WEBVTT 1 00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:11.679 Hey, Trip Cast listeners. For the next two weeks, your 2 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:14.039 podcast team will be taking a break for the holidays, 3 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:16.640 so we'll be playing some interviews from the Texas Tribune 4 00:00:16.679 --> 00:00:20.359 Festival back in November. First up is my interview with 5 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:23.519 James Tallerico, who is running as a Democrat for the 6 00:00:23.640 --> 00:00:26.239 US Senate. Hope you enjoy it and if you celebrate, 7 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:36.280 Merry Christmas. Good morning, everybody, Welcome to day two of 8 00:00:36.359 --> 00:00:40.119 the Texas Tribune Festival. Very excited to be here with 9 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:44.439 Representative James Tallerco. First, a little bit of just housekeeping 10 00:00:44.520 --> 00:00:46.359 things to know. We're going to talk for about forty 11 00:00:46.399 --> 00:00:48.679 five minutes. Then we're going to have audience Q and A. 12 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:51.679 There are two microphones out there in the line, so 13 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:54.079 you know, once we get toward the end, you can 14 00:00:54.119 --> 00:00:57.880 start lining up and talking. This is the first of 15 00:00:57.960 --> 00:01:02.719 two candidate candidates that conversations related to the US Senate. 16 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:05.480 The second one will be with Representative Colin Alright, we're 17 00:01:05.480 --> 00:01:07.799 going to need to clear the room in between for 18 00:01:07.879 --> 00:01:11.719 security reasons, so I just ask, you know, let's try 19 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:13.719 to get moving and back. You know, we can get 20 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:15.040 back in line, but we want to be able to 21 00:01:15.079 --> 00:01:17.519 clear the room, make sure everything's safe in there. Representative. 22 00:01:17.879 --> 00:01:19.040 Thank you for being here. 23 00:01:19.359 --> 00:01:21.319 Thank you for having me. This is one of my 24 00:01:21.879 --> 00:01:24.799 favorite churches here in the Austin area, one of the 25 00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:26.959 most beautiful sanctuaries. Kind of felt like you and I 26 00:01:26.959 --> 00:01:30.640 were getting married walking down the aisle. But anyway, it's 27 00:01:30.680 --> 00:01:31.760 so good to see all of you here. 28 00:01:31.959 --> 00:01:34.879 Yeah. Absolutely, So, you know, I don't think we need 29 00:01:34.920 --> 00:01:37.159 to spend too much time on your bio, but just briefly. 30 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:40.239 You know, you, of course a former teacher, Presbyterian seminarian 31 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:43.959 state representative since twenty eighteen. But the thing I really 32 00:01:43.959 --> 00:01:46.159 want to touch on most importantly is that you are 33 00:01:46.200 --> 00:01:51.840 a twenty sixteen Texas Tribune Festival trivia champion. That's right, 34 00:01:52.120 --> 00:01:58.599 that's right, Thank you, thank you. So you know when 35 00:01:58.920 --> 00:02:01.000 go to trivia night when and it'll take you far. 36 00:02:01.159 --> 00:02:04.280 That's right. That's right, that's right. So yeah, thanks for 37 00:02:04.280 --> 00:02:06.239 being here. So let's start talking about the race here. 38 00:02:06.359 --> 00:02:10.639 You have, you know, clearly built a passionate following a 39 00:02:10.680 --> 00:02:14.120 strong reputation, a lot of it built on your work 40 00:02:14.280 --> 00:02:18.439 in the state House, you know, advocating you know many 41 00:02:18.439 --> 00:02:22.479 times against you know, policies that have been passed or 42 00:02:22.520 --> 00:02:25.719 promoted in the Texas legislature by state leadership. You're now 43 00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:29.439 running for the Senate. Tell me why you chose this 44 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:32.599 race as opposed to you know, say, governor or lieutenant 45 00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:33.680 governor or something like that. 46 00:02:34.039 --> 00:02:38.400 Well, I firmly believe that all thirty million Texans deserve 47 00:02:38.759 --> 00:02:42.080 a senator who's going to represent them and not billionaire 48 00:02:42.120 --> 00:02:49.960 mega donors. And I, you know, I, I I do 49 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:54.280 feel like something is broken in this country. Our economy 50 00:02:54.360 --> 00:02:58.960 is broken, our political system is broken, but even our 51 00:02:59.159 --> 00:03:04.039 relationships with each other feel broken. And I think that's 52 00:03:04.080 --> 00:03:07.759 because the most powerful people in the world want it 53 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:10.520 that way. You know, my faith teaches me to love 54 00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:14.360 my neighbor as myself, not just my neighbor who looks 55 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:17.560 like me, not just my neighbor who prays like me, 56 00:03:17.719 --> 00:03:20.319 not just my neighbor who votes like me. I'm called 57 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:23.960 to love all of my neighbors the way I love myself. 