Democrats in Texas capital build foundation to become a swing state
By Riya Minglani, Gillian Ho and Anna Song, JCamp 2024 — Austin
Texas has voted for the Republican Party in every national election since 1980. The Travis County Democratic Party (TCDP) is trying to change that.
“We’re the blueberry in the red state,” said Katy Schmader, TCDP political organizer, in an interview on the sidelines of a party meet-up.
But that doesn’t mean Schmader believes the Democratic presence in Texas is weak.
All 34 elected officials in Travis County are Democrats. Schmader says this overwhelming Democratic presence at the county level helps their party but also has its consequences.
“Because [Travis County Democrats] are all pretty much guaranteed to win their elections, they don’t go out and campaign,” she said.
Those voting blue in Austin say Texas’s political climate is misrepresented, according to residents at the Dems Super Precinct Get Together hosted at the Austin Central Library.
“I really don’t think that we are as divided as a lot of leaders try to make us,” Aaron Gonzales, a tech sales employee said.
Alex Meed, a poll worker, says values don’t always differ between Republicans and Democrats. Politicians instead focus on issues that benefit their respective party.
Austin democrats’ journey to a politically active life
The backgrounds of these Austinites guide them to go against Texas norms.
Gonzales, coming from a low-income background, became involved in politics after realizing that policy decisions were a direct cause of his upbringing. “As I got older, I started questioning, ‘Why did I have bad schools in my neighborhood? Why did my mom work two jobs?’”
For Schmader, her involvement as a political organizer started when her career as a special education teacher ended. “There are absolute devastating stories as small as my special education kiddos having to pick between being medicated in class, or their parents paying rent for the month,” she said.
Working towards the future
Schmader said despite the hardship of being a blue county in a predominantly red state, it’s the enthusiasm and determination of local democrats that keeps her going.
There are stretches of Texas where one can drive miles without encountering a single democrat.
As Schmader encouraged the democrats at the meeting, she said that the TCDP plans to take an accessible approach to promoting a politically active Austin.
“We’re going to get back into our community and talk to them about all the different things that make the community so great, and make sure that they have the tools to talk to the people,” she said.
Schmader says that the approach of the TCDP is on an interpersonal level, beyond the mass phone banking and door-knocking they already do across the county. According to her, reaching more people is less important than building a trusting relationship with community members, which comes from TCDP engagement.
Schmader emphasized that “everyone needs to get engaged” in this upcoming presidential election.
Some TCDP members said that they look at swing states like Wisconsin with envy as they lure celebrities, politicians, and advocates. In recent days, former president Donald Trump and democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris visited the state.
“I want Texans to matter as much as every other swing state,” Schmader said. “We’re gonna work until it turns blue.”
