It’s time for the week that was in Texas politics with Alex Samuels political reporter for The Texas Tribune.
President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign has said it wants to appeal to Black voters in Texas. Samuels wrote recently about that effort, and a Black Voices for Trump event earlier this year in Waco, where, she said, only two Black people were in attendance, including herself.
Samuels said surrogates for Trump have emphasized the president’s support of criminal justice reform, and for historically Black colleges and universities.
“They’re really trying to flip the narrative and say, ‘Democrats are the party of racists, not Republicans,'” Samuels said.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has hired staff leaders in Texas, as the campaign ramps up for what they hope will be a closer-than-usual contests with Republicans. New state campaign director Rebecca Acuña is a veteran of Texas Democratic politics. Jennifer Longoria ran Elizabeth Warren’s Texas presidential campaign. She will serve as Biden’s deputy state director.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee announced this week that it will spend at least $1 million to help MJ Hegar in her race against Sen. John Cornyn. Recent polls have shown the race tightening.
“According to the DSCC, this is the first time they’v made a coordinated investment in a general election in Texas,” Samuels said. “So the money will go to polling, TV ads and other campaign resources.”