1 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:04,720 You are in right now Carrollton, Texas, which is divided 2 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:06,000 between three counties. 3 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,000 So each of the candidates we're going to ask to 4 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,040 make sure to make sure you say which county that 5 00:00:11,040 --> 00:00:11,680 you're running in. 6 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:13,600 That is important in this area. 7 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:16,560 We're going to start tonight with our State House candidates, 8 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:18,800 but first I want to thank the people who organized 9 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:19,520 this event. 10 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:21,680 Judy Clay, who's in the back. 11 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:26,640 She is the master of ceremonies, teaching. 12 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:30,400 She's done so much. 13 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:32,800 Adam Coulter up here. 14 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,280 As the format is going to go, each of the 15 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:45,840 candidates have been given a certain time limit in which 16 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:48,320 to speak, and then we're going to ask them a 17 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:53,680 Thanksgiving based question that they must answer honestly and 18 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:55,680 they could not have prepared for. 19 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:58,960 So that's going to be exciting. 20 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:03,280 If you have questions for the candidates, we would like 21 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:06,160 if you could hold it to the end, but we 22 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,480 are going to try to build in some time here, 23 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:09,280 okay? 24 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,160 Tonight we're going to start with some candidates who are 25 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:14,000 not going to be speaking, but we do want to 26 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:14,640 introduce. 27 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,200 So if you are a candidate running for office who 28 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,280 isn't speaking tonight, can you stand up? 29 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:21,040 Tell us what position you're running for. 30 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:22,800 First up we have Denise. 31 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:27,360 Yes. 32 00:01:28,960 --> 00:01:31,520 Let me speak in a few seconds before you start 33 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:32,080 it. 34 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:34,000 No, I want to say hello. 35 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,080 They told me to prepare three and a half minutes. 36 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:38,480 Now I've been trying to cut it down, y'all. 37 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:40,400 Okay, I have to talk fast. 38 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:41,200 My name is Dr. 39 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:42,160 Denise Wooten. 40 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:43,440 I'm a licensed psychologist. 41 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:45,680 I've been practicing for over 30 years. 42 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:49,120 I specialize in kids with autism and ADHD. 43 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,280 And I'm also now in my seventh year as a 44 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,240 community college professor, which I love. 45 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:57,280 I first ran for Texas HD 63, which is all 46 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:01,160 Denton County, last year in 2012. 47 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,200 My team and I made valiant efforts, in my opinion, 48 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:06,840 to try to make forward progress in that district 49 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:13,000 So we ended up achieving the sixth best losing 50 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:17,320 percentage in a red district in Texas, and we were 51 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:21,320 named the sixth most likely district to flip blue in 52 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:23,640 the next election cycle or two. 53 00:02:23,640 --> 00:02:26,040 So I consider that we made progress. 54 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:30,440 And because I'm a human services provider, I'm prioritizing two 55 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:34,920 major key issues for this election cycle: public education and 56 00:02:34,920 --> 00:02:35,880 health care. 57 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,360 That's the two things I know the most about. 58 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:41,640 So public education, which involves the preschool program for children 59 00:02:41,640 --> 00:02:46,200 with disabilities, K-12, community college, that's supposed to be the 60 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:51,000 great equalizer of opportunity for people that are rich, so 61 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:52,920 that they can make advances in their life and have 62 00:02:52,920 --> 00:02:54,120 a decent income. 63 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,400 Well, Texas is second in the amount of hunger due 64 00:02:57,400 --> 00:02:58,760 to poverty we have. 65 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:02,200 So if we don't help our public education system, how 66 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:04,120 are they going to get out of poverty and be 67 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:05,560 able to feed their families? 68 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:08,040 So to me that's a hugely important issue. 69 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:10,200 Secondly, health care, especially mental health. 70 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:12,120 I went to a conference this past weekend. 71 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:13,800 I'm having to talk really quickly. 72 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:19,480 Texas is 50th, y'all, in the nation in 73 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:23,000 the amount of funding and services we have for mental 74 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:24,120 health. 