58 00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:30.719 But those billionaires who own the algorithms, who own the 59 00:03:30.759 --> 00:03:36.080 cable news networks, who own politicians on both sides fighting 60 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:39.560 on our screens, they want us at each other's throats. 61 00:03:40.120 --> 00:03:43.840 They want us focused on how we're different instead of 62 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:47.439 on how we're the same. And as I travel this state, 63 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:51.479 I really get the sense that people are tired of 64 00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:56.199 being pitted against their neighbor. People are tired of being 65 00:03:56.199 --> 00:04:00.719 told to hate their neighbor. It's been it's been more 66 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:04.479 than ten years of this kind of politics. Politics as 67 00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:10.639 blood sport, politics as trolling and owning, politics as total war, 68 00:04:11.560 --> 00:04:16.600 and it's tearing families apart, it's ending friendships, and it's 69 00:04:17.560 --> 00:04:19.439 regardless of what side of the hour we're on, it's 70 00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:23.639 leaving us all feeling terrible all the time. And as 71 00:04:23.639 --> 00:04:26.160 I'm going around Texas As, I'm going to every corner 72 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:30.319 of the state, I really do I sense that there's 73 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:34.680 a hunger across the political spectrum for a different kind 74 00:04:34.680 --> 00:04:38.759 of politics, not one that's rooted in hate and fear 75 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:43.920 and division, but a politics that's rooted in love. Love 76 00:04:44.040 --> 00:04:48.600 for this state, love for this country, and most importantly, 77 00:04:48.600 --> 00:04:51.879 a love for our neighbors. And so that's what I'm 78 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:56.240 trying to build in this campaign, politics of love that 79 00:04:56.399 --> 00:04:59.439 can heal what's broken in our country. 80 00:05:00.360 --> 00:05:03.800 What do you carry from the Texas House to the 81 00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:07.040 Senate if given the opportunity to do that, What have 82 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:11.000 you learned? What experiences will be relevant to this wet job. 83 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:14.519 You know, I have had my fair share of criticism 84 00:05:14.920 --> 00:05:18.879 of the National Democratic Party. I'm a proud Texas Democrat, 85 00:05:19.079 --> 00:05:21.199 but I already have a religion, and I already have 86 00:05:21.240 --> 00:05:25.839 a sports team, and so I have no problem sharing 87 00:05:25.839 --> 00:05:30.199 hard truths with our party's leadership. And I really do 88 00:05:30.279 --> 00:05:33.360 believe that National Democrats could learn a thing or two 89 00:05:33.879 --> 00:05:38.360 from red state Democrats, particularly Texas Democrats, because we have 90 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:41.759 to learn very quickly how to use every tool in 91 00:05:41.800 --> 00:05:46.079 our toolbox to fight for our constituents, fight for our values, 92 00:05:46.600 --> 00:05:50.360 fight for our freedoms, and we develop a thick skin, 93 00:05:50.600 --> 00:05:54.560 we develop certain muscles that I think you don't develop 94 00:05:54.600 --> 00:05:57.680 when you're in a safe blue seat on the coasts 95 00:05:57.759 --> 00:06:00.519 in a blue state. And so I hope, hope that 96 00:06:00.920 --> 00:06:03.519 the next generation of leaders stepping up in our party 97 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:07.399 are going to be coming from states like Texas and 98 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:10.360 coming from places like the Texas Legislature, where you learn 99 00:06:10.439 --> 00:06:13.120 how to fight. And I think we need fighters in 100 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:18.680 this moment. And unfortunately, what we've seen from Senate Democrats 101 00:06:19.720 --> 00:06:22.879 is their willingness to fold and not fight, and that 102 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:25.199 has got to change if we're going to save this 103 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:26.199 American experiment. 