Transcript
Speaker: This is Mission Texas.
Speaker: All right. Welcome back to Mission, Texas. We're so excited to have our next guest who joined us last December ahead of her primary. And she's back with us to talk about the general election. She won the primaries. We're going to talk about that and more. Welcome back. Our nominee for lieutenant governor, Vicki Goodwin.
Speaker: Thank you. So good to be with you today. So, Vicky, I wanted to start out and ask a little like we've talked about your background in our prior episode, which we'll link. But if it's OK, can we just catch up um based on what's happened since December? You obviously won and we're so proud of you. um But what's been happening since December? I think around the time we talked.
Speaker: There it was. Well before the primary, Mike Collier had just announced. And um obviously, as I mentioned, you won and you're our nominee. But what else? What else is going on?
Speaker: A lot of travel all over the state. It's been really wonderful. You know, we've been to every corner of the state from El Paso to Galveston, Corpus Christi, from North Texas to South Texas. So what I really love is in each city, I ask people what they like most about their city. And oftentimes it's just they love the community that they're in, the people that they live around. And it's really.
Speaker: Heartwarming to see. and how many people are coming out. over one issue in particular, which is the data center issue. I've been really surprised by that. i you know It has grown in impact exponentially over the last few months, and people are coming to their city councils, to their county commissioners, courts, to petition signature rallies in parks.
Speaker: um So all over the state, that has been a big issue that's come up in conversations. I'm from Grayson County in Sherman, Texas, and I was just being texted the other day. There's a group of conservatives that are fighting a data center in Grayson County.
Speaker: And so... um and maybe Maybe offline after the episode we'll get you connected and you can come and and come out and speak to him. yeah I was just seeing ah Gina Hinojosa had a sit down with some some Republicans who are wearing these.
Speaker: Brink. break rank shirts. because they're going to break rank um and and leave the party over this issue. in this election. And so I think it's great that you are you're leading on this issue.
Speaker: Yeah, and it ties into affordability because people are already seeing their water and electric bills going up, and they're really concerned that all of the... water and electric needed by data centers is going to drive their prices up even higher. And so that's why we've called on the governor to call a special session so that we can put in place some regulation to make sure that doesn't happen.
Speaker: But so far, the governor has just said that we'll um put a six month moratorium on building data centers in rural areas only. And I mean, data centers are going in everywhere. We've had the San Marcos City Council members pass a resolution to stop one of the data centers in San Marcos, which is not rural. So, you know, the governor has done something that's just political grandstanding. It's not going to do anything to help the people of Texas. And of course, Dan Patrick has not really spoken up on this issue, although we know that he supports the companies that are building the data centers. pro -business, but I'm...
Speaker: probe people more. And so you know we We need to have sensible regulation in place to make sure that these costs again for the electric and water aren't pushed on to homeowners or or renters, so households here in Texas.
Speaker: Well, what I was going to say is that you really were talking about this even last fall about water issues. And it's something that Clayton Tucker has been really on top of. And I think it was a really aha moment for me when I was talking to you both.
Speaker: Because it seemed like this is going to be the issue. coming up and look where we're at. It seems like it has really rallied people ahead of the election. How do you see that as it involves the process going forward? Is this going to be the the rallying cry for Democrats to really get people?
Speaker: especially as you're saying in the rural areas. I think it's one of the rallying cries, but affordability, again, which ties into the data centers, is is the issue of the day. People are feeling squeezed because grocery prices are higher, gas prices are higher, child care costs are are incredibly high. um
Speaker: Rent. rent is going up and that again tying into the data center issue when we were in west texas we heard about the fact that abilene has one of the biggest data centers maybe in the country it's a hyper scaler and they had to bring in so many people to work on it to build it that they were out of housing. And so landlords would basically wait until the leases are up, push their current tenants out, raise prices. Their rents are higher than Austin now. So I heard that rents went from like $1 ,500 on average to $3 ,000 or $3 ,200 on average now. And so it's it's creating a housing issue as well, which is has been one of my issues.
Speaker: I... think that we have so many problems to solve but This data center issue is certainly going to be one of the issues that brings a lot of people out. and and um every everywhere i go i talk to republicans who are very upset about it Commissioner Sid Miller has been talking about it as well, saying Democrats are on the right side of this and and we need to have that special session to address it now.
Speaker: not waiting for a year down the road when any new laws could get implemented. Well, I'm really, really grateful that you mentioned child care in your list of affordability concerns. and Kate and I both have young, young children.
Speaker: And right after my mortgage and my health insurance. By far, childcare is the most expensive thing. on my on my budget i'm a more fortunate person than many as as an attorney right but It's still a struggle. Dallas ISD was able to announce that they were going to offer pre -K for three and four year olds. Every person in the district wants it. And that's phenomenal.
Speaker: And I would love to see that happen. statewide. And really... I would love to see the state get. even more involved.
Speaker: Beyond three. Years zero through five are critically important for kids' mental brain development. And so ah one of the really cool things that I've gotten to do recently is go to a national conference with other lieutenant governors around the country. We met in Chicago and I met. The lieutenant governor from New Mexico, Howie Morales, and he said they have just implemented a child care program there to make sure people can access affordable, quality child care in New Mexico. So if they can do it.
