McALLEN — In a room full of supporters, Michelle Vallejo and Rochelle Garza — both Democrats set to appear on the ballot in November — imparted a crucial message to Rio Grande Valley voters: all eyes are on them.
Vallejo and Garza — the Democratic nominees for Texas’ 15th congressional district and Texas Attorney General, respectively — held a town hall meeting that brought abortion rights, reproductive rights and health care to the forefront.
As they pledged to work at the state and federal levels to protect access to contraception and health care, they said the constituents of the 15th congressional district had the power to decide whether those rights would be secured.
“When it comes to federal office and when it comes to running for Congress, we need to hold on to the House majority, and the pathway to do that is through Texas District 15,” Vallejo said.
“This race is the number one most competitive congressional seat in the state of Texas … and what we need is to hold this House majority because we need to pass legislation at the federal level that will protect our right to contraception.”
Garza, who is also in a close race against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, stressed the competitiveness of Vallejo’s race.
“That means that your voices can change the course of the country when it comes to the House,” Garza said. “What an incredible position to be in.
“I’m proud of that and I’m proud of Michelle for doing what she’s doing,” Garza added. “Our voices are going to change the course of the country.”
Taking questions from reporters before the town hall, Garza criticized the state’s restrictions on abortion that were enacted earlier this year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
“Right now, I’m not going to mince words about where we’re at, there is no access to abortion care,” Garza said. “A doctor cannot provide you care until you are septic, until you are on your deathbed — that is not who we are as Texans; we do not want our daughters to die.”
As attorney general, Garza said she would constitutionally protect abortion rights for Texans.
“I do not answer to the legislature or to the governor or to the lieutenant governor,” Garza said about her role if elected attorney general. “I answer to the people of Texas, and the people of Texas are asking for this important privacy right to be respected and that’s what I will work towards as attorney general.”
At the federal level, Vallejo said she would vote for legislation that would reinstate rights to abortion and birth control, such as the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2021 that passed the House but was not taken up by the Senate.
“Also, I want to reiterate that this issue is one that is critical across the board for every single voter in this district, not just women,” Vallejo said.
Vallejo and Garza also touched on the general health care needs of the Rio Grande Valley.
Asked about the common practice among many residents of crossing the border into Mexico for affordable medical treatment, Vallejo said it was a sign people weren’t getting what they needed here.
“Everybody I talk to can’t get what they need when it comes to their healthcare and so a lot of people go over to Mexico,” Vallejo said. “We should not stand by this. We cannot allow for this to be OK just because it’s the way we’ve always done it.”
Both candidates also pointed out that people from the Valley have historically had to drive hours away to San Antonio or Houston for specialized care.
“A lot of people in our region don’t have access to specialists, so health care is critically important,” Garza said.
The issue resonated personally with Vallejo because that was the experience for her mother, who died after years of battling multiple sclerosis.
“That’s why my parents had to start a business, because they were not able to hold regular nine to five jobs,” Vallejo said about her parents, who opened Pulga Los Portales in Alton. She now co-owns it with her father. “Suddenly, she would have to go to the emergency room and that was the journey for her.”
Vallejo underscored the power that lies with the voters and asked supporters to convince their family and friends to vote, no matter how annoying they had to be.
Garza warned about what Paxton might do following the November midterm elections, noting Paxton recently issued an opinion that could have allowed anyone access to inspect ballots. A few days later, Paxton released another opinion reversing course.
“The question that should be on our minds is, what is Ken Paxton going to do on November 9,” Garza said. “And he’s not just going to do that in our race, he’s going to do it in a lot of other races, so our democracy is on the line.”
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