Transcript
Speaker: This is Mission Texas.
Speaker: Welcome back to Mission Texas. We're so excited. This week we have a first on our podcast. We have our first candidate from West Texas. We've been trying to get someone on from all four corners of this state.
Speaker: He's running for Congress, and he's a veteran and a dad, so I think all these things mean that we had to have him on this podcast. Welcome, Kyle Rabel. Howdy, thank you all for having me on. I've been looking forward to this. I think we started talking right ray after you guys launched the podcast. So I'm just excited to to give get to be on.
Speaker: kind of Kyle, can i just first say, and I know we we don't usually go with your origin story and all that, but I just want to give you a compliment. That is a crisp mustache within the corners of your mouth, within regulations. And it's a hard thing to pull off. I just wanted our civilian audience to understand that to have a military compliant mustache that looks good is a hard thing to do.
Speaker: Because... Look, everybody knows what it looks like if it doesn't work. um It looks a little Hitler-y. Yeah. Oh, Lord. i'm it's I'm very particular about it. It was actually, i grew it out as a joke because ah a buddy was getting promoted and he asked me to be the emcee of it.
Speaker: And I was like, what's the best way to to make a joke out of being my buddy's friend? And I was like, I'll grow a mustache. So every picture I'm in for his thing, it'll there'll be a mustache. And then it just kind of stayed
Speaker: March is a big tradition in the Air Force. So um I'm a fan. Yeah. I mean, how many times have we talked about facial hair on this podcast, Alex? Not enough. Not enough. Okay. enough Well, i think that means that we should talk about your military background, Kyle. and as we mentioned and alluded to, we like to start with people's origin stories. So take us back. I mean, and I understand you're currently still in the reserves, which is why you have to be somewhat in regulation. i don't have to worry about that. I'm still an officer as well. ah But tell us, like, kick us off.
Speaker: Tell us about your background. Yes. um So i mean, to start off with, I commissioned in 2018 into the Army Reserves. I started off as a quartermaster officer and then ah a handful of years ago transitioned into being a civil affairs officer. so i I shake hands and kiss babies for for the Army.
Speaker: um And, you know, I jumped into the reserves because i wanted to explore getting a master's degree. I got my master's degree and i was like, well, i got master's degree in history. What do I do with that? I'll go get a PhD. So I ended up at Texas Tech for my PhD. I studied military history specifically, big surprise there, um and and the usage of psychological warfare during the American War in Vietnam.
Speaker: And ah through coming here to Texas and and living in Lubbock and learning to love Lubbock, I love West Texas. It's been fun. I've made so many friends. i The outdoors has become a big central part of our lives.
Speaker: And so we kind of delved into into getting into the environment here. And I accidentally got involved in politics because there was Section 8 housing that was going without AC in the middle of the summer a couple years ago.
Speaker: um And if anyone's ah knowledgeable about West Texas in like June, July and August. It's going be 106 today here in Lubbock. I thought that was bad. So I started just calling every organization I could think of, the NAACP and the county party, and through like a long string of like telephone, funny. um I ended up talking to the the county chair of the Democratic Party here, Gracie Gomez, who's the current chair right now as well.
Speaker: And it snowballed into, do you want to be a precinct chair? Do you want to be secretary of the county party? And then I came back from Triple C, a Kevin's career course, in the civil affairs course and kind of worked really hard on the 2024 campaign. I was door knocking like every other day. I was phone banking because I saw that that Texas needed something better, um specifically Lubbock really needed people in power that cared about us.
Speaker: And as I was going about it, we lost, right? 2024, that night, the election cycle had friends that were running for State Board of Education, and I was there at their watch party, and and we just lost.
Speaker: um My wife was in the second trimester at that point, and I woke up the next morning just angry. I was i was so mad, and i was like, how did we do this? How did we fail? We didn't have this or that, or I see now, and so what do I do?
Speaker: So my wife and I talk about it a lot and we're about to have a baby and i like, I think I could run for something, but I'm not quite sure. i you know, that sounds like a lot. We're about to start a family and I'm trying to get this degree done. And then I had my son and holding him for the first time, I knew I had, I had to. We knew that we couldn't let the state and this country continue to be manhandled by people that don't care about us, if we're frank.
Speaker: And so we explored more what it was. And and the the current retiring congressman, I watched a video where he spoke and I was like, well, if he can do it, shoot, up I could do that. i can I can just say stuff all day long and it not matter, I guess. i don't know. And so we explored the options and we said, screw it, we're going to do this.
Speaker: And in the process, we decided this is before the whole coordinated campaign came together under Chairman Scudder. We were going to try to just recruit as many people to run down ballot from us as well and go, let's let's put our front together for West Texas.
Speaker: And as I'm doing that, we launched, you know, Chairman Scudder wins the chairmanship. And he's like, hey, we're running everywhere. And I was like, perfect. We have the resources now. And so we went, we launched on May 11th. That was my wife's first Mother's Day.
Speaker: Um, And we've been campaigning since then because I had to make up so much ground. No one had ran for the seat since 2020. um And so there was no infrastructure across this district for a Democratic candidate.
Speaker: um This is the top 10 reddest district and maybe the reddest in the state with one of the lowest income levels as well. So it needs help. And so I figured I could do that. I know how to help people. I know how to work between being a labor union guy and and an army officer. i know how to I know how to do stuff and pull resources together. So that's what we've done.
Speaker: Wow. Well, two things immediately jumped out to me about what you just said I want to i want to touch on real quick. ah The first is you mentioned the habitability problems with the air conditioning out in Lubbock. And It makes me wish that you know my law firm would grow even faster because that's exactly the kind of thing we help out with. We just do it in like the Texas Triangle area, and Lubbock is quite far away from that.
Speaker: So maybe I just need to get some people out in Lubbock who want to join us, fight the good fight. um The second thing um was you mentioned that you studied the war in Vietnam.
Speaker: And so I have ah have a trivia question for you, Kyle. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. What is the difference between the war in Iran right now? And the war in vi Vietnam.
Speaker: The difference? Not much, if you ask me. The answer, Kyle, is that Trump had a plan to get out of Vietnam. I...
Speaker: I have brought that up a handful of times. All of my all of the men that I call my grandfather all all served, two of them going to Vietnam and one on ship ah during that war. And somehow the president United States, it gets to be a masculine man or whatever that is, he had bone spurs. By the way, i developed bone spurs through my service and I'm still in. so Yeah, you get a minimal labor for that. Yeah, the masculine man who has like a hair team and wears...
