John,
In politics, doing what is best for the people is not always rewarded. That will come as no surprise to you. And that’s what makes this moment, right now, so special.
When we started this campaign in early 2019, I traveled to Washington, D.C. with our first flyer. Our literature emphasized four issues: Medicare for All, Voting Rights, Ending the War on Drugs, and a Green New Deal. And as I took meetings with political leaders and campaign consultants, I was told again and again: “don’t talk about that.”
In particular, I was told: “Don’t mention a ‘Green New Deal’ in Texas.” “You can’t win if you talk about that.”
I listened carefully to what I was being told. I considered leaving out the phrase “Green New Deal” and talking generically about climate change. And ultimately, I made a choice: if I am going to quit my job to run for Congress—if I am going to ask my wife and my family to sacrifice, at great expense, so I can give it my all—I’d better be fighting for something I believe in.
Although we have taken hits along the way—big Democratic donors who won’t support me, two primary challengers who claim to be more “pragmatic” on climate change—we’ve run a campaign that has made fighting for a Green New Deal a core part of our program. Because it’s the right thing to do. Because our collective future depends on it.
And in the last few weeks, we’ve been rewarded in ways we could not imagine. First, it was winning the support of fossil fuel workers to get the Texas AFL-CIO endorsement. Then, it was a series of national articles, highlighting our remarkable coalition of climate change activists and labor unions. And then, this last Friday, it was the endorsement of the Houston Chronicle — the paper of record for the largest city in Texas, here in the epicenter of the fossil fuel industry.
The people are responding. Major Texas institutions are responding. And we have a wonderful chance to win this race in just 8 days!
Will you stand with me and our campaign and donate before Election Day?
Thank you for believing in us. Thank you for helping us build a powerful campaign: that is galvanizing a growing movement across Texas, and allows us to fight for what we believe.
With love and solidarity,
Mike
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PAID FOR BY MIKE SIEGEL FOR CONGRESS
PO Box 2409
Austin, TX 78701
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