Bonham, Texas -- It was a political gathering in Bonham on Wednesday, but the first endorsement of the day came when William Roberts welcomed the crowd to Neighbors Place Winery and strongly recommended the elderberry wine.
"It's medicinal," someone in the crowd called out.
It was standing-room-only in the sprawling wine bar when Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke stepped up to the microphone and told the crowd about a pleasant conversation he had with Republicans who were lining the street outside.
"The genius of this nation is that we can discuss issues in a peaceful setting and then settle it at the ballot box," O'Rourke remarked.
A very civil and thought-provoking discussion followed, with no dog whistles to fire up the base -- and little of the open hostility that has become the calling card of recent political discourse.
"It is ultimately about people, the conversation we are going to have today," O'Rourke said as he listed voter repression, an unwillingness to pay teachers what they deserve, skyrocketing property taxes, a failure to expand Medicaid, an undependable power grid, and senseless, draconian drug policies as top priorities that Texas must address.
A fourth-generation Texan, Robert Francis "Beto" O'Rourke served as the U.S. Representative for Texas' 16th congressional district from 2013 to 2019 before losing to Ted Cruz in a U.S. Senate race by 2.6%. O'Rourke tossed his hat into the ring for the 2020 United States presidential election, but withdrew when the campaign stalled.
O'Rourke is now challenging incumbent governor Greg Abbott in the 2022 Texas gubernatorial election.
O'Rourke said Abbott is pitting Texans against each other by dwelling on cultural differences that create division.
Voter repression
The gubernatorial challenger called voter repression "the greatest peril of our lifetime."
"Twelve percent of mail-in votes in Texas were rejected -- that is our reality today," O'Rourke stated. "And there is no cavalry riding to our rescue. It is up to each one of us."
Education
"Seven-out-of-10 4th graders can't read at grade level," said O'Rourke. "Our children need universal all-day Pre-K in order to be proficient at reading sooner. Here in Fannin County, when you enter the teaching profession, you can expect to earn $15,000 less than the average teacher receives. When are we going to pay our teachers what they are worth? These teachers are a lifeline to our children. Cancel the STAAR Test, and quit telling teachers which version of history they can teach."
Medicaid
In O'Rourke's opinion, Texas could bring $10 billion into its coffers by expanding Medicaid.
"It's your money, after all," he remarked.
Energy grid
O'Rourke said that 700 people died as a result of the energy grid crashing during the ice storm of February 2021, adding that he thinks Abbott "ignored every warning and then jacked the price of fuel."
"A handful of energy companies pocketed $11 billion while Texans were freezing," O'Rourke stated.
Border inspections hurt businesses in both countries
O'Rourke also deplored Abbott's recent decision to shut down commercial traffic coming into this country from Mexico.
"Mexico is one of our largest trading partners," O'Rourke noted. "Two-thirds of our fruits and vegetables come from Mexico."
In February alone, trade between the U.S. and Mexico amounted to more than $56 billion and Texas' primary ports of entry accounted for approximately 65% of the trade between the two countries in 2021.
Failed drug policy
Every year, thousands of Texans say goodbye to careers they have worked for and have their futures thrown in doubt because of a conviction for possession of marijuana.
But that is only half of the equation.
"Every year in Texas, we spend half-a-billion dollars incarcerating Texans for a substance that is legal in most states and many nations," O'Rourke told the crowd.
Bonham VA
O'Rourke weighed in on a recent VA proposal that would move portions of the Bonham VA to the metroplex.
"Who would make people drive two hours down to Dallas to get the services they were promised?" he asked.
It will be the people...
O'Rourke offered his version of how to begin to solve many of the problems plaguing Texas, from rapidly escalating property taxes to gun violence -- people working together to slowly build a consensus through compromise and then moving forward.
"It won't be a political party and it won't be a candidate...it will be the people," said O'Rourke. "We can win this. It's within our grasp. "It's up to the people..."