Speaker: Texas can do it. It's so funny you mentioned New Mexico. We are going through the process of. ah Getting a new director for the Children's Center. because... are director of 15 years is moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Speaker: And one of the reasons she loves Santa Fe is because of the community there and the the food and and the art and all that. but One of the things she will just gush about. is like New Mexico's leadership on this issue.
Speaker: Yeah. so I couldn't have predicted you were going to bring that up. but Yeah. Well, there's a model now, apparently we can follow. Absolutely. We can learn from other states at times. And so that's something we know last session that came up as one of the biggest issues, and yet we did nothing.
Speaker: I won't say nothing because um we did do a couple of small things. One of the small things that I worked on was giving. a child care centers, property tax abatement.
Speaker: So our schools don't have to pay property taxes because they're educating our children. But that's not true for child care centers. And so we did pass that law. and In fact, James Tallarico was the author in the house.
Speaker: I was a co -author. And. We... Those are small steps that we have taken, but what we really need to do is make sure that we have scholarships for the families that can't afford it. And we need to make sure that we're paying our childcare workers.
Speaker: appropriately they are one of the lowest paid jobs and they're taking care of our most. Priceless and but and you know most valuable. um little kids so yeah it's shockingly low and i know now because i'm on the other side of it approving the contracts um and i feel almost Like.
Speaker: It's this weird tension that I have to... as like a fiduciary of the of the of the preschool. do what's in the best interest of the institution. but Like I see how much they're making and I know how hard the job is and how important it is. And it feels like there's this weird mismatch.
Speaker: Yeah. um So i'm I'm glad you spoke to that. Yeah. well we could help that with raising the minimum wage which is one of my priorities as well And you won't hear Dan Patrick talking about that.
Speaker: Absolutely not. Well, it's interesting with public schools, it's easy to segue into religion because they've obviously put the Ten Commandments in and our schools. And I'll just say, as similarly as Alex, my child is four and she's about to go to the pre -K.
Speaker: in the public schools uh so that's i'm really excited about that next week and So I'm very grateful that she has that opportunity here. But I'm also worried about what she's going to be seeing in the public schools from a religious standpoint. And and I'm wondering, what how do you see that? I mean, it's also dovetailing with the voucher debate.
Speaker: But what is Dan Patrick doing? And because I understand you have a perspective on religious liberty and what Dan Patrick is doing against that. Right. You know, I don't think Dan Patrick really understands the words religious liberty, because that should mean that you have the freedom to practice whatever religion you choose. And he and others are saying that.
Speaker: The United States is a Christian country, and we are not. we We have that freedom built into our Constitution. So there's three moms out of Houston who filed a lawsuit against the Ten Commandments on the classroom walls. And I just read about that this morning in the Austin American Statesman. So I'm so...
Speaker: glad that they have brought this case forward, hoping to take it up to the Supreme Court, because we've actually had a similar case that went to the Fifth Court of Appeals here in Texas and lost, but it was a very close vote. But we know that ah a lot of parents feel very strongly about their religion and being able to practice their religion in their home and and their religious institution, whether it's a church, a synagogue.
Speaker: mask or whatever. But unfortunately, Dan Patrick. wants to bring his view, his intolerant. view of how people should practice religion and very specific brand of christianity right the one where he recently said that james talarico is going to hell yeah so the lieutenant governor of texas have some business as the gatekeeper of it.
Speaker: of a texan's personal salvation is that you think that that's your role if you win i think he thinks trump has appointed him to that because well trump did appoint him to be the commissioner of religious liberty and so yeah But no, as lieutenant governor, my role is to make sure people have true religious freedom. They can practice the religion of their choice in their home and in their religious.
Speaker: building, you know not in our public schools. In fact, the Texas Constitution says that we are not to support one particular religion, that we can't send public tax dollars to religious institutions. So our voucher bill, our voucher scam actually is unconstitutional per the Texas Constitution. I said that a few days ago and somebody was surprised.
Speaker: Out. So i I think it's really important to let people know that this actually, it goes against our Texas Constitution. the voucher. bill. Yeah, no, I mean, we're both lawyers, so I love talking him a lot. about law and lawsuits as you brought up. and
Speaker: I think if the listener... is is not familiar with it. The Ten Commandments is such a symbol within the legal community of religious freedom because there's been so much litigation concerning the Ten Commandments specifically. Like, can it be on a courthouse steps? Can it be at a government building? and I don't think there's a it's a legislature.
Speaker: but like Yeah, it's not a coincidence that they picked the Ten Commandments. It's not because they want. my four -year -old to learn the 10 commandments. In fact, I know that there's some mom groups that are like, I have to talk to my kid about.
Speaker: ah adultery now, and they don't know what that word means. And it's not about that. I mean, don't you think, Vicky, that this is about dominance and power and being able to do it, not just the actual learning of the Ten Commandments?
Speaker: Oh yeah, absolutely. It is to say that that there is one right. religion. And it's Dan Patrick's version of that one. religion. I relate it to that having the Ten Commandments sign on the classroom wall like the signs that you have ice on bridge.
Speaker: You see it so often that you just become numb to it. And so. Is this going to help our kids be better? um adults Is it going to help them learn? Is it going to help them be better citizens?