Speaker: like copious amounts of orange makeup or whatever it is that he does. i don't know. The manliest guy, you know. Okay. All right. Anyways. um No, but ah going back to you, I want to hear more about your story. And I know that you also have some union bona fides. Would you want to touch on that for a bit?
Speaker: Yeah, I'm a member of the Communication Workers of America, Local 6186, or Texas State Employees Union. um I joined when I came to Lubbock. I have a deep history family history of union membership. I can credit the unions for me getting here because without union work and without union pay and without union wages,
Speaker: My family that came to America in the 20th century just doesn't get the leg up that it gets for me to get to this place. So when I joined the union, it was kind of like, I know what I want to do.
Speaker: And then in 2023, they called me and they're like, hey, we need a West Texas person to come to the state house during lunch session and say, hi, we don't like tearing apart DEI because it doesn't make sense to tear apart it apart. actually supports veterans, those programs do.
Speaker: um And they were trying to destroy tenure and and they succeeded on both ends, right? um And so that was kind of my first time doing anything kind of that big for my union. i had helped try to recruit on the campus a whole bunch of times. um I was part of the first organizing team on campus to like be able to table um for the first time in 30 some odd years or 40 some odd years, I think it was, or maybe even further.
Speaker: um And so it's been ah it a core value of mine is that the working class and the labor movement is essential to what candidates all across need to be talking about. And so myself and a couple other of us have always pushed that message that unions and the union worker are vital.
Speaker: And we need to need to ensure that they're at the bargaining table um for everything from the country on down. Yeah, i I think it's ah so interesting to hear about your story, juxtaposing the union leadership, but also you're like us trying to preach to folks that you're a dad, you're a veteran, as I understand it, you own firearms. I've seen also pictures of you going to church. And so that just seems like we're we're trying to present the fact that there's a lot of different types of Democrats. And I'm wondering, how has that been perceived out in West Texas? has Has that been something that the Democratic bona fides have embraced.
Speaker: Yeah. I mean, it doesn't hurt that I was the only candidate, I guess, but I but i had also been on the ground with them and and running, you know, helping the 2014 election and organizing the county party for so long.
Speaker: And I mean, it this is West Texas and and Democrats in West Texas are very different than the Democrats are going to find in the triangle and cities that that are, you can drive to places. Okay. want to hear about this.
Speaker: So in West Texas, we're a little bit tougher. We're used to to getting beaten. We're used to being threatened. We're used to a lot more than you'll find in Austin, Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio, if I'm honest. The Wild West.
Speaker: Yeah. When I first launched a campaign, it was recommended to me to carry a gun. And I was like, that's great because I do it anyways. um Because it it can be, there has, you know, I've been threatened.
Speaker: um You know, I'm sure every candidate has had that. But the difference is is that I'm going to carry a gun because I'm not going down. um I got a kid to take care of. Kids. Kid and three quarters. you Whenever that comes. Kid on the way. He's not making some kind of... Yeah. um Yeah. And so i I think that a lot of it the identity that that we are a different type. um And I've talked about that a lot through through this campaign is that a West Texas Democrat is someone that's tough, that understands work, that understands just being dedicated to hard work and doing legwork.
Speaker: um My campaign since January has knocked over 2,000 doors. um That doesn't even count what we did to get on the ballot. I was the first person in the state of Texas to file by ballot with over 1,200 signatures.
Speaker: And I found it on the first day. I was the first person to say in Texas to do it that way. And so West Texas Democrats are a tougher breed. i have not been questioned um about my faith or or me carrying guns or stuff because it's it's it's actually just kind of essentially West Texan to be both of those, be all of that.
Speaker: It's really interesting for you to say that what you're talking about, the firearms. My dad, he's the reason why I got into politics early on. He was out knocking doors with candidates in like the 90s and he was with a Democrat and he said he'll tell me the story. He said he went up and knocked on a door and the candidate he was with was asked by the person, and this was also in a very rural area, hey, how do you feel about firearms? And literally the candidate like opens up his jacket and is like, you mean this firearm? And my dad's like, this is this is door knocking in rural Texas. and It just always stayed with me.
Speaker: um But one of the things I wanted to go back to is a comment that you made on getting active in Lubbock. And it seemed to me you were talking about the lack of infrastructure. Can you touch upon that a bit more and what that really means, like as far as volunteers, precinct chairs, people running things?
Speaker: Yeah. and And, you know, i think one of the biggest issues is that West Texas has been ignored for 30 some odd years by the state party. It has changed drastically. um If I wanted to, i could I could text Kendall right now and he'd answer me. I could call him. He'd probably answer me if he isn't in the meetings. Seems to be in a lot of meetings. I think that happens. um But, you know, i there just wasn't much. The county chairs had tried for years, but we were the first part of Texas to turn red.
Speaker: um Your deep, far-right Christian evangelicalism, I mean, the Wilkes and Dunn live within two hours of me one way or the other. um You know, I've got those guys that bought Greg Abbott and pushed through the school voucher scam.
Speaker: They live out here. Now, it's not... Quickly explain who those guys are to the people who might not know. So those are our oil billionaires out here in West Texas. Anything that's probably been bad that's happened in Texas in the last 20, 30 years, you can point towards Wilkes and Dunn as people that paid. Oil billionaire pastors who are very involved in our state government.
Speaker: Yeah, you you find them oftentimes in smoke-filled rooms. I don't know if they smoke-filled rooms anymore, but it'd be cool if they did. You can find smoke-filled rooms in Lubbock. I drink at a bar where you fill cigarettes in. With vape pens and all that, you know. Yeah, whatever they do now. um But those those two have have thought pretty much every one of your politicians that have an R next to their name. um When you had people like our representative, Dustin Burroughs, who didn't support the school voucher thing, and then when he finally got to con everybody into being Speaker of the House,
Speaker: all of a sudden there's money in his bank account and he's voting and he's supporting it. um And it's been in this way this entire time. And in ah it's ah it's a worst kept secret for people that know politics, but people that don't, those two men have really ruined Texas and have made this place not be as great as it can be. And and they're a detriment to to our state and and probably to this country.
Speaker: Can I follow up on that? Like, do they impact your local politics, though? ah i have seen the statewide and you see James Tallarico and others saying like the West Texas is billionaires and it's those are those guys. And they're the ones funding a lot of these PACs. But like, do they affect or impact things going on locally? um Not that I can tell as much, but that's because it's so safe out here because we've never tried.
Speaker: um If we're honest, ah they don't. Here's the thing. They don't spend as much money out in West Texas. So when you have a Republican, if you're curious and you're listening to this, when you donate to Ken Paxson or Greg Abbott, that money is going to him to spend anywhere else but on where you're at.