104 00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:36.279 Yeah, you've clearly generated a lot of excitement. You know, 105 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:39.439 I mean this is a crowded room full of excited people, 106 00:06:39.480 --> 00:06:43.759 and you know, a massive social media following, gotten attention 107 00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:52.439 beyond Texas. There were you know, we've seen this before, 108 00:06:52.680 --> 00:06:59.600 right that Joe Rourke had a similar path. He made 109 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:02.759 a race in twenty eighteen, very close and ended up 110 00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:06.720 coming short. What's different this time? How can it be 111 00:07:06.759 --> 00:07:07.480 different this time? 112 00:07:07.959 --> 00:07:10.680 Well, you know, Betho and I are very different people. 113 00:07:11.720 --> 00:07:14.680 There's a lot that his campaign did in twenty eighteen 114 00:07:15.399 --> 00:07:18.839 that we can learn from the ability to reach out 115 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:23.079 to voters who feel disillusioned, who feel disconnected from politics, 116 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:26.120 particularly young voters. As I'm going all over the state, 117 00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:29.600 I've been shocked by the number of young people showing 118 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:32.439 up at our events, Because this far out from an election, 119 00:07:32.839 --> 00:07:37.360 you don't typically see young people getting involved, but they're 120 00:07:37.920 --> 00:07:40.439 coming to our events and many of them say it's 121 00:07:40.480 --> 00:07:43.560 their first political rally ever. Many of them say that 122 00:07:43.560 --> 00:07:46.199 they've never donated to a candidate or signed up to 123 00:07:46.279 --> 00:07:50.160 volunteer for a candidate until now. And you know, I 124 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:54.279 think that's going to be the key to breaking through 125 00:07:54.439 --> 00:07:58.839 statewide in Texas. You know, a lot has changed since 126 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:01.240 twenty eighteen here in our state, I think we've seen 127 00:08:01.279 --> 00:08:05.519 even more extremism, even more corruption, and there is this 128 00:08:05.800 --> 00:08:10.519 backlash growing all over Texas, not just among Democrats, but 129 00:08:10.680 --> 00:08:14.120 independence and Republicans too. It's going to take a campaign 130 00:08:14.199 --> 00:08:21.519 that can use modern tools to organize and mobilize that 131 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:25.680 backlash into electoral success, and we are building a campaign 132 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:26.800 that can do just that. 133 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:32.360 There's of course a very interesting Republican primary in this 134 00:08:32.440 --> 00:08:35.120 race too, you know, and I'll stay for the record, 135 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:37.840 all three candidates were in that side. We're also invited, 136 00:08:37.879 --> 00:08:46.320 and none of them were able to come. Do you 137 00:08:47.559 --> 00:08:52.720 does that situation, whether it's the position John cordenholds, the 138 00:08:52.759 --> 00:08:56.840 possibility of Ken Paxton, who of course has very controversial history, 139 00:08:57.679 --> 00:09:01.399 did that affect your interest and stepping into this race, 140 00:09:01.559 --> 00:09:04.440 and do you have a rooting interest in that primary? 141 00:09:05.080 --> 00:09:10.519 Well, you know, I was Colin Allread's most active surrogate 142 00:09:10.919 --> 00:09:12.919 in twenty twenty four. I went all over the state 143 00:09:13.399 --> 00:09:16.080 for Colin and was proud to do it. And when 144 00:09:16.120 --> 00:09:19.720 I was campaigning for him, I often said that Ted 145 00:09:19.799 --> 00:09:23.840 Cruz is the worst senator in America. But now looking 146 00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:31.960 some Ted Cruz fans here, but now looking at the 147 00:09:32.039 --> 00:09:36.399 current Republican field in this Senate race, I think that 148 00:09:36.679 --> 00:09:42.039 title may be up for grabs because neither John Cornyn 149 00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:46.120 nor Ken Paxton deserve the honor of representing this great 150 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:52.519 state in our nation's capital. Both of them, both of 151 00:09:52.559 --> 00:09:57.159 them are far more interested in serving their billionaire mega 152 00:09:57.200 --> 00:10:00.000 donors than serving the people of Texas. Both of them 153 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:03.960 have sold this out time and time again. Ken Paxton's 154 00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:08.080 crimes are well known. I was part of the bipartisan 155 00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:11.480 