Speaker: No. It's not. It's just going to make them ask questions that are uncomfortable for their teachers to answer. And if it helped, I mean. Maybe Paxton would be doing better in the polls. But, um,
Speaker: Speaking of the polls. ah I think what's really interesting is Obviously everyone was very excited that Tallarico was leading, Paxton 5148 in the latest Fox News poll.
Speaker: But I don't think enough coverage is being given. to you and your your statewide counterpart gina hinojosa because Look. In 2018... And the same time that Beto was like so close to winning.
Speaker: There were three other races. my memory. That were like. About the same. gap. and And they should get the attention. as well. So in addition to Beto.
Speaker: There was the Lieutenant Governor's race, Patrick. It packs in the AG's race. and Sid Miller in the Ag race, right? These were the the four. spots.
Speaker: Where there's like two three points away And. At the same time, Abbott just Crushed. Lupe Valdez. God love her. So in my view.
Speaker: If Gina is down by one, You're ahead. You're winning right now. I agree. I agree. I don't think you were pulled in that Fox News poll. But if if Gina's down one.
Speaker: Against Abbott. You've got to be leading. Patrick. At least by as much as Tallarico is. against Paxton. yeah I think you're up three three at least.
Speaker: Yeah, it's unfortunate they didn't include the lieutenant governor race in that poll. And so many so many stories are written about the Senate race. Some about the governor's race, but very, very few about the lieutenant governor's race. And yet it's such a powerful position here in Texas. I think it's unfortunate that a lot of times people say, well.
Speaker: Dan Patrick has won three times. Surely he'll win again. Why are you taking that as a given? Of course not. I think people are really upset about the direction that Dan Patrick is taking the state right now.
Speaker: whether it is the religious freedom issue, whether it is. data centers, whether it is education and privatizing our public schools and underfunding our schools to where teachers are leaving the profession again. Every day I hear from teachers who say,
Speaker: um They left or they're planning to leave. because they just they're at their last straw. And I think that's really unfortunate because our our future relies on having great teachers in our public schools.
Speaker: But there's there's lots of issues. I don't understand why Fox didn't include the Lieutenant Governor race in that poll. But I'm sure we'll be doing some polling and seeing some.
Speaker: Good results. I think a lot of people are skeptical of polls these days. but what I'm seeing on the ground is very similar to what I saw in 2018. There's a huge backlash to Trump. People are coming out for reasons that we were that honestly, I'm surprised by the data center issue.
Speaker: And a lot of people who call themselves independents and Republicans are saying, I simply can't vote for the Republican candidates this time. So we're here to listen to you and to give you a chance.
Speaker: and And I think that's great because when people hear that I i want to address affordability, I want to I have a health care plan. For the five million Texans who don't have insurance, but also. For all the Texans who are perhaps self -employed and their health insurance costs go up every year and what they get for it.
Speaker: goes down every year. I want to talk about those plans but just for a moment let's park on just the power involved in this office that I don't think a lot of people understand. I think one of the reasons why we don't get polling. beyond the Senate and the governor.
Speaker: is because people generally don't have a ah good understanding of what the positions below those on the ballot even do. I think if someone is not familiar with politics, And that's most people.
Speaker: They hear Lieutenant Governor. And this the lieutenant, I think, is evocative of like. lesser. It's like the vice president of like the student council who doesn't really do anything. It's the president doing everything.
Speaker: ah you know, some sort of you know, sidekick or maybe like if the governor passes away, you take over kind of thing. But it's so much more than that in Texas. Lieutenant governor job in Texas is tremendously powerful. yeah help Help people understand why that is.
Speaker: Yeah, I love this part of the campaign, educating people on the lieutenant governor, who is incredibly powerful in Texas. It's different than other states. The lieutenant governor sits on the legislative budget board and has a huge impact on how your tax dollars are spent here in Texas. The lieutenant governor decides which senators have leadership positions, and which senators sit on which committees. The lieutenant governor also directs bills to those committees.
Speaker: so Essentially, the lieutenant governor can decide which bills are going to pass into law and which ones don't see the light of day. And that's a hugely important role.
Speaker: in Texas. You know, the governor can veto things, but the governor doesn't. have the ability to get laws passed. That's what the Lieutenant Governor can do. Yeah, in effect, the Lieutenant Governor has...
Speaker: It's not a veto, but like. If the lieutenant governor doesn't want there to be even a debate on an issue. mm -hmm It can stop that from even starting, right? That's right. Yeah. Well, I wanted to get back to healthcare. I mean, you're singing my tune. My dad was a pharmacist and his...
Speaker: The battle with Medicaid is a huge reason why I got into politics and decided to run for office myself. And so we've heard for, I don't know, since 2016 that... Donald Trump has a plan. You know, we we got some sort of plan in the works. It's all a mystery. Concepts of a plan. Concepts of a plan.
Speaker: So, Vicki, what's your plan? Day one in the Senate, you're going to set priorities, set the budget. What are you going to do for health care? Yeah, we are going to have a really great health care plan, but there's a lot of components to it, but I'll go over a few of them. One of them that I've heard from doctors is we need Medicaid, Medicare parity. What that means is right now, doctors don't want to take Medicaid patients because they get paid so little. It doesn't cover the cost, whereas Medicare. does.
Speaker: cover the cost or at least it's better and so if we had a state law saying that you have to pay the same reimbursement rates for Medicare, Medicaid as you do for Medicare.