Speaker: Because he does not care about you. They care about winning in other places. And so it's vital for us all to understand this, that like they view West Texas as so safe. So that's why it was so important to me to help recruit and and be and have my friends step up with me in West Texas and go no, the buck stops here. We're going to fight here too in the dust, in the dirt, in the oil, in the cow pies, in the cotton seed and find out what we can do out here when we we present a front that's unified and fighting for a common goal. And that is uplifting the West Texas worker.
Speaker: Well, and you mentioned it earlier, you said maybe the reddest district, congressionally in the state, and just for some numbers behind that, Donald Trump carried it by 52 points in 2024.
Speaker: And that did check out to be the largest presidential margin in any Texas congressional district. And so as you conceive of your race, like at a high level, like if you're thinking strategically, like Is picking a fight with Trump even something you can do? I mean, I know that there's a difference between Trump and Trump voters, right? You can try to peel some of them off without having to kiss the ring or or play nice with the president.
Speaker: um But just knowing that the the district was carried by 52 points in a presidential year, I mean, how how does that make you think about how to approach the race? Yeah. Yeah, I'll give this this antidote real quick and then I'll explain that. My barber, the guy that specifically cuts my hair in the barbershop, my opponent and I go to the same barbershop, by the way. um the The guy that cuts my hair has ah has a MAGA Trump hat. That's crazy. Same barber.
Speaker: the Right next to the MAGA Trump hat is a Kyle Rabel hat. because And your opponent goes there? Yeah, yeah. I mean, he's a different barber in that barbershop. The owner of the barbershop is ah is a good guy.
Speaker: um But, ah you know, it's it's one of those old West Texas spots, especially if you're a Lubbockite. um But that's where we're at. And I think I don't attack necessarily where the the president himself, except for when he does something that's just kind of outrageous.
Speaker: But he also feeds me so much. The war on Iran has increased the oil. I paid $5 a gallon for diesel today in Lubbock, Texas. I drill the oil out of the ground here. Wow.
Speaker: We are putting 600,000 pounds of foreign beef that we still have not described where it's from into our system. My ranchers out here are starving. 63% or more of the farmers out here and ranchers make less than $10,000 year.
Speaker: like when it's all said and done, you can't live that. It actually very easy to root against Argentina in the World Cup final because of that. Well, I didn't have a deal.
Speaker: Yeah. it's and it's And when you think about it, it's it's not necessarily just attacking the president, but there's the constant decisions. I'm attacking the decisions because that's really the problem. The president could do whatever. And people are always going to probably like President Trump. um You know, I've always said President Trump in 2016 was probably the best politician because he just grabbed populist ideas, cared nothing about it and ran forward with it.
Speaker: And it was crazy. And he did it. This this past Trump administration is more of a ah rebuke of what we tried to do with Kamala Harris, I think, more than anything else. It has less to do with Donald Trump than has to do with just the way the Democratic Party did not prepare for a presidential cycle, if you ask me. And then you come out here to West Texas where he Trump carries it with one of the highest the highest margin in the state of Texas. But I'm still able to talk to people because we are now two years in this administration and the cost of living hasn't gone down.
Speaker: Farms still aren't seeing anything better. Our trade is worse. We are seeing continuous impacts out here that have made conversations that you wouldn't think I'd be able to have pretty easy to do. And it also doesn't hurt that I tell you you can so go to church on Sunday because I go to church on Sunday. I'm telling you that you should be able to make more money and you aren't.
Speaker: Amen. Well, I'm so glad you brought up the beef issue because I've been reading about that as well. i With tariffs and all that going on in the news and then us importing foreign beef. And then i read also an article what you're touching on is that we I don't even want to say it, but we are, it's possible that there's other types of meat out there that might be going into what we're eating as beef. And there was a, if you read Heather Cox Richardson, she was touching upon that too. And so it brought me to the New York times article. It talks about wild horses.
Speaker: And again, I don't want to describe this in too much detail ah for any of our folks who are eating while listening to this, but like when you're knocking on doors in West Texas, are these things coming up? I mean,
Speaker: It seems to me it has to be. i mean, the the biggest conversation every time is cost of living. And that goes into our food supply. People are just wildly concerned.
Speaker: And of course, there's also the data center issues and the flock cameras. And then you can't buy anything and you can't pay for gas. Now you don't know what your beef is. um I solved that issue by eating almost only medicine because I hunt. But like that's still we're hitting it. We're hitting a time where we're not having good conversations anymore from the top. So when you go to doors, I'm here to fight so that you have a real voice in Congress. I want to make sure that what you're eating is what you're supposed to be eating. I want to take on these massive food corporations like Tyson. um And I want to ensure
Speaker: that you are taken care of, because I'm not backed by PACs and billionaire donors. I'm just a guy out here saying, hey, I want my kids to be healthier and happier than I am.
Speaker: And the only way to do that is is by saying this is enough. this this and This administration, these tactics, the bought and paid for politicians, it's all time for it to to stop. Speaking of being healthier, right Like,
Speaker: I know one of the big issues that I was concerned about um for my hometown of Sherman was rural hospitals. And I can't imagine, like, when you're out in West Texas, you can't get much more rural. At least with Sherman, like, you can get to Dallas in an hour.
Speaker: Like, the next big place from Lubbock or in that general vicinity is is what? I mean, if you want to count Abilene. and And we don't.
Speaker: yeah We don't want to count Abilene. Not when it comes to to being able to compete with health services. right so It's a fine place. My sister-in-law went to college there. I like Abilene. be going there tomorrow. I'll be going to see whenever this whatever this airs tonight, whatever we want to call tonight. I'm going to Sweetwater. I'll be in Abilene on Wednesday.
Speaker: Friday, I'll actually be in Linden County going to a rural health clinic and touring them. um Because here's the issue. Women have to drive ah sometimes two hours to go see an OBGYN.
Speaker: yeah Women in Lubbock don't get to see an OBGYN unless they're already pregnant or they already know they have an issue. there's There's no preemptive care. On top of that, I took my son to the ENT yesterday, you know a million and one ear infections as little kids do. So we took him in and it took a month and a half to get that appointment set.
Speaker: And then when I was out, they're like, we'll get back to you in like a month or so with what our next steps are.
Speaker: um because there's just not enough people. And that doesn't even, that's Lubbock. That's Lubbock. That's the major healthcare care center for West Texas is struggling with both having enough staff and the cost of that care.
Speaker: And so then add in, in rural Texas, you you're losing rural healthcare clinics because our representative, the retiring one, Jody Arrington, the author of the big, beautiful bill slash Medicare and Medicaid, and what do rural health clinics run on?
