Q&A: Texas primary Democratic candidates for US Senate

The reason I decided to run for U.S. Senate is to make the education system in Texas better. We need a teacher pay raise. There is money at the federal level that allows us to give teachers a $13,000 year pay raise, just as former presidential candidate [Kamala] Harris states. She did well in the polls as she spoke about education. I do desire to obtain affordable and accessible health care for all. When I was a candidate for lieutenant governor I pushed education so much that my opponent Mike Collier stated “I exhausted him.” He then, in turn, challenged Lt. Gov. Dan [Patrick] on education and he lied about a $10,000 per year teacher pay raise, which led to him giving them a $5,000 per year pay raise.

I am running for the U.S. Senate to ensure that Texans can get the results that they deserve. We have seen too many politicians come into communities, over-promise and then under-deliver. You must have effective servant leaders in office with a focus on people and an ability to deliver results for them.

I decided to run for the U.S. Senate because this opportunity gives me the chance to impact the 254 counties of Texas with my economic model, the Cycle of Return-Incentives for Texas Counties. The economic model is designed for county property and homeowners to invest in their own citizen for skilled vocational trades with incentive payments to ensure they succeed. You see, our quality of life and standard of living comes from where we live, not Austin, Texas or Washington, D.C. It is extremely important to provide opportunities for the retired and working citizens to not only add value to their dollar but contribute their wisdom and knowledge to their county’s citizenry.

In early December of 2018, about 13 months ago while laying on my rank about to deploy to the Horn of Africa I heard over the radio that the President threatened to close the border – again. Frightened of the implications on my family and others like ours that regularly travel across the border to see family or family crosses to see us, I thought it literally will destroy my community’s version of the American Dream. I felt a call to action to once and for all address the issue of immigration and border security reform. It took nine months but I was finally authorized by the Secretary of the Army to run for office. Based on my education and experience, I felt I was better prepared than any other possible candidate for the U.S. Senate.

As a Texan, combat veteran, and working mom, I have never backed down from a fight when it means standing up for what’s right. I served three tours in Afghanistan as a combat search-and-rescue and medevac pilot, receiving the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor. After my service, I successfully led the effort to open hundreds of thousands of jobs for women in the military. When my military career ended, I did what many service members do: I kept looking for where the biggest metaphorical fire was so I could run to it and try to put it out. Right now the most important battle of my generation is being waged in government and in protecting our democracy. I am running for Senate because it represents my highest and best contribution to continue serving my country and because it’s the best thing I can do to protect the world our children are growing up in.

I have been an activist, community advocate, and organizer most of my adult life, helping to build coalitions and found organizations to protect individual rights and improve our communities. These activities are critical to raising government awareness of the conditions which affect the human experience and fair and equal treatment for all. Unfortunately, the government has not been responsive to the need for healthcare, a living wage, a healthy environment, fairness in the workplace, reliable infrastructure, education, and fair international trade. In late 2016, the national office of Our Revolution asked me to run for Congress in the 2018 election cycle. Despite a media blackout which limited campaign fundraising, our campaign won 24% of the primary vote (249,000 votes) on a budget of $4,000, which is less than 1/10 of 1% of what my primary opponent Beto O’Rourke spent (~$4.5M). That success convinced me to run again in 2020 against Sen. John Cornyn (R), on the same platform of Medicare For All, a Green New Deal, a living wage for all, immigration reform, tribal and Indigenous rights, criminal justice reform, women’s rights, and an end to the war economy.

I decided to run for the Senate because for a while I haven’t been very happy with our political discussions. My general sense is that in politics we are very good at expressing our frustration with problems or creating fabricated boogie men (liberals, republicans, corporations, billionaires, socialists) so we can get people upset at the other party but never actually have to solve a problem. To me, the issues we face are very complicated and politicians need to start doing serious and sober work, so I decided to run to begin the shift the conversation in that direction.

All throughout my life, I’ve worked hard to fix things that are unfair, to make things right, and to advocate for the interests of all Texans by founding two of the largest and most important voting and civil rights organizations in the state, the Workers Defense Project and Jolt. Now I’m running for the U.S. Senate to continue that fight – because I want to create a government that truly represents us. I want to ensure that every Texan has high-quality healthcare, to build an economy that creates millions of good jobs and positions our state as the leader in our global transition towards a green future, to protect the rights of immigrant families and communities of color, and to ensure that every single Texan that wants to go to college can afford it and graduate debt-free.

One of the people that inspire me to do more is Greta Thunberg, she is making a difference in bringing attention to climate and the crisis we are in. We need the green new deal. Until that happens people like Greta [are] making great, new, big deal of newfound fame and using it to make a difference.

Barbara Jordan is one of my biggest inspirations because of the trail she blazed and the doors she opened for others to follow. She was always willing to lead with courage rather than be guided by fear. She was not afraid of the consequences of doing the right thing.

