Why TX voters say this election 'feels different' — All Over the Map

[0:01] Corpus Christi Bay, Southeast Texas, a spot on the map that was supposed to be a safe harbor [0:07] for Republicans this year. I'm calling on behalf of James Tallarico, Gina Hinojosa and Democrats [0:11] down the valley. Supposed to be. We're asking for your vote. It's crunch time and Nueces County [0:19] Democrats are bursting with energy, believing even Ruby Red Texas might be part of a giant [0:24] midterm message. Connect with each other and figure out what we do need to do ahead. The [0:32] governor's race is tight. So is a nasty Senate clash. And the House race here in Texas 34, [0:37] a toss up too. Despite election year redistricting, Texas Republicans thought would paint it red. [0:49] This picture does speak a thousand words. The Speaker of the House trying to save his narrow [0:54] majority, looking out at the very reason he is on the road nonstop. Yes, it's a hot sweltering weekday, [1:01] but still a tiny crowd. Republicans are worried about enthusiasm, worried about turnout, worried [1:08] about a big swing blue from Latino voters. Everybody's watching what you're going to do. [1:13] They say that Texas is going to turn blue. Is that true? Where did all the money go? It's like, [1:23] who's getting rich and where is it going? Is it the oil type things that are all getting rich? [1:27] Nobody's getting it. The politics bar is in the slice of Corpus Christi, [1:31] added to the redrawn 34th. Four friends around the table, two Democrats and two Republicans. [1:37] So let's, let's skip the parties and the names for a minute. Okay. Raise your hand if you think things need to [1:42] change. Okay. So that's everybody at the table. Republicans, Milton Reyna and Richard Contreras [1:49] in a very different mood from our first chat here eight months ago. This is Reyna's bar. [1:54] Business is slow. I don't trust what's being said right now. I think we've been told the same [2:00] thing over and over again, and we haven't seen any, any results in the action from it. And yeah, [2:04] I am disappointed. Contreras is in real estate. Business is down, [2:09] hurt by high interest rates and higher costs for just about everything. [2:13] Our war is the problem. To be honest with you, [2:15] I think we're struggling with that and we need to get out of that. We need to finish it and move on. [2:20] Still on team Abbott for governor. I like Abbott. I like Abbott too. [2:24] But Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton turns their stomachs. [2:28] You're a Republican and you're having a hard time in a race that could determine which party [2:34] controls the United States Senate. I need to be an American first, [2:38] I think honestly, and I have to make that decision based on character. And right now, [2:43] Paxton's character is just not doing it. I am 80% not voting for Paxton. [2:48] I'm not saying I won't vote for, for Tellurico, but I agree with Richard. I'm probably about 80% [2:56] that I won't, that I won't vote for, for Paxton. [2:59] Does undecided mean you might skip that race when you go through the ballot? [3:03] It means, I may ask my wife, who are you voting for? [3:09] Both likely Republican for House, but hardly enthusiastic. [3:12] The Republicans had full control and we haven't done anything with any of that. So, [3:17] is sticking with a Republican Congress and House and Senate still the right thing to do? I don't know. [3:23] This side of the table is excited. Does this time feel actually different, [3:29] that it's possible as opposed to a dream? It does. I think it feels different. It does. [3:34] Ramon Herrera is betting on a big swing in the Latino vote. [3:37] You need to stop Trump from everything that he's doing. It's not working out. [3:41] Yeah, I'm seeing. [3:43] And Annalita Cavada sees another positive for Democrats. [3:47] I've seen young people more excited this time on the line, in person. Younger people are starting to [3:55] show up. And I think that that's what's different this time. I have hope that that Texas will turn [4:01] through, but I, um, I'm dubious. Dubious for good reason. It was 50 years ago, Jimmy Carter in 1976, [4:11] the last time a Democrat carried Texas in a presidential race. In the last go around 2024, [4:16] Donald Trump won 56% of the vote here. And Vice President Harris carried only 12 of this state's 254 [4:23] counties. You have to go back to 1988, 38 years ago for the last time a Democrat won a U.S. Senate [4:29] race here. That was Lloyd Benson. And it was 36 years ago in 1990, the last time Texas voted Democrat [4:36] for governor. That was Ann Richards. Let's put that long time ago into context. Nearly half of Texans [4:43] alive today were not alive. The last time a Democrat won a race here for governor or U.S. Senate. [4:49] The new 34th stretches 150 miles from Corpus Christi to the Mexican border. Robstown is one [4:58] stop along the way. This construction is for a giant data center, a big issue and campaigns everywhere [5:04] now. Worries