Today, Texas Democrats, along with local and national Democratic leaders, hosted a press conference on the first day of the RNC midterm convention with Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to highlight Donald Trump and Republicans’ historically unpopular agenda that is crushing working families.
Trump vowed to lower costs on “Day One,” and stop forever wars, yet nearly two years into his presidency, prices are higher than when Trump took office and working families are footing the bill for Trump’s deadly and costly war with Iran. Rather than focus on Americans’ most important issues, Republicans are throwing a Trump-themed celebration and toasting with their ultra-rich donors. Meanwhile, Texas Democrats and Democrats across the country are building a grassroots movement and are focusing on lowering costs and making life more affordable.
During today’s press conference, the speakers highlighted how Trump and Republicans’ agenda has made life unaffordable for working families. The speakers also blasted Trump and Republicans for desperately attempting to interfere in the upcoming elections because they know Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of their billionaire-first agenda.
Find highlights from the press conference below:
Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder
“At the Texas Democratic Party, we’ve been building a grassroots movement of working-class Texans in every corner of this state. For the first time since 1972, Democrats have fielded a candidate for every state and federal office in every community across this state. We’ve overperformed special elections, recruited more than 1,000 precinct chairs, made millions of phone calls, knocked millions of doors, delivered congressional seats in states that aren’t even ours, and outvoted Republicans in our primary for the first time in 25 years. This country needs Texans to meet the moment and to give working folks a seat at the table again, and we intend to do that.”
“Republicans have been campaigning around the country with the opposite plan of action: Give everything we can to big businesses, billionaires, and bootlegging bastards so they can buy their fealty to Donald Trump on your dime. Trump’s tariffs have cost the average American family more than around $1,800 in the last year, with American consumers paying $230 billion in total tariff costs. So, in typical Republican fashion, they jumped to the rescue and gave corporations $100 billion in tariff relief funds, leaving the taxpayers holding the bags, while corporations saw massive boons to their bottom line. They doled out tax breaks to the highest tax bracket in the country, while slashing food assistance, infrastructure dollars, Medicaid funding, food safety programs, and funds to help keep our communities safer. Any dollar of your tax dollars that went to you was on the chopping block. The dollars that they doled out to themselves were constantly on the rise.”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker
“This bizarre Republican midterm convention here can’t paper over the fact that Republicans have done nothing to earn your vote. Donald Trump is hoping that a flashy primetime event will make you forget that his trade war is [raising] costs for families at the grocery store. His war in Iran is killing ranchers and farmers and their way of life. And his war on people, on the working people, the working families of this country, are raising the costs of healthcare and housing. But Republicans can’t rig the election if voters overwhelm them at the polls. Their lives and their livelihoods are at stake, and the Republicans are lying, and they’re corrupt, and that corruption just won’t work this time. Voters can see through the BS that Republicans are spewing.”
Houston City Controller Chris Hollins
“We have folks who are struggling, struggling to pay for gas, struggling to pay for groceries, struggling to keep a job that can keep a roof over them and their family’s heads. And all the while, you have Republicans, instead of working to solve those problems, coming to Dallas to throw a party, coming to pop champagne with the billionaires. The billionaires who are being funded and who are increasing their wealth out of your pocket.”
Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons
“Republicans are gathering. They’re gathered here in Dallas. I bumped into them on the way up here, for a convention built largely around Donald Trump. But right next door in Tarrant County, voters are dealing with the consequences of his type of leadership and government every day. People are worried about affordability, about healthcare, and wondering if their vote really matters. Because in Tarrant County, my colleagues on the commissioners court have said your vote doesn’t matter.”
Dallas County Democratic Party Chair Kardal Coleman
“I want the members of the media and those of you who are watching to understand exactly who we are and what we believe in a place like this. You’ve heard the term ‘a tale of two cities’; I want to offer you a tale of two cultures. What you’ll see at the RNC is a culture of hate, a culture of division, fearmongering, racism, and every other -ism that exists. But what you’ll see in Dallas County, as you talk to these leaders or stop by any of the events that we’re planning counter to this, is a culture of love, a culture of hope, a culture of restoration. As James Talarico would say, loving your neighbor. You’ll see folks gathering food to support individuals who cannot afford food to feed themselves. You’ll see volunteers at our offices making phone calls and calling their neighbors and letting them know exactly what’s at stake this election cycle. You’ll see individuals who are block walking and making donations and making sure that Texas is remaining the blue beacon that it needs to be, not just in our larger counties, but all across the state of Texas.”
