It’s Up for Grabs and Dems have a Good Chance of Flipping it
This is the first in a new series called ‘Taking Back Texas,’ where we will be highlighting Texas Politicians, either in-office currently or running for election. We’re doing this to bring attention to the importance of who is representing Texas in DC, in Austin, at our county seats, and in our city halls. Extreme partisan gerrymandering and voter suppression have given us a slew of Tea-Party and Trump-era Conservatives, who have hurt Texans by the prioritization of corporations and greed.
These conservatives have made Texas #1 in uninsured, #1 in low-paying jobs, #1 in the for-profit prison industry, and #1 in on-the-job deaths. But, don’t worry we aren’t the best at everything. In fact, some things we’re the worst at, like #50 in healthcare access, #47 in healthcare quality, #49 for children’s healthcare quality, #40 in education quality, #46 in teen pregnancy rate, #48 in women’s equality.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]Today, we’re going to highlight the 24th congressional district because Dem’s have a good shot at flipping this one. Although the Democrats are currently in a run-off between Candace Valenzuela and Kim Olson, the focus of today is the Republican candidate. The bright-eyed lady pictured above with Donald Trump, Beth Van Duyne. She may look familiar to you, she has her very own page on Southern Poverty’s HateWatch, she made national news more than once with her racist and Islamophobic crusade while mayor of Irving, TX.
Who exactly is Beth Van Duyen?
Van Duyen was born and raised in Upstate New York. She moved down to Texas with her parents when 17. However, she soon found her way back at New York Ivy League, Cornell University. Then after she graduated she moved back down south to the upscale town of Las Colinas, TX.
Irving Mayor
Prior to her big, bright, racist spotlight in 2015; she was unknown on the national stage. Then, one little Facebook post put her on an ambitious political path.
On February 6, 2015, this genius, made the following Facebook post:
Afterward, Beth Van Duyne as mayor passed an Anti-Sharia law in the city of Irving. Check out this news clip from a city council meeting. It was a packed house full of people wearing American flag t-shirts and quoting scripture.
This began her career on the national stage.
After her Van Duyne’s stupid Facebook post, she became one a strong supporter of House Bill 562. Or as this bill was so dubiously named, the Anti-Sharia bill, (it never passed).
The observers watching the events in early 2015 gawked in horror. Just like wildfire, Tea Party conservatives all over Texas fell in line, and Muslims became the Republican target of hate. Texas Mosques were burnt down in Houston, idiot Texas Republican Molly White went on social media and
demanded all Muslims renounce terrorism and pledge allegiance to America, and Breitbart Texas announced they were to have a “Draw the Prophet” event.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]Looking back 5 years later and 3 years into the Trump regime, it’s easy to see the multi-chasmic events which continued to snowball until we got where we are today. These events weren’t just happening in Texas, but all over the country, from Oklahoma to Georgia, and Louisiana.
Now, if you’re thinking, what do all of those incidents have to do with The US House, Texas 24th Congressional District Republican candidate Beth Van Duyne? I’m getting there.
Jade Helm
Not only did 2015 give us all of those moments that most of us have suppressed in our memory. 2015 was the year that brought us, Jade Helm. Remember that one? When conservatives were convinced that Obama was going to enact Martial Law, completely take over Texas, confiscate all of our guns, put Texas citizens in FEMA death domes, which were made from abandoned Walmarts, and force us all to become Muslim. Some especially hilarious conservative conspiracies at the time included:
- Texas Blue Bell Ice cream Trucks would smuggle bodies. Serving as a mobile morgue, these trucks were intended to transport dead Texans in convoys up the highway to Colorado.
- After Obama took all our guns, Russia would come and arm all the rebels. You know, so they could take on Obama’s tyrannical government.
Luckily, we all survived. Although, I was most worried about Greg Abbott, who at the time, called in the Texas National Guard to monitor the US military. Of course, later he just blamed Russia.
Van Duyne beat Jade Helm
As crazy, insane, and absolutely bananas the Jade Helm conspiracy was; Beth Van Duyne, the New Yorker who became mayor of Irving, TX beat out Jade Helm in the Houston Chron’s 2015 Hoax of the Year.
Congratulations, Beth. You must be very proud.
That wasn’t all the controversy for Beth Van Duyne in 2015
In September 2015 a 14-year-old Muslim boy who loved science and built a clock was accused of his invention being a bomb. Subsequently he was arrested at school. This happened in Irving, the town that Van Duyne was the mayor of. She immediately took to Facebook and defended the school’s actions. Of course, then she did what any sane and non-racist person would do, she went on Glen Beck’s show. While on his show, she went along with him when he painted the kid as a co-conspirator in a terror plot against America.
This led to armed protesters outside of Mosques in Irving, they were protesting Van Duyne’s imaginary Sharia Law Court.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]Beth Goes to Washington
Not long after she announced she wouldn’t seek reelection as mayor, Trump appointed her the Regional HUD administrator overseeing urban development in five states.
Controversy Followed her to her new job:
It later came out when she was mayor if Irving, she gave McKesson subsidies during the opioid crisis. Unsurprisingly, she defended that decision.
Now, Ms. Beth Van Duyne is running for Congress in Texas’ 24th Congressional District
Van Duyne has joined the “conservative squad,” to combat socialism by running for congress so she can take on AOC. Don’t worry, the ‘conservative squad’ are Fox and Friends approved. Commence the largest eye roll, ever.
She won the primary, resulting in the Dallas Observer dubbing her one of the worst candidates.
She’s already got a slew of endorsements including leaders in Tarrant County and even by Donald Trump, himself. Recently, she told the local NBC station, “voters are looking for someone with a backbone.”
Did we already roll our eyes?
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]Van Duyne has already pulled in well over a million from rich donors and conservative PACs. Her Yankee heels are dug in and she’s ready for a fight.
What’s she running on?
According to her campaign Facebook page:
“I’m a single mom, a conservative Republican, a reformer who has defeated government corruption, a believer in the rule of law who has helped remove thousands of criminal aliens from North Texas, a leader who helped deliver growth and new job opportunities, and a Constitutionalist who has never backed down when it comes to protecting the rights of all North Texans.”
Um, OK.
She’s a “single mom”, as in she’s not married and she has two adult children who are both in Ivy League Colleges. She believes in the “rule of law,” as long as it applies to her, but not when it applies to other people.
“Criminal aliens,” as in their crime was an expired visa. “Job opportunity,” as in minimum wage, low-paying jobs. And “Constitutionalist,” as in she likes guns.
In Texas, she’s just more of the same.
[mepr-hide] https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); [/mepr-hide]Don’t take my word for it. Check out this scathing piece by the Democratic Campaign Committee entitled ‘The Case Against Beth Van Duyne.’
We can do better
Democrats must do everything they can to ensure one of the two women running in the Democratic primary beat Van Duyne. The people in the 24th congressional district deserve better. We’ll be following this one closely.
If you are in the 24th congressional district or anywhere else in Texas, remember to check your voter’s registration. They expire and those dates can slip by.
If you aren’t registered to vote, go here.
If you’re already registered, and your registration is up to date, great! Talk to your friends, family, and neighbors, especially the non-voting ones. Make sure they know how important this election is.
The clock is ticking for Texas Conservatives and it’s time for them to go.
Still Blue in Texas 