majority in the Texas House that voted to impeach our 156 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:15.480 corrupt attorney general. But you may not believe this, but 157 00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:18.799 I think John Cornyn may be even more corrupt than 158 00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:23.600 Ken Paxton, because because John Cornyn was the deciding vote 159 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:28.159 on that big ugly bill a few months ago, that 160 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:30.960 that big ugly bill that's going to kick millions of 161 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:34.080 Texans off their healthcare, It's going to take food out 162 00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:37.000 of the mouths of hungry Texas children, all to give 163 00:10:37.559 --> 00:10:43.320 yet another tax break to his donors. We oftentimes think 164 00:10:43.320 --> 00:10:47.759 about corruption as something that's illegal, as in Ken Paxson's case, 165 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:52.799 But corruption is really just the betrayal of the public's trust. 166 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:56.960 It is the abuse of your public office and by 167 00:10:57.080 --> 00:11:01.559 casting the deciding vote on that big ugly bill. John 168 00:11:01.639 --> 00:11:04.960 Cornyn committed an act of corruption of the highest order, 169 00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:07.919 and he has forfeited the right to represent all of 170 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:09.399 us in the United States Senate. 171 00:11:14.600 --> 00:11:19.639 So do you think that there is a more Do 172 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:21.200 you think there's a better candidate for you to be 173 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:23.039 running against? Is there a candidate that you think gives 174 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:24.000 you a better chance to win? 175 00:11:24.519 --> 00:11:28.720 They both have strengths and weaknesses, and they're very different 176 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:34.080 kinds of candidates. I would welcome, I would relish the 177 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:37.440 opportunity to prosecute the case against John Cornyn or Kem 178 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:38.759 Paxton in the general election. 179 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:42.360 You mentioned being a surrogate for Colin al Redd. He 180 00:11:42.440 --> 00:11:45.759 of course is also in the race. And it was 181 00:11:45.799 --> 00:11:49.919 reported during the summer that you all read Vetto and 182 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:52.639 Joaching Castro, I believe, came together for a meeting to 183 00:11:52.679 --> 00:11:55.919 talk about you know, all four of you pretty prominent politicians, 184 00:11:55.960 --> 00:11:58.919 All four of you had varying degrees of interest in 185 00:11:59.320 --> 00:12:01.799 reuning for a race, and people trying to make the 186 00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:04.440 case of you know, there's a lot of important seats 187 00:12:04.519 --> 00:12:07.879 on the ballot this year. If we spread these folks out, 188 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:11.200 it might be better for the Democratic party as a whole, 189 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:14.159 call it already gets in the race. You get in 190 00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:16.240 the race a little bit longer. I mean, is this 191 00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:18.840 not a problem to have? You know, basically the two 192 00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:23.639 highest profile Democrats currently seeking higher office, both seeking the 193 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:24.480 same office. 194 00:12:24.600 --> 00:12:28.120 Well, I think you're seeing a strong ticket developing on 195 00:12:28.200 --> 00:12:33.639 the Democratic side. Those four politicians including me that you mentioned, 196 00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:37.320 are not the only strong leaders in the state, and 197 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:42.399 you're seeing that ticket already filling out with incredible candidates. 