One of my earliest childhood memories was the 2000 presidential election.
I remember in kindergarten my elementary school back in Texas held a pseudo-presidential election for Al Gore and George W. Bush. My teacher pointed to the laminated poster of the candidates that displayed juvenile statements such as the two politicians favorite colors and food. Bush liked tacos and the color red, and Gore liked chocolate chip cookies and purple. It seemed like my teacher was trying to make Bush more appealing, but I only vaguely remember her favoritism towards the Republican candidate. However, I know for certain that when it when it was time to cast our vote, I was one of the only children who raised my hand for Gore.
Republican and Texas are two words that have been synonymous with each other for years. My parents and I would joke that we lived in “Bush country” because of the seemingly unwavering support for former Texas Governor George W. Bush. After his presidency Bush and his wife even moved to an estate in Dallas, about ten minutes from my public high school.
Growing up, I learned that tensions would arise for every presidential election at both school and home. Despite the dominant crowd displaying their support for the Republican candidate that was running for office, my parents would proudly display their sign in support of the Democratic nominee in the front yard of our Dallas home. At school, I remember the banter of children talking politics when election season came around. Throughout the years I would return home to lament to my parents I was a “blue state child trapped in a red state.”
Texas has not been considered a blue state since 1976, when Jimmy Carter was elected president. While Texas looks like it will remain red in the latest polls, seeing news organizations in my home state, and in the south have endorse Senator Clinton for president gives me hope for the years to come.
Publications such as the Houston Chronicle The Arizona Republic , and my hometown paper, The Dallas Morning News, are a few examples of right-leaning newspapers that have published articles endorsing Hillary Clinton. According to The Dallas Morning News, they have not endorsed a Democratic nominee since before World War II.
Even though it is looking like Texas will go red again, the state has come a long way. Newspapers are going against the grain of their usual conservative values, and I have seen an unwavering support for HIllary from my Texas peers back home through social media. For so long I felt like I was alone in identifying as a Texas Democrat, but this election has proved that there are many more.
But this personal realization of allegiance towards the Democratic Party is not shocking to me. The agenda of Texas government officials are horrifying. Many conservative Texas politicians prioritize fracking, which has caused several earthquakes in the Dallas area. Our roads and schools are falling apart while our officials seek to shut down abortion clinics, and fight for minimal gun restriction. All these policies were created because the only people who vote are in support of these ideas. Yet, according to Texas Tribune, Texas ranks second in low voter turnout, with Louisiana at number one. Texans want change, and hopefully we will see that in this election. I wonder if we all voted, what the results of these states would be.
Never would I have dreamed my first election would be voting for a woman in the White House, or see such an enthusiasm from my home state. This November, my absentee ballot will go to Hillary Clinton, and the push for Texas to become a Democratic State.
Graphic by: Rachel Kahn
