Lone Star Left Endorses Karthik Soora For State Senate District 15

Karthik Soora is a progressive voice for Texas Senate District 15.

It’s been said that the Texas Senate is the most Conservative chamber in the Texas Legislature. In recent years, the Texas Senate has been so Conservative that it’s often been hard to tell some of the Democrats apart from the Republicans. This is why we must have a strong and bold progressive in the Senate and why Lone Star Left is endorsing Karthik Soora for Senate District 15.

Check him out:

Texas is facing a catastrophic climate crisis that will only be getting worse.

In Texas, because of climate change, we’ve faced unprecedented droughts, our rivers have flooded, we almost boiled alive this last summer, and our winters have become increasingly colder. Texas is due to be hit the worst of all the states that the climate crisis will impact.

And while millions of Texans are suffering under extreme weather events, Republicans in the Texas Senate have been chanting, “Drill, baby, drill.” Many of them are bought and paid for by the oil industry.

Texas needs to expand green energy initiatives, and we need someone in the State Senate to fight against the corrupt GOP who live in the pockets of oil moguls from West Texas.

As a renewable energy developer, Karthik has helped develop over 1 GW of solar and storage projects, which will be built in 2027. He has vowed that when elected, he will be that person. Here are some of his campaign promises regarding energy and the climate crisis:

• Weatherize all power generators in ERCOT so they will stay online during extreme weather.

• Connect ERCOT to neighboring states’s ISOs (Intercontinental system operators such as MISO or SPP) to avoid massive outages.

• Set a state goal of 100% clean energy by 2035.

• Set a goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

• Increase funding for clean energy and other climate tech ventures to make Texas and Houston the #1 home for climate and energy innovation and keep it the Energy Capitol of the world.

These are things we can all get on board with.

And speaking of the corrupt GOP, Karthik Soora has made ending public corruption one of his top campaign issues.

We all saw what happened in the Senate impeachment trial of Ken Paxton. Dan Patrick was bought off with a $3 million bribe, and Republican Senators were bullied into voting as the West Texas billionaires wanted. After 20+ years of Republican control, the level of corruption by the Texas GOP has reached extraordinary proportions.

We have to change this and have the legislators with the courage to change it. Karthik has promised to pass bold campaign finance reform ($500 limits for individuals as opposed to unlimited donations) to stop billionaires from buying our elections. Of course, we all know he would be facing an uphill battle, but we need legislators willing to put that bill on the table and tell West Texas billionaires, once and for all, that our elections aren’t for sale.

Karthik also wants to increase transparency requirements for the legislature massively. This is a good thing. If voters knew how corrupt the majority party is and how many backroom deals they did, most legislators would be removed with pitchforks and torches.

It’s time for billionaires to start paying their fair share.

Karthik believes we should pass a 3% wealth tax on Texas billionaires to lower our property taxes and fund Universal Pre-K, our schools, Medicare for All, and a Texas where home ownership is affordable for every Texan.

If you’ve followed me long enough, you know that I’ve often laid out the benefits of programs like Universal Pre-K and Medicare for All. These programs would save the average family thousands of dollars each year and make our society healthier and happier.

Karthik embraces a progressive stance on marijuana use as an economic and moral imperative for Texas.

When elected, Karthik will commit to legalizing safe, regulated marijuana usage as a revenue-generating tool and as a means to alleviate the tax burden on hard-working Texans.

We must recognize and address the historical injustices tied to marijuana possession, and Karthik plans to do that. Offering a clear path to expungement for such individuals is a vital step toward righting the wrongs of the past and ushering in an era of equitable, compassionate governance in Texas.

Here are some of his other campaign promises and why we see him as a strong progressive who will make substantive change:

• Enacting Online voter registration so Texas can join the 43 other states that allow for online voter registration.

• Raising the minimum age to purchase specific classes of firearms used in mass shootings.

• Enshrine Reproductive Freedom into the Texas Constitution as a Constitutional Amendment.

• Adopt an all-encompassing statewide nondiscrimination policy that includes sexual orientation and gender identity, targeting key areas like employment, housing, and public spaces.

• Stop the TEA’s ability to take over school districts in such a hap-hazard manner and push back against HISD's takeover.

• Hold leaders accountable for any misuse of power, especially when it jeopardizes the safety of those seeking sanctuary on our shores. As a son of immigrants, Karthik knows what's at stake for families as xenophobia continually raises its head in Texas.

And it is for all of these reasons we think Karthik Soora is the best candidate for Texas Senate District 15.

You can read more about him on his website or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.