TED CRUZ IS OUR LESSON LEARNED, TEXAS DEMOCRATS

Now is the time to be looking at the host of candidates vying for John Cornyn's Senate seat.  He is running for re-election against the expected lineup of extreme, right-leaning conservatives campaigning on the sole message that John is a RINO, and a traitor for not giving his support to Ted Cruz' 'filibuster' to repeal Obamacare.  Let them have their clown show, er, primary.  And, may the best clown win.  Democrats also have a multi-challenger primary to consider.  After reading bios on all the candidates, I have dedicated my support to Maxey Scherr, an attorney, and single mother from El Paso.  To those of us Texans who have been abandoned by Cornyn and Cruz, Maxey wants to be our voice in Washington.  Being businessmen, and failed congressional candidates, the other Democratic primary contenders, Michael Fjetland and David Alameel, leave a bad taste in my mouth.  Mr. Alameel is a wealthy man, and is spending lots of money on his campaign, but I questions his motives.  The idea of a girl from El Paso with principles, and a heart for the people, is much more appealing to me than a millionaire who wants power and control in Washington.  Alameel has a D next to his name, and is spouting all the correct ideology, but this yellow dog Dem smells something funny about him.  As an attorney, Maxey stands up in court on behalf of plaintiffs.  Her candidacy for the senate seat is her first foray into elected public office.  But, isn't that what we need?  I believe that a novice will serve us infinitely better than a career politician.  I finally met Maxey on Saturday in Austin, and am more confident than ever that she will make an excellent senator.  She's got my vote, and the vote of my family.

Texas, like every state, gets two representatives for six-year terms to serve the interest of Texans in the United States Senate.  In 2012, the retiring Kay Bailey Hutchison's seat was up for grabs.  In a dirty, no holds barred Republican primary with David Dewhurst, the tea party darling, Ted Cruz, came out the victor.  Texas Democrats had an honorable, experienced candidate for all the people in Paul Sadler.  I got to know him well; I still regret that we failed to come together to organize our precincts, neighborhoods, counties, to get him elected.  Ted Cruz is a hard lesson learned for us, and we've only seen the tip of the iceberg of just how deplorable a character he really is.  His obstructive actions in shutting down the government have caused harm to not just families in Texas, but nationwide, and our military abroad.  We will cringe and squirm until 2018 when his term is finally up.  Indeed, a harsh, but just punishment for our inaction.  Let Ted Cruz serve as a painfully embarrassing reminder that we had better work to elect Democrats.

I do not take lightly the election of our two United States Senators.  We screwed up with Cruz, but, we have a golden opportunity to redeem ourselves here in 2014, folks.  Stop what you're doing right now, and resolve to do your part in your county or community to organize, and get out the vote.  Go to your county's Democratic party meetings and functions.  Get to know and promote Democratic candidates, work for their campaigns making calls, knocking on doors, entering data, donating money.  You'll meet like-minded people from across town or right down the street.  The sense of empowerment you'll get from these alliances cannot be overstated.  Get deputized by your county's voting official.  Then, get out and register voters and get them to vote in elections.  I have a list of all the folks I've registered so I can get them to the polls on election day.  Here in Caldwell County, we are fortunate to have Gary Job Corps, a career technical training facility in San Marcos.  Part of their curriculum now incorporates civic duty because of the efforts of one Caldwell County Democrat.  That woman then formed teams that went out in 2012, and registered a total of 1500 voters.  On election day, the facility transported the youth to their polling location where they cast their vote, most all of them for the first time.  Being a part of democracy in action is one of my favorite things to do!  Our beloved Texas, and all its people, deserve a democracy.  Let's re-engage our communities so they can vote to elect people who will serve their best interests.

I have nothing but love and pride for you, fellow Texas Democrats!

Peace, Love, Solidarity ~
Martha