75 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:26,440 So not only does that leave a ton of people 76 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,400 suffering, but all the things that get blamed on mental 77 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:33,560 health problems, including mass shootings and the poor delivery of 78 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:36,920 mental health care services, we can't fix that unless we 79 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:38,360 get more funding. 80 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:42,520 So I would very much appreciate your support and considering 81 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:45,440 me to be the representative that you want to send 82 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,560 down to Austin to work on behalf of people's lives. 83 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:51,360 My causes are public education and health care. 84 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:52,160 And again, I'm Dr 85 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:53,440 Janice Wooten. 86 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:54,160 Thank you. 87 00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:59,680 We do have less time. 88 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:02,000 I thought you were kidding. 89 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:03,040 No, I was not kidding. 90 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:03,680 Hi, everybody. 91 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:06,560 My name's Cassandra Hernandez, and I am running to be 92 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:09,600 your next state representative for House District 115. 93 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:12,000 I'm a trial lawyer, but first and foremost, I'm a 94 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:13,200 community advocate. 95 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:15,600 And I've done a lot of work in Austin as 96 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:19,280 well as here locally with a lot of different organizations. 97 00:04:19,280 --> 00:04:22,080 I had the opportunity to head up and I'm currently 98 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:25,280 the chairwoman of a statewide women's caucus. 99 00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:27,600 And what I did is we put on a Texas 100 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,560 Ledge Academy and we showed women not only how bills 101 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:33,120 pass, but I was able to head up a lobby 102 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,920 and take our women to the Capitol and walk through 103 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:39,360 the halls and fight to get back our reproductive rights 104 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:43,040 and more importantly to stand up for Texas families, not 105 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,080 only for us individually, but for us to be able 106 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,280 to make decisions for our children with medical doctors. 107 00:04:49,280 --> 00:04:52,160 I also had the opportunity this lunch session to go 108 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:55,120 and stand alongside one of my really good friends and 109 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:59,760 mentors, Representative Julie Johnson, and she uh was heading up 110 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:02,560 and pushing the bill, the Live Well Texas bill. 111 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:05,760 And I went with Texas Organizing Project in Sycabit, Texas 112 00:05:05,840 --> 00:05:08,400 to stand alongside her and give her that support. 113 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,520 And unfortunately, it did not pass, but we will continue 114 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:14,560 to champion that for my dear friend Julie, of course. 115 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:18,400 And then as a everytown fellow, somebody who lost her 116 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,000 father to gun violence. 117 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:22,400 I can tell you that as somebody who has advocated 118 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:25,440 for common sense gun legislation for a very long time, 119 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,320 I will continue to champion that, and I will never 120 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:31,400 give up that fight that we desperately need to bring 121 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:33,560 here to the state of Texas. 122 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,760 I am a proud product of public education 123 00:05:36,840 --> 00:05:38,600 And I know that there are so many in this 124 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:40,840 room who feel that way because I've seen a lot 125 00:05:40,840 --> 00:05:44,200 of you at my public education town hall that we 126 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:47,240 put on, and I know that I couldn't wait until 127 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,440 November 2024 to stand up for our schools. 128 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:54,280 And so we took people here from House District 115, 129 00:05:54,280 --> 00:05:57,160 Dallas County, and we took them to Austin to stand 130 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:01,080 shoulder to shoulder with public education advocates and tell Governor 131 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,480 Abbott that we are no to vouchers, that we are 132 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:07,320 for fully funding public education, taking care of our schools, 133 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:10,680 and setting up our future generation for success. 134 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,800 I have been working very hard locally as well in 135 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:14,360 Austin. 136 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,320 This has given me the experience as well as the 137 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:21,720 opportunities and reputation with my future colleagues, our amazing Dallas 138 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:25,960 Dallas delegation, as well as my ability to fundraise, and 139 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:27,720 all of these things are going to be very important 140 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,120 in making sure that I hit the ground running well 141 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:32,040 before I get sworn in. 142 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:33,800 And I hope that I'll have your support. 143 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:37,960 My website's www.cassandrafortexas.com. 144 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:41,320 Thank you so much. 145 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:46,520 I'm a representative here from the Scarlet Cornwallis campaign for 146 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:49,960 Texas House District 115 in Dallas County. 