the governor has said he does not support legalizing the drug, Beto ORourke, the Democratic nominee for governor, Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals (TORCH), Gov. Hays, a longtime rancher and equal rights lawyer, campaigned on a platform of rebuilding rural communities, sustainable agriculture and legalizing cannabis. Susan Hays, a prominent cannabis lawyer and hemp advocate, announced she was running for agriculture commissioner, giving Democrats their first candidate to challenge Republican incumbent Sid Miller. Miller believes there is enough support in the Legislature for a bill to pass, but we do have to get it by leadership, Miller said. height: 22px; background-color: #f9f9f9; } .non_result_row th { What does that title mean? margin: 0px 10px; Not always. So what would you like to see Texas do, and how would your role as agriculture commissioner fit in there? div.oneoff-scrollbox.regular { height:400px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } And because it [was] run by an out-of-state corporation that doesnt particularly care. background-color: #dac113; Source. Hays appears to have a fundraising edge. A Conversation with Agriculture Commissioner Candidate Susan The contest to serve as rural Texas ambassador to the state has become animated. Democratic challenger Susan Hays, left, will face Republican Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in November. This years election cycle saw low turnout for early voting compared with 2020 and 2018, and more people waited to vote on Election Day this year. display: inline-block; You look at maps of where theres medical cannabis and Texas usually is counted as not having a program at all, because its such a joke. In 2020, she represented Harris County in several cases as the county worked to figure out voting in the pandemic against a backdrop of furious opposition from state officials. font-weight: 100; } Which is the exact opposite of what an AG Commissioner ought to be doing. We dont own the land, the land owns us, Miller said. In recent days that speculation has solidified, with sources telling Texas Signal that by Jessica Montoya Coggins | Apr 26, 2023. Texas agriculture commissioner

2023 Texas Standard. overflow: hidden; position: relative; Susan Hays is challenging the Republican incumbent in the November midterm elections. He said rural hospitals are in good shape since federal and state funds were distributed to facilities around Texas during the pandemic. height: 100%; She spoke with the Texas Standard about why she, a progressive, has decided to challenge a conservative incumbent in a deep red state. But Hays doesnt. However, crop insurance does not make up for the millions of dollars in lost products, whether that be cotton or vegetable crops. } But Hays still has odds stacked against her: A Democrat has not won a statewide election in Texas in almost 25 years. max-width: 600px; View race. font-size: 16px; LUBBOCK A mere 44 miles, a flyspeck on the map, separates the Central Texas towns where Sid Miller and Susan Hays grew up. Democratic challenger Susan Hays, left, will face Republican Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in November. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. LUBBOCK A mere 44 miles, a flyspeck on the map, separates the Central Texas towns where Sid Miller and Susan Hays grew up. But the Democrat wants the public to know the position is also responsible for rural health care in Texas, and she says she has a plan to save it. Yeah, he did. One of her slogans is Farming is hard. One of the problems of getting into hemp, the varieties of hemp that are for sale arent predictable. Attorney Susan Hays filed to run as a Democratic candidate for agriculture commissioner, taking on the current occupant Republican Sid Miller. Get the latest. WebCommissioner Miller is a businessman who breeds and trains American Quarter Horses. We think Hays is the best choice for Democratic voters. Meet the Republicans and Democrats vying for Texas Agriculture Commissioner in the Texas primary election March 1. Texas For months rumors have swirled that Congressman Colin Allred is considering a challenge to Senator Ted Cruz in 2024. .percentage_number { Were way behind where the public is. | Winner of 2022 Pulitzer Prize in editorial writing. The commission, which reviews state agencies and programs for efficiency, did note that the department's day-to-day responsibilities are largely removed from the politics and public attention focused on the commissioner.. This state is not prepared to deal with something like that because of the lack of enforcement mechanism. Commissioner In his spare time, he is a recognized rodeo cowboy who holds 12 world championship titles. A variety that does really well in Oregon, wont do well in Texas. Ive always been deeply attached to the land, and enjoy being out in it and getting dirt under my fingernails, Hays said. Miller, a De Leon native, lives in Stephenville, where he began his political career as a school board member. Public policy. .key-messages li {margin-bottom: 10px;} font-weight: bold; overflow-x: auto; Miller also led Hays 51%-40% among almost certain voters in a poll late last month by the Texas Hispanic Policy Foundation. font-size: .9em; It provides financial assistance to farmers and ranchers, offers infrastructure grants in rural communities to attract development, markets Texas products and oversees measuring devices in grocery stores. font-weight: bold; During this election cycle, high-ranking Texas Republicans were privately undermining Miller, too. The coalition also has hotlines available in other languages and for Texans with disabilities. Several studies, reports and courts have found that voter fraud is relatively rare, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy institute. Obviously, the current