Johnny Garcia Discusses Turning TX House Seat Blue

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0:30Ben Meiselas:A nightmare scenario for Donald Trump in red states like Texas. In Texas, Donald Trump's approval right now is net negative 25. Let me repeat that. In Texas, the latest Economist poll has Donald Trump's approval at net negative 25. Zoom out a little bit. Nationally, you take a look at the latest Beaconshaw research poll. He's net negative 21 overall on immigration, net negative 14 on gas prices, net negative 54 % on the economy, net negative 37 % on Iran, net negative 29%. Zoom out on another poll, a Morris poll. Donald Trump's disapproval is at 60%, net negative 27 % overall there. You take a look at some states that are purple, reddish, look at like a purple state, a swing state like Pennsylvania.

1:26Ben Meiselas:There you have the Democratic Governor Shapiro is leading the MAGA Republican candidate by massive amounts, 50 % to 28%. It's not even a close race in a swing state like Pennsylvania. Let's take a look at a state like Ohio, where Democrats are leading both in the governor's race and in the Senate race right now. Amy Acton beating Vivek Ramaswamy, 47 % to 44 % in the latest Tolchin poll. And Sherrod Brown may be able to reclaim that Senate seat. He was a great senator also. Leading John Husted, 46 % to 42%. Husted's the MAGA Republican senator right now who has that seat. Let's take a look at Florida, where you have a Democrat, David Jolly, leading the ultra-MAGA Republican, Byron Donalds, 49 % to 43%.

2:19Ben Meiselas:Then in the Senate seat there, Ashley Moody is tied with Alexander Vidman, 46 % to 46%. Folks, this could be a tsunami of massive proportions, and Donald Trump just seems to make things worse. While the American people are suffering while the ceasefire seems to be collapsing. The White House posted this message yesterday. We really saved America before GTA 6. Make America great again. Saved us from what? How did you save us? You've made things dramatically worse. What a bunch of absolute psychopaths. And the American people see this regime for the psychopaths that they are. Even in, want to talk about Ohio?

3:02Ben Meiselas:In J.D. Vance's home state of Ohio, he's got net negative approvals. In Ohio, people hate J.D. Vance. Listen to what Harry Anton has to say. Play this clip. Take a look here. Now, this is the general electorate, but Vance's net favorability rating in Ohio, you know, you go back to the 2024 election, he was at plus five points. Even in Ohio, in J.D. Vance's home state, among the electorate overall, he is underwater among independents. Look at this. he's 27 points underwater jd vance not so popular in the buckeye state problems at home how about his net approval overall yeah how about his net approval rating overall you know there's all this discussion you know jd vance writes essentially you know the uh childless cat ladies right that was the thing he very much regretted almost regretted more than anything else you might say okay how's he doing among women among men well he's underwater with both of them among men he's slightly underwater at minus two points.

3:59Of course, if you're a Republican, you need to be popular with men if you're going to win a national election among women. He is way underwater. He's 26 points underwater. And the gender gap in the Quinnipiac University, Paul, when you matched him up against other Republicans in the Trump cabinet, the highest, the largest gender gap, it actually belonged to J.D. Vance. He doesn't need to win women if he's going to win in 2020, but he can't be this unpopular among them.

4:23Ben Meiselas:Yes. What about how independents feel about Donald Trump and J.D. Vance. Trump is 55 points underwater with independence. 55 points underwater with independence. And this is a state regime media Fox poll. There's never been worse numbers ever in the history of ever. That's how unpopular Donald Trump and J.D. Vance are. Listen to it yourself. Let's play this clip. Yeah, I think the American people are going, what was the point of all of that what was the point of all that because the american people hated it and the way you can know that they hate it just take a look trump's net approval ratings hits lows for fox poll and this are fox polls in may he had his lowest ever rating at minus 22 points you come into the poll that was released last night the second lowest ever one point better at minus 21 points way underwater and with independents i know you love when i point out the independence, Johnny B.

