Texas Rising activists in the Rio Grande Valley protested outside the office of Democratic Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., calling out the nearly 30-year incumbent for betraying progressive voters. Check out out press release.
Facing a Serious Primary Challenge on March 3, Texas Rising Action Promises to Hold Sen. Lucio Accountable for His Pro-Discrimination, Anti-Abortion Votes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 11, 2020
BROWNSVILLE — One week before the start of early voting for the March 3 Democratic primary, members of Texas Rising Action gathered outside of state Sen. Eddie Lucio’s Brownsville office today to bring attention to the senator’s history of siding with far-right politicians and groups in support of policies that harm women and LGBTQ people.
“Sen. Lucio’s reputation with a generation of young voters and progressives in the Rio Grande Valley is one of betrayal,” said Texas Rising Action campus organizer in the Rio Grande Valley Denisce Palacios. “Time and again, he goes to Austin and votes to discriminate against LGBTQ people and to end access to abortion and other reproductive services. It’s time the senator is held accountable for his record. We urge voters in the Valley to voice their disapproval with their vote in the upcoming primary election.”
Sen. Lucio is facing a rare challenge, from two Democratic opponents, in this year’s primary. In office for almost 30 years, Sen. Lucio has become a reliable vote in support of the divisive agendas of Gov. Abbott and Lt. Gov. Patrick.
In 2013, Sen. Lucio voted for medically unnecessary regulations that forced abortion clinics across the state to close. A few years later, he voted for Lt. Gov. Patrick’s discriminatory “bathroom bill.” Sen. Lucio was the only Democrat in the Texas Senate to vote for these measures, drawing praise from the state’s anti-LGBTQ and anti-abortion groups.
Sen. Lucio has also repeatedly voted for voucher proposals that would take public funding from neighborhood public schools and funnel it to private and religious schools that are unaccountable to taxpayers.
“It’s clear that Sen. Lucio doesn’t represent the interests of progressive young people in the Valley,” said Texas Rising Action organizer Victoria Guerrero. “This group of voters has its eyes firmly set on the future. Sen. Lucio too often represents the past. It’s time we have someone new representing us in the Senate.”
Video of Tuesday’s protest can be found on Texas Rising’s Twitter account (@texrising).
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Texas Rising Action, a project of the Texas Freedom Network, builds the power of a rising generation of young Texans, with an emphasis on communities of color, by advocating for change in the cities and towns where they live and at the ballot box.
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