Interview with DNC Chair Ken Martin & Texas State Rep Venton Jones
Chair Martin, "We're not bringing a pencil to a knife fight, we're bringing a gun to a knife fight."
Yesterday I reported that Texas Democrats left the state to break quorum and prevent Texas Governor Abbot from unilaterally enacting five new Republican districts by racially excluding Black and brown people. Today, I had the chance to interview 1-on-1 Texas Democrats Minority Whip Venton Jones and DNC Chair Ken Martin, right here in the Chicagoland area.
We met at the Painters Union office in Aurora, IL. In speaking with both party leaders, I asked direct questions, including what Texas’s racist attempts to gerrymander could mean nationally, whether Democrats nationally will finally fight fire with fire, and how voters nationally could get involved? Here’s what they told me. Let’s Address This.
During my brief but substance driven interviews, I made clear that we need meaningful progress. I pointed out that the party’s national approval rating is an abysmal 26%, in large part due to the lack of fight. I started by asking Rep Jones what his message is for the national Democratic Party. Listen to his answer below.
Rep Venton Jones Interview (4 minutes)
Representative Venton Jones leads the 100th House District and serves as the Texas House minority whip.
Notable Quote: “Texas Democrats have always been fighters, and I think its finally time for the national party to invest the needed resources that Texans have been asking for, for years to turn Texas from purple to eventually blue.”
DNC Chair Ken Martin Interview (5 minutes)
Chair Ken Martin leads the Democratic National Committee. I asked Chair Martin what he’s prepared to do to turn the tide and bring the Democratic Party out of its 30 year old in approval? In particular, I asked if he supports Democratic Governors creating new blue districts to offset Texas Governor Abbot’s racist gerrymandering? At first he seemed to avoid answering directly. So I asked again. Listen below to his direct and clear response.
Notable Quote: “If you’re not willing to fight like hell for the things you believe in, do you really believe in them at all? I want Democratic Governors to use every tool at their disposal. If they [Republicans] want a showdown, we’ll give them a showdown. We’re not bringing a pencil to a knife fight. We’re bringing a gun to a knife fight.”
Conclusion
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Ken Martin is saying the right things but I am waiting for the DNC to embrace David Hogg’s position of endorsing primary candidates to run against complacent Dem lawmakers.
Until AIPAC has been booted from the Democratic Party we are not going to see much improvement. When recent additional funding passed the entire congress with only six total nay votes when both chambers are counted there is a huge problem. Ken Martin allowed David Hogg to be removed from his position at the DNC. This does not speak well for his willingness to make the changes needed for the Democrats to really do what needs to be accomplished for the average American. When our politicians care more about a foreign country who is openly committing genocide we have problem that can only be fixed by getting people in power who do not live by lobby money. As a person of Jewish heritage I know that the best way to increase antisemitism is by supporting the genocide of Palistians. Horrible.