198 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:44.480 And so I think we're going to have a true 199 00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:47.720 team as a party going into the general election next year. 200 00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:50.360 And you asked earlier, I don't think answer your question 201 00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:53.159 about why I didn't run for governor, and I was 202 00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:56.120 flattered that people were asking me to run for governor 203 00:12:56.320 --> 00:13:02.759 and senator. I really think about these positions as jobs. 204 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:07.519 You're applying for a job, and if I'm going to 205 00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:10.279 go all over the state, I want to feel confident 206 00:13:10.320 --> 00:13:12.759 that I can do the job on day one. Not 207 00:13:12.840 --> 00:13:15.480 that I couldn't serve as governor, but the skills that 208 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:19.399 I developed in the trenches of the Texas Legislature, working 209 00:13:19.399 --> 00:13:24.919 across the aisle to pass legislation, questioning witnesses to get 210 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:28.120 to the truth debating on the House floor with my colleagues. 211 00:13:28.440 --> 00:13:31.919 Those skills, in my mind, are much more transferable to 212 00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:35.240 a US Senate seat, and I know that I can 213 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:37.919 do this job as a legislator. And so that's why 214 00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:40.399 I made the decision to run for this position, because 215 00:13:40.480 --> 00:13:43.399 I feel like I'm most qualified for this job. And 216 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:45.399 if I'm going to ask Texans to put their trust 217 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:48.159 in me to hire me for this position, I want 218 00:13:48.159 --> 00:13:50.759 to feel confident that I can deliver for them on 219 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:54.080 day one. So that's the reason I ran for this position. 220 00:13:54.399 --> 00:13:56.519 But I'm looking forward to working with the whole ticket, 221 00:13:56.919 --> 00:14:00.039 all the talented leaders that are running to change the 222 00:14:00.039 --> 00:14:02.840 politics of this state, which we desperately need to do. 223 00:14:03.799 --> 00:14:07.720 So what's the difference between Colin Allread, someone you've supported 224 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:09.879 in the past, and you. Why should people you voting 225 00:14:09.879 --> 00:14:10.559 for you over him? 226 00:14:11.080 --> 00:14:13.639 Well, I've got all kinds of reasons people should vote 227 00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:18.639 for me. I'm not going to spend time in this 228 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:22.919 race tearing down my fellow Texas Democrats because we are 229 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:26.080 all on the same team. We may have some friendly 230 00:14:26.200 --> 00:14:30.159 rivalries and friendly competition between teammates, but we all have 231 00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:34.159 the same goals and I'm going to be putting myself forward, 232 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:37.879 and I'm going to be articulating why my vision, why 233 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:41.279 my values, why my experiences and my skill set are 234 00:14:42.440 --> 00:14:47.080 going to be put to best use in the general 235 00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:50.639 election and hopefully as the next US Senator from Texas. 236 00:14:51.480 --> 00:14:54.159 I'm running a positive race in the primary, and I'm 237 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:56.600 going to keep that commitment all the way until election day. 238 00:14:57.600 --> 00:15:04.080 Let's set for sure, let's talk a little bit about 239 00:15:04.080 --> 00:15:06.600 current events. I think you know you're obviously not in 240 00:15:06.679 --> 00:15:09.759 the Senate right now, but it's maybe instructive to think 241 00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:12.480 about how you would be acting if you were. We 242 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:15.000 just got through the end of the longest government shut 243 00:15:15.080 --> 00:15:19.799 down in you know, US history. How do you feel 244 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:23.279 about how the Democrats handled that situation? 245 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:30.919 Frustrated? A handful of Senate Democrats caved to DC Republicans 246 00:15:31.080 --> 00:15:36.039 in these negotiations and got nothing in return. They called 247 00:15:36.039 --> 00:15:39.720 it a deal to end the government shutdown. But in 248 00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:43.960 my opinion, any deal that kicks one point seven million 249 00:15:44.039 --> 00:15:50.000 Texans off their healthcare isn't compromised. Its surrender, and we need, 250 00:15:50.919 --> 00:15:54.960 we need national Democrats to fight with everything they have 251 00:15:55.440 --> 00:15:57.919 for working people in this state and across the country. 