There are two women, who will forever be a part of my life, Marie Charles and Novella Foster. My grandmothers, despite growing up in the Jim Crow era, never diminished my pursuit of good for myself and for all. I say that because of the hardships I know they had to endure and not come out bitter on the other side of it. They obviously had incredible inner strength to not impose any of this on my life and I will never be able to thank them enough.

I have no one single inspirational person but several – three. These include the sole opposing candidate to Beto O’Rourke who received almost 24% of the vote with almost no budget at all, Sema Hernandez. A well finance new comer, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was elected to office with absolutely no experience in life also provided inspiration. But the most surprising person who provided inspiration, though I don’t agree with their views, was President Donald Trump. A complete novice and heir to a businessman. Although he was just an easy punchline at the start, he gained momentum and defeated all his opposition and he eventually crowned himself king. The perseverance of all these candidates provided an inspiration that I can overcome any obstacle if I just work hard enough and do not ever, ever quit.

For so many reasons, my mom is my hero. Her strength inspired me every day to be a better person and a good parent to her grandkids. It was hard for my mom when I was growing up. She survived an abusive relationship, became a single mom, and worked hard to raise two kids. My mom taught us that if we worked hard we could be whatever we wanted to be. A lot of parents would have told their little girl that dreaming of growing up to be a combat pilot like Han Solo wasn’t realistic. But my mom has always stood up for me and inspired me to fight for my dreams. I’ve also been blessed with two beautiful little boys of my own who get to have her in their life. And now I want to serve in the Senate to make our country a better place for all of our families.

I always have admired Bernie Sanders for his commitment to human and individual rights, his relentless fight for equal rights and justice, and his consistent efforts to ensure that everyone is afforded the same opportunities regardless of wealth or social status. Sen. Sanders leads by example, insisting that our laws and our tax dollars directly benefit us, and never compromising his morals or beliefs.

I meet a lot of people on the campaign trail who are struggling and yet optimistic about things. They don’t represent one party or another they just seem to work hard. I know there are very great historical people that we can look to for inspiration, but largely I believe that we do great things collectively. Everyone has a role to play. So I personally take inspiration from people all around me, many whose names I don’t even know, but who I see doing meaningful acts every day.

Fannie Lou Hamer is one of my biggest inspirations. She got her start as an organizer, knocking on doors and gathering her fellow African Americans together to protest unfair segregation laws and voter suppression tactics like literacy tests. She was bold and defiant against injustice. When she was fired for attempting to register to vote, she famously said: “I didn’t go down there to register for you. I went down to register for myself.” Hamer is also inspiring because she took that energy and passion for justice and used it to influence the Democratic Party to be more progressive and inclusive for people of color, which in the early ’60s was still pro-segregation. Through the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP), she was able to move the needle because she always put her community first. Her grassroots activism and brave fight for justice inspires me in my work every day.

I was 18 and just joined the youth NAACP UNIT. They spoke to us about voting and registered us. I had a chance to vote in the presidential election. I was so excited. The president of the local NAACP motivated me to vote after he showed me clips of Blacks being hosed for trying to register to vote.

I was 18 years old and had gone off to Emory for college. I voted absentee for president in 2000. It was important to me to raise my voice and participate in the voting process. Knowing that so many of my community members struggled for me to have the right to cast that vote, was further motivation.

I was around 21 years old and everyone in my inner circle, gym and college crowd, was pretty pumped up about Ann Richards. I didn’t know much about her, so I started reading about her and listening to news reports. Ann Richards really motivated me to vote when I found out how human she was, fighting alcohol addiction, and could become only the second female governor of Texas. I was proud to be a part of that!

The first time I was eligible and available to vote was in the general election in 1988. I had been in the Army National Guard a couple of years and I was struggling to pass my classes at the local community college and work about 60 hours a week. I, like most of the country, voted for the Former Vice President, George Bush. Bush was a military veteran and his opponent, Mike Dukakis, was from Massachusetts. Having served in the military, I had a sense that it was my duty as a citizen to study the issues and vote.

More than I remember the first time I voted, I remember the first time I took my kids to vote. They were pretty little, but my name was on the ballot! It was exciting to introduce them to our democratic process and for them to feel like running for office is a normal thing.

I was motivated to vote for a presidential candidate who didn’t lead us into war. There wasn’t much of a choice.

