Hi Friend,

On August 6, 1965, exactly 56 years ago today, President Lyndon B. Johnson -- a great Texan and champion for civil rights -- signed the Voting Rights Act into law. This monumental piece of legislation was the culmination of a centuries-long struggle led by Black activists to protect every American voter’s most basic constitutional right: the right to make their voice heard at the ballot box.

The passage of the Voting Rights Act marked a historic step in combating entrenched discrimination against Black and Brown voters that has plagued generations of Americans. However, while the Voting Rights Act was a massive step forward, today, our fight continues.

Since the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013, Texas Republican lawmakers have been doing everything in their power to stop Texas voters from making their voices heard. Republicans like Greg Abbott are attacking voting rights for one reason: they know their days in office are numbered, and they’re trying to cling to power the only way they can -- by stopping us from voting. In the face of these attacks, Texas Democrats have not backed down. And today, as Abbott’s suppression session comes to a close, our brave Texas Democrats in D.C. have succeeded in blocking those attacks for the time being -- buying us critical time in the national struggle for voting rights protections.

While we have won this battle, the fight is far from over. Greg Abbott has already called another irregular special legislative session in order to push his attacks forward. Texas Democrats will continue to hold the line -- and urge our federal lawmakers to pass national voting rights protections to fend off these attacks. However, we can’t do it without you. Can we count on you to join the fight today, and chip in $7 to ensure every Texan can make their voice heard?

Adelante,

Gilberto Hinojosa
Chair, Texas Democratic Party