I’m still hoping it will turn into another thing.
Beto O’Rourke
More than just the Houston heat fired up the crowd at voting rights rally Sunday, where former Congressman Beto O’Rourke urged action against a restrictive bills being championed by Republicans.
“I don’t care about the Democratic Party,” O’Rourke told the crowd nearly two hours into the rally in 95-plus-degree heat at a Third Ward park. “I don’t care about the Republican Party. I care about democracy, and we are going to lose it if we do not stand up.”
[…]
Sunday’s rally doubled as a voter registration event, part of a series of efforts to preserve voting options and increase engagement. Democrats have said part of their push in recent elections has focused on reigniting the political activity of some residents.
A Saturday event with O’Rourke’s group, Powered by People, in Tarrant County led to 1,608 registrations, said Angeanette Thibodeaux, national director of the National Assistance Corporation of America, which is working with O’Rourke’s group on outreach.
Of those registered, however, Thibodeaux said 442, or more than one-quarter of the people signed up to vote, lack a personal identification. She said people must prepare themselves.
“This might not make me popular with everyone on this side, but if there is a rule, be compliant with the rule,” Thibodeaux said. “If I go to the doctor, I need to have my ID. You just have to prepare for that.”
Houston marks the midway point for O’Rourke’s barnstorming tour to rally against the proposed changes. He will be in Brenham and Prairie View on Monday before heading to Beaumont on Wednesday. The scheduled events conclude June 20 in Austin.
“I want us to hold the biggest voting rights rally in the state of Texas,” O’Rourke said.
See here and here for my earlier posts in which I (maybe foolishly) suggested that Beto might be gearing up to run for Governor. As such, I hope that Austin event culminates with an announcement to that effect, or at least the promise that some kind of Big Announcement is coming. He’s pretty much acting like a candidate otherwise, he may as well make it official.
SWEATING AND STUMPING AT THE PEOPLE’S PAVILIONS
Beto is currently on a mission to save democracy. It’s something grander than running for office.
No sign of outreach to Hispanics, though, at least not at the sweat-and-cheers event in the Fifth Ward last Sunday.
All we heard him say to la Raza was ‘Adiós’.
That lamented, Beto works the crowd very well and projects dynamism and stamina. At a rally, of course, the attendees can be counted on to be sympathetic, and most will already be registered Democrats. It wasn’t a conversation, though, as billed. It was a full-throttle rally alright, with many local notables featured on the program, including Mayor Turner, Citizen Chris Hollins, and Tex-Dem state legislators of walk-out fame. And it was hot.
STAYING ON MESSAGE
This was all about the right to vote, the quorum-denial walkout and the For the People Act. And recruitment drive for grassroots activism.
If he goes in for Governor, Beto will need more stuff of substance on the policy front, how he would pick qualified people to run the state for the benefit of its people, and how he would lead us into a future in which we can count on the lights and the A/C staying on.
Also of note: Sheila Jackson Lee isn’t coming for your guns, and let it be known that she represent all constituents. – Good to hear.