TEXAS, USA — Texas Democrats haven’t been close to statewide control of politics in several decades.
One veteran Democrat from Dallas has lived through this power outage and has some thoughts on how his party could regain control.
“I think they should be speaking out, saying no, being willing to incur the displeasure of the Republican leadership, including the Speaker or the Lieutenant Governor in the Senate,” State Rep. John Bryant told us on Y’all-itics. “And let the public see the difference between what Democrats are arguing for and what Republicans are doing while they have power.”
Bryant should know. He served in the Texas legislature from 1974 to 1982. After that, he was a member of Congress from 1983 to 1997.
After a 24-year break, the Democrat decided to run again for the Texas House and was elected last year to represent District 114.
And he can point to the moment when he decided to re-enter political life.
“The invasion of the U.S. Capitol by this mob and the increasing amount of authoritarian talk about the future,” said the Democrat.
Now 76, Bryant ordered a cold one and joined us on Y’all-itics to discuss a blueprint for his party moving forward.
“So, being in the minority for that length of time, I think they have developed a lot of bad habits which are: try to go along to get along, try to get by with a smile on a shoeshine, hoping their personalities can keep them below the radar screen and maybe pass a bill here or pass a bill there,” said the veteran lawmaker.
The Y’all-itics team recorded this podcast at The Stoneleigh P, the iconic bar in Uptown Dallas that first started pouring pints in the early 1970s, around the same time Bryant was first elected to the Texas legislature.
The Stoneleigh P will be changing locations next year on its 51st birthday, and the owner’s daughter, now a co-owner herself, also joined Y’all-itics to explain the impending move.
“We got a new landlord during COVID, and he wants to take over this space, put his own bar here, and just kicking us out,” Laura Garrison told us. “We are actively looking for a new spot. We’ve got things in the works. Nothing concrete."
Listen to the full episode of Y’all-itics to learn more about the future of The Stoneleigh P… and the future for Texas Democrats in a state where Republicans retain a solid grip on state politics. Cheers!
