Note: Last night, Representative Vikki Goodwin held a webinar called “Uplift The House” with several Texas House candidates. She has three more webinars scheduled with more House candidates, which you can sign up for here. Goodwin told me she’ll have the recordings online in the next few days.
With only 70 days until election day, we still have a lot of races to cover. The links to the elections we’ve already discussed are at the bottom of this page.
Although I haven’t had the chance to meet Desiree Venable yet, I’ve seen her on clips, and I’ve heard from multiple people about her campaign. She’s working super hard to flip this seat, which includes Bastrop, Burleson, Caldwell, Lee, and Milam County.
Listening to Venable speak last night on Vikki Goodwin’s webinar. I saw firsthand that she profoundly understands policy and kitchen-table issues that will get the vote out (GOTV).
Who is Desiree Venable?
Growing up in a small town of just 350 people, Venable was raised by teenage parents who struggled financially. Her father’s membership in the local ironworkers union played a crucial role in providing the stability her family needed, instilling in her a lifelong support for unions and working-class values.
Venable’s commitment to public service is rooted in her personal experiences. She’s not only a small business owner and a resolution specialist but also someone who has seen the struggles of rural public schools firsthand. Working as a substitute teacher and sports program coordinator, she witnessed the devastating effects of underfunding—teachers working multiple jobs, students lacking basic resources, and athletic programs disappearing due to a lack of support. These experiences have fueled her passion for advocating for better funding and support for public education.
What separates Venable is her unyielding dedication—she’s not just talking about change; she’s putting in the work, spending countless hours on her campaign, shaking every hand, knocking on every door, and attending every event, no matter how small.
Venable’s platform is based on the belief that real change comes from unity and collective action. She knows that our voices may be small individually, but we are an unstoppable force together. She’s committed to fighting for healthcare expansion, women’s rights, and public school funding while supporting other Democratic candidates in their efforts to flip the state.
Who is she running against?
I call him “Confederate Stan,” the Republican incumbent Stan Gerdes. The reason I call him “Confederate Stan” is because he ran his first race, in 2022, on protecting the odes to white supremacy that litter the lawns of courthouses all over Texas.
Here is Confederate Stan with the traitor rock on Bastrop County (he’s the guy on the right):
These traitorous rocks were all erected in the early 1900s, during the Jim Crow era, when Black people weren’t legally allowed to vote. They were meant to send a message to the communities of color in the towns they stood in, “as long as the shadow of the Confederacy looms over this courthouse, there will be no equal justice.”
There’s a place for these remnants of a Jim Crow past, and that’s in museums and graveyards, not on the laws over the halls of justice. To support this symbolism of slavery and inequality in 2024 isn’t about “remembering history.” It’s about upholding a legacy of racism and oppression. It’s about clinging to a past that glorifies white supremacy and disregards the progress we’ve fought for as a society.
Confederate Stan isn’t just defending these monuments; he’s defending the ideology they represent.
Personal note: For those who don’t know, the focus of my history degree is race in post-Reconstruction Texas and the implementation of the Lost Cause, which includes these statues.
You probably won’t be surprised to learn that Confederate Stan votes like an actual Confederate:
He co-sponsored a bill that would have created “Border Police,” which were essentially Brown Shirts in border communities, which would be further militarized. (Gerdes’ district is 330 miles away from the border.)
He voted in favor of removing the Harris County Election Administrator. This is voter oppression from the white state government over a 72% non-white county. (Gerdes district is 140 miles away from Harris County.)
Stan Gerdes voted to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion in Texas colleges.
Gerdes received Abbott’s endorsement based on his pro-voucher position.
Confederate Stan is true to his Confederate roots, voting as if he were a true Confederate to harm the communities of color in our state.
What about this district?
Like many other Texas districts, HD17 is now a majority-minority district.
This matters because we know that most Black, Hispanic, and Asian voters in Texas check the blue box.
In a perfect world, that would mean that any majority-minority district would automatically flip blue. However, the world is far from perfect, and we know that in Texas, the white vote shows up in much higher numbers than any other demographic.
This district’s poverty and educational attainment are lower on average than in Texas as a whole. It’s a working-class district with income levels close to the state average.
When Republicans redrew the maps in 2021, they gave themselves a +27-point advantage.
I agree that’s a pretty big advantage, but if we see a big enough Democratic turnout and a depressed Republican vote, then it can easily be done.
In 2022, Democrats stayed home, and we paid for it down-ballot. HD17 only saw a 39% voter turnout that year and Gerdes won 33 points. But we know when Democrats show up, we win. Turnout, especially among communities of color, will take time to flip this district.
This race isn’t just about flipping a district—it’s about fighting for the soul of Texas.
It’s about standing up to a legacy of hate and division and refusing to let it define our future. Desiree Venable represents a new path, one where the values of equity, justice, and unity guide us forward. She’s doing the work, not just for a win on election night, but for the long-term progress we all need.
Desiree Venable isn’t just running against Confederate Stan; she’s running against a system designed to keep people like her—and us—from having a say. Let’s make sure she has all the support she needs to fight.
Vote early, vote often, just vote.
You can learn more about Desiree Venable on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
The Blue Battle 2024 is my series covering races in the Texas Legislature (in no particular order). This series will highlight Democratic candidates once or twice a week leading to the November election. If you missed the previous installments:
October 7: Last day to register to vote.
October 21: First day to early vote.
October 25: Last day to apply for a mail-in ballot.
November 1: Last day to early vote.
November 5: Election day!
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My gosh, why did so many Latinos vote Trump in your chart, it showed like 41%.
America needs to learn that absolutely every election matters, every single election matters. That includes School Board.
Otherwise half way decent FTW Mayor Mattie is outraged.......big time in the FWST.
My thoughts
Dear Mayor Mattie....given the fact that u haven't disavowed the MAGA movement, which u slyly traded off in your first election, u cannot now be in high dungeon about public school achievement. It is R's and MAGA who have worked to undermine public education at every turn for 30 years.....
Read more at: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/education/article291553585.html#storylink=cpy