Speaker: Medicare and Medicaid payments. We will lose these rural healthcare clinics that are key to the basic health centers for almost this entire 33-county district.
Speaker: We're going to lose that. And that's not even talking about the impacts the VA will have on top of it because the VA a centers here in Abilene and Big Spring are going to struggle because we have a large veteran population out here. But we are healthcare desert that's going to get drier somehow because we just refuse to understand that we need to take care of the people in West Texas and stop playing partisan politics and identity politics.
Speaker: I think, though, like whenever I think about health care, people necessarily jump to like universal health care, single payer system. And then you bring in the conversation of like DSA and, you know, everyone's like, ah, boogeyman socialism. And so how do you approach messaging like that with a West Texas voter and talking about trying to give you better access to health care?
Speaker: Yeah, it's actually pretty simple because I'm starting to feel the effects of it, um especially when it comes into the influx of people also coming in to build data centers that aren't from West Texas. um It's very easy to explain that. Do you want your local health care clinic to stay open? Well, yeah, I need that for me and my kids or my grandparents or my parents. and the da Cool, then you need Medicare and Medicaid.
Speaker: You just do. And then it's the it's the Christian thing to do to take make sure that there's a system that ensures that people get help. um We have always approached this conversation that you should have good access to good health care um and that it shouldn't cost you an arm and a leg in the most wealthy nation in this world that the history has ever seen. The fact that it costs an arm and a leg for a kid to go see a doctor is paramount to a crime against humanity to me. And I think is an affront to to my my faith as a Catholic that we can't take care of our children in West Texas.
Speaker: Yeah, Catholics love it. um Well, I just think it's so interesting, the things that you've been bringing up. In some ways, we are very different. We're in Dallas. You're in West Texas and the you know Texas Tech area. But in other ways, we are hearing the same issues of affordability, of healthcare, data centers, flock cameras.
Speaker: And then now, obviously, the price of our ah groceries. And so it's just interesting to see that. um But are there any other issues that you think are more... ah You mentioned data centers or earlier. It seems like there's always like one particular one that people are thinking about. ah We heard from Caitlin Rourke about the one in Grimes County. And so is there something like that going on in your area? Yeah.
Speaker: Yes. In Taylor County and Abilene, they built a massive hyperscale data center. um And the issues have been about, or they're building one. And they're still trying to find ways to build more throughout West Texas. They're going up all over the place. We're fighting one here in Lubbock, or we're trying to fight before they can come here. We keep building small scale ones and and it's making everyone mad. But in in Taylor County and Abilene,
Speaker: It's been a dredge on that community. Homelessness has skyrocketed. Rent has, people are priced out. They have to leave Avalanche. They have to leave the jobs that they have in Abilene. You can't get a hotel Abilene, Texas for like $300 or less because it's so full. The roads are being destroyed by the trucks going through it. There's accidents that are ever increasing because the blind spots for trucks driving through Abilene.
Speaker: It has been a destructive force on that community, not including the costs to your utilities, but And the fact that we just keep pretending like this maybe isn't an issue in West Texas, at least the Republican leadership out here.
Speaker: ah My opponent has been backed by crypto and AI to the tune of almost a million dollars through PACs and nothing else that's paid for him to get the Republican nomination. We know that Statehouse Representative Carl Tepper has taken data center money. We are very sure that Charles Perry, who seems to be the water god but doesn't care about our water anymore, has taken data center money. We know that they're grabbing this. And then they try to pivot to different issues all the time, books or whatever. But the major issue is that they're allowing extractive industries that we have no controls on.
Speaker: we have no agreements with, just do whatever they want across the district that relies so heavily on water to water our crops. out here and and make sure that our cattle have water, make sure our people have water. um I've been at meetings where they compare to cotton fields and data centers.
Speaker: And I stood up and was like, this is disingenuous because cotton is essential to the identity of West Texas and is an essential product that is required by human humanity. And I don't know what a data center will do for me out here besides store my data so the government can keep track of me. Now, mind you, the government can because they have a legal rights to like everything that is personal about me because I'm in the army and they have access. but like That's different. You signed up for that. That's different. But the the whole track every movement of that me, that I do, yeah all of these things are are an anthesis to the West west Texas identity.
Speaker: and And our Republican community leadership out here who's who seem to think that I'm the emphasis to the traditional identity of West Texas have sold the namesake of our football stadium at Texas Tech to a data center company.
Speaker: Oh my God. That's, yeah. Sacrilegious. Yeah. You were bought and paid for. Bought and paid for from Brandon Creighton all the way to my opponents, to Carl Tepper, Charles Perry, Dustin Burroughs, and everyone else in between.
Speaker: They're bought and paid for on this. And it's it's it's detrimental. And that's why i think, you know, step one is money out of politics. But step two is we need to we need a special session, which I think every statewide candidate at this point has called for from Greg Abbott to say, let's put regime restrictions on what we're doing here.
Speaker: We can't stop progress and we don't want to stop progress. We have to take care of our communities in Texas and ensure that we're not just draining the already poorest people of more from them. And I think that that's what's happening here.
Speaker: but data center specifically. Let's, let's step back for a second. You're a historian and you mentioned, if I think I heard you right, that you're part of the state, West Texas was the first part of the state to go from the traditional democratic stronghold, which to be fair, Democrat meant something different back then.
Speaker: But i mean, that kind of happens throughout history. There are kind of waves and, and identities can change, but what do you think it was during that time period? Like,
Speaker: Professor Rabel, explain it to us. And are you seeing some kind of maybe maybe youre not the same, but like maybe there's a rhyme there where the republican the modern day Republicans are kind of losing their way in the same sense that the Democrats that used to represent West Texas are losing, lost their way back then?
Speaker: Yes. um I mean, ah to start off with, obviously, it starts with Kent Hance getting bought and paid for to switch parties. He was the last man to beat George W. Bush in an election. Kent Hance, he was the former congressman for CD19. He's out of Lubbock. He also was the chancellor of Texas Tech. his His last claim to fame was he beat George W. Bush for this congressional seat. I remember like seeing movies about George W. Bush, and that I feel like that race is mentioned in there.
Speaker: And yeah I remember in the in the movie I'm thinking of, the George W. Bush actor is like, I'm never going to be out Christian again because this congressman was a very, like that was a big, strong ah part of his identity.
Speaker: Yes. I don't know anything about it. chapel Yeah, Ken Hedges Chapel is actually on campus. He's ah he's a former chancellor after after doing a little bit more in politics after he got done with being a congressperson. um But so we have this whole transition. And then in in the early 2000s, they actually take this district and instead of being Midland, Odessa, Lubbock, they cut it out to Abilene.