252 00:15:57.960 --> 00:16:01.679 That's our job as Democrats. We're the party of working people, 253 00:16:02.240 --> 00:16:04.519 and so if we're not able to do that, and 254 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:08.039 if Senate Democrats are going to cave so easily, we 255 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:11.440 shouldn't wonder why voters don't trust us at the ballot box. 256 00:16:13.399 --> 00:16:16.799 Republicans shut down the government for forty days, taking food 257 00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:19.320 out of the mouths of children to fund tax breaks 258 00:16:19.320 --> 00:16:22.799 for billionaires. And instead of holding the line, instead of 259 00:16:22.840 --> 00:16:29.000 holding those Republican politicians accountable, Senate Democrats folded. They snatched 260 00:16:29.559 --> 00:16:33.320 defeat from the jaws of victory. And I think the 261 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:38.639 only path forward is for red State Democrats to remake 262 00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:42.000 our party at the national level in our own image, 263 00:16:42.440 --> 00:16:45.960 because we desperately need fighters, not folders at this critical 264 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:47.200 moment in our country's history. 265 00:16:47.559 --> 00:16:55.720 Ye I want to drill into the Republicans shut down 266 00:16:55.720 --> 00:16:59.080 the government here because, of course, you know, the Republican 267 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:04.079 House passed continuing resolution. The Senate Republicans voted for a 268 00:17:04.359 --> 00:17:06.359 clean bill that would have kept the government open. It 269 00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:09.240 was the decision of Democrats not to support that bill. 270 00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:16.200 You know, the push was to continue Affordable Care Act subsidies. 271 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:19.000 I understand that, and that's a very important issue for Democrats, 272 00:17:19.079 --> 00:17:22.039 but it also means for forty three days that you know, 273 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:25.480 thousands of government workers went without a paycheck. It also 274 00:17:25.559 --> 00:17:29.079 means that it created sort of an air travel apocalypse 275 00:17:29.160 --> 00:17:30.839 for you know, a lot of people for a long time. 276 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:34.680 But maybe most importantly, it meant that people, including many 277 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:38.759 people in this state, were losing access to food stamps. 278 00:17:40.039 --> 00:17:42.799 You know, we can talk about caving and everything like that, 279 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:45.799 but these are a lot of programs. This is happening 280 00:17:45.880 --> 00:17:49.599 against a party that is very skeptical of skeptical of government. 281 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:52.400 And when they hear the thing, you know, shut down 282 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:56.519 the government put federal workers, you know, to the side, 283 00:17:57.240 --> 00:17:59.920 it kind of feels like the response is, you know, 284 00:17:59.720 --> 00:18:02.599 you don't threaten me with a good time here, you know, like, 285 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:06.000 let's do this right. There might not have been a 286 00:18:06.039 --> 00:18:10.759 lot of leverage, so how can you say that you're 287 00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:13.480 willing to kind of continue to inflict that pain if 288 00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:15.519 there's not a sign that the Republicans are going to 289 00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:17.640 come across and make a. 290 00:18:17.599 --> 00:18:21.359 Deal with you. Well, and the Republicans in Washington, who 291 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:24.920 control every branch of government, they tried to pin the 292 00:18:24.920 --> 00:18:27.720 blame on Democrats for the shutdown, and the American people 293 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:31.160 weren't buying it. Every single poll that came out showed 294 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:34.079 that the American people understood exactly who's to blame for 295 00:18:34.119 --> 00:18:37.720 this shutdown, and if they need Democratic votes in the Senate, 296 00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:40.799 they need to negotiate with Democrats. Again. I've served for 297 00:18:40.839 --> 00:18:42.880 eight years in the state legislature. I know how a 298 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:45.799 legislative body works, and if you need someone's vote, you 299 00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:47.359 need to sit down at the table and figure out 300 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:50.599 how to get that vote. And so I don't think 301 00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:53.720 