With their online convention over, Texas Democrats focus on ousting Trump in November
Haley Taylor Schlitz turns 18 in August and she can’t wait to head to the polls in November to cast her first vote in a presidential election.
She was a delegate at the Texas Democratic state convention which wrapped up over the weekend, and she will serve as a delegate to the national convention as well.
“I’m more motivated than ever to change the way our leadership is,” said Schlitz, of Fort Worth, who graduated college at 16 and is going into her second year of law school at SMU. “Trump needs to get out of the White House.
“Something is going to change and hopefully it’s going to change for the better.”
She was one of thousands of Texas Democrats who participated in their party’s state convention, which was held online because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
She said the convention, which included a speech from presumptive Democratic nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden, was motivating, “especially in the tough times we are in right now, with COVID and the Black Lives movement.
“Honestly, it motivated me. I am ready for a change.”
Several Fort Worth area delegates say they are ready to get to work to make a difference in November.
But first is the July 14 runoff election, delayed because of COVID-19 from May. Democrats will weigh in on several races, including whether MJ Hegar or Royce West will face incumbent Republican John Cornyn for the U.S. Senate seat.
Heather Buen, another Fort Worth area delegate to the state Democratic convention, said she will work to encourage others to turn out to cast their vote in July and November.
The question is how the 41-year-old Fort Worth Democrat does that, in these days of social distancing.
“I’m phone banking, sending out letters to voters in my precinct ... telling people how to get vote by mail applications,” Buen said. “I won’t do any block walking yet, until maybe September, depending on what happens with COVID-19.”
She and others are ready to get to work, now that the convention has wrapped up.
“But now, in the age of COVID-19, we are not sure what to do,” she said. “We are trying to harness the energy.”
Greater participation
This election year has been dominated by coronavirus, stay-at-home orders, skyrocketing unemployment and protests against police brutality and racism.
COVID-19 concerns delayed the runoff election and prompted Democrats to hold their every-other-year state convention online.
Now the question is whether the Democratic National Convention will be held, as planned, Aug. 17-20 in Milwaukee.
Steve Ruiz, Buen’s husband, also was a delegate to the state Democratic convention. He said he liked it because it gave him and others more time to study issues and participate in caucuses.
It also prompted greater participation and invigorated younger delegates as well, he said.
“The Texas Democratic Party’s ability to adapt and overcome challenges and their ability to move to new technology ... enabled more people to participate at a greater level,” Ruiz said.
That means more Democrats are enthusiastic and ready to get voters to the polls.
Goal of Democrats
Among those are Jason Smith, a Fort Worth attorney who has been named to the 2020 Democratic National Convention’s platform committee and is waiting for final approval of that post.
With the state convention occurring shortly after stay-at-home orders were lifted — and as protests against racism and police brutality were being held across the country in the wake of George Floyd’s death — Smith said there was “a sense of importance and urgency” to the convention.
While he said he missed being able to see the friends he’s made at these conventions since 1984, he said the theme, or goal, of the convention was clear.
“Defeating Trump is something we desperately have to accomplish,” he said.
Smith said his work on the platform committee likely will focus on helping people in the struggling economy and proposing actions that could lead to the end of police abuse and racism.
Floyd died in the custody of Minneapolis police after an officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes.
Smith’s personal goal is to make sure people know there is no longer straight ticket voting in Texas.
“They have to vote for every Democrat on the ballot from start to finish,” Smith said. “Don’t stop at the top.”
This story was originally published June 9, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
