Texas has always been built by hard working folks who believe in opportunity, community, and taking care of one another. But a generation of Republican governance has prioritized corporate interests and the ultra-wealthy while working families struggle to get by. It's time for leadership that puts people first and fights for the Texas values we all share.
“I’ll veto any bill that prioritizes billionaires and big companies over the needs of the working people of this great state. If it hurts the ability of the folks who have built this state to care for their families, I’ll throw it in the trash and tell ’em to try again.”
-Bobby Cole
Getting Texas back on track
In addition to good paying jobs, Texans deserve a state that puts common sense first. This means programs and policies that are popular with people across the state that extreme Republicans have ignored for years.
- Raise the minimum wage - No one working full-time should struggle to pay rent or put food on the table. An honest day's work deserves an honest day's pay.
- Protect workers' rights to organize - Defend the right of workers to join together for better wages, working conditions, benefits, and a secure retirement.
- Legalize marijuana - Support efforts to legalize marijuana and expunge low-level offenses. This will create jobs, boost local and state revenues, and help rural farmers who need other revenue streams.
- Fight increasing property taxes - Use the tax revenue from marijuana sales to help bring down property taxes across the state. Increase the homestead exemption and make sure the state pays its fair share.
- Winterize and modernize the power grid - Ensure Texans never again face power outages during extreme weather. This is a life and death issue.
- Protecting veterans - We as Texans have a grateful heart and legacy of sacrifice. Our state government should give these veterans all the respect and honor they deserve, but also all the support and help with restarting and sustaining their lives no matter what the cost.
- Immigration is a federal issue – There are better ways to control the border than what we have gotten from Greg Abbott and Donald Trump. Practical solutions should be the goal, not performative theatrics that make the problem worse. We need a governor who will stop villainizing people, and one who helps create a legal process that works for Texans and our economy.
Protecting Texans’ well-being
People in Texas are suffering because of a heavy-handed approach by extreme Republicans in Austin. Too much has been political theater at the expense of common-sense solutions.
- Expand Medicaid immediately - Bring Texas tax dollars home to cover the 1.4 million uninsured Texans and save rural hospitals from closure. Years of Republican zealotry has left over $100 billion in federal health dollars unclaimed, costing hospitals, jobs, and lives.
- Protect reproductive freedom - Restore women's right to make their own healthcare decisions with their families and doctors, not politicians. Women should have access to adequate healthcare, including abortion, without government interference.
- Support rural hospitals - Provide state funding to keep rural healthcare facilities open and serving their communities. Medicaid expansion, not cuts, will solve this crisis.
- Ensure LGBTQ rights - No Texan should be afraid to be themselves, and the government needs to keep its nose out of our personal lives. Harassment and intimidation are not Texas values. Our LGBTQ community should always feel included, supported, respected, and treated with dignity.
- Protecting children from violence - Bobby is a gun owner and will not infringe on your Second Amendment rights. Texas should foster an environment of safety and security, including passing legislation that most gun owners already support.
Preparing Texans for the future
Every child in Texas deserves a world-class education, whether they're in Houston, Amarillo, or in small towns. Oh, climate change is real, by the way.
- Fully fund public education - Increase per-pupil funding and ensure every school has the resources needed for success. An investment in a world-class education is essential in a state with a world-class economy. To grow and expand the future Texas economy, it will require a greater investment in our children.
- Raise teacher pay - Make Texas teacher salaries competitive nationwide and treat educators as the professionals they are.
- End the voucher scheme - Keep public dollars in public schools and stop diverting resources to private schools. Public schools are accountable to both state and local officials and their standards. Private schools have no such requirement and therefore should receive no public dollars.
- Securing our environment - We must promise future Texans that we will protect the water, air, and land. We cannot abandon renewable energy nor oil and gas, and Texas must be a leading voice in the global energy future. The grid’s reliability and resilience depends on a mix of energy sources.