Unions Power Historic Victories in Texas Gulf Coast Elections
Working people in the Texas Gulf Coast celebrated historic victories in elections in Harris County, Fort Bend County, and Brazoria County, with victories powered by a historic labor Get Out The Vote effort.
In Harris County, County Judge Lina Hidalgo won with a 15,000 vote margin, along with Commissioner Adrian Garcia and Commissioner-elect Lesley Briones. Fort Bend County Judge KP George won with the highest margin of any candidate in the county, and will be joined by Commissioner-elect Dexter McCoy. And Scott Feuless won a seat on the Brazoria County Drainage District #4 to establish a new pro-worker majority.
“The wealthiest few in Harris County spent over $25 million dollars trying to divide us by promoting fear, falsehoods, and misinformation, said Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation Executive Director Hany Khalil. “They wanted to turn back the clock on all of the progress that has been made under Judge Lina Hidalgo in the last four years. But unions and our allies rose to the occasion: We talked to voters about our belief in a fair shot for all working people and encouraged them to vote for candidates who share our values.”
“Together, we made the difference in defending and expanding progressive majorities in Harris and Fort Bend Counties.”
Victories in the Gulf Coast were a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing election year, which saw losses for all statewide labor-endorsed candidates, as well as in the Texas legislature.
To beat back the torrent of right-wing money that poured into Gulf Coast county elections, the unions of the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation launched a historic get out the vote operation in support of Judge Hidalgo and other labor champions through the Texas Gulf Coast AFL-CIO Working People PAC.
- Over 125,000 doors knocked in Harris County, 55,000 doors knocked in Fort Bend County, 10,000 in Brazoria County, and and 20,000 in Galveston County to talk with voters about critical economic issues and how our county government can and has improved the lives of working people
- Over 2,200,000 calls made to encourage working people to turn out to vote in Harris County and over 300,000 calls to voters in Fort Bend County
- Over 15,000 union member doors knocked by union release staff from the United Steelworkers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Transport Workers Union Local 260, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 455, and Bricklayers to discuss the work Harris County has done for union members under Judge Hidalgo and Commissioner Garcia.
- Over 30,000 doors knocked in Harris County to discuss the importance of passing the Harris County infrastructure bond to improve our roads, drainage, and parks
- Oversaw a direct mail and digital program focused on communicating a positive message about all the good work county government has done for working people in the last four years, reaching hundreds of thousands of voters in Harris County and Fort Bend County
“Our program was grounded in the real economic gains working people have seen in Harris County and Fort Bend County under Judge Hidalgo and Judge George. From rental assistance to expanding affordable childcare to creating pathways to good paying careers — progressive governance was on the ballot last night. And we’re proud of the work we did to share the good work that’s been done under Hidalgo and George with voters across the region.”
Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation Political Director Jay Malone