I didn’t vote in college, and when I returned to my hometown of El Paso, I immediately ran for a city council seat. So one of the first times I voted, I actually personally knew many of the people on the ballot because I had been running with them, including candidates in other races because we had all been at forums throughout town. I think the challenge in a lot of elections is that many of us don’t have a very good understanding of who we are voting for or don’t have time to fully research issues. There have been many times I have voted since in local races, where I honestly didn’t know who I was voting for because I hadn’t done the research. During these times I honestly feel a sense of guilt and worry, because I know the policies that go into effect are meaningful and I just hope I made the right choice. But there are yet other times when I go into the polls and I do know both candidates (or have seen their advertising) and I still don’t feel good. I feel like they are speaking about things that don’t matter or they honestly sound just like used car salespeople. Bottom line, I think it is hard for young people to get motivated to vote, but getting involved helps a lot, once you can start to make connections on how policies may impact you it gets easier. Be patient with us politicians and just keep talking to us!

I was 18 years old when I voted in my first election in 2000 for Al Gore. As a woman, progressive, and Latina, there are so many reasons to vote. Voting isn’t the only thing you can do to make a difference, but in honor of those like Fannie Lou Hamer who fought for access to the voting booth, I vote. I voted then and still do today because the importance of the struggles waged for and by people of color seeking equal rights and representation is not lost on me. That movement is still alive and well. People in our communities across the state and the country – those who most need the political system to work for them – need us to elect representatives who will care about the people they represent and not the corporations that fund their campaigns. Voting alone won’t solve our problems, but it can make a real difference, and I believe that young people in Texas will lead the way.

I am an advocate for college students especially those that choose education or public service. I propose a loan forgiveness program for all that sign up for a four-year commitment in their fields. I look to help teachers, social workers, firemen and/or police officers that have to spend money on higher education. I want to support and provide assistance with HBCU campuses as a lot of them are closing.

Life is not a spectator sport. There are so many issues that are critically important to college students – the outcomes of which rest in the hands of those elected. Curtailing the skyrocketing costs of tuition is critical, and I have made this issue a priority. Just as our college campuses accept grant funding from the federal government, we can ensure that those dollars have tuition cost controls attached, as well.

A good leader positively affects future generations and present decisions determine future conditions. I am about shaping the way we all get involved in our local economy, albeit advantaged or disadvantaged citizens. My economic model pushes everyone toward personal security in the three most important social pillars in all our lives: education, healthcare and retirement savings.

Of all the candidates, Democrat or Republican, I am truly the most qualified. I have both the practical experience, having recently returning from a combat tour in Africa (December 2019), and the formal education to succeed as your U.S. Senator.

I am not the only veteran running to replace U.S. Senator John Cornyn in the 2020 Texas Democratic Party primary. But, I am the only veteran who served over 34 years in the U.S. Army. In fact, as an officer, I am still serving as a senior leader in the U.S. Army Reserves.

I was at the Pentagon on that first day in September when this endless war began. Less than a month later, I was in the Middle East supporting operations. I have deployed to the Middle East on seven different occasions on various missions. I have worked with tribal leaders and assisted in negotiations with warlords.

Politicians are rarely required to observe the consequences of their ideas and policies on the ground. I executed (i.e., lived) the foreign policies of at least four presidents, and in my respect, I possesses unique foreign-policy qualifications acquired from the lived experiences of executing policy through combat operations in three distinct theaters.

We need to stop electing people whose lifelong dream is to be a senator. When you put somebody up there who is doing this as a fulfillment of their life’s ambition, the probability that they will do anything to get re-elected is higher. If you see something in a candidate’s character that you identify with and you share values with, vote for them. And if not, then don’t. I hope I can earn your vote, but more importantly, I hope you just vote period – our democracy is stronger when more people participate, and young people’s voices are currently underrepresented in our government.

First time voters and other young adults face tremendous challenges in higher education and training, job security, financial independence, housing, and the environment. Most of them will struggle to enjoy even a fraction of the benefits experienced by previous generations, and they are saddled with unprecedented debt. I will enact and support legislation that will provide everyone with equal healthcare coverage, a livable wage, tuition-free college or training, workplace fairness, housing opportunity, and an end to the war economy.

First, do as much research as you can on all of us and make as informed as you can. I am trying to do big things but there are a lot of challenges I have to overcome as a candidate. If you have ever taken a class and learned a whole lot about a subject but then met someone either back in high school or maybe a friend that hadn’t taken a class yet, and then you realized how uninformed they were. Or even on a personal level, maybe your best friend ended up dating someone you knew was totally wrong for them. And even though you knew they were wrong, you knew it was very complicated to get them to know or see what you knew or saw. That is how I often feel. I see a lot of political speeches that work for a lot of people. I know I have a lot of opponents in this race who say all the right things and say them with a lot of passion, but there aren’t a lot of solutions there. So even though their speeches are motivational, I have no way of knowing whether they have a clue about anything. So my challenge is that even though I know the issues are complicated and I have a lot of detailed thoughts about them, I don’t want to give those types of empty motivational speeches, and unfortunately I don’t get a lot of time in candidate forums to let people know why they may be “dating” the wrong candidate.

