long enough. It’s time to make a change, starting with who’s in charge.
