by Jayme Lozano Carver font-weight: bold; Building warmth with higher humidity and rain chances later in the week. Its estimated that Texas would receive $6.3 billion annually, and coverage would be expanded to include 1 million enrollees. --highlights-background: #d3d4d5; You have to only use approved varieties. Its a food security issue. Hays, 53, is a headstrong Democrat and an equal rights lawyer who has fought for women, pregnant minors and Texas voters. Here's what the data says. top: -1px; font-size: 1.2em; As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. Well, you can be a character without being a nonstop scandal. You describe yourself as the first cannabis super lawyer. } Hemp is very climate sensitive and also photo sensitive. width: 250px; 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. And the rural lifestyle is increasingly endangered. background-color: #6db24f; Voters who vote by mail can use an online tracker to check the status of their mail-in ballot. p.survey-response {white-space: pre-line;} At a time when newsroom resources and revenue across the country are declining, The Texas Tribune remains committed to sustaining our mission: creating a more engaged and informed Texas with every story we cover, every event we convene and every newsletter we send. padding-left: 10px; Millers challenger Susan Hays says another kind of outside influence has already tainted his office. I am truly humbled, Miller said on Twitter on Tuesday night. Thanks for donating today. 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. display: table; And I watched that hospital stumble and not do well because of the economics of it. We can produce a crop of very, very high quality, but we have to continue to use all the platforms we have to promote that, Bessent explained. Susan Hays $('.showResponses').on('click', () => { And yeah, the cannabis markets, like any new market, are very volatile. 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. Ive always been deeply attached to the land, and enjoy being out in it and getting dirt under my fingernails, Hays said. 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. And he touts the Texas Sunset Advisory Commissions review of the agency from 2021 in which the department was called well-managed.. Texas leads the country in the number of rural hospitals that have closed. Few people know it, but this office has a rural hospital component and a rural economic development component, and they are rotting in the basement. 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. Trump was in power, and Sid was an early Trump supporter. Hays campaign issues include rural economic development, expanded health care, marijuana legalization and fighting corruption. margin-bottom: -2px !important; Hays has more than doubled Millers fundraising efforts, reporting more than $111,500 to his $48,000, according to Oct. 11 campaign finance reports. Texas Agriculture Commissioner election, 2022 - Ballotpedia Anecdotally and personally, one of the things that would infuriate me is I would email them a question about the program, and I get thats its a first rodeo and theres a lot of details you dont think of until you get there, and thats happened in every other state as a hemp program has rolled out. --subtitle-background: #334aab; max-width: 600px; $(".collapse-all").on('click', () => { background-color: #f9d334; 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. font-size: 0.9em; Susan Hays Politics is the art of the possible. Hays said she would continue to advocate for those priorities in the future. Hays said she would support that program, which is now stalled, and also diversify the agriculture departments staff. I had an opportunity to speak with some of the physicians about what they went through. In the previous session, Gov. We respect each other, and we can sit down and have a conversation. So I went to hearings, got to know some of the staff, and it was just a hot mess. What does that title mean? You can contact your county elections official or call the Texas Secretary of State's helpline at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683). } She sees the office as a way to help improve health care for farmers and rural communities. .non_result_row { Youll want to check for open polling locations with your local elections office before you head out to vote. As the Features and Opinion Editor, she is responsible for coordinating editorials and segments from diverse authors. An example from only a few years ago. Commissioner div.oneoff-scrollbox.regular { height:400px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } .mw-body #mw-content-text .votebox .race_header h5.votebox-header-election-type { font-size: .9em; Updated: 10 AM Central. Im running for Agriculture Commissioner because corruption is bad How to run for office | However, crop insurance does not make up for the millions of dollars in lost products, whether that be cotton or vegetable crops. a[aria-expanded=false] .fa-chevron-down { display: none; } max-height: 580px; font-weight: bold; And I know that legalizing cannabis is a major plank of yours. Susan Hays ( Democratic Party) ran for election for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture. If reelected, Miller said he would make the issue a top priority in the upcoming legislative session. Like Millers past opponents, Hays pointed to a list of controversies that include the indictment of his longtime political consultant on charges of theft and bribery in exchange for state hemp licenses. They want better for Texas, but paint different pictures of what that is. font-weight: bold; But for too long, fear-mongering politics have hijacked and overshadowed conversations about what communities actually want and need to build real safety. Nov. 9, 2022 .widget-row.Republican { Youre allowed to vote by mail only if: You will be 65 or older by Election Day, you will not be in your county for the entire span of voting, including early voting, you cite a sickness or disability that prevents you from voting in person without needing personal assistance or without the likelihood of injuring your health, youre expected to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day or you are confined in jail but otherwise eligible (i.e., not convicted of a felony). It does not allow people access who deserve it and need it. Hospitals are failing all over Texas. margin-top: 1em; $('.hideResponses').hide(); One is a former rodeo cowboy caught in controversy. Find a complete list of them here. He later turned it into 20 world rodeo championships. And Ill take the hemp program as an example. margin: 8px auto; But Hays doesnt. But what do you expect from a guy when one of his first acts when he became AG Commissioner was to promote junk food in public schools? Instances of alleged fraud have also in some cases turned out to be mistakes by elections administrators or voters, few discrepancies between manual and electronic counts. Doctors were providing care that they practiced a few times in medical school and dont regularly do because theres no other option. For federal, district and state elections, you can find results on our results page. I know what Texas has been, and I know what Texas could be if we purge the government of corruption and work together to build rural Texas back up, said Hays, a fifth-generation Texan. But, you know, he wasnt much help. 