HD80: Why Is Don McLaughlin Running On A Racist Platform in an 85% Non-White District?
The Dangerous Implications of Far-Right Ideals in HD80
House District 80 is a border district and the same district where the Uvalde Massacre happened. The rumor is that borderland Hispanics have been leaning red in recent years. Whether that’s true or more Hispanic Democrats are staying home during elections remains to be seen. However, that’s certainly the narrative that Republicans have embraced.
It’s alarming to see the far-right alignment the Republican candidate for House District 80 has taken, especially with matters of race.
Here is the demographic profile of HD80:
And for the record, here is Don McLaughlin:
Long before the Uvalde Massacre, McLaughlin was a frequent guest of Fox News as a mouthpiece for Greg Abbott, crying about immigration. Running for the Texas House seems like a natural progression in his political career.
Don McLaughlin has been known for his strong anti-immigration stance. His rhetoric often aligns with xenophobic views, contributing to the anti-immigrant sentiment prevalent in far-right circles. Considering the frequency of his appearances on far-right media espousing hate rhetoric, it would be a fair assertion to say that McLaughlin has been a contributor to the uptick in anti-Hispanic hate in Texas.
What are the white supremacist ideals that he’s running his campaign on?
By far, the most hateful and racist thing he’s done on his campaign was sign on to the “Contract On Texas.” The “Contract On Texas” is a far-right, authoritarian pledge to remove political power from people of color in Texas.
Of course, the far-right members who signed this pledge said it was to remove political power from “Democrats” in the Texas House. However, it’s important to remember that the majority of Hispanic people in Texas vote for Democrats, the majority of Black people in Texas vote for Democrats, and the majority of Asian people in Texas vote for Democrats.
So, when far-right Republicans pledge to remove political power from Democrats in the Texas Legislature, it’s a dog whistle for removing political power from people of color in Texas. It’s incredibly racist.
While there are mountains of evidence that show how racist far-right Republicans in the Texas House have gotten over the last decade, here are just a few examples:
The “Show Me Your Papers” bill. Last year, Republicans in the Texas Legislature pushed hard for a “Show Me Your Papers” bill. This bill would have allowed any member of law enforcement (including school resource officers) to demand a person “who looks” undocumented for proof of citizenship. If that person could not prove they were citizens, the law enforcement officer could drive them to the border and force them to leave the country without due process.
Most candidates and members who have signed on to this “Contract On Texas” are also deeply involved with the Defend Texas Liberty PAC and Tim Dunn. This group has deep ties with Neo-Nazis and held a seven-hour meeting with famed Neo-Nazi, Nick Fuentes last year.
The same far-right Republicans were behind the bans on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Texas colleges. This bill was set up directly to harm both students of color and first-generation students.
This is just the tip of the iceberg.
McLaughlin is also pro-voucher.
This year, because he was given $10 million from an out-of-state voucher pusher, Greg Abbott has only endorsed and given money to Republicans who pledge to pass his donor’s voucher agenda.
Governor Abbott gave Don McLaughlin $44,795.16.
Please make no mistake about it. The goal of vouchers is:
Re-segregating Texas public schools.
Funneling taxpayer dollars into the pockets of the wealthy.
Just listen to the voucher bill author, Brandon Creighton, talk about how the voucher program will be allowed to discriminate:
Further reading:
San Antonio Report: Private school vouchers are modern-day segregation
Dallas Observer: Critics Warn Passing Vouchers in Texas Will Revive Segregated Schools
Center For American Progress: The Racist Origins of Private School Vouchers
If Don McLaughlin were elected, he would work with the hard-line fascists in the Texas House to inflict harm on his community.
In fact, other than removing political power from people of color in Texas and re-implementing public school segregation, McLaughlin seemingly has no other positions. I searched his website and social media, and aside from those two issues, McLaughlin hasn’t spoken about anything else except expressing anger at the brown refugees at the border.
It’s almost like he’s only running on racist positions… in a district that is 85% Hispanic.
Here is what HD80 looks like:
This district encompasses Atascosa, Dimmit, Frio, Uvalde, Webb, and Zavala Counties.
All these counties had voter turnouts of around 50% in 2020, which is low, even for Texas.
HD80 was held by Democratic Representative Tracy King for a long time (since 2005). During redistricting, Republicans drew this district to give themselves a +4.3 advantage. Although King was a Democrat, he always leaned to the right. He’s retiring this year, so HD80 is now open and considered a competitive seat.
So, why would HD80 vote for Don McLaughlin?
An article in the Atlantic a few months ago discussed how Rio Grande Valley Hispanics don’t associate themselves with immigrants, and that’s understandable, considering how generations have been rooted in that area since Texas was still Mexico.
When reputable magazines, like the New Yorker, write about “The Rise of Latino White Supremacy,” we should be concerned. However, until we see how HD80 votes in November, we won’t know if this district is truly moving right.
There’s no question that the counties in HD80 moved right in the 2020 election, but whether this is an outlier or a part of a repeating pattern has yet to be seen.
Whether or not HD80 voters will decide to embrace someone who seems only to support racist ideals has also yet to be seen.
One thing we know for sure is that if Republicans succeed with their “Contract On Texas,” the communities that will suffer the most are communities like the ones in HD80.
Luckily, the voters in HD80 can vote for a Democrat who supports public education, healthcare, and community foundations.
Cecilia Castellano is the Democrat running for HD80 in what looks like a competitive race. HD80 is a critical seat for Democrats to hold on to in November because we only need 12 House seats to flip the Texas House, and we can’t lose any.
HD80 is the only district in Texas where Republicans have made gains enough to cause us to be concerned (at this point).
So, whether you live in the district or not, consider supporting Cecilia Castellano through volunteering, donations, or social media outreach.
The challenge in HD80 is not gaining enough support for Castellano but getting people to the polls in November. With districts with a history of such low voter turnout, it’s important to remember that the only way Republicans win is when Democrats don’t show up.
You can learn more about Cecilia Castellano on her website and Facebook.
Vote early, vote often, just vote.
August 19: Last day for write-in candidates to declare their candidacy.
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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