The average age of a U.S. Senator is over 60. I am 38. As someone who is part of a new generation, I know what young people are going through, and I am fighting for the real change that will actually address the issues that young people face. I truly value the input and insight that young people bring to our democracy, which is why I founded Jolt, an organization focused on registering and mobilizing Latino youth and on investing in the leadership we need from young people to shift the state and the country toward a more inclusive and representative democracy. And I don’t just value the votes of young people, I value their ideas, which you can see reflected in the solutions that I want to put forward for Texas. As Senator, I will fight for a Green New Deal, Medicare for All, a $15 minimum wage tied to inflation, and tuition-free public colleges and universities. These solutions invest in young people by making sure that their healthcare is covered, that any job that they get has a living wage, and that we ensure that we are safeguarding the planet for them and for generations to come.

I am a servant leader. I have managed multi-million dollar companies for over 30 years. I was the President of the Southeast Toyota dealers when I signed the first check for the naming rights to the Toyota Center in Houston. The place that the Houston Rockets play. I think outside the box to get things done. I work with people that do not agree with me and figure things that we all benefit from. I earned a master’s in psychology to deal with mental illness in the community. I am a pastor and a lot of people talk to them about everything, but they will never visit a psychologist.

I am uniquely positioned to unseat John Cornyn by being able to build upon the strengths of Beto [O’Rourke] being able to galvanize folks in the middle and in suburbs, but I am also able to galvanize more of the base in this process. If we can get young people, communities of color and folks in the middle to get excited about this campaign, we will have the necessary votes in order to win.

Yes, I have been working on an economic model called the Cycle of Return- Incentives for Texas Counties about two-in-a-half years. We have 3,142 counties in the United States, county equivalents, and the District of Columbia. This model is applicable to all the counties in America, but I am running to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate, so I am concerned with Texas. But I know if this is implemented successfully all states will follow suit.

I believe in the principles penned by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence. The ineligible rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Every American, and Texan, should be afforded the ability to pursue happiness.

We are a rich country. We have struggled to correct our immigration/border security policies. We lead the world because we draw strength, our people, from every country and every corner, of the earth. Anyone, from any corner of the earth can become an American. If we ever close the doors to new Americans our leadership in the world would soon be lost.

Apart from immigration/border security reform, America has a responsibility to future generations; to be good stewards of our environment. That means accepting that climate change is a real concern.

Education is vital to ensuring the future of Texas. It is critical to strengthening our economy and in making healthcare achievable for all without burdening our middle class. Our citizens are most happy when our taxes are low and our liberty is high.

Far too many Texans struggle from crippling student loan debt. We must put an end to the government profiting off loans by lowering interest rates on student debt, while also ensuring all higher education — from apprenticeship programs to vocational training to degree programs — is more affordable for current and future students. Texans I’ve spoken to have told me that the requirement for an immediate start to repayment of student loans upon graduation or disenrollment has led to underemployment. Every student loan should have a grace period of at least several months during which the loan does not accrue interest, and that period should be paused if the individual enrolls in another course of training like pursuing a certificate or vocation.

I am the daughter of immigrants. The sacrifices my parents and grandparents made are part of what fueled my decision to run for U.S. Senate. I grew up in a migrant working family, and I understand the struggle of people who are burdened by crushing debt, job insecurity, environmental racism, and lack of healthcare coverage. These are common struggles of the working class. I am a passionate human rights advocate, activist and organizer in Texas. While assisting Beto O’Rourke’s campaign against Ted Cruz, I became Co-Chair of the Texas Poor People’s Campaign, continuing my fight to end systemic racism, poverty, the war economy, ecological devastation, and the distorted moral narrative. I want to be your voice in Congress and provide real solutions that directly benefit you, and not the billionaires who have controlled our government for too long. Please contact me directly at sema@sema4texas.com and tell me what is important to you.

Being young is tough. Please take the time to read books (not just social media). Visit my website www.texasreason.com, I have a podcast there as well. And finally, whether you can see it or feel it, please know that I am doing this for you. I have a daughter who is a freshman in college, I want her to be young and carefree and read and learn and make as many friends as she can right now, but likewise, I know there are systematic things that have to change in order to make sure she has a shot at a decent future. So I figure I will work on these things while she keeps having meaningful learning experiences. I view all of you just as I view her, you all will be the leaders next and I just don’t want to leave you all with a mess.

I want young people across the state to go to the ballot box and believe in their own power to create a better world. People often try to convince me that we don’t have the power to change things. They say that our vision is too bold, that our plan is too ambitious. But I promise I won’t back down, either on the campaign trail or in the Senate. In Texas, we dream big because we are big, and our state can lead the nation into the future – and it starts with the power of us.