DALLAS — State Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, was one of the first Democrats to call for President Biden to drop out of the race following a poor debate performance.
And the Houston-area Democrat says he heard about it.
“I was told that I would be primaried. I was a DINO, a Democrat in name only,” Rep. Reynolds told us on Inside Texas Politics.
Rep. Reynolds was a national delegate at the Democratic National Convention, so he watched first-hand as Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for President, making her the first Black and South Asian woman to do it.
While he says he hasn’t heard any apologies from those who previously excoriated him for his stance, he has heard from plenty of folks who are happy that Vice President Harris is now the official nominee.
“We see record fundraising. We see record enthusiasm. There’s optimism. There’s energy. It’s electrifying. So, I feel validated. I feel vindicated,” the Democrat said.
Reynolds says the hard part begins now, bringing the enthusiasm and excitement from the convention back to Texas. That’s job number one for the delegates, the candidates and even the precinct chairs back home, he said.
And Reynolds acknowledges that won’t be easy.
“I’m not going to sit here and lie and say oh yes, we’re about to turn Texas blue. But I do think that it’s plausible. The demographics are there. There are more African Americans in Texas than any other state,” Reynolds said. “Kamala Harris is an X-Factor that I think is going to be very pivotal in helping flip some seats that we need in the Texas House.”
Texas may not be a battleground state, but Reynolds says it is an opportunity state.
The state representative, who chairs the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, says Harris’ candidacy has electrified the African American community. And that, he argues, will help down-ballot candidates in urban areas.
“Houston. Dallas. San Antonio. I believe that there are going to be Democrat pickup opportunities that we’re going to see,” relayed Reynolds.
Asked if he sees any major pitfalls facing Harris between now and election day, Reynolds pointed to race and gender.
“I think there are still some people, quite candidly speaking, that are very concerned that a woman can be the President. I think we’re ready to break that glass ceiling," Reynolds said. "There are others saying maybe she has a double negative because she’s an African American, Indian and female. I think that we’re going to have to break that cycle. And so, that’s a challenge that she’s going to have to overcome.”
Early voting runs from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1.
Election day is Nov. 5 when polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.