about the power of big tech, about a drain on scarce water, about a spike in electricity [5:13] bills. Kingsville is a bit more south, conservative, working class, more than 70% Hispanic. The lines for [5:20] the Kingsway Family Church Food Bank keep getting longer. You know, the economy right now has been [5:28] hard. Like from people, yes, people right now, food is getting expensive, gas. And then in our community [5:35] right now, lately, our electric utilities have gotten real expensive. So everything's going up? Yes, sir. [5:42] Pastor Steve Martinez votes his values. Abortion, gay and transgender rights matter most to him, [5:48] and he will vote Republican. But at the moment, prices matter most to many of his congregants. [5:55] Just a while ago, I was like, one guy just was in line. I was like, man, I'm just struggling. The [6:01] economy is hard. You know, I was like, what do I do? Plus, a lot of anger at ICE enforcement. Even [6:07] Trump supporter Martinez says is too aggressive and is reaching way beyond the bad guys. A lot of people's [6:13] decisions are going to be now because of the big, ICE has been just hard on a lot of families. And if [6:18] there are decisions made by that, then they're voting for Democrats. They're voting against Trump, [6:22] right? Yeah. The governor's race and the big [6:25] Senate contest understandably get most of the attention here in Texas. But the House races here [6:30] in Southeast Texas will have a giant role in the post-midterm conversation about the Trump agenda [6:35] and about the Trump legacy. Take this one, Texas 34. If Congressman Gonzalez can win reelection here [6:41] in a district redrawn to be lopsided Republican, well, then it is beyond a safe bet that Democrats are [6:47] taking control of the House. A Gonzalez win would also be part of a bigger conversation about the [6:52] president's declining political clout. Remember, at Trump's request, Texas Republicans redrew the [6:57] map here with the bold ambition of adding five new Republican House seats just here in Texas. [7:03] That remap though was based on the bet that Republicans would maintain their 2024 levels of [7:08] support or at least come close among Latino voters. The Democratic candidate for governor, [7:15] Gina Hinojosa, grew up in the Rio Grande Valley and the party hopes that helps boost turnout. [7:28] Cristina Alvarez has a list as she goes door to door in working-class neighborhoods vital to [7:33] Democratic hopes. A win here. I'm here on behalf of Vicente Gonzalez for Congress. [7:39] Uh, sorry? Oh, he's your man. Awesome. That's good to hear. [7:43] But a few doors down, a reminder every vote matters. [7:50] Okay. Uh, undecided. [7:52] This neighborhood is a bit more upscale. Daisy Alcazar and her husband bought here eight years ago. [7:58] Yes, it's home. Yes. [7:59] But you say at the moment home doesn't always feel like home. [8:02] There's a lot of fear in the community. [8:06] Even here? [8:08] Yep. People are inside their houses, not going outside unless they need to for survival. [8:16] 10 or 12? [8:19] 10. Your reading skills are not, are not working too. [8:22] I didn't even look at the box. That's the box. [8:24] Ha ha ha. [8:25] La Palle is Alcazar's business, traditional Mexican ice cream treats. [8:30] This is what most people would think of as the American dream. Um, family with immigrant roots, [8:36] starts a business, employs people, makes their community richer in every way. [8:43] It's, I'm proud. I'm proud to be Mexican. I'm proud to represent our culture. I'm proud to grow [8:51] and scale the business. But we have never seen this before. We have never been seen [8:58] our community being hunted down in the streets. And that is the reality of what's happening. [9:03] Alcazar had to close a couple of shops during COVID. She will continue to sell to grocery stores [9:08] and to restaurants. But this last storefront is closing soon. [9:12] This right now is worse than the pandemic. [9:13] Oh, a thousand percent times. Because when there's fear in the community, [9:18] it paralyzes you. You don't eat. And we don't have customers. I sell ice cream for the love of God. [9:26] We sell paletas. We, we are the cherry on the top where it's joy and the, the experience here should be [9:33] joy. It should be happiness. Where the reality is we don't have customers. [9:38] Alcazar is voting blue in every race she can, hoping to send a message to the president and to the [9:44] governor. She urges everyone she sees to vote and to take along family and friends. But she worries [9:50] that fear will keep people home or the belief it just won't make a difference. [9:54] If we get united and we show up, I mean, we could flip everything. The reality is, [10:01] is it going to happen? Will my people show up? We don't know. [10:05] We will know soon if Texas Hispanics show up in big numbers, if they swing back to the Democrats, [10:13] if the midterm demand for big change reaches as deep into Texas as you can go. [10:20] John King, CNN, Brownsville, Texas.