Comal County Democratic Party Chair Marilyn Aden said she’s seen a big influx of volunteers since President Joe Biden stepped aside as a candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris became the unofficial Democratic nominee for president in July.
“It’s busy, it’s nice, it’s wonderful, the enthusiasm,” Aden said.
Volunteers are signing up through the party’s website and two dozen people regularly show up at party headquarters in New Braunfels for Friday afternoon postcard-writing parties. The campaign workers are informally vetted to make sure they’re not local Republicans looking to spy on their Democratic neighbors.
“Lots of Democrats do vote Republican because we’re in a red county,” she said. “…We’re hoping to change that.”
Aden said volunteers also are needed for block-walking and to serve as election clerks and workers for the November election.
Democrats are focused on flipping precincts on the southeast side of the county, including 301, 303, 304. 307 and 308, she said.
That’s Comal County Pct. 3 Commissioner Kevin Webb’s territory. The Republican is up for reelection on Nov. 5.
His opponent, Democrat Tanya Marroquin, is an environmentalist who says she wants to do something about the impact of the county’s rapid growth on people, trees, wildlife and natural resources.
She said Harris is causing voters to rethink party affiliation.
“…Now they’re looking at the Democrats a little bit different,” she said. “I think it gives us some hope.”
Democrat Kristin Hook, Ph.D., who is running to represent Comal County in the race for Texas District 21 in the U.S. House of Representatives, said Harris spells bad news for incumbent Republican Chip Roy.
“As a young woman, Latina, and down-ballot candidate running for the first time, I am very excited to have Kamala at the top of the ticket and am confident that she is going to energize voters to show up,” she said in an email to MyCanyonLake.com.
“In Comal, I know a lot of folks support Trump. That spells bad news for my opponent Chip Roy, a Trump-declared RINO (Republican in name only) who supported Ron DeSantis for president and blames Trump for the border crisis. Thankfully, voters in Comal don’t have to vote for those they do not like and can skip Chip on their ballot.”
Hook earned a doctorate degree in animal behavior from Cornell University and worked for Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the National Institute of Health and the U.S. Government Accountability Office before returning home to a “very different” Texas in 2022.
“Like so many others, I do not feel that I am being represented by our policymakers, and I am worried for my friends, family, and neighbors,” she said on her website.
The advocacy group Democrats of Comal County meets from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Tye Preston Memorial Library, 16311 S. Access Rd., Canyon Lake.
Comal Republican Party Chair Mark Montgomery did not respond to a request for comment about the impact of Harris’s race on local politics.
This is insane Democrats are Evil. Kamal Harris incompetent, she cant talk,or hold intelligent conversation. VP PICK Waltz aka Tampon Tim. This what he has to offer transgender sex changes young kids and prisoners who want the operation of the expense of tax payers. That is so wrong.. That’s crazy both want to defund the Police. New VP Anti-Israel thats not good. Ppl do you have a brain do your research.
Pffft-once again a media attempt to paint a lie as truth., an assault on our neighbors and friends, our beloved county by people complicit in creating/spreading harm.
Our great state of Texas swill always be red the democRATS will never win
Do these people have a clue what Harris’ policies are?
Go Kamala!! Texas has been blue before, now it’s purple and we will make it blue again! 💙💙💙
I’m very excited to see Kamala in the race!!!💙💙💙