Hunter Bonner/Contributing writer
Last week, Mayra Flores did what many thought was unthinkable. Texas US House District 34, a seat that has been held by Democrats for decades, flipped red when she won the special election.
The Rio Grande Valley has been a Democrat stronghold for 100 years. However, the predominately Hispanic communities in the border counties have decided that they are tired of being taken for granted by Democrats.
Mayra Flores said the following regarding her victory to journalist Maria Bartiromo:
“The main issue is inflation…The cost of living. Everyone is extremely (explicative) angry at the Biden administration because of the increase of gasoline, groceries, and medication. That is hurting them tremendously, not only here in South Texas but in the entire country. Of course, the border crisis is something we see here right behind our backyards. It is not something that we need to be told by the news.”
While Democrats predictably tried to downplay this victory, the fact of the matter is, this one hurt. Likely, the Rio Grande Valley will continue to see momentum build up for Republicans across the border counties.
Having recently attended the GOP 2022 State Convention in Houston, I met with members of the Cameron County delegation, as well as other border senate district delegates. When I asked them what the key to their victory was, the answer was simple.
“We got out, and knocked on doors. We registered people to vote.”
This is a wake-up call for Marion County Republicans. In the last three elections: March Primary, Joint Election, and State Primary Runoff, the total voting percentages were 19.46%, 11.23%, and 4.77% respectively.
This is embarrassingly low for one of the reddest counties in East Texas. Low voter turnout, regardless of what is on the ballot, is the key to waking up one day and seeing that our red county has turned blue.
Also, low voter turnout shows your elected leaders that you do not care, and if you do not care, why should they?
I have been writing several articles of late encouraging people to get involved with politics. You can make a difference, but it requires action.
Speaking specifically to Marion County Republicans, you cannot sit back and take for granted that enough Republicans will go to the polls, so that you do not have to.
That is naive thinking, and frankly it’s lazy.
It’s especially so when in some elections you have up to two weeks of early voting, voting by mail, and of course, the polls are open on election day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Here in Marion County, since we are a voting center county, you can vote on election day at any polling station.
Marion County Republicans, we are coming up on midterm elections this November.
I will ask some questions that Mrs. Flores brought up.
Are you tired of high gas prices, high cost of groceries, and watching your 401k dwindle? Has Democrat rule for two years given you your fill that you are ready for a change?
Are you tired of the left, and some on the right, doing absolutely nothing about the border situation?
Well, if you are tired of all of this, then this is your call to action.
If you are not registered to vote, get registered.
The last day you can register to vote for the fall elections this year is Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. (You have been given plenty of advanced notice now.)
Get plugged in with Republicans here in Marion County. We have a local Republican Party as well as the Marion County Republican Assembly club.
All are great places to get active, fellowship with other Republicans, and get involved with working towards conservative public policy.
Let’s win this November with a massive red wave of Republican turnout in Marion County.
Hunter Bonner is the President of the Marion County Republican Assembly, and a lifelong political activist. He can be reached at hunterbonner@outlook.com. His views are his own.