147 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:52,680 It's with great respect and a touch of regret that 148 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:55,480 I inform you Scarlett is ill and could not be 149 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:56,600 here tonight. 150 00:06:56,600 --> 00:07:00,200 So she is sending, has entrusted me to convey her 151 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:01,720 message to you. 152 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:03,960 Um, I am not a candidate, so this is a 153 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:06,680 little nerve-wracking for me, so please bear with me. 154 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:10,040 But these are Scarlett's words for you all as House 155 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:12,440 District 115. 156 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:16,240 Scarlett holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and an 157 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:21,520 MBA, accolades that signify her commitment to education and expertise 158 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:23,680 in complex problem solving. 159 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:27,760 In her professional life, Scarlett manages multi-million dollar projects in 160 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:32,720 the world of cloud computing, balancing immense responsibility with strategic 161 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:36,240 foresight, a testament to the skills she plans to bring 162 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:37,520 to the Capitol. 163 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:40,960 At home, Scarlett Cornwallis is the pillar of her family 164 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:46,400 and the mother of five, yes, five children, 165 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,240 and she runs her home. 166 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:53,280 Her empathy for those managing careers alongside familial duties runs 167 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:53,760 deep. 168 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:56,960 And she is keenly aware from taking care of our 169 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:00,960 aging parents to understanding the struggles of families living paycheck 170 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:02,640 to paycheck. 171 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:03,920 Let's be clear. 172 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:07,040 In this election, no candidate comes with an office holder's 173 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:07,760 resume. 174 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:10,320 What sets us apart is our understanding of the real 175 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:13,760 world problems and our commitment to solving them. 176 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:17,840 Scarlett brings a unique perspective shaped by hands-on experience and 177 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:21,760 years of service as a devoted Democratic precinct chair and 178 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:26,400 a volunteer contributing to over 35 charitable organizations throughout North 179 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:27,280 Texas. 180 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,800 Scarlett's campaign is a beacon of integrity, free from the 181 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:33,840 influence of PACs or special interest groups. 182 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:37,120 Her only commitment is to you, the people of this 183 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:37,840 district. 184 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:39,920 She will never have to answer to big money. 185 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:42,720 Scarlett will only answer to the real voters in House 186 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:44,080 District 115. 187 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:47,920 Scarlett's integrity is unwavering and her vision is clear. 188 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:50,960 As your House of Representative, Scarlett aims to harness her 189 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:55,760 expertise to fortify our public education, secure our health care, 190 00:08:55,760 --> 00:09:00,520 support common sense, gun safety, protect women's rights, and bolster 191 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:01,960 the local economy. 192 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:04,680 and Her vision is clear a Texas where every 193 00:09:04,680 --> 00:09:06,760 family can thrive succeed. 194 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:09,480 So we ask you to stand with Scarlett Cornwallis to 195 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:12,360 volunteer, vote, and donate. 196 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,560 Thank you. 197 00:09:15,560 --> 00:09:18,520 I'm running in House District 115, which is on the 198 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:21,000 Dallas County side of Carrollton. 199 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,800 I am proud to say, y'all, that I grew up 200 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,520 down the street here in Carrollton, and this is the 201 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:29,400 public library that my dad, who's here, used to take 202 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:29,880 me to. 203 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:32,120 So this is an incredible opportunity to be here as 204 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:32,760 a candidate. 205 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:34,680 It makes me a little bit teary-eyed. 206 00:09:34,680 --> 00:09:37,080 I'm so proud to be a product of the Carrollton 207 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:38,040 Public Schools. 208 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:38,920 They gave me everything. 209 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:40,360 I have a lot of school teachers who are telling 210 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:42,520 me, Kate, I'm so proud of you for running for 211 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:43,880 office in this area. 212 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:46,680 And I say, y'all, it is because of you. 213 00:09:46,680 --> 00:09:49,880 That is why I'm here, public schools here in Carrollton. 214 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:52,840 And with that foundation, I want to make sure our 215 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:57,240 public schools are safe and fully funded, y'all. 216 00:09:57,240 --> 00:09:59,880 We are still in a fight with public for public.