Speaker: They cut out the last probably rural Democrat that everyone should know is Charlie Stinhome. Um, the, the most diehard of old school Democrats, the Medicare, Medicaid, social security type of just only that is why in labor unions type of Democrat.
Speaker: Um, and they cut him out because they knew who they would be, that he could be. I'm embarrassed to admit it, Kyle, but I don't, I don't know who that is. And I think that there's a good chance that a lot of our listeners, especially if they're not from West Texas, aren't going to know who you're talking about. So please tell us more.
Speaker: Yeah, Charlie Thinhome um it grew up in Jones County, just north of Taylor County, so just north of ah Abilene, Texas. And he represented, i don't remember the the district from before they cut out to 19, but he represented that for a very long time. He was a strong member of the Ag Commission in the House. um he You would find him being the most vocal supportive of everything that was labor union. um He was just, he was a force to be reckoned with. And when he died in 2023, the cross party turnout for his history funeral was kind of astronomical because he was just a powerhouse and well-respected and beloved by everybody.
Speaker: um And so they cut this district CD19 out to Abilene to cut him out. They made sure that the district covered his ranch. That's how they made sure to get rid of Charlie Stenholm because there was no other way to do it besides linking it to Lubbock, Texas, because Lubbock had become such a stalwart Republican stronghold.
Speaker: That happens because they're able to infiltrate our churches because the Democratic Party, because it's a big tent, didn't wasn't having the identity of of of before where there was a strong Christian identity necessarily.
Speaker: And so they're able to infiltrate churches, turn people away from what is the actual gospel of the Lord of taking care of your neighbor and loving everyone around you. And they're able to confront it with just astronomically weird stuff. Right.
Speaker: And that turn happens there. Um, And so they cut off Charlie Stenholm. Pete Laney loses in the early 2000s as well. The last Democratic Speaker of the House actually comes from Plainview, Texas.
Speaker: He lives in Hale Center now. um But he was the the last Democratic Speaker of the State House in Texas. He's from out in West Texas as well. And so they just have they just spent so much money and time and dedication on the ground.
Speaker: to flip people and convince them that the Democratic Party no longer understood us in rural communities. And then obviously in 2008 with the Obama victories, we see that a lot less rural people go for the Democratic candidate. So the Democratic Party stops investing its turnout apparatus in rural communities.
Speaker: And I think that that is one of the biggest issues and fallacies of the Democratic Party that we could point to as to why we're having the issues we're having today. So when we do all of this, it's with that in mind and an understanding to go back to the original question of how do we do this? I approach this as if I'm those same Republicans back in the 70s and 80s.
Speaker: How do I get to them? On the ground. That's why we've knocked thousands of doors. That's why we walk everywhere. That's why it's it's the way it is. I view it as, I mean, it sounds bad, but as an insurgency because I don't have the money that some of the big name Democrats have, and especially what my opponent has, though, my morals would stop me from taking a lot of the money he's taking. the American Revolution, the Texas Revolution, they were insurgencies, okay? and so And so when you fight it and you understand yourself as a person that's sitting there fighting to free the people of West Texas from something that is no longer working for them,
Speaker: it makes it easier to do some of the hard work we've done through a year and a half of campaigning. We started block walking like the day, that same weekend that we launched um to collect signatures, to get on the ballot, because we understood one thing. It's going to only be people on the ground. These West Texans don't leave their house because it's 106 degrees. um but So you have to go to them and you got to sweat and you got to get to them and you got to be cold when the wind is out there and get to them at their houses because that's going to the way that you meet them.
Speaker: I love talking door knocking. I could talk about that all day long as a former candidate. I also knocked thousands of doors. I'm wondering, to to take us to that. Like, how does that look like for you? And because I, having looked at data and voter data, you're looking at different kinds of voters in different elections. And so when you're out there door knocking, you cut your turf, you give somebody their van ID. Like, what is that looking like for you? And also help us like picture what it looks like. Are we really out there all in like ranches and like walking between, you know, are we trying to get the the cow door open and we're like walking down this like long lane of a ranch? Like what is that? The land man aesthetic. Yeah. oh So i I'll hit it off with this. If you were to try to walk onto a ranch in West Texas, you're to get shot. So we're not doing doing that one per se. What we're doing is we're focusing. That actually just happened on the most recent episode of Lanterns. Hal Jordan himself stepped one step too far onto a ranch and got shot in the shoulder.
Speaker: woke up and um We don't do that out here. What we've done is for block walking specifically, we focused in on our major metroplexes. So Lubbock and Abilene. um And that's where it's it's best at because we have, I mean, Lubbock is 300,000 people.
Speaker: um I know west Texas is considered a flyover country, but 300,000 people in Virginia is a major metroplex that you cannot skip as ah as a statewide candidate run for something. That's how the population of Wyoming. I'm not joking. It's not the population of my district.
Speaker: Yeah. ah Can we reflect on that? but I'm sorry to cut you off, Kyle, but even our first guest was Kendall Scudder, chairman. He mentioned this too, yeah. Yeah, he mentioned these things of like, we take for granted that in our state, we've got some of the largest populations, but also just the small like these so-called smaller cities, Abilene, Lubbock, like Sherman, as we mentioned on every podcast, like these are the large so cities if this was in a different state.
Speaker: Sorry, continue, Kyle. It's important to note that. um and and So when we first launched the campaign, we hit the the triple D voters, the the folks that have voted Democrat in the last three primaries because I needed to collect signatures. And we were sure, well, you are a Democrat voter because you you out here don't vote in the Democratic primary unless you really want to be a Democrat.
Speaker: um Or you're a crazy person, which like myself, you could be that too. or um Because so many people out here vote in the Republican primary regardless of their personal beliefs because they want to choose the best of the worst options for themselves. So we started with that. And then We did that through the primary. didn't have a primary opponent, but my goal was to see what the impact was on turnout if we did a concentrated effort at turnout.
Speaker: And I am happy to say that we over-indexed compared to the last two cycles that we had candidates by thousands, thousands of votes. Now, it doesn't hurt that we had James...
Speaker: and and everything up at the top with a massive turnout. But I have to say that with the thousands of doors we knocked, we had to have at least had an impact. And the phone banking we did for that too, just say, go out and vote.
Speaker: Make sure that you do that. um We ensured that we made that happen. And so when... we We transitioned to starting to hit ah scores. if you guys are not ah not new to or If you guys are new to VAN, there's a pit system, right, where you can choose who you're going to target, da-da-da-da-da. It's whole data thing. The data in West Texas is very bad because no one's done it in a while and people vote, like I said, in Republican primaries but are Democrats. So then we went to scores. We have started to lower the scores, right?