Speaker: then doctors would be willing to see those patients. So that's number one, because when you expand Medicaid, you have to make sure that those people that are on Medicaid have a doctor to go see.
Speaker: because it's not going to help to expand it. if no doctors are willing to take those patients. So um Medicaid expansion, but also we have ah Probably 16 % of our uninsured right now qualify.
Speaker: For Medicaid, they just don't know or the hoops are too high. And so we're going to make sure that we have people who are like navigators helping them to get enrolled in Medicaid.
Speaker: And then we're going to expand the income guidelines for Medicaid. But then we're going to have a whole separate program for those people that don't qualify. and those people who don't have employer coverage.
Speaker: so another insurance policy that is state run take out all that overhead that these private companies charge. they are making millions, if not billions of dollars. in the insurance industry.
Speaker: If we have a state -run program, we aren't going to have that. We're going to have the ability because of the number of people within that plan to get low prices on medication.
Speaker: Making sure people take their insulin or whatever medication they're on regularly will prevent things like amputations. I heard from a woman the other day who works in a dialysis center.
Speaker: who sees people coming in. that have to actually get limbs amputated because they weren't taking their medication. we've got to put more emphasis on preventive care. make sure people can afford their medication, make sure people can afford to go see a primary care doctor, and expand upon programs that are working like the mobile clinics. So right now there's a mobile clinic that operates out of San Antonio, goes to places like Uvalde, and places where there may not be an OB -GYN, for example.
Speaker: and provides healthcare care that way. So lots of great programs that come at a lower cost. and we can make sure more people have access. That's those are some of my ideas within that my health care plan.
Speaker: Yeah, I want to affirm all of that. My dad. primarily had patients on Medicaid and had to go out of... Basically, I went out of business because he was losing money every time he would fill a prescription on Medicaid.
Speaker: And ah so... it just You don't see independent pharmacies anymore. It's all the big retails because they can afford it. They don't make money off of the actual prescription. It's off of everything else, right? Or the big discounts. But my mom is also on the board of a clinic, like you're talking about, that kind of bridges that gap with incomes. And it's such a need here that even our municipalities have contracts with them.
Speaker: um and so I think that's such a great plan, but I wanted to segue uh if i may uh alex into Something that's also medical adjacent, and that is the debate about THC. Because it seems to me there's a divergence within even the...
Speaker: Republican Party about these things with Patrick and our governor. among other things. and then so You've been talking about it recently. I love your social media. So is there not only a medical case for THC, but an economic one for our state?
Speaker: Oh, absolutely. I mean, we so many people came to the Capitol talking about how THC products have helped them with their pain management, with anxiety, sleep issues, PTSD. so You know, we're taking away products that have really helped people. We heard over and over how the Texas Compassionate Use Program, they call TCAP,
Speaker: is not effective. There's too many hoops to go through. Again, it's more expensive than just going to, I don't know, the the local cannabis stores where people have been going. We've killed an industry. and that's um Gosh, I think someone said $5 billion dollars a year industry where we could be taxing that and using that as revenue to help pay for our schools or pay for health care.
Speaker: you know ah my idea again is to legalize these the THC products and regulate. age restriction, just like we do alcohol.
Speaker: packaging requirements making sure people know what their what they're putting in their bodies. you know I think that's really important. I think with alcohol, we know what's the content. we should have the same thing with the products that are made from THC. And let people make that decision. Let people be adults and and take responsibility for what they're putting in their body. but um We can have sensible regulation.
Speaker: and allow this industry that was created back in 2019 when we passed a law and has been doing just fine. And the only reason that Dan Patrick is trying to get rid of the THC industry is because it's become competition with the alcohol industry.
Speaker: And so he's gotten donations from the alcohol industry. And it's a shame. I mean. Every state, it's not hypothetical anymore. We could do this. Every state that borders Texas has figured this out and they have some legal version of this.
Speaker: i I'm a huge King of the Hill fan. And they have new seasons where Bobby is a grown -up and is a chef in Dallas. And one of the the new episodes of the the most recent season.
Speaker: is Peggy dealing with menopause. and she gets relief from these these gummies. um these THC gummies and Hank has to like go out of state to go get them.
Speaker: Um, He's just real nervous because I don't know if you know Hank Hill, but he's just like a very like by the book. kind of Not conservative in a political way, but like conservative in a kind of personal. way way.
Speaker: But yeah, I mean, there are so many benefits to it. It's less dangerous than alcohol. I know, especially here in the veteran community. I mean, Kate, I'm sure you you hear about this as well. well i mean There's so many. people who who use them.
Speaker: Um, in a way that's is much safer and better for them and their families. than the alternatives that are out there. And. um I like.
Speaker: it just it it It boggles the mind. Um, I would think, actually, that there is votes in the legislature today. to do some form. of legalization.
Speaker: But for the fact that the very powerful position. of Lieutenant Governor. won't let it happen. Yeah, last session I saw how members were being strong -armed by the Lieutenant Governor, you know.
Speaker: the current lieutenant governor uses his leverage of the budget like i said there's a lot of influence that the Lieutenant Governor has on the budget. And so You tell members, well, you're not going to get that park or that library or that special project you want in your district if you don't vote for my bill.