5:2155 points underwater. I mean, my goodness gracious, this was a political disaster. No wonder the president wants to move on from it. He said he didn't want to be Herbert Hoover. It may be that voters were already looking at him like that in a manner of speaking. What about on inflation, which may be driving some of these numbers and directly related to the war with Iran? Yeah, you know, you mentioned Herbert Hoover, the economy, right? That sunk his presidency. Inflation is what is sinking Donald Trump's presidency. to all-time lows at least according to fox because just take a look here look at ipsos polling trump's not approval rating on inflation pre-arm war it was bad right it was 33 points underwater but then look in the past month the average according to the ipsos polling look at that 51 points underwater there was no president ever before that had any poll in which he was 50 points underwater on inflation or worse and the average of the ipsos polling over the last month was 51 points underwater on inflation.

6:21The Iran war absolutely drove Trump to new lows on the issue that got him reelected in the first place, inflation, which is why he was seeing Herbert

6:30Ben Meiselas:Hoover. And we go to Georgia, for example, as well, where it seems that Democrats are poised to take over the governor's seat and the Senate seat right there. The first time that could happen since 1990. Listen to what Enten has to say about that. Let's bring him in right here. Well, we're talking about the fact that if you look at the chance that the Democrats win both governor and Senate, look at that. Keisha Lance-Bombs, you mentioned a 52 percent chance of winning the governorship there. And then John Ossoff, a clear favorite on the Senate side, an 82 percent chance. Remember when he won back in 2020, his first term into 2021, he won in the runoff in 2021.

7:09It was a real fight. This is indicating that he is a clear favorite. He is the first Democrat to be a clear favorite for a Senate race in a generation. I was up all night counting those numbers on the magic wall. And it was five votes here, five votes there. Now an 82 percent chance to win. There's been a long time since Democrats won both a Senate seat and a governor's mansion in the same election. Yeah. So, you know, you see blue here. This is a close race. This is a toss up. But the mere fact that Bottoms has a real shot of winning and then also being a clear favorite here. You know, I have to go back through the record books.

7:40The last time that in the same year a Democrat won both the governor's race and the Senate race in Georgia was 36 years ago. It was nineteen hundred and ninety. You had Sam Nunn winning reelection. You had Zell Miller being elected governor for the first time. Of course, Zell Miller became considerably more conservative down the road. But what we're looking at right now, the potential is for a historic election in Georgia for Democrats, the first time potentially since all the way back in 1990, in which they won both the governor's race and the Senate race in the same year. Georgia looking a lot more blue than at least during my lifetime.

8:20Ben Meiselas:It usually is. It was a very different George. And now I want to talk to the Democratic candidate right now for the 35th Congressional District in Texas, a deputy sheriff by the name of Johnny Garcia. You know, the MAGA Republicans in Texas gerrymandered the hell out of the state. But Johnny Garcia, guys, super popular. He may be able to pick up the state that the MAGA Republicans were trying to rig and turn it into a MAGA pickup. up. Let me bring in my interview right here with Johnny Garcia that I did before. Let's bring in Johnny. Now I want to bring in Johnny Garcia off the big primary win in Texas's 35th congressional district.

9:05Ben Meiselas:Johnny, great to see you. This is a very critical district going into the midterms. It's one of the gerrymandered Frankensteinian redistricts by the MAGA Republicans. This is an area where you're running against a Trump endorsed ultra MAGA guy by the name of Carlos de la Cruz. People know you in the area as a deputy sheriff and Bexar County. You were a kind of SWAT hostage negotiator over there. For those watching here, the 35th is kind of the East Range of San Antonio area. And lots of people are paying attention because this is one of those districts that MAGA was saying and Trump was saying and Abbott was saying, we can try to eke out new seats for Republicans.

9:54Ben Meiselas:And then there are candidates like you jumping into this race and people are saying, not so fast. And now people are looking at a race like yours and saying, actually, this could be a Democratic pickup right here. So first, why don't we just start with just the overall feel, the vibe, what's going on in the 35th and your view about this district and why you think you can win this district? Yeah, well, first of all, thanks for having me on. It's a pleasure. I'm a huge fan of the show. So it's kind of surreal being on. But nevertheless, look, they did exactly what you talked about. They redrew this district to silence Latino and minority voters in this district because they thought they would have the chance to tip the scales in this midterm election cycle, redraw this district to favor Republicans.

