Alvarado & Ellis Could Sponsor Trained Allred Canvassers To Spare Volunteers Being Yelled At By Republicans-Houston Democracy Project Notes, 10/10

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Here are Houston Democracy Project Blog Notes & Observations for October 10th. Election Day is in 26 days on November 5th & Early Voting begins in 11 days on October 21st.

* I heard from active rank & file Democrats who would know, that the Colin Allred campaign is asking volunteer canvassers to try to persuade Republicans to vote for him. The volunteers are signing up for a canvassing shift expecting to talk to Democrats at the door, but are sometimes getting hostile Republicans instead. That is a good way to burn out or turnoff volunteers. Volunteers are looking to expand Democratic turnout. Not talk to Republicans. They speak to enough Republicans at family gatherings or at work.     

I went to a Houston Kick Off event for Allred in July. Two of the speakers were State Senator Carol Alvarado and County Commissioner Rodney Ellis. They told us to do all we could to help elect Rep. Allred to the U.S. Senate. Senator Alvarado has $1.2 million campaign cash on hand & I saw on Facebook that she had a fundraiser a few days ago. It looked well-attended. She might have even more money now. Commissioner Ellis has $6.2 million in the campaign bank.   

Senator Alvarado and Commissioner Ellis could meet tomorrow with the Allred campaign, and commission a paid canvassing program with canvassers briefed and trained on the Allred goal of winning some Republican votes. A well-trained crew would do better rustling up Republicans than would volunteers tossed into the mission. Surely the Allred team would be happy for the help.      

Recently the Houston Democracy Project proposed Senator Alvarado, Commissioner Ellis and Mayor John Whitmire get together over a cup of coffee to coordinate on using campaign funds to help the Democratic ticket in Harris County. Mayor Whitmire, who insists he is a Democrat, has $9.9 million on hand. I'm hoping they have met and a big GOTV plan is on the way from these cash on hand heavy hitters.

The stakes could not be higher. Republican plans for mass deportations and Trump's assertion that immigrants have a genetic predisposition to crime, strike right at the core identity of such a diverse city as Houston.   

Senator Alvarado, Commissioner Ellis (and Mayor Whitmire) have successfully navigated systems that have taken us to the brink of authoritarianism & that have messed up the weather. It's not a lot to ask them to use resources they've amassed over many years in failing systems, to help make sure we don't lose our freedom.

* The picture above is from this week's 4ooth Week of the John Cornyn Houston Office Protest. It is essential people see others like themselves willing to openly and confidently stand for democracy no matter the aggression of the right. We can't be pushed out of public space.  

Please join the protest each Tuesday, 11:30-1, 5300 Memorial Dr. Any amount of time you can join is just the right amount of time. There are extra signs for all.    

Alternative structures are very difficult to maintain. The Cornyn Team is proud to have made it to Week 400  with no connection to any campaign or any funding. We'll show up as needed in the weeks ahead whether it be on our normal Tuesday routine, or if Republicans are trying to overturn or not accept election results and we need to be on the streets.    

Please sign the Houston Democracy Project petition to make the pledge to show up for freedom in 2024 no matter what.

Here is a fundraising pitch for Houston Democracy Project. I'm doing the work and showing up in many different ways.  Please help the effort. 
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The Houston Democracy Project works daily to inspire, organize and strengthen pro-democracy coalitions in Houston and Harris County.

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