Speaker: and that's what happened i saw members that would not have voted for the THC ban who ended up voting for it because they were essentially threatened. by the Lieutenant Governor. Yeah, I mean, Oklahoma and Louisiana, these are not blue states. In fact, if you go look at the presidential elections, they're more red than we are.
Speaker: Yet. They can figure it out. Um, And just... I'm sure Dan Patrick has some personal redeeming qualities for his family. and his children and grandkids and stuff. I don't know. I don't know the guy, but I don't know. Should we give him the benefit of the doubt? We can give him the benefit of the doubt, but I just, the way he wields power. And the way he puts his thumb on the scale of policy.
Speaker: and even make statements like, James Tallarica's going to hell, it just... It reminds me of like ah like a Pharisee, like this person who knows better than everybody and is going to impose his judgment on others.
Speaker: And I just don't think that's... what someone and in a position of public trust should be doing. And so it's so refreshing to hear your your alternative. um style of leadership.
Speaker: being proposed. I like to listen to the people. You know, the other day we were at ah one of the CBD stores. I went to go give them some of my flyers. and The door was locked. Another woman came walking up to go in and she was very disappointed that they were closed. I said, you know, maybe this is just.
Speaker: We're a day away from the law change where they can't sell a lot of the products they have on the shelf. So maybe they're closed for good. I don't know. And she said, I use their products for my rheumatoid arthritis and I don't know where I'm going to go instead.
Speaker: so it's You know, sad. I mean, what is other than the lobby? I mean, what is his take? ah Is it just really like THC and marijuana bad? OK, like is that like the meme? You know, what is I think he would say devil's lettuce unironically.
Speaker: Oh. I think he relates it to harder drugs. and Gosh, he was calling it. heroin or something like that the other day. Ms. you know.
Speaker: I don't think he understands Right. Like the chemical nature. I mean, this isn't heroin. It's not fentanyl. It's not an opioid. It's there's not an addictive like the addiction quality is not there. Certainly not. I mean. Of course, you think about wine or beer. or spirits yeah but if there wasn't a constitutional amendment he'd probably try to ban that too Right.
Speaker: No one should be drinking or or dancing in my town. okay He's like the mayor of Footloose. or whatever I know. go Our town days. But I mean, so this goes into a question I had. We had a ranking podcast of and this brings up a picture that was just released by Greg Abbott of the whole statewide slate. And it's all like, you know, the most horrible of horribles. I wish there was a name we could give them.
Speaker: uh like the worst slate ever or the you know The House of Dragon is out right now on HBO. It's like the House of Horrible or something. I don't know. but you might describe My proposal is like it should be a band name and they should be. The Red Flags
Speaker: Think of this as your next meme, Vicky, you and your social media team. come up Come up with something good. But we ranked them and we said Paxton's number one out of... ah corruption and radicalism. And then we put. Patrick right below him. And I think after that, it was either Don Hoffines or Beau French. And I think in the middle we got. We put Greg Abbott.
Speaker: and then i think at the very below because we just don't know them very well was like dawn and then um Maize Middleton. so Were we right? Were we wrong? How would you...
Speaker: How would you rank those people? That is so tough at the top, like Paxton Patrick there. Paxton would not be on the ballot were it not for Dan Patrick and the $3 million. dollar you know bribe $3 million dollars changing hands from Paxton to Patrick when Patrick got to make the decision in the Senate.
Speaker: impeachment trial. House Republicans impeach Paxton. I read the documents. He he is a criminal. But... you know it gets over to the senate Dan Patrick has the opportunity to be the head judge. He gets $3 million dollars from Paxton and oh, guess what?
Speaker: Paxton is acquitted. Go figure. So I don't know. i That's a tough one. I think Paxton and Patrick are of the same material.
Speaker: I think. It's hard for me to say. Who is worse? but You know, Paxton has continually filed lawsuits that don't benefit the people of Texas. Dan Patrick has continually passed laws that don't benefit the people of Texas. It's time.
Speaker: To have leadership that really is. is focused on doing what's best for the people, the greater good. It doesn't seem like they're interested in that. So, yeah. that Maybe they tie. We'll tie. Yeah.
Speaker: So going back to the 2018, I listed off the the four. spots where we had like the closest chance to flip. And it was. cruise. Patrick.
Speaker: paxton and miller Unfortunately, Miller is not going to be the Republican standard bearer anymore. Our bottom of the list ranking person was was Nate Sheets, the new Republican nominee for Ag Commissioner.
Speaker: But the other three... are still around and these in in the middle two are are up again right Um, Paxton and Patrick. So, Pakistan and... Patrick are the... I would say most vulnerable Republicans on the ballot.
Speaker: And so that's got to be exciting for you. as the person running against him. Yeah. um Why do you think he underperformed in 2018? and Is there any reason to think that that's not going to happen this time too?
Speaker: So I think that a lot of it has to do with the candidates going around the state and getting in front of voters and saying, here's who I am, here's what I want to do. I think in that election cycle, Mike Collier did a good job of traveling. I think this election cycle, I'm doing an even better job.
Speaker: ah We have been on the road just about every day. I don't know, for months and talking to voters of. um a wide array. of backgrounds and a wide array of issues.
Speaker: data centers has come up as a really big issue recently but i've been in front of university professors. who are really concerned about a brain drain. I have been in front of a Texas workforce. um executive director out in Abilene. Surprisingly enough, like the issue out there is that these data centers are using so many employees that it's pulling them away from the local manufacturer.