10:39and we're getting to see how that is backfiring on them on every single day basis. When we're talking about this district, it is a majority Latino district here in South Central Texas. It's rooted in San Antonio. It has Guadalupe County, Wilson County and Carnes counties. And although those areas were drawn up to be Republican strongholds, We're getting to see and talk to folks that are just fed up and frustrated with this economy and how it's hurting working class families the hardest. You know, when I'm out there in the district, affordability continues to be the primary focal point in this election cycle.

11:21And when you draw in rural Texas in a time where gas prices are soaring through the roof, you're talking about folks that drive big diesel trucks, you know, that work in our trucking industry, folks that have large corporations rooted in this district. It's growing a lot of sentiment on people that are just frustrated and they want change and they see that common sense. deputy sheriff, Democrat running in this race. They're starting to get behind our campaign, believe in our message. And it's why I feel so confident that we're going to be able to get the job done heading into November.

11:58Ben Meiselas:When you talk about your opponent, Carlos de la Cruz, I think what he is basically trying to sell is that we're in a golden age. I hear his speeches is that isn't this everything you wanted? This is great. And it's baffling to me because those things aren't happening. I mean, it's possible that people like Carlos are too busy in Mar-a-Lago and Club Rose Garden and talking to Donald Trump about triumphal arches and reflecting pools and all of those things. And Trump's doing 3 ,800 stock trades and manipulating the market while the American... I mean, maybe they're just so out of touch or maybe they think with brute force, we'll be able to just, if we just keep repeating our own version of the reality, maybe we'll be able to bend it and people will be like, yeah, this, I just, I don't, I don't see it when people's energy prices are so high, when people have got their healthcare taken away from them as people can't afford rent and can't afford homes.

13:07Ben Meiselas:and I don't know, maybe you could sell that to them in another time period, but like right now, it just doesn't seem to, the pitch from Dela Cruz just doesn't seem to be landing, but what do I know? What do you think? Look, there's nothing golden about extreme gas prices, grocery costs, utility prices, and unaffordable healthcare. You know, families in this district, we just want to be able to go to HEB to buy our groceries with the wages that we're bringing home. At the same time being able to pay for our utility bills, but more so than anything, families here in South Central Texas, it's a little bit different than LA, but we just want to be able to make it to Sunday to buy our barbacoa and Big Red.

13:48And you hit it right on the nail. Look, they are completely out of touch with reality here in this district. You know, we know that my opponent is just running to be another yes man, but we need a fighter for the working man. You know, we need a construction worker, a plumber, a sheriff's deputy SWAT hostage negotiator in Congress. Quite frankly, I feel that we need a construction worker that is going to be able to rebuild this broken system in Washington, D.C. that is created to serve the 1 % while the remaining 99 is left out to dry. You know, we need a deputy sheriff who can root out the corruption that continues to unfold before our very eyes.

14:27But more so importantly, we need a SWAT hostage negotiator to bring an end to this standoff with this administration who continues to hold our economy and democracy hostage for working families.

14:39Ben Meiselas:You know, you and I have both studied hostage negotiating principles, you as a SWAT hostage negotiator in the most life or death, you know, types of situations that you were involved in. For me, I teach it academically and I was involved in high profile mediation negotiations when I was a lawyer. It's just when I watch Donald Trump, when I watch the guy say he's negotiating, I go, he violates every principle and rule of negotiation at every aspect of it. And I go, the guy's never a negotiator. All he wants to do is relentlessly wear you down with the lies and with the manipulation. And then people sometimes give into that, but that's not negotiation.

15:27Ben Meiselas:And so I wonder just your perspective of that as a seasoned professional negotiator who's been involved in situations where someone lived or died based on the negotiation. Just how bad of a negotiating the kind of really has been. And I think we've seen that with Iran and with other places. Yeah, he continues to exhaust America with the tactics that they're playing out. I don't think we've ever been able to see an administration enrich themselves more than this current administration. At the same time, Americans and Texans are hurting the hardest. Because, look, you know, I got to use my negotiation skills on a very MAGA Trump Republican down in Carnes County when I was doing the Carnes County Christmas parade.

16:15And, you know, I'm looking at the parade route and I see a constable deputy along the parade route. And I was like, let me go talk to this guy. Just kind of see, engage the temperature of where people may be at politically here in this district. So we started having a full-on debate. Before the parade started, we were having a full-on debate. And as I'm hitting him on all my issues, and I don't think he was able to gain any traction, or I don't think it played very well for him in my opinion, I let what we call in negotiations, what normal people call an awkward silence in negotiations, we call it an effective pause.

