Jennifer Lee For House District 55
The Blue Battle 2024: Inside the Democratic races.
There are a few counties and districts around the state of Texas that should not be red but are red because of the prevalence of low voter turnout. Undoubtedly, that’s both House districts in Bell County, which Republicans maliciously drew to reduce the voting power of the majority of residents in this county.
Bell County is a majority-minority county with a 57% non-Anglo population.
That’s why Republicans drew the districts of Bell County like a donut. House District 55 is the middle part of the donut.
Who is Jennifer Lee?
Jennifer Lee is a dedicated single mother and educator with 13 years of experience as a teacher. Jennifer has witnessed firsthand the consequences of poor public policy on education and community well-being. Jennifer’s platform focuses on three main issues: education, gun violence, and healthcare, particularly advocating for the rights and equality of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Jennifer’s campaign is built on her extensive experience as a community activist and educator. She has been actively involved in fighting the whitewashing of history and the banning of essential literature, advocating for fair salaries and healthcare access for teachers, and promoting gun safety and education. Jennifer is passionate about creating a safer, more inclusive world for her child and future generations. She is committed to ensuring that every child receives the best public education in fully funded schools and that all families have the support and security they need to thrive.
Who is she running against?
Hillary Hickland is the Republican nominee. She recently unseated longtime Republican incumbent Hugh Shine. In an interview on the local news, Hickland said, “My husband and I were having to violate our conscience to send our kids to school.”
Hickland is 100% pro-voucher, which is a position that would decimate public schools in Bell County. This is a county with nearly a 15% poverty rate, where school vouchers and re-segregation would harm the majority of children.
Hillary Hickland also signed a pledge to remove all political power from people of color in Texas if elected. An ironic position from a white candidate gerrymandered into a majority-minority district.
Hickland is pro-fascist and pro-criminal, as she brags about endorsements on her website from convicted felon Donald Trump and frequent lawbreaker Ken Paxton.
Hickland’s background is one as a consultant to fake Christian pregnancy centers, which tell women in poverty they will go to hell if they have an abortion. Otherwise, her life before running for office was that of a dedicated, fundy wife.
Of course, like all white Republicans, hundreds of miles away from the border, Hickland has listed militarizing border communities as one of her top priorities.
Hickland received $400,000 in campaign donations from Greg Abbott and $5,000 from Tim Dunn.
What about this district?
Flipping HD55 in November is a big possibility. Jennifer Lee has a lot of pluses on her side.
Although this district went +9.9 Trump in 2020 (based on precinct-level data after redistricting), it is mainly in a non-voting county. In 2020, while 58% of registered voters voted in Bell County, only 38% of eligible voters voted in House District 55 specifically. (Eligible includes would-be voters who aren’t registered). Registering and turning out voters in Bell County is crucial if Jennifer Lee wants to see a win.
The turmoil within the Republican party bolsters Lee's campaign. Hickland is a far-right extremist who is out of touch with the majority of this district.
In districts where far-right candidates defeated Republican incumbents, the behavior of the Republican base in November is uncertain, especially if Trump is incarcerated by then. Will they still vote Republican down the ballot, or will the divisions within the GOP lead some to stay home on election day?
These uncertainties remain, but they are important considerations for the November election. Jennifer Lee should focus on running an exceptional campaign.
What will it take for Jennifer Lee to win in November?
With a significant portion of eligible voters in HD55 not registered, Jennifer Lee's campaign must prioritize aggressive voter registration drives. This can be achieved by collaborating with local organizations and other Bell County Democratic candidates. Since the turnout has been historically low in this district, Lee should implement a comprehensiveGOTV strategy, including phone banking, door-to-door canvassing, and providing transportation to polling stations on election day.
With all other extremists running for the Texas House, one of the best ways to counter themLoneStarLeft’shting their out-of-touch and draconian policies. By the time November comes around, there should be two things engraved in Bell County voter’s heads about Hillary Hickland:
Hillary Hickland will destroy public schools in Bell County.
Hillary Hickland is running on a campaign promise to remove political power from coummunities of color in the Texas House.
In Bell County, those are two huge losing issues for Hickland. It's essential for the Jennifer Lee campaign to frame these issues in a way that underscores the direct impact on the community.
This district can be flipped and all of the stars are lining up in Jennifer Lee’s district. She has a lot of work to put in by November and needs a lot of help. Consider donating or volunteering with her campaign directly if you live in the area.
You can find out more about Jennifer Lee on her website or Facebook.
146 days left until the November 5 election!
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:
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https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jennifer-lee-for-hd55-1?refcode=website
Dateline FTW:
As City Councilman, Mr. Crain has been invisible....Dist 3 holds most of the point sources that feed the trash into the Clear Fork....turns out he's a horrible person too.
To all my friends in Tanglewood and Dist 3 FTW...Mike Crain did NOT vote for a rather mundane LBGQT proclamnation....As a councilman he is useless....as a human being he is odious.