The United States is a nation governed by its people, as Abraham Lincoln famously stated. Now, citizens across the country are preparing to participate in the upcoming midterm elections. Texas voters will help shape their state and nation by casting their ballots on November 3. This article aims to provide readers with a clearer understanding of the midterms, the major candidates in Texas and their motivations, issues being debated, and the potential impact of the results. Ultimately, my primary goal is to encourage voting and inspire others to do the same.
During midterms, all 435 members of the United States House of Representatives are up for election across the United States, as they are in every midterm and general election. One-third, or thirty-five, of the 100 seats in the Senate will be up for grabs. In Texas, candidates are running for United States Senator, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, state representative, county judge, or other area-specific roles.
Readers probably have seen ads for Talerico, Abbott, Hinojosa, or Paxton flooding yards, inboxes, and messages. Greg Abbott has been the Republican governor of Texas for the past 12 years. Gina Hinojosa has represented Texas House District 49 since 2016 and is a democratic candidate raised in Brownsville, Texas. Other commonly talked about influential people are James Talarico and Ken Paxton. They are going head-to-head in a battle for a U.S. Senate seat representing Texas, which means they could write and vote on laws and work with the other U.S. senator for Texas, Ted Cruz, who will be up for reelection in 2030.
If you thought the red and blue, Democrats and Republicans, were confusing, get ready. A lot of these candidates strongly disagree on current political debates. For example, Greg Abbott (Republican) wants to decrease technology use in classrooms and praises private school vouchers. On the other hand, the Democratic candidate, Gina Hinojosa, is strongly against private school vouchers and wants to work to eliminate state testing, like STAAR, and end local district takeovers if elected. These differences in leadership and management styles cause tension and competition in an election.
Reasonably, you could think. “This is dumb; I can’t vote, so why should I know all this stuff about the election?” If you focus on the previous paragraph, you’ll recognize that elections don’t just affect voters; they affect everyone. Being informed by reliable, unbiased sources is key when developing a political opinion to bring into your adult life. Especially this year, Texas midterm elections will affect children in Texas public schools. One topic affected by the election’s outcomes is school vouchers, which, as KERA puts it, “The Texas Education Freedom Accounts program allows eligible families to use state funds toward private school tuition, homeschooling, and other approved education expenses.” Due to this, public schools are losing money as funds go to families using vouchers to pay private school tuition, as also said by KERA.
KSAT said, “[Gina Hinojosa] has called for changes to standardized testing and school accountability, pledged to replace Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath and proposed ending state takeovers that remove elected school district leadership,” while candidate Greg Abbott has previously appointed Mike Morath and worked with him on the curriculum.
Texas is one of the most Republican-led states in the U.S., but Fort Worth is often considered a “swing city.” Despite its current Republican leadership, Fort Worth and Tarrant County citizens have voted blue in the past. More specifically, in the 2020 presidential election, Fort Worth’s votes counted toward Biden over Trump. This means any election could change things if a Democrat reaches a high level of governmental power. Democrats aim to flip Texas, while Republicans aim to continue the streak.
Because Texas has such a large population, the outcome of its U.S. House of Representatives races will heavily influence which party controls the chamber. Keep in mind, midterm elections include candidates running for the Texas House, where each member has a district. State legislative districts near McLean and in Fort Worth are Districts 90, 91, 95, and 99, and Fort Worth and the area surrounding it are in Texas Senate District 9. Depending on who wins, the state legislative and Senate races can determine the sway of the Texas Senate and House of Representatives.
Voter turnout in midterms is consistently low, so talk to influential adults in your life about the election and encourage them to go vote if possible. It’s incredibly important during our country’s current political state. Even though the election is a focal point in today’s news, don’t let it separate you from your friends and family; instead, remember that different beliefs bring diversity and knowledge to the table. Politics is just as hard to write about as it is to read. However, staying informed is incredibly important. Please stay informed and involved throughout the rest of election season!