Speaker: They tried to hire new people. But when they saw the new people saw the rent prices in Abilene, they're like, oh, wait, I can't afford to move here. So it's been so interesting being able to travel the state, meet with county judges from different counties, meet with workforce development folks.
Speaker: meet with water experts. all around the state. so I love that. James Tallarico is doing rallies and bringing huge numbers of people together for those.
Speaker: People don't come out for rallies for the Lieutenant Governor. So either it has to be several of ah the statewide candidates, which I love that. our congressional candidate Kyle Rabel pulled together four different events in West Texas and had most of the statewide candidates there in Lubbock, Gina Hinojosa, myself.
Speaker: um Sarah Eckhart. Nathan Johnson, et etc. So that brings a big crowd. But that's not going to happen in every city and on every day. So when we aren't doing that, I'm trying to get in front of the county judge.
Speaker: Tell me what the issue is here in your county. I was surprised, again, and going back to Abilene, I met with the county judge there. They gave an 85%. abatement on their property taxes to the data center.
Speaker: I said, couldn't you negotiate something better than that? We're giving so much money away to these companies. I just don't think it's necessary. And why? Like what is it bringing? Yeah. Is it bringing jobs? No, it's just a big.
Speaker: Rock! First, I mean, anyways, and they're taking up our water. I mean, gallons and gallons. I think there's something to be said not to get back to data centers, but that they're taking up gallons of water and it's not just being recycled. Some of them do like, I think. existing data centers, they have some sort of process. But some of them, it's like gallons, millions of it daily. Yeah. um I know we're preaching about the water issue. Well, and you know what? Energy. I hadn't been as focused on the power. part of it but I learned that.
Speaker: If all of these data centers were built out, they would need 500 megawatts or whatever the measurement is. And what we have now is 90. So that's...
Speaker: more than five times what we can currently provide. and energy and power. And so to build that out is going to be incredibly expensive. And again,
Speaker: We can't have them pushing that onto households that are already struggling with all the high prices that we have to deal with. Well, and look, I lived through snow vid or snowpocalypse, however you want to call it.
Speaker: and in my little apartment in Austin at the time. running out of like running water and electricity and i I felt like. in the capital of the state of texas i felt like i was living in a third world country And so.
Speaker: Do we have... In our little independent grid. not even connected to the rest of the country, the kind of energy that's going to guarantee we keep the lights on. Yeah, not right now. not if all these data centers were built. So that's that's another thing that we really need to focus on. I don't think a lot of people are talking about that yet.
Speaker: Because it had been the water, like they're using so much water, but. It's water and electricity. That's crazy. Well, may I switch gears a little bit? um i want to Before we get into the last part of our segment, I wanted to...
Speaker: touch on some recent developments, something that came out of our neck of the woods in Tarrant County. And I think ahead of our election, we're all worried about voter protection. So recently they're talking about how they're going to close down 140 polling locations, I think, in Tarrant County, which is Fort Worth. And that's the epicenter where everybody agrees.
Speaker: We have to flip. So goes Terrence. So goes Texas. So goes the. the United States. So how do you perceive that as a statewide candidate? Are you involved in some of these voter protection?
Speaker: uh efforts and yeah combating what's going on in tarrant Yeah, I will actually be in Tarrant County tomorrow for the county commissioners hearing where they are going to talk about and take a vote on closing down. I think I heard 128, which is almost half of the.
Speaker: polling locations. If you look at a comparable election, the 2022 election they had somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 election sites. polling locations open they're going to close almost half of those so um I will be there to speak against that.
Speaker: They are claiming it is about. Saving money. But that's... you know, It's obvious voter suppression. when you have fewer polling locations that means longer lines on election day. But what I really try to emphasize to voters is go vote early.
Speaker: Because usually lines aren't long during early voting. And this time in particular. we We are going to see. a lot of and Attempts to suppress the vote.
Speaker: The way that we counteract that is we provide information, make sure voters know the first day of early voting is October 19th. So get out on the first day or sometime during early voting.
Speaker: Well, it's not just I mean, I agree with all that. And it seems like also having been here in Dallas County, it's confusion, right? Like people are used to their polling site. They go to it not thinking it's just sort of like, OK, election day, I'm going to go to my polling site. And then they arrive and it's like either closed or they need to go to another place.
Speaker: And we experienced that firsthand in Dallas. So I think that we're going to hear a lot of that. I'm interested to hear how that goes tomorrow in Tarrant County. I know a lot of people are gearing up for it as well. So I'm glad that you're going to be there to so at least speak on behalf of the statewide slate who really depend on the votes that are coming out of Tarrant County because we're really growing in that area. yeah so Yeah 80 ,000 new registered voters.
Speaker: So at a time when they have 80 ,000 new registered voters they're closing down 128 polling sites. I don't think it's a coincidence that Taylor romet has like a 31 point swing. And now all of a sudden.
Speaker: We don't want everybody in Tarrant County to be voting anymore. Right.
Speaker: It's just so it's so exhausting. It's like they were dealing with this affordability crisis and they want to ban THC. We're like. all collectively saying can you can you help us with this this or this like no we can't do that What we can do is like make it harder for you to vote so we can stay in power.