Senate Democrats should give their votes away for nothing. And 302 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:57.079 I think fighting to make sure that healthcare premiums don't 303 00:18:57.119 --> 00:19:00.799 skyrocket for nearly two million Texans is a very reasonable 304 00:19:00.839 --> 00:19:04.119 thing to ask for in exchange for our votes. And 305 00:19:04.119 --> 00:19:08.920 so I'm proud that most Senate Democrats held the line 306 00:19:08.920 --> 00:19:11.759 on that issue and fought for the health insurance for 307 00:19:12.200 --> 00:19:15.240 millions of Texans and millions of Americans. And I'm incredibly 308 00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:18.599 disappointed that a handful of Senators decided that it was 309 00:19:19.319 --> 00:19:23.680 more important to cave without any concessions to DC Republicans 310 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:26.519 in these negotiations instead of fighting for working people here 311 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:27.039 in our state. 312 00:19:28.440 --> 00:19:31.480 The other big bit of news coming into the festival was, 313 00:19:31.559 --> 00:19:34.119 of course, the release of these files related to Jeffrey 314 00:19:34.119 --> 00:19:38.359 Epstein and the president, you know, particular one calling Donald 315 00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:41.640 Trump the dog who hasn'tmbarked, he's spent you know, I 316 00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:45.519 think I think it was hours with a victim hasn't 317 00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:48.400 said anything about this. What was your reaction to that 318 00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:48.960 coming out? 319 00:19:49.440 --> 00:20:00.119 I mean, when did pedophilia become a partisan issue. The 320 00:20:00.920 --> 00:20:05.319 American people deserve to know the whole truth about Jeffrey 321 00:20:05.319 --> 00:20:10.160 Epstein and every single powerful person who enabled him, every name, 322 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:14.680 every flight log, every cover up, all of it. The 323 00:20:14.680 --> 00:20:19.279 White House and congressional Republicans are hiding the Epstein files. 324 00:20:19.640 --> 00:20:24.960 Why these are the same politicians who call librarians groomers, 325 00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:30.680 who call their political opponents pedophiles. And to be clear, 326 00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:33.519 if there is a Democrat on that list, I will 327 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:37.000 be the first to call for their prosecution, because if 328 00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:40.000 there's one thing we should all be able to agree on, 329 00:20:40.279 --> 00:20:45.440 Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and progressives, it's that no one, 330 00:20:46.039 --> 00:20:48.960 including the president of the United States, should be able 331 00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:50.759 to cover up crimes against children. 332 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:01.519 So as implicit in that at a feeling that Donald 333 00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:03.960 Trump should be prosecuted for what's in these files. 334 00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:06.599 No, I think he needs to release these files. And 335 00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:10.880 if we have evidence that Donald Trump either knew about 336 00:21:10.920 --> 00:21:13.599 this pedophile ring and did nothing about it, or worst 337 00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:19.200 was somehow involved in it, then the justice system should 338 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:24.759 should respond accordingly. But all I'm asking for is to 339 00:21:24.880 --> 00:21:29.119 see all the files, to have all the information, because 340 00:21:29.160 --> 00:21:32.279 I think that's what we're owed in this country. And 341 00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:34.839 when a powerful person tells you there's nothing to see here, 342 00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:40.359 that should be that should be an indication that there 343 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:44.759 is more to learn. And honestly, I think my suspicion is, 344 00:21:44.759 --> 00:21:49.319 when we get the whole truth here, this Epstein scandal 345 00:21:49.359 --> 00:21:51.720 is going to make Watergate look like a nothing burger. 346 00:21:54.880 --> 00:22:01.279 If you are elected, there's two years of being in 347 00:22:01.319 --> 00:22:06.200 the Senate under Donald Trump. What is your approach to 348 00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:09.720 working with him or his administration during that time? 349 00:22:09.960 --> 00:22:12.680 Yeah? Well, again, as a member of the Texas Legislature, 350 00:22:12.839 --> 00:22:17.119 I worked with my Republican colleagues across the aisle. I 351 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:20.400 even worked with Governor Abbot on issues where we agreed. 