Hey y’all, it’s Colin. For the last few weeks, I’ve been traveling all across Texas on our Unrig Texas Townhall Tour. That’s a long name, but here’s what it really means: I’m sitting down with real people in the communities that will be hit hardest by Texas Republicans’ shady redistricting scheme — overwhelmingly Black and Latino voters. The idea for this tour started right here at home with Ms. Beverly, one of my former constituents in TX-32. She invited me over for a conversation on her porch, and what she told me really stuck with me. Meeting Ms. Beverly
She told me about her father, FFC Beauford Marshall, a Tuskegee Airman and the first Black postman in the Hamilton Park area. Her family has spent generations breaking barriers and fighting for the right to choose their own representatives — and now they’re about to be carved out of their own district. She told me what it feels like to have these faceless politicians in Austin and Washington who don’t know her, don’t care about her community, and are about to split her neighborhood apart. She’s worried, and rightfully so. These new maps will split her neighborhood, silence folks’ voices, and make it harder to know who to call for help when she needs it. And let me be clear: She’s right. I’ve studied these maps. They’re a mess. Some districts are so bizarrely drawn I don’t even know where members of Congress would put their offices. But I know one thing: They won’t be convenient for residents like Ms. Beverly.
Getting to hear from Ms. Beverly and her son Chris about their family, the community, and their hopes for the future is one of the best parts of my job. I’m in this race for her and all the families like hers who deserve a fighter in the Senate. What I’ve Heard Across TexasAfter leaving that porch, I wanted to make sure I had a chance to hear from people across even more communities being carved up by the GOP — almost all of which are majority minority districts — from Denton to San Antonio, McAllen to Houston, and plenty of stops in between. And you know what I found? A whole bunch of people who are fed up and angry about what’s happening in Austin.
Because what Republicans are doing right now — rigging our elections for the next decade — is directly related to what they’re doing in Washington: rigging our economy for the ultra-wealthy. When politicians choose their voters instead of the other way around, it removes all accountability — meaning they can keep driving up costs and putting our kids' futures at risk. What Gives Me HopeBut there’s one thing I took away from this tour: hope. Real, relentless hope. I spoke with so many individuals and communities who are ready to organize, speak up, and fight for fair representation. And it’s not just Democrats. I met folks like Sherry, a lifelong Republican, who told me she was so fed up that she just switched parties. I truly believe that when we stand together, we’re stronger than any coalition of extremist politicians. Where We Go From HereI’m not saying it’s going to be easy. Republicans rammed through racist, nonsensical maps — and now it’s going to take organizing, accountability, and yes, the courts, to stop them. We’ve got to hold Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton, and John Cornyn responsible for this power grab. I’m in it for the long haul, so I’m going to keep traveling all over Texas, connecting with voters, and fighting for the change we deserve. I’m ready to take on whoever emerges from Paxton and Cornyn’s messy GOP primary fight — and win. If you believe in the movement we’re building, I hope you’ll chip in a few bucks to keep us on the road, or check out our Facebook, Instagram, and X to see where I’m stopping next and how you can get involved. I’d love to see you out there. Thanks for reading to the end of this post and for being in this fight with me — it means a lot. Colin
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Tuesday, August 26, 2025
Notes From The Road
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