Speaker: to it not being Stallworth Democrats. You're getting, we're now in the forty s and 50s when we're knocking doors of out of 100, 100 being the most Democrat person in the world. And I don't even think I hit 100 and I'm a candidate.
Speaker: And then down to the lowest being a zero being like, I don't know who that would even be, Stephen Miller. um And so we we are attacking these doors and and we're starting to have some conversations at doors a little bit more.
Speaker: um In certain communities, it's going to still just be pretty strong Democrats. and that turnout is vital for us because we've had such a low of voter turnout in in West Texas and Lubbock specifically. um And so we're targeting these doors. And then phone banking is also another key way we're doing this. we We're lowering the scores even more for certain parts of our phone banking. Some phone banking is gonna be baseline turnout.
Speaker: Some phone banking is persuasion. And for that, we're gonna target people that are registered to vote, but did not vote in either primary this past term. Those people, we have to figure out, how do I get you to go vote? yeah And then we're also gonna toss in the people that didn't vote in the last presidential election, because we had a lot of people not vote in that.
Speaker: in Lubbock. And so we're gonna target those people and go, hi, How do I get you to vote? Who do you need? What do you need? what do you want to hear? Why don't you vote? And so I've had a lot of those conversations at doors now of, I don't vote.
Speaker: Why don't you? Tell me why. I am the actual candidate trying to get your vote. So tell me why you don't believe in our process anymore. And that stops them. And then I get to have a good conversation about, I don't believe in the system anymore. No one seems to care. to the da I explain, yeah, I totally get it. That's why I'm doing what I'm doing. um And it's it's been impactful, I think.
Speaker: I mean, there's so many synergies here that I'm hearing you say, Kyle, with the Taylor Remick campaign. And I think they had similar feelings about the primary out in Tarrant County, Fort Worth, which is they saw a lot of new voters in the primary or people who had crossed over. And so you're kind of refiguring out, like, who are are my actual constituents? Are they Democrats, but they didn't have a choice? And so now they're they're actually coming out in the primary. And you also see with him, you know union guy, veteran. And it just seems like he had a 30 point swing and in a special election. But if we can turn out that vote in someone like your district, I mean, sky's the limit, right? um so I'm just- If we could flip West Texas, the Republican Party is over.
Speaker: that's just That's just the end of it. Texas Republican Party is is is over with, and they have to understand that they're over with because they have chosen to consistently ignore the needs of their constituency.
Speaker: And that's that's just the truth. Well, this is a philosophical question. I think you're right. And Taylor has a better-fifth of beard, so maybe that helps. Yeah. He doesn't have to stay in regs anymore. No, um it's a kind of a philosophical question. I mean, ah you're clearly right that if they lose West Texas, they've lost the country and they kind of as a party don't exist, at least of the way they currently are anymore. And they'll have to figure out a new identity to compete.
Speaker: But the truth is, I think, if we're being honest, is that if Democrats win West Texas, The modern Republican, the party modern Democratic Party is gone too because we've, we had to fundamentally change who we were in order to compete there.
Speaker: Right? Yes. am i Am I thinking about this right? A hundred percent. And I think that if you ask any of the the folks running with me in the state house seats and state Senate seats, they they would agree. And we all feel we have a different identity than other Texas Democrats. And I said that at the top of of the the interview here is that we have a different identity and we're a little grittier. We chew on dirt out here. It's pretty much always in our keep.
Speaker: um lot So, you know, it's it's different. And we view things as a fight for our very lives. And I think that that urgency that we as West Texas Democrats bring to the table is is just so vastly different than the what I feel is maybe a more laissez-faire from maybe Austin night or the the just the more entrenched Democrats. is because we We don't have the the primary infighting necessarily.
Speaker: We have the fight for our lives to get $5.00. in order to run this campaign that we are all running because it's just such a different animal out here. um And I've said this before, I would challenge any Texas Democrat that wants to run for something to come out here to West Texas and trail me for a week.
Speaker: And they might step back and go, okay, so I have to rethink about everything because it's a lot tougher um in certain parts of Texas than we imagined it is. Um, And that's just the name of the game.
Speaker: But the texas or the Democratic Party will have to change when they start having real rural candidates winning. And we will this cycle have rural candidates winning. the tech The Democratic Party as a whole is going also have a reckoning within of, hi, I won probably without your help.
Speaker: Yeah. So let's talk about why you decided to not help me. Oh, yeah. That's going to be a tough conversation. i mean, we could have a whole conversation about what do you think our last like standard bearers have gotten wrong?
Speaker: And we could probably have a lot of fun with it. But rather than air out all of our dirty laundry, let me just kind of reframe and and rephrase the question. It's like coming up with 2028, there's going to be a wide open primary process.
Speaker: What do you think the next nominee needs to do to be able to be competitive in West Texas? I think that if you want to be a president the United States and you want West Texas to vote for you, have a real plan on how to help your farmers.
Speaker: Have a real, no joke plan, I will introduce a farm bill that does this, this, and this.
Speaker: Make that a part of your calling card of your platform because no one does that. No one is doing that. No one's done that for a long time. We've kicked the can down the road on the farm bill since 2018. And that spans more than one administration for more than one party.
Speaker: and and our farmers are suffering from it. So if you want West Texas, you want that, and you want to be energy independent, and that requires still ensuring that we can drill, but also the continuous investment in more than just oil, but you cannot just be like, we're banning all.
Speaker: That's not a reality. Anyone that says that does not understand what the reality of what normal people also in this country are facing. And so we need to ensure that West Texas is going to get taken care of. And if I see a presidential nominee saying, I have a farm plan and I'm here to take care of rural America, I will be in full support of them. But until I see that, i will be probably someone that you won't hear come out in support of any any of the primary candidates for that one. Keep your powder dry. And maybe we should nominate someone from not East and West Coast. um
Speaker: Maybe that would be nice. I i think that i think that ah most of most of America doesn't realize that we need to stop doing that. I mean, we've got middle America that grows all of the food, that produces the energy, that gives us the crops for the clothes that we wear,
Speaker: And they aren't they're not in the conversation in the White House. Gentle pushback, though. Gentle pushback. i I hear what y'all are saying, and you're right. I mean, obviously, we would need some more presentations beyond the coast.
Speaker: But the Republican Party has been absolutely dominated for last decade by a New York City playboy billionaire who, I said at the beginning of the episode, has quaffed hair and wears orange makeup or or or tan or whatever it is.
Speaker: So why is it that he has figured out how to get past this East Coast elite, billionaire, soft boy,
Speaker: um like this image that he has? And how does he represent West Texas? Why does West Texas love Donald Trump? As a person, not forget it, forget his like policies or whatever.
