Thread by @Spencer4Texas

1/ "WHY I'M RUNNING" -- A thread, in many, many parts.

Spencer Bounds, Democratic Nominee for Texas House District 82
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2/ I'm running because after 50 years of Republican "representation," nearly 20% (one-fifth) of people over 25 in my district don't have a high school diploma.

3/ I'm running because after 50 years of Tom Craddick "leading" this district, nearly 18% of people in the district don't have health insurance.

4/ I'm running because after 50 years, Tom Craddick has *allowed* nearly 11% of Crane, Dawson, Martin, Midland, and Upton Counties to live in poverty.

5/ I'm running because it's appalling that in the oil & gas center of Texas--in what's supposed to be an economic powerhouse--over 20,000 souls are living in poverty, over 33,000 are without health insurance, and over 37,000 over the age of 25 didn't graduate from high school.

6/ I'm running because it's high time the good people of Texas House District 82 had the opportunity, for the first time in a decade, to choose not to live under these conditions -- to choose to have a representative who will fight for them at every turn.

7/ I'm running because it's time to send home the man who, according to then state representative Pete Gallego, is "unapproachable and unwilling to compromise."

8/ I'm running because it's time to send home the man who, after getting elected to his second term as speaker of the House, was told the Democrats wanted to work with the majority Republicans said, "I don't care. You can vote yes, you can vote no. I don't care."

9/ I'm running because the good people of Midland, Rankin, Stanton, Crane, Lamesa, and so many smaller communities, deserve a representative with fresh ideas, a fresh approach, and a constant willingness to listen to ALL of his constituents -- not just those that agree with him.

10/ I'm running because I refuse to sit back and watch while we have women, children, veterans, and the elderly living on the street.

11/ I'm running because it's time our local property owners stopped being burdened with unfunded mandates simply because the state government increasingly doesn't want to pay its fair share of public education costs.

12/ I'm running because it's time we had a representative that fights vouchers at every turn.

13/ I'm running because it's time we had a representative who makes sure teachers and retirees had the retirement and healthcare system they deserve.

14/ I'm running because it's time we paid our teachers so, so much more.

15/ I'm running because it's time we had a school system so well-funded that no teacher every has to spend their own money on supplies for their students.

16/ I'm running because it's time for the state of Texas to have the best public school system in the world.

17/ I'm running because it's time every student has access to free breakfast and lunch.

18/ I'm running because it's time to let teachers actually teach, without having to focus on so many standardized tests.

19/ I'm running because it's time we stopped pushing all our children into college, while at the same time raising the cost of attendance so high they can't make enough to pay for it, even working full-time.

20/ I'm running because it's time our children weren't saddled with crippling student loan debt.

21/ I'm running because it's time to end price-gouging on college textbooks.

22/ I'm running because it's time we teach all our children the importance of local government, of community service, and of voting in every election.

23/ I'm running because it's time our veterans never have to worry about paying for healthcare, or losing their home, or having to drive hours to go to a VA hospital.

24/ I'm running because it's time we to put an end to workers without healthcare being fired because they're sick and can't afford to see a doctor -- we have to re-evaluate the "right-to-work" laws in this state.

25/ I'm running because all of our people deserve a leader who will put their education, voting rights, healthcare, jobs, infrastructure, and living conditions front-and-center. Always.