Texas Democrats Welcome Kamala Harris To The Party’s Presidential Ticket

This week in Texas politics with The Texas Tribune

By Rhonda Fanning & Alexandra HartAugust 14, 2020 12:24 pm,

It’s time for the week that was in Texas politics with Alex Samuels political reporter for The Texas Tribune.

Newly minted Democratic vice presidential pick, Sen. Kamala Harris, offered some thoughts on Texas politics in a letter posted on the state Democratic Party’s website. Samuels said the letter called Texas a “swing state” that could be moved into the Democratic column if party members work together.

“Harris also laced into President Donald Trump for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic,” Samuels said. “But the letter was really meant to encourage readers to support the Texas Democratic Party.”

Texas Democratic leaders were “elated” by presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden’s choice of Harris as his running mate, Samuels said. They see Harris as a strong advocate for progressive issues, who won’t alienate moderate voters.

Harris is the daughter of immigrants – her father is from Jamaica, her mother from India. She is the first woman of color to be part of a major-party presidential ticket.

Republicans pointed out that Harris did not gain many votes in Texas during her presidential run.

One day after Texas recorded its highest daily death toll from the coronavirus since the pandemic began, Gov. Greg Abbott was asked about the high number of positive cases, and relatively low level of testing in Texas. He said state officials were investigating the trend, but that fewer Texans have been getting tested.

The governor said bars could potentially reopen once the state’s COVID-19 positivity rate dropped below 10% for a sustained period of time, and the rate of hospitalizations comes down. The positivity rate was near 24% on Aug. 11, and near 16% on Aug. 12.

Web story by Shelly Brisbin.

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