Speaker: Because like, I get it. Like when he was campaigning on releasing the Epstein files, that was popular. Did he cooperate very much? No. Did he campaign on capping credit card interest at 10%? Yes. Would have been great.
Speaker: Bernie Sanders would support it. Has he done it? No, right? like tax I understand the policies, but like what about him as a guy? like Everything about him on paper should not be very popular in West Texas based on least the conversation we've been having so far.
Speaker: And you're 100% correct. And it sometimes I get real frustrated and baffled by it too, but then i have to think about the fact that he is also able to fake his identity. people People don't read. it The average American voter isn't watching this all day long.
Speaker: Yeah. They're seeing the campaign rally. They're seeing the Facebook posts at the end of the cycles. And so he's and he grabs an image and he's able to run with it. And then he pays people to say that Donald Trump is this guy that's manly and tough.
Speaker: and he And it just works. And I think a lot that's due to the insecurities of the people and the fear that people have. And he feeds off of it and he presents himself as an image of something that he's not. And when you confront them, I mean, I did it before on a post in Facebook where i was like, this man is a draft dodger.
Speaker: This man is a draft doctor and he's now telling sailors who are suffering, who aren't eating good food and and stuff aren't clean because they haven't been refitted, to get over it. A man that didn't didn't have to go to war in any form is telling other people that are at a war that we aren't at war with, have won, haven't won, to get over it. We've won this war so many times now.
Speaker: It's a deep psychosis of of the American zeitgeist that we just, as Democrats, haven't confronted. We just kind of, I think that we pell-mell around it and we're just like, Trump, bad guy.
Speaker: But instead saying, we should say Trump, bad guy, we have a good anthesis to that. we We just kind stick with Trump, bad guy often. um And that's what I found that I almost get into sometimes is Trump's a bad guy. What are we doing?
Speaker: But then I'm like, but if I don't tell you why I, as a candidate, and better, and I break through the barrier of it, you have to break through the barrier. And I think that we, I, I know I struggle at times trying to figure out how to break through the barrier.
Speaker: Um, but I think as the democratic party has struggled, I think it's figuring it out now. Um, I think that it has started to turn and figured out like, wait a minute, we can't just be like only bad guy. have to put forward the people that are, are also an anthesis to this negativity. And we've done that. I think very well. i mean, uh, James Tallarico is a perfect example of anthesis to, to Trumpism. Right.
Speaker: Um, but, At the same time, we it's it is a baffling thing. And I don't know if the answer is anything more than he was really good at spending a lot of money on a lot of really good ads throughout this time.
Speaker: And Americans just consume media. Well, this is going to sound random. a populist issue, right? Yes. and And this is going to sound random, and I promise it's related. And then we'll we'll move on.
Speaker: But did you watch professional wrestling growing up?
Speaker: I did not. Okay. I was all in it. And so like I knew exactly what this book was talking about. There's a book out there. I forget the name, but they make the, basically the thesis is like, there's this, this concept in professional wrestling called like kayfabe where like, it's not just good guy, bad guy. It's like my bad guy.
Speaker: This bad guy is fun to watch. This bad guy is my bad guy. And I enjoy, I enjoy it. Like the Stone Cold Steve Austin, the guy who's in the rattle the Texas rattlesnake, the guy beats the beers together and pours them on. And like, he's a bad boy.
Speaker: There was this whole era of professional wrestling about that. um And so that, you know, actually Trump has been kind of tied into that world for a long time. He made Linda McMahon part of his cabinet.
Speaker: Right. So i think he actually understands this about people is that it doesn't matter how bad and toxic of a human being he is so long as he hates the right people and he is on the side, least he's assumed to be on the side of the people who love him.
Speaker: Um, and so I just wonder if maybe there's a little bit of that, that we need to embrace, like who are our bad guys and making sure we're diagnosing the problem.
Speaker: And we're seen as the people who don't take any gruff, who got got the dirt in our mouth, but we're going to go get them. We're going to chew them up because I think there is something to this kayfabe idea.
Speaker: Don't you think it's data centers? I mean, it just seems like we've all kind of coalesced around this and also maybe the billionaire class, the Epstein class. i So i i think I think all of that is correct.
Speaker: um and it's And Trump learned how media worked from an early age, right? That's how he made himself. More than his businesses, he became that guy. The reality show star, yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, the Zeitgeist created them that way. And so... I think that Democrats have it a little bit with data centers. um You know, Clayton Tucker is is a perfect example someone who's like, hey, wait, hold on. These are very bad.
Speaker: I'm going to talk about this until we all know about it. um and And now everybody's talking about it. um You know, it it was just a few weeks ago where we finally had James come out and be like, we need to do something about data centers. In Abilene, Texas, he finally came out and said that. um And then finally, Ken Paxton makes an AI form about data center regulation. um But, you know, it's it's those types of things. but And it's also, there's very much, people don't necessarily love what's happened with the mega rich. People don't love Peter Thiel, right? People don't love the CEOs.
Speaker: They just have this really weird vision that they could be a billionaire someday. And I'm going to say it. You will never, you are closer to being dirt poor.
Speaker: Almost anyone listening to this podcast, unless you are Jeff Bezos listening to us today, you are closer to being dirt poor than you are to being Elon Musk. Right. That's just the truth. If I gave you a million dollars a year tax-free every year, right? Like it would take you a thousand years to be a believer.
Speaker: You still would never in your lifetime. And I think that, and I love the American dream. I want people to strive to be the best that they can because I think that's what has made America, made America great. I do believe America is great.
Speaker: I think that it can be great again in the same way that they do in the same way that I'm thinking of a tax bracket that worked for us in the fifties that made it us so we could build highways. Yeah. that made us the most powerful military in the world because we taxed these corporations, the mega wealthy at 90 some odd cents on their dollar after a certain amount and put it towards things that help people. I think that we need to uncap social security. And I think you should pay for it until you retire.
Speaker: If you make a certain amount, I think that we need to start doing things to help regular day Americans. And when I say things like, hey, listen, I get what you're saying, but what if I told you you're getting stolen blind because every Republican in Texas is taking money from every person that you feel actually is stealing you blind and building the data centers? Yeah. well That can't be true. Here's the f FEC filing or the TEC filing, Fred. I promise you, if this wasn't true, you wouldn't hear me saying it because I don't have time to lie. i got kids to take care of.
Speaker: this is they This is the truth. I lied to them about bedtime and stuff, you know, not not about the money that's flowing around. Yeah, now we have the world's first trillionaire. But I feel like we need to probably switch gears here just for time's sake.
