((PKG)) YOUTH VOTE
((Banner: Young Voters))
((Reporter/Camera: Esha Serai))
((Adapted by: Aisha Henderson))
((Map: Houston, Texas))
((NATS))
((Banner: Young volunteers and voters have come out to support Texas senatorial candidates Beto O’Rourke and Ted Cruz at their respective rallies.))
((Elvonte Patton, Founder, The Young and The Politics))
I’m actually not volunteering, per se, for Beto’s campaign, but I am volunteering to make sure that young people get out to vote. And I think it’s very important for young people to get out to vote because this is their country as well. One thing we have to do is, we have to get younger people involved, even to run, because when you see someone your age running, it motivates you. It lets you know, “well, I can do that too.” And if you don’t see it, you’re not motivated.
((NATS))
((Beto O’Rourke, Democratic Candidate))
I would never ask any young person to vote for anyone if no one has shown up to find out what’s on their mind, what’s important to them, to hear about the most important issues in this country from their perspectives. It is the power of people and the force of the leadership of young people specifically, that has pulled us within contention and will bring us over the finish line ahead of everyone else and ahead for this country, for this state, for their generation, and every generation that follows.
((NATS))
((Tony Villarreal-Dowlearn, O’Rourke Supporter))
You know, whenever we have people incarcerated for minor drug offenses, and we’re leading the nation right now in those incarcerations, you know, I think that’s a fundamental problem that today’s youth has seen but no politician before has addressed. This is our chance to turn Texas blue finally, once and for all.
((NATS))
((Ted Cruz, Republican Senator))
So I believe in maximum mobility for people with nothing being able to achieve everything.
((NATS))
((Karl Schmidt, Cruz Supporter))
I’ve always really loved Cruz himself. I remember back in 2014, the first time I met him actually. He came to my high school and he gave a talk to my high school. I don’t know, he just felt like a really real guy. He was just really able to relate to people and I like that.
((John White, Cruz Supporter))
Well the main thing is the commitment to the Constitution. I’ve admired Ted Cruz for that for a long time.
((Ted Cruz, Republican Senator))
The strength of our campaigns have always been among young people. When I ran the first time for Senate in 2012, we had enormous support from young people, from high school students and college kids and young professionals working hard, volunteering, helping lead the campaign.
((Elvonte Patton, Founder, The Young and The Politics))
I don’t care who you vote for. Go vote. Go exercise your right to vote. That’s all that matters to me. Party lines at this moment in time don’t matter. If you look at the research, young people don’t care about Democrats or Republicans. But we have to get them out to vote and show that they don’t care and go vote for the best candidate out there.