Speaker: Right. Exactly. But... I think like 2018, we are going to see the voters say we're going to do whatever it takes to get out and vote this time. yeah 2018 we flipped 12 house seats My goal 2026 is to flip 14.
Speaker: Then we have a majority in the Texas House. then we have statewide candidates winning our elections. And I truly believe that can happen. Just again, my experience on the campaign trail.
Speaker: we We are so hearing. from people every day i spoke to a man at the door yesterday i did some block walking in san antonio with christian caranza who's running for a texas house seat and one of our first guests Oh yeah. She's great. She's a hard worker, and I'm so excited for her campaign. We knocked on this one door. It was supposed to be a...
Speaker: uh i think a 30 year old woman but it was her dad who answered the door and he said well my daughter is A Democrat, I'm an independent. But by the end of the conversation, he put my yard sign in his yard and he took an extra one to take over to his mom's house so excellent We just need some common sense, good leadership.
Speaker: and we don't have that right now and so i I hear that every day on the campaign trail. It gives me hope. Christian is one of our 14 flippers this this cycle, and Kate and I were just...
Speaker: Yesterday, out at a park in Richardson with Two of the other 14 will be flipping. Two Zachs, Zach Erbert and Zach Dunn. They met up and did a jersey swap.
Speaker: And so if you want to see that, it's in our Mission Texas Instagram feed. And I'm sure you can see it on Facebook as well. But I i forget that we have a Facebook sometimes.
Speaker: But can I just jump in before we get to our last segments? But I think it's such a great perspective that you just hit on, Vicky, because in 2018, we compare like Beto came within two points. You guys flipped 12 seats.
Speaker: I think we've all recognized that we're in a better space now in 2026 in this midterm election, that James Tallarico is ah a lot farther ahead, whether that's because he just has better right name recognition, he's a better candidate, whatever. But I think it's also important to remember how we almost got, like how we're close to flipping the state house and how we did flip 12 in that year and how we can do even more. And we've got even more support, a lot of really great candidates. And so. I think that's such a great, that I had not thought about before. And cause that's really the name of the game. I mean, we have to get.
Speaker: to a place where we take back the House, take back the Senate, which you will be presiding over, but also because we have to get back to a... a place where we're not so gerrymandered. and the state legislature is where it's at with redistricting. And that's the whole thesis of our podcast is like, what are we going to do? Because if we don't take it back.
Speaker: then the Republicans are going to be gerrymandering the heck out of us. until now, until eternity, and we're going to lose control over those new electoral votes. and et cetera, et cetera. So very good.
Speaker: reminder to hit on that. Yeah. Yeah. There's hope out there. but I also tell people, you know, as Democrats, we say get your three friends to go vote with you. But I've heard. Abbott and other republicans say get a hundred people to vote with you so Reach for the stars.
Speaker: We should each be getting 100 people to vote with us. That's right. So... Beyond ah just activating our personal networks, do you think that there's a ah difference in approach?
Speaker: to that question of how like it's a different Calculus. To get. the legislature back than it is necessarily to. win a statewide election. right Because everybody's vote counts the same in a statewide election. You can't gerrymander the the lieutenant governor's race.
Speaker: Right. but if we're going to win back for example the texas senate the chamber you hope to lead That's a very different. process. than just getting a majority of the votes statewide.
Speaker: What do you think that process is going to look like between now and 2030? Yeah, since in the Senate, senators have four year terms, so they're not up every term. And so we don't even have an opportunity to win a whole lot of them. And they're. districts are more gerrymandered, you know, in a state house seat. all of the house districts within a county.
Speaker: they have to stay within county lines. So you can't have this crazy gerrymandering where you go from Austin to Corpus Christi like my congressional district does. Senate seats, because they're larger, there are a million people in a Senate seat as opposed to about 200 ,000 in a House seat.
Speaker: They're larger. They're even larger than a congressional district, right? because We have more members of the texas of the United States federal. House of Representatives than we do. Texas senators. I think it's crazy that we allow our our districts to be drawn based on partisanship.
Speaker: Yeah. but should That should not come into. the equation. But they are drawn the way they're drawn. and We got to win and in the way that they're drawn. So, I mean. Do you do you have, um I guess, a vision for how we take back that chamber?
Speaker: Yeah, i you know I think it is going out and talking to people within communities and not being afraid, not saying, hey, this is such a Republican county, I'm not going to go there. We have to go there. We have to talk to people, show them who we are.
Speaker: These are the issues that were. fighting for. you know our public schools fixing our broken health care system rural areas have lost a lot of their hospitals they I mean, people, women in rural areas have to travel just to deliver a baby an hour?
Speaker: That's crazy. We've got to address our healthcare care system. And what are the Republicans talking about doing versus what are Democrats talking about doing? Because I know the governor is saying that he cares about healthcare care and that's going to be an issue. But what he wants to do, I can tell you right now, because we heard that bill last session.
Speaker: It's basically making your health plans. less robust. They don't have to cover as much. That's his plan. That's crazy. That's not going to help. that That's not going to help the vest.
Speaker: number of Texans who either don't have insurance or can barely afford their assurance they buy these plans nowadays people will buy plans that have really high deductibles and really high copays.