Speaker: Enough of the negativity. Let's focus on something positive. One of the things we like to do on this show is a segment called good news. Uh, like you said, Republicans found their way slithered into the churches and they've been kind of, uh, holding the brand of evangelicalism, um being able to spread their good news, their version of the gospel.
Speaker: We need to get in the habit of sharing our own good news as Democrats. And so let's flex that muscle. Kyle, is there something in your life, either personally, professionally, or just something you've read about that you just, it's so good. You got to tell somebody about it.
Speaker: Yeah. So there are are two things. If you're a military listener, I actually did just get my first top eval um this last eval session. So those of us that don't know, that's really important. up yeah Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's, it took a while. um i'm I'm always like close but never in. So I finally got got that. And that's been a really big career change with me. I really wanted that. um And I really strove this last year to to fight to get that and improve myself in that form for the military. Really big deal.
Speaker: Really big deal. Thank you. You're an officer, but not just an officer. You're a really good officer. so thank you. trump You tell a Major Romney. Yeah, we didn't want to go there, but you know. um And then i wanted to add to, I said this before and I said it before, but um we actually are due for our second kid October 20th.
Speaker: um Yes, it's the second day of early voting. I'm aware. um You're going to have a newborn on election day, hopefully. I mean, all you know. like Yep. if If I got late, and everything will take but everything will be the way it's supposed to be. Our son was a couple of weeks early, so...
Speaker: We're, we're, we don't know what's going happen with her. so we'll, we'll figure it out. um But we, we are due to have our our daughter. They're going to be 19 months apart. So I'm sure they're going be really good friends. um And, and I can't imagine, like I said, being a dad is the the coolest thing I've ever done. I ever want to do is be ah a father and a soldier. And I've done both of those things.
Speaker: So now anything I could do for the rest of my life is just kind of like a a cherry on top. um But having getting to be both a boy dad and a girl dad, I get I get it out of the way. We'll see what other the Lord has planned for. But I get I get best of both worlds now coming at me. So I'm excited for that.
Speaker: Now, that's great. And it's very similar to the situation I've got. I've got ah ah a girl first and and a boy who's going to come up on his second birthday on October 1st. They are 29 months apart.
Speaker: And so, yes, it's been really fun to watch that dynamic and also very relatable on wanting to do those things. i had wanted to join the Air Force in high school. And my grandpa, who's the reason why I wanted to join, made me promise to go to college first. And so I feel very fortunate to have been able to be a dad and to be a veteran and all that.
Speaker: Kate, do you have any good news? You you just got to get off your chest? Yeah. Well, mine is kind of completely different, um though I do talk about my child a lot on our Good News segment. She's four years old, just started at pre-K. But I, as Alex knows, I just signed up for a half marathon. um Yes, in the Air Force, we run. um For our soldier and marine sailor listeners, we do get out there. We don't just play kickball. Yeah, but the exam is only like in a a mile and a half, right?
Speaker: It's changed to two. it two now? Yeah. I have not kept up with the times. Yeah. It's going places. But my husband was just talking about how he has to do the AFT. What is it called? The AFCT?
Speaker: It's the AFT now. This is like the fifth iteration. The Army one's complicated. it's yeah it's It's a whole thing. I mean, there's like box carry. There's a ball throw. Anyways, will digress on that. What in the CrossFit is going on? i don't know. got rid of the ball throw, by the way, which was my worst event. okay I'm thankful for that. The only a movie plus side that Pete Hexteth is, he must have been bad at that too, so he got rid of it.
Speaker: Air Force is so straightforward. It's just like a minute of push-ups, a minute of sit-ups, and then apparently a two-mile run. It's changed, Alex. Oh, is it more than that now? Yeah, we have options now. So we can do different types of push-ups, different kinds of sit-ups. We can – there's like a walk version – I don't know. Don't get me – Is this like a Hegsa thing? Is it super new? No, it was changed a few years ago, I want to say, where we had options. And so I see people doing like these push-up push-ups. Ooh.
Speaker: Anyways, I'm training for a half marathon and I just started this weekend. Kyle, as you're saying, it is hot everywhere. So I almost passed out, but hey, we start somewhere. And that was my good news. um Yeah.
Speaker: My goodness I also signed up for that same half marathon. Kate kate and I are going to do the Dallas half marathon in December. um So someone just sent that to me too, because the folk people in the unit want to do it And I am not as sure about doing that one. And there's one in 9-11 as well that they were talking about doing. Come hang.
Speaker: i am and I am all of 200 pounds. Running is is something that I do because I have to stay fit as an officer, not necessarily because I i am a runner. Now, if you want to pick something heavy up.
Speaker: You can get some good momentum going though. you know Roll forward. That's right. Yeah. No. ah Yeah. So I will, I guess, echo the Dallas half marathon as my good news because there is a Dallas based award that I'm not allowed to talk about that I until January that I just got an email saying that I'm going to get. So I will update everybody sometime in January about what that was.
Speaker: Yay. So that's good news all around for all of us. Well, Kyle, we we're going to give our guests always the last word. Our podcast is really about flipping Texas by the next census so that we can help ah keep the White House for a generation. If we don't flip Texas, we may not. So what do you think will it take? And especially from your perspective of a a West Texas guy, what do you think it's going to take us to flip the state?
Speaker: I think that we are on the right path. um I've mentioned it before, but the entire statewide slate came out with me to West Texas. And they didn't just go to Lubbock. They went to Plainview, Texas, Big Spring, Texas, and Abilene, Texas, to see what Texas is really like for us that live out here in West Texas. and I think that in order to flip this state, we have to continue that momentum. In order to win the White House, we need to continue to do stuff like that. Don't just go to the big cities, go to where you consider flyover country and fight like hell for people that need you. Even if they say they don't like you, your dedication should only be to them, to nothing else. So if you're a Democrat and you're thinking about running for president and you hear me saying this, if you want to win and you want our votes out here and you want the support of rural people outside of just the Democrats and even the rural Democrats,
Speaker: We need to see you doing real work and going to meet real people. Like our Texas Democrats have this entire cycle. Amen. I mean, especially bringing out our ah different locations within the party. Some people are saying, no, we need to have a centralized area. But no, we were we're opening up places in Central Texas. I believe there's one out in West Texas, right? I've been in Amarillo.
Speaker: Amarillo. Okay. Yeah. So it's absolutely necessary. Well, thank you, Kyle. We really appreciate you. We are rooting for you out there. If we ever come back up to Lubbock, we'll call you up.
Speaker: um And we'll sign off by saying God bless Texas.
Speaker: you