agriculture commissioner, Sid Miller, is quite a character. We have a really great hemp bill, at least I like to think so because I helped write it. Hays says number one, the state should expand Medicaid. Incumbent Sid Miller defeated Susan Hays in the general election for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture on November 8, 2022. overflow-y: hidden; I spent the pandemic in Alpine, and I now pretty much live there. background-color: #db0000; Are there any other issues that you would like to champion as agriculture commissioner? Farming is hard, but ethics should be easy, Susan Hays has said often on the campaign trail. The winner will serve a four-year term overseeing the Texas Department of Agriculture, which provides financial assistance to farmers, administers the federal free and reduced-lunch programs in schools and regulates hemp production. For legalization, there is a partisan split, but Democrats and independents want to see it legalized, and an increasing number of Republicans want to see it legalized. Find more details here. margin-bottom: -2px !important; } Texas has to deal with the issue, get ahead of the problems, or were going to have a hot mess, much like California did when they failed to effectively regulate their cannabis markets, Hays said. Additionally, you can, County election offices are supposed to post on. But since 2015, 16 rural hospitals have closed, according to TORCH. More recently, Miller was the special guest speaker at a screening of the debunked film 2000 Mules, which falsely claims there was significant voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election. Is there anything else that youd like to say about why youre running? He used taxpayer money to take two out-of-state trips one involved getting a Jesus Shot medical injection in Oklahoma, the other competing in a Mississippi Rodeo Show. Im running for Agriculture Commissioner because corruption is bad div.oneoff-scrollbox.short { height:250px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. Listen to the interview above or read the transcript below. People arent afraid of it anymore. By signing up you agree to ourTerms of ServiceandPrivacy Policy. Compare the candidates answers to our questions in our Voter Guide. Miller opposes legalizing marijuana for recreational use in Texas. Both grew up managing cattle at their families ranches. background-color: green; Seeking ag commissioner job, Democrat Susan Hays focuses on How to vote | His opponents James White on the Republican side and Susan Hays on the Democratic side are saying, Hey, hes your 30-year, longtime political consultant. For federal, district and state elections, Voting machines and software are certified by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and. Additionally, you can confirm with your county elections office whether election day voting is restricted to locations in your designated precinct or if you can cast a ballot at any polling place. WebSusan Hays Candidate for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Democrat Candidate Information Age: 54 City/Town: Austin Address: P.O. Op-Ed: How This Election Is Putting Real Safety On The Ballot In Texas. Susan Hays Political party: Democratic Age as of November 8, 2022: 54 Campaign website: hays4ag.com Occupation: Attorney Education: UT-Austin, B.A. And nobody wants to throw them in jail for that. padding:7px 8px 8px; This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity: Texas Standard: Youre a Democrat running in a largely conservative state. Election day is Nov. 8. width: 100%; .external_links_table { width: auto !important; } All contents licensed under the, Progressive Views: Commerce Department and the CHIPS Act, Progressive Views: Democrats: Contributing to Our Local Community, Progressive Views: Climate Change: Part 3, Progressive Views: The State of the Union is Strong, Guest Column: Christian Values drive local GOP, 216 E. Blanco, Suite 201, Boerne TX 78006, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Int'l License. font-weight: bold; Unfortunately for Texans, weve had an agriculture commissioner whose seven-year tenure has been full of ethical lapses and embarrassing errors in judgment. Doctors were providing care that they practiced a few times in medical school and dont regularly do because theres no other option. The Editorial Board is made up of opinion journalists with wide-ranging expertise whose consensus opinions and endorsements represent the voice of the institution defined as the board members, their editor and the publisher. WebCandidate for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture. [The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA)] collects data on varieties. padding-bottom: 8px; The fight for sustainable agriculture and rational, safe cannabis laws, including legalization, isnt.. She was also instrumental in advocating and drafting the 2019 Texas hemp law. How do you feel about that? .mw-body #mw-content-text th.votebox-results-cell--text { overflow-y: auto; The Texas Department of Agriculture promotes rural development, provides financial assistance to farmers and ranchers, and oversees grocery store operations. left: 0; New HBO Max series Love & Death anchors a Texas true crime story in the human condition. .