352 00:22:21.319 --> 00:22:24.880 It's well known that he and I battled it out 353 00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:29.359 on his private school voucher scam. But when there was 354 00:22:29.400 --> 00:22:32.440 an issue that we agreed on, we worked together. And 355 00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:35.559 one comes to mind in particular, which is stopping fentanyl 356 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:40.279 overdoses in our state. I spoke at a press conference 357 00:22:40.279 --> 00:22:44.920 with Governor Abbot on my bill to equip every single 358 00:22:44.920 --> 00:22:47.920 school campus in the state with Narcan, which is what 359 00:22:48.039 --> 00:22:55.319 allows a fentanyl overnose to reverse. And so I'm going 360 00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:59.079 to keep working with people across the isle, even leaders 361 00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:02.000 who have deep dissert agreements with like Greg Abbott and 362 00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:05.079 like Donald Trump. But if there is a sliver of 363 00:23:05.160 --> 00:23:06.960 common ground, I'm going to seize it so that I 364 00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:11.920 can make progress for my constituents. There's oftentimes a temptation 365 00:23:12.599 --> 00:23:15.799 for Democrats to choose between fighting back and getting stuff done. 366 00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:19.680 I think that's a false choice. I think effective legislators 367 00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:22.319 can do both, and I have done both over eight 368 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:25.240 years in the legislature, and I will do both as 369 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:26.720 the next Senator from Texas. 370 00:23:28.359 --> 00:23:31.559 There was another piece of news in the past week, 371 00:23:32.160 --> 00:23:36.680 a story that ran an Axios about your social media account. 372 00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:40.480 It said, you know, among the thirty seven hundred people 373 00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:44.079 that you follow on Instagram was a small handful of 374 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:51.160 adult entertainers or perhaps maybe even sex workers in that 375 00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:55.440 I'm curious whether you could just tell us what's going 376 00:23:55.480 --> 00:23:55.880 on there? 377 00:23:56.720 --> 00:24:02.519 What's Yeah, So, our social media team, including me. We 378 00:24:02.680 --> 00:24:07.559 follow back all big accounts that have major followings, because 379 00:24:07.559 --> 00:24:09.799 that's how new media works. We've been able to build 380 00:24:10.279 --> 00:24:13.680 one of the largest Instagram followings of any Democrat in 381 00:24:13.720 --> 00:24:17.759 the country, and we've done that by following back actors 382 00:24:17.799 --> 00:24:21.079 and musicians and athletes, and I even followed back a 383 00:24:21.160 --> 00:24:23.640 very popular bulldog which I don't know much about. But 384 00:24:24.920 --> 00:24:27.559 they share our content and get our message out and 385 00:24:27.640 --> 00:24:31.599 we're all for it. And you know, the media went 386 00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:34.599 through this long list of big accounts that we follow back, 387 00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:38.559 and they looked and found out that some of them, 388 00:24:38.839 --> 00:24:42.839 you know, are in the sex industry, and decided to 389 00:24:43.960 --> 00:24:49.000 decided to report that as clickbait because it gets clicks 390 00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:53.160 and it makes them money. Axios a few days after 391 00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:55.200 that story came out, said that they had blown past 392 00:24:55.240 --> 00:24:59.319 all their revenue goals for the year, and so, you know, 393 00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:05.359 I was glad to help, I guess. But while I 394 00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:09.440 didn't know how these women made money, I don't judge 395 00:25:09.480 --> 00:25:12.559 them for it, and I will not participate in an 396 00:25:12.599 --> 00:25:17.000 effort to smear them for clickbait. That is exactly the 397 00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:20.759 kind of senator I would be. And I just you know, 398 00:25:21.799 --> 00:25:25.680 the corporate media is going to do their thing. But 399 00:25:25.759 --> 00:25:28.200 I don't think Texans are interested in clickbait. I think 400 00:25:28.200 --> 00:25:31.359 they are interested in bringing down costs and cleaning up 401 00:25:31.400 --> 00:25:34.599