Speaker: And so they end up. getting these plans that don't cover a lot. And then insurance companies have been really good at denying care. and making you jump through so many hoops to get the specialized care that you need. Anyway, back onto the healthcare subject. I could go on and on about that. It's one of my passions now. Well, just a lot of respect for the people who run for the Texas Senate. and obviously statewide because there's just so many people. I mean, like you said, a million people in these Senate districts.
Speaker: That's more than the state of Wyoming. It's like you're running a statewide election. Running yeah as a state senator. to be a state senator. So my favorite segment that we've started is called. Good news. Because I think Republicans.
Speaker: Um, for better or worse, they are really good at sharing their version of the gospel. um They want to tell everybody. whether you want to hear it or not.
Speaker: And. for We got to get better at it. And so we got to flex that muscle. We got to share something that's going on in our lives, something that's good. and just has to be shared. So what is something from your life you would like?
Speaker: everybody to know about. Well, I became a grandmother in March for the first time. So I have a four -month -old grandbaby who is just adorable. I get pictures all the time. Unfortunately, they're kind of far away in Pennsylvania, but they have been going through swim lessons and they went up to Maine to visit some family. And so it's just fun.
Speaker: being able to see them virtually. every day. and That plus we just released our first ad. for the campaign, which was a part of my convention speech. I got a lot of positive feedback from my convention speech. A lot of times people think I'm a little more reserved, a little more professional. And I really gave it all my all at the convention. so I love the commercial. They took little clips of it and we just released that.
Speaker: Well, we'll have to share that in our feed. Yeah, it's great. Yeah, you you looked amazing. You sound amazing. I love like what you were wearing and your necklace. like It was awesome. like I love just like the whole thing. As a woman, I feel like I could say that to you. but um Thank you. But yeah, I love the ad and the fact that you'd be the first female lieutenant governor, which I think is insane. like How is that possible that we have not had a female lieutenant governor in our state?
Speaker: I know. Well, it's time. It's time. I'm so excited because with Gina Hinojosa and Vicki Goodwin at the top of the stage, two strong women. We're going to turn this ship around.
Speaker: Don't mess with Texas us women. Yeah. Women and moms, man, you guys get it done. Well, if I may, I'll talk a little bit. My good news is similar. My, as I mentioned, my four -year -old is heading into the public schools for the first time. And so around the time this episode will drop is when schools are back in session. So I'm just so excited that it's school season again. I went to.
Speaker: the store to go get my daughter a backpack. And it, you know, it's just like that time of year where you're just so excited for new beginnings. like the sharpened pencil smell. And I just think it's so fun that ah speaking of public schools and just how much we love them and my daughter's going into them. And I'm i'm excited for that.
Speaker: Yeah. That's my good news. I'm going to go back to the healthcare care theme. um I... Before this episode started recording, I was at the dermatologist. And I had never had a skin check.
Speaker: And. I feel like I probably should get around to doing that. and So like I had my skin checked for the first time. and everything's fine. Clean bill of health. Right. And so.
Speaker: You know, it's ah it's a little thing to be like, you know, nothing's wrong. But that that is good news. You know, and I'm really excited about that. Um, i feel like i've all had a bunch of weird illnesses i i've got like um learned that I had the this weird ability to absorb iron too well in my blood it's called hereditary hemochromatosis My wife joked and called me Iron Man.
Speaker: Which as a Marvel fan, I appreciate. ah Oh, man. But yeah. Anytime I find out nothing's wrong is good news. And so. If we can make these visits ah more affordable for everyday Texans.
Speaker: by By electing you, I think that'll be more good news for the rest of the state. Because you're right, prevention is much better. Thank you. Yeah. But we have. Make it more affordable for everybody to do that.
Speaker: Absolutely. Well, somebody I had. stage zero very early skin cancer and so somebody who had that based on a preventative like skin check like I prevented a lot of other things so it's we need that we need people to be able to do that so I'm glad that we're you're you're being you're supporting people in that endeavor.
Speaker: Well, all right, Vicki, this is our last our last moment before we send you off into the election. And we like to give everybody the last word on what you think it's going to take to flip Texas to win your seat, not just for now, but for the next generation. So what do you got for us? What do you think after running the statewide campaign?
Speaker: Like, what? Where are your soldiers? You're our general. What do you got for us? What should we do?
Speaker: People always want to get plugged in and it's really, there's something for everybody to do, whether you. like knocking on doors making phone calls writing postcards there is something for everyone to do you just need to get connected with the campaign which you can do at goodwin4texas .com you know if we don't know that you want to be a volunteer we don't have a way to let you know about the volunteer activities but another really good way to get connected whether it is to my campaign or any of the campaigns that you like is through mobilize mobilize .us they have a map you can
Speaker: put in dates and locations and figure out what's going on. The block walk that I did yesterday with Christian Carranza, just before that, I did a block walk with Texas Together. And Texas Together is the coordinated campaign for our...
Speaker: Democrats up and down the ballot. and they are out there with a lot of volunteer coordinators and you can find their events again, on mobilize. um It will take an army. but i believe that there are lots of people out there that want to get connected and want to help So.
Speaker: Reach out to us and let us know and we'll plug you in. Yeah, and people are not alone. If you're thinking that you need to help, there's people out there that want you to and also find a community. so Well, thank you, Vicky. We're so grateful that you came on our podcast back in December. And now again, we're so excited to be out there. preaching to everybody about you. And we'll sign off by saying, God bless Texas.
Speaker: God bless Texas.