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { What influenced your decision to take on Sid Miller? The gap in access is only getting wider, she said. } You know, at times statutory changes are needed. ul.key-messages {list-style-type: none; margin-left:10px; } You must have known something. For more on the week in Texas politics, including U.S. Rep. Susan Hays is a Democrat running to be Texas commissioner of agriculture This November, voters will decide contests for a number of statewide offices, from governor to attorney general. Its time that we got the bureaucrats and elected officials out of making medical decisions because what were doing now is picking winners and losers, Miller said. What can you tell them that might convince them to vote for a Democrat for this position? .results_text { And what I think folks who may be anti-cannabis dont understand is unless you have a good regulatory regime, the black markets flood you. Sid Miller, who was elected in 2014, is seeking a third term as agriculture commissioner. If he wants to worry about pandemic issues, he needs to worry about rural hospitals and not vaccine mandates. Nov. 9, 2022 Both candidates have high-profile endorsements three former Texas Supreme Court justices, all Republican, have endorsed Hays, while Miller has former president Donald Trumps endorsement. .widget-value { His support for cannabis legalization ends with compassionate use., When asked about full legalization, Miller adamantly said, Im not for that.. .large-date { text-align: center; margin-top: 30px; margin-bottom: 20px; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600;} } } .votebox-covid-disclaimer { float: right; Nor does Beto ORourke, the Democratic nominee for governor. .hideResponses { display: none;} display: inline-block; By Sean SaldanaSeptember 22, 202212:53 pmGovernment & Politics, Texas Standard Original, Susan Hays is a Democrat running to be Texas commissioner of agriculture. They want better for Texas, but paint different pictures of what that is. word-wrap: break-word; var nTimer = setInterval(function() { There were no incumbents in this race. .electionsectionheading { (Opinion), Israeli-Palestinian progress means mutual recognition (Opinion), Huffines: Lege property tax cut proposals are Band-Aid solutions, Ten Commandments don't belong in Texas public schools (Opinion). Texas Read more about election safeguards here. Susan Hays is a Democrat running to be Texas commissioner of agriculture This November, voters will decide contests for a number of statewide offices, Both their families have been in the state for generations, Hays since just after the Civil War and Millers since the 1700s. Miller cut ties with Smith but said his arrest was politically motivated. Susan Hays is called back to rural life This is the first time Hays is running for elected office, but shes no stranger to Texas politics. Editorial: We recommend Susan Hays in Democratic primary for Agriculture Commissioner, Letter from the editor: Introducing our exclusive new newsletter, More Recommendations from Editorial Board. Horrors Of Texas Abortion Ban Recounted In The Senate, What The Latest Mifepristone Ruling Means For Texans, Banning Medication Abortion Is Deeply Unpopular, Documentary Sheds Light On Black Maternal Care. And that means focusing on your job and engaging on analyzing how to do that effectively, and then actually doing it. No one trusts the incumbent to do whats right for Texas. County officials can begin counting early voting results, including mail-in ballots, on as early as the last day of early voting in large counties. } line-height: 1.5em; In 2018, Miller beat retired Air Force Col. Kim Olson by 5 percentage points. .widget-row.value-only { Well, you know, these things can happen in fairly large agencies and departments. Example video title will go here for this video. .votebox-results-metadata-p { I would love to see more of an investment financially, as well as with time and resources. Building warmth with higher humidity and rain chances later in the week. Instead, it means having a healthy regulatory regime that makes sure the products consumers can access are safe and accurately labeled. } If you voted through a provisional ballot because of an administrative issue or photo ID problem, you should receive a notice by mail letting you know if your ballot was counted by Dec. 2. But something that Im hearing you talk about, though, are these sort of political and broader social implications, when it comes to criminal justice, all of those implications. Patricks office wanted to ban smokable hemp. If reelected, Miller said he would make the issue a top priority in the upcoming legislative session. We have the science on what it helps and what it doesnt., Legalizing medical marijuana would still depend largely on the Republican leadership in Texas Abbott, Lt. Gov. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Election Results 2022: Sid Miller Defeats Susan Hays - The New York Times Advertisement Senate House Uncalled House Races EVALI was the acronym for the condition that people developed. Trending Stories Elections 2022 , Judicial , Local News Counties | clearInterval(nTimer); Both candidates displayed humor, a solid understanding of the job, and maturity levels that seemed to far exceed the incumbents. The Democrat says she has a plan to address rural health care in Texas. DALLAS Attorney Susan Hays says she knows the marijuana issue is garnering most of the headlines in her race for Texas agriculture commissioner. Our Ag Commissioner and his political operatives apparently missed those lessons, Hays said in the news release. Find your county website here. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Election Results - New York Times .votebox_legend .non_result_row { Susan will fight hard for us. Im running for Agriculture Commissioner because corruption is bad for business. No one trusts the incumbent to do whats right for Texas. Farming is hard, but ethics should be easy. Read about Susans campaign on her website. } The results have been certified. He and his wife, Debra, have been married for going on 45 years. Sid Miller and Susan Hays compete for Texas agriculture Trump was in power, and Sid was an early Trump supporter. .votebox-results-cell--number { $('.pastResponses').hide(); border:1px solid #FFB81F; padding-left: 10px; A Chronicle investigation reveals the extent of the ballot paper shortage in Harris County's November election, including how the shortages could impact the future of Texas' election laws. Susan Hays offers a much-needed and sensible new vision for state Agriculture Department The Texas Department of Agriculture commissioner has a big job. Securing a third term with strong support across rural Texas, the Republican pledged to expand medical use of cannabis and funding for rural health care. Oct. 20, 20225 AM Central. confirm with your county elections office, Texas Secretary of State's helpline at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683), who has acknowledged humans have contributed to climate change. Millers ethics problems began soon after he took office in 2015. It sounds like maybe the Legislature would be more of a fit, if youre talking about the kind of sweeping changes youre suggesting. color: #0645ad; Source, tusa-race-stage-summary, tusa-person-summary, tusa-filing-dates { Your opponent is an incumbent with a whole lot more name recognition. } The secretary of states website will also have information on polling locations closer to the start of voting. 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Miller continued, Together with the legislature and all of you, we will pass compassionate use, fund our rural healthcare, ban China from buying TX lands, and unleash our resources to meet our water and power needs for the next 100 years!. Agriculture commissioner is also on the ballot, with incumbent Sid Miller, a Trump-backed Republican, facing Democrat Susan Hays. The Democratic nominee will face a tough race in the fall against a Republican in a state that hasnt elected a Democrat statewide in nearly 30 years. Aside from trying to help make sure there are more rural health care facilities, she said she would also push for the Republican-controlled Legislature to pass a bill expanding Medicaid in the state under the Affordable Care Act. Aarn is an Austin native who previously covered local government for The Kansas City Star and high school sports for the Knoxville News Sentinel. }, 100); } The machines also have seals with unique serial numbers and are locked down at the end of voting. Hays displays a firm command of policy and also struck us as a clear communicator. } @media screen and (max-width: 350px) { Ireson said hell prioritize updating the agriculture departments technology so staff members can better engage with Texans. } Counties must count results from each polling location within 24 hours of the polls closing. Hays has more than doubled Millers fundraising efforts, reporting more than $111,500 to his $48,000, according to Oct. 11 campaign finance reports. } Hays promotes practices that could help farmers boost their crop growth even with Texas changing climate. I could lose everything: Dallas drag performers say Texas bills could impact their jobs, Facebook users can now apply for a portion of a $725 million settlement. And thats not fair to rural Texans. Its hard to do business with [TDA]. .race_header.democratic { .widget-row { So it is absolutely the job of the AG Commissioner to look for new economic models for agriculture and promote them. Miller touts a list of accomplishments over his two terms in office, such as the Farm Fresh program, a farm-to-school initiative that saw schools purchase $65 million worth of fresh food, and Operation Maverick, which investigated more than 7,000 businesses operating with illegal scales. She also wants Texas to expand Medicaid, saying its asinine that the state leaves federal tax dollars on the floor by not. She also plans to push for increased fiscal support for farmers markets and expand a partnership with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension to educate young Texans about agriculture and nutrition. Susan Hays: Candidate for Texas Agriculture Commissioner Millers family has been ranching since the 1700s, and Miller continued that tradition himself. $('.showResponses').on('click', () => { width: 90%; But he does have the support of some high-profile figures on the national stage, including Donald Trump. } Texas agriculture commissioner If you found the reporting above valuable, please consider making a donation to support it here. Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Ill also say this about rural healthcare, having grown up in rural Texas, I know how important having a rural hospital is to the local economy. .inner_percentage.Republican { .race_footer { Susan will fight hard for us. text-align: left; Jessica attended Harvard College, is a onetime fitness blogger, and has now transitioned to recreational runner (for which her joints are thankful). The ag commission has a rural hospital program. $(".collapse-all").on('click', () => { .mw-body #mw-content-text .votebox .race_header h5.votebox-header-election-type { Another reason Texas leads the nation in rural hospital closures is because it has the largest number of rural hospitals in the country with 158. The deadline to register to vote in the 2022 primary election was Oct. 11. .inner_percentage.Green { Miller claimed there havent been many rural hospital closures during his tenure, citing that a majority go back to 2005 a decade before he became commissioner. Hays, 53, is a headstrong Democrat and an equal rights lawyer who has fought for women, pregnant minors and Texas voters. Take, for example, rural health care. They could not make it without that expanded patient base. by Vanessa Fuentes & Jalen McKee-Rodriguez | May 1, 2023. } margin-top: 1em; And he touts the Texas Sunset Advisory Commissions review of the agency from 2021 in which the department was called well-managed.. Voters can still cast votes without those IDs if they sign a form swearing that they have a reasonable impediment from obtaining a proper photo ID or use a provisional ballot.