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. Theyve not made a whole lot of money on hemp. max-width: 75px; } And I also enjoy getting my boots dirty and getting out there.. Aside from Millers corruption, when you have a leader thats disengaged, its hard to get things done. Election Day results are unofficial because officials still have to account for late arriving mail-in ballots, ballots from military or overseas voters and provisional ballots. } Miller banked $48,000 during the same period. She became the trope of a rural kid moving away in search of a better living. Thats the Democrat campaign strategy, just to throw something out there, get people like you to report on it, whether its true or not, and get the headlines, Miller said. $(".expand-all").on('click', () => { Governor, Attorney General and the other statewide offices down-ballot, perhaps the most impactful votes will be coming from rural Texas. An example is the Delta-8 issue. Do you value our journalism? Ireson is running a campaign with a welcome and detailed focus on strengthening the states school meals program. Nor does Beto ORourke, the Democratic nominee for governor. No one trusts the incumbent to do whats right for Texas. Hays has an extensive legal background, including as a cannabis attorney. We were impressed with Ireson, 34, a businessman with family ties to the cattle industry in Brazos County. Its a national security issue. Candidates for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, incumbent Sid Miller (R) and Susan Hays (D) In the coming November election for Texas Governor, Lt. During the most recent campaign fundraising period, July 1 through Sept. 30, Hays raised $115,505. Millers family has been ranching since the 1700s, and Miller continued that tradition himself. The job of this office is to maximize that. Paper ballots are also stored in locked boxes and must be preserved for at least 22 months after an election. color:white; And yet, you think about, well, what about the ag department? .votebox_bp_logo { Farming is hard, but ethics should be easy, Susan Hays has said often on However, polling locations may change, so be sure to check your countys election website before going to vote. This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity: Texas Standard: Youre a Democrat running in a largely conservative state. It was terrifying to be in a community like that with the pandemic and theres only three ventilators for three counties. } font-size: 16px; 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. Are you tired of Texas Republicans pushing big lies and trying to steal your vote? background-color: #db0000; Susan Hays defeated Ed Ireson in the Democratic primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture on March 1, 2022. A variety that does really well in Oregon, wont do well in Texas. 0. } Incumbents are bolded and underlined. Our medical cannabis program is comically rudimentary. } But we dont have the system in place to really implement regulating and enforcing. background-color: grey; A lot of what I witnessed has now led to the commissioners political consultant being indicted for trying to sell $100, unlimited hemp licenses for tens of thousands of dollars to the unwitting. height: 100%; I spent the pandemic in Alpine, and I now pretty much live there. For months rumors have swirled that Congressman Colin Allred is considering a challenge to Senator Ted Cruz in 2024. The secretary of states website will also have information on polling locations closer to the start of voting. 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. color: #fff; } Texas agriculture commissioner And you have to tell them your results. The job of this position is to bring as many federal dollars back to Texas as possible. .percentage_number { That data could be analyzed in a way that would make it really helpful to farmers. 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. } letter-spacing: .04em; padding-bottom: 7px; } Ireson said hell prioritize updating the agriculture departments technology so staff members can better engage with Texans. He was drawn to the Republican Party because he saw it as the party of freedom. padding-left: 10px; } Obviously, the current agriculture commissioner, Sid Miller, is quite a character. And she believes she would be the right agriculture commissioner to see the task through. Shes worked as an attorney and a lobbyist. word-wrap: break-word; If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you. } Hays also has almost $169,000 cash on hand while Miller holds about $85,000. A few years ago, rural life was calling her home. text-align: center; She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022. background-color: #dac113; That hospital drew from all the surrounding counties. background: #4c4c4c; Then in mid-January, his longtime political consultant, Todd Smith, was indicted on theft and bribery charges related to selling access to hemp licenses from Millers agency. $('.hideResponses').show(); letter-spacing: 0.03em; When asked about spreading fabricated photos or supporting stories on social media, Miller said he doesnt personally post everything to his accounts and that his team takes posts down most of the time when they find out theyre false. left: 0px; So a big reason I wanted to run was to take those programs out of the basement, beef them up, and work night and day to try to save rural health care in Texas. Federal courts | Hays None of them are credible.. background-color: white; Republican Sid Miller has been reelected as Texas agriculture commissioner, defeating Democratic candidate Susan Hays on Tuesday night in a color: #6db24f; .hideResponses { display: none;} The contest to serve as rural Texas ambassador to the state has become animated. $('#candidate-connection-email-105181').on('click', () => { ga('send', 'event', 'surveycta', 'surveycta-click-email'); }); So financially, theyre pretty sound, Miller said. | } 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.