16:52and when you're defeating somebody on all of their tactics and talking points, you let that pause set in to really let that person think and realize what's going on in real time. After that happened, I let it go on for a couple of seconds. I turned over to him and I said, hey, in public safety and law enforcement, when we respond to calls for service, we don't ask dispatch whether that home we're headed to is Democratic or Republican. And before I was even able to finish my line, he cut me off and he said, you're right. We just respond. And shocked, I said, well, damn, look at you sounding like a Democrat.

17:30And he said, I ain't no damn Democrat, man. I'm a MAGA Republican. And I turned over to the ladies in the parade route we were with, and I said, hey, folks, I think we got one. If I know my people in law enforcement better than anybody else, I know that we're convincible. And we're getting to see how people here in this district. And he ends up turning over to me and he says, look, man, you know, about 20 years ago, I used to be a Democrat. And again, shocked as hell. I turn over and I'm like, what happened? You know, and he said that I just, he said, I felt like the party abandoned us here in South Central Texas.

18:06the Democratic brand left us behind while we needed to be focused on other issues that were more on the ground rooted here in Texas than what the national Democratic brand was at that time. And we're starting to see people that are frustrated that are Republicans, independents, that just want change come back over to the middle. And we know that when we get to tell people who we are, that we're just fighting for the working man, trying to make life more affordable, health care more affordable for people in this district, they immediately begin to vote for us.

18:45Ben Meiselas:You know, it's interesting at this time, as we start approaching closer to election season, all the pundits come out and they have these debates. Should a Democrat be more centrist? Should a Democrat be more leftist? Should a Democrat? I go, just stop it. A Democrat should just be a person who is fighting for his people. And that shouldn't be a Democrat. That should just be a human being and where our interests align and where you can find the values and principles of a party align with the humans and the constituents you represent. That's what matters. And, you know, all these pundits, you know, talk about this focus group and this and that.

19:20Ben Meiselas:And if I say this, I'll move them two points this way and that way. It's all that's great. Just go out there and talk to people. Listen to what they're saying. People are truly psychologically tortured right now under what this Trump regime is doing. They're really suffering. And when people are suffering, they can go in different directions and they can be misled because that's when people are often exploited the most when they are suffering. Or you can show genuinely rather than trying to move them two points to this way or that, you're listening to them. You're hearing them. You actually are.

19:52Ben Meiselas:You say, I hear you. And here's what I'm going to do for you. I said, that's your best response rather than debating left center, 90 degree angle this way. I'm like, just be a human being and listen to people. But before we go, Johnny, where can people learn more about your campaign and any final message that you want to give right now to our seven million subscribers? Yeah, look, we are going to need all the help that we can get in this campaign. And you could definitely start by visiting VoteJohnnyGarcia.com. We know that this is going to be an important race here in Texas. the time to bring some common sense back to politics.

20:29This is our window now more than ever. And we need your help to help us get over the finish line in November. Look, my job as a negotiator and a sheriff's deputy was responding towards the sound of chaos, to stay calm in the middle of a crisis, to talk people down when emotions were high, but ultimately bring peace in moments of peril and in distress. And we know that America is in distress right now with House and Senate Republicans not looking out for the 99 % of the working class folks here in this district. And it's why we feel very strongly that we're going to get through this race. We're going to be able to win back the majority in the House come November.

21:09But it starts with your help. And I'm just so thankful that you've given me the opportunity and look forward to keeping the conversation going as this race progresses.

21:17Ben Meiselas:Where can people learn more about the campaign again? What's the site? Yeah, the website is votejohnnygarcia.com. V-O-T-E-J-O-H-N-N-Y-G-A-R-C-I-A.com. Johnny Garcia will be following that race. Texas 35th Congressional District. Thanks for joining us. Thank you. Everybody hit subscribe. Let's get to 7 million subscribers. Want to stay plugged in? Become a subscriber to our sub stack at midasplus.com. You'll get daily recaps from Ron Filipkowski, ad-free episodes of our podcast, and more exclusive content only available at MidasPlus.com.