The First Betrayal Of The 89th Texas Legislative Session
Richard Raymond’s endorsement of Republican power.
On December 6, 2024, the House Democratic Caucus released a press release saying they unanimously passed a formal policy position opposing David Cook as Speaker for the Texas House. Check it out:
We’ve discussed the Speaker’s race at great length, including how David Cook attempted to appeal to Democrats despite signing a contract to harm them.
Yet this weekend, Laredo Democrat Representative Richard Raymond (D-HD42) put out the following statement:
“As someone who has dedicated my career to representing South Texas communities—from rural Duval County to Laredo—I’ve consistently focused on creating jobs, public safety, public education, expanding higher education, improving health care, and supporting our veterans. I believe David Cook’s consensus-building approach and commitment to practical solutions will help us strengthen these priorities in South Texas and across our state. That’s why I’m proud to endorse David Cook for Speaker of the Texas House and will vote for him.”
Now, to anyone following Representative Raymond’s career, this move hardly comes as a surprise. However, the only thing that Raymond is doing is fucking other Democrats.
Representative Raymond talks about David Cook’s consensus-building approach.
Here is David Cook’s consensus-building approach… the “Contract on Texas.”
David Cook agreed to:
Only solicit support from Republican members.
Not allow Democrats to have any chairmanships.
Ensure ALL GOP legislative priorities receive a floor vote before any Democratic bills.
Replace alleged liberal parliamentarians with Conservative yes-men.
Ensure there are no Democratic-majority committees.
Overrule hyper-technical points of orders, even when they break the House rules.
HOW EXACTLY IS THAT CONSENSUS-BUILDING?
Further, Representative Raymond mentioned David Cook’s commitment to practical solutions. Practical solutions?
#3 in the “Contract on Texas” states that as Speaker, Cook will ensure ALL GOP legislative priorities receive a floor vote before any Democratic bills. Then, Cook added, “AGREE with the reform—need to determine the process; Hastert Rule could be a way to do it.” Then he initialed by that comment.
The Hastert Rule states that the Speaker will only bring a bill to the floor “if the majority of the majority” supports it.
This ensures that none of the Democrats’ bills will be heard during this session until a party in the throws of a civil war gets a floor vote on their priorities first. This means it’s possible the Democrat bills won’t be heard at all. And what are the Republican priorities?
Creating a Texas Department of Homeland Security.
Prohibiting, with mandatory fines and jail time, individuals, corporations, non-profits, governments, and social media entities from assisting or inciting illegal entry.
All employers in Texas are required to use E-Verify.
Ending all subsidies and public services, including in-state college tuition and enrollment in public schools, for undocumented immigrants.
Restricting mail-in ballots to disabled, military, and eligible citizens who are out of their county.
Standardizing in-person voting, with early voting limited to nine days.
Closing party primaries.
Repealing affirmative defenses in Texas Penal Code.
Prohibiting all forms of taxpayer-funded lobbying.
Banning the sale of real property in Texas and discontinuing taxpayer funding and incentives to governments, entities, and proxies of China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia, and to individuals from these nations. (Notice: Russia isn’t listed.)
These are the practical solutions Raymond agrees with?
Conservative Democrats stand at odds with the goals of Texas progressives.
From Eddie Lucio JR selling us out on the abortion issue to Tracy King selling us out on voting rights, Conservative Democrats have a long issue with siding with Republicans, especially with matters that harm Democratic voters.
Texas Democratic voters are progressive, as proven repeatedly by the policies they support and the majority of the representation they choose. The political marginalization of Democrats in a state like Texas, which has been red for 30 years, has pushed the voters and party to the left.
After monitoring the political environment of South Texas for many years, I believe that these so-called Conservative Democrats are ultimately turning the border counties red. If I lived in Laredo and didn’t follow politics closely and looked at a Democrat like Raymond and a Republican, I wouldn’t see any difference in policy.
But then, when you add in billionaires like Harlan Crow and Elon Musk spending millions to elect the Republican, the average “I don’t pay attention to politics voter” is more likely to vote for the name they hear more often, especially when the policies appear the same.
It will take bold-progressive policy and activism to win back South Texas. But I digress.
Richard Raymond is turncoating.
David Cook is not a “consensus-builder,” a “pragmatist,” or whatever buzzword Raymond wants to slap on his betrayal. This endorsement is the actions of a self-serving politician willing to throw his own party under the bus for a sliver of influence. While progressives across the state are fighting tooth and nail to protect civil rights, voting rights, and immigrant communities, Raymond is cozying up to the political arsonists who want to burn it all down.
Richard Raymond isn’t just endorsing David Cook. He’s endorsing the wholesale destruction of Democratic power in the Texas House. By backing Cook, Raymond is signing off on policies that directly harm the very communities he claims to represent.
Raymond has been in the Texas House since 1992, when being a “Conservative Democrat” was still in style. However, over thirty years later, the rules of engagement have changed.
By propping up Cook, Raymond is endorsing a Speaker who has literally signed a contract pledging to shut out 62 Democrats from doing what they were elected for. He’s endorsing a legislative agenda that includes gutting public services for undocumented families, restricting mail-in ballots, and turning elections into GOP-controlled circuses. In what world does that serve South Texas? How do these policies create jobs, improve healthcare, or protect veterans?
We can’t afford Democrats who play both sides while Texas burns. If the Democratic Party wants to have a future in this state, it’s time to stop coddling politicians like Raymond and start calling them out. South Texas deserves better than a turncoat who pretends he’s fighting for them while empowering the very people tearing them down.
January 14: The 89th Legislative Session begins.
March 14: The last day Legislators can file bills.
June 2: The 89th Legislative Session ends.
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Pretty sure the first betrayal was 30 members pledging Burrows but ok