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CHICAGO — Texans will take a prominent role at the Democratic National Convention, speaking on issues ranging from abortion rights to the future of the party in the state.
Two members of the Congressional delegation — U.S. Reps. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas and Veronica Escobar of El Paso — have confirmed they will speak on the convention mainstage. Crockett will speak Monday, and Escobar will chair the convention proceedings Thursday.
Amanda Zurawski, who sued Texas over its restrictive abortion laws, will also speak on the mainstage, as will youth activist Olivia Julianna. President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are also set to take the stage on Monday.
Speaking at the convention mainstage is a considerable platform, particularly for budding political talents whom the party identifies as having bright futures. The convention this year is largely ceremonial as the party already voted to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency by a virtual vote earlier this month.
U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, the party’s candidate for U.S. Senate, is not publicly listed as a speaker, but more speakers could be announced throughout the week. The DNC has largely kept the speaker line up quiet. Allred is scheduled to address the Texas delegation at breakfast on Thursday, during which Texas delegates can organize their talking points. His race is one of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s top targets this cycle. Cruz last won reelection in 2018 by just 3 percentage points to former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke.
Crockett, a freshman congresswoman, has broken out as a star communicator for Democrats, clashing with Republicans in committee meetings that have often turned into viral clips.
Escobar is a national co-chair of Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign and held the same role when Biden was leading the ticket. Escobar represents a border district in El Paso and has been a leading Democratic voice on humanitarian border issues. The border is a leading issue among Texas voters and has been one of Democrats’ biggest weaknesses this cycle.
Zurawski sued Texas after doctors refused to terminate her pregnancy despite a complication that was fatal to her fetus and risked her health. Since Zuwarski’s lawsuit, in which the Texas Supreme Court ruled against her, she has been a surrogate for Democrats across the country. She spoke in counter programming to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee with Escobar on behalf of the then-Biden presidential campaign.
Several Texans spoke at the mainstage at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee last month, including Gov. Greg Abbott and Cruz. U.S. Reps. Ronny Jackson of Amarillo, Monica De La Cruz of McAllen and Wesley Hunt of Houston also all spoke. De La Cruz and Hunt are both freshmen and have had leading roles in Republican outreach to the Latino and Black voters.
Texas will have a considerable presence off the DNC main stage as well. The state has 273 delegates, the third largest behind California and New York, and several elected officials will address the Texas delegation throughout the week. Delegates from each state meet over breakfast each morning and hear from speakers.
U.S. Reps. Lizzie Fletcher of Houston, Marc Veasey of Fort Worth, Greg Casar of Austin and Allred will all speak at the delegation breakfasts.
Veasey had a role in getting Harris at the top of the ticket. He was the second Texan to call for Biden to step down from the ticket last month following a poor debate performance that shook Democrats’ confidence in his candidacy. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett was the first Democrat in Congress to call on Biden to step down. He is planning to attend the convention but does not have any scheduling speaking slots.
State Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Farmers Branch, will also speak at the breakfasts. Johnson is Democrats’ nominee for the congressional seat Allred is vacating to run for Senate. She faces Republican Darrell Day in November for the reliably Democratic safe seat. State Sen. Cesar Blanco will also address the Texas delegation. Former congressional candidate Gina Ortiz Jones is also listed as a speaker at the breakfasts.
San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg spoke at the Monday delegation breakfast. Nirenberg has traveled with the Harris campaign throughout the country as a campaign surrogate.
“We may not be one of the named battleground states yet. But we know what it means to battle every day in a red state, to fight for our schools, for our health care, for workers rights and for women to have basic autonomy,” Nirenberg said.
Escobar and Casar have speaking slots at various national caucus meetings on the sidelines of the convention. Escobar will address the Women’s Caucus meeting on Tuesday. Casar will address the Youth Council on Tuesday and the Hispanic Caucus on Wednesday.
Voting FAQ: 2024 Elections
When is the next election? What dates do I need to know?
Election Day for the general election is November 5, and early voting will run from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1. The deadline to register to vote and/or change your voter registration address is Oct. 7. Applications to vote by mail must be received by your county of residence – not postmarked – by Oct. 25.
What’s on the ballot for the general election?
In addition to the president, eligible Texans have the opportunity to cast their ballots for many Texas officials running for office at the federal, state and local levels.
This includes representatives in the U.S. and Texas houses and the following elected offices:
-1 U.S Senator (Ted Cruz)
– 1 of 3 Railroad Commissioners
– 15 State Senators
– 7 State Board of Education members
– 3 members of the Texas Supreme Court
– 3 members of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
– 5 Chief Justices and various justices for Texas Courts of Appeals
Lower-level judges and local county offices will also appear on the ballot:
– Various district judges, including on criminal and family courts
– County Courts at Law
– Justices of the Peace
– District Attorneys
– County Attorneys
– Sheriffs
– Constables
– Tax Assessor-Collectors
How do I make sure I’m registered to vote?
You can check to see if you’re registered and verify your information through the Texas Secretary of State’s website. You’ll need one of the following three combinations to log in: Your Texas driver’s license number and date of birth. Your first and last names, date of birth and county you reside in. Your date of birth and Voter Unique Identifier, which appears on your voter registration certificate.
What if I missed the voter registration deadline?
You must be registered to vote in a Texas county by Oct. 7 to vote in the Nov. 5 presidential election. You can still register for other elections.
If you’re registered but didn’t update your address by the deadline, you may still be able to vote at your previous voting location or on a limited ballot. (Voters are typically assigned precincts based on where they live. In most major counties, voters can vote anywhere on Election Day, but some counties require you vote within your precinct. If that is the case, you may have to return to your previous precinct. See which counties allow countywide Election Day voting here. You can usually find your precinct listed on your voter registration certificate or on when checking your registration online.)
If you moved from one county to another, you may be able to vote on a ballot limited to the elections you would qualify to vote in at both locations, such as statewide races. However, limited ballots are only available during early voting. Find your county election official here and contact them to ask about or request a limited ballot.
What can I do if I have questions about voting?
You can contact your county elections official or call the Texas Secretary of State’s helpline at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683). A coalition of voting rights groups is also helping voters navigate election concerns through the 866-OUR-VOTE (687-8683) voter-protection helpline. The coalition also has hotlines available for voters who speaker other languages or have accessibility needs.
For help in Spanish, call 888-VE-Y-VOTA or 888-839-8682.
For help in Asian languages, call 888-API-VOTE or 888-274-8683.
For help in Arabic, call 888-YALLA-US or 888-925-5287.
For help in American Sign Language through a video, call 301-818-VOTE or 301-818-8683.
For help from Disability Rights Texas, call 888-796-VOTE or 888-796-8683.
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