Guest Editorial
By Wesley Lawrence
For decades, Democrats in El Paso have taken comfort in a simple belief: this city will always stay blue. But that assumption has become a dangerous illusion. Behind the numbers and the noise, the political ground is shifting beneath our feet – and our leaders are refusing to see it.
Since the rise of Donald Trump, the right has gained ground in ways many once thought impossible. Republican candidates are performing better than they have in decades, while Democratic turnout continues to slide. In 2024, Republicans captured over 41% of the vote in El Paso County, their highest share in a generation. Turnout in Democratic primaries has dropped nearly 20% since 2016, and undervotes – ballots cast without selecting a Democratic candidate – are climbing. Among voters under 35, more than half now identify as independent or unaffiliated.
These are not just numbers. They’re alarm bells.
And yet, instead of confronting these warning signs, the local Democratic Party remains stuck in neutral – trapped in a cycle of denial, finger-pointing, and hostility toward progressives, who represent the most active and values-driven wing of the party. Our leadership is recycling the same cautious messaging and establishment strategies while El Paso’s working families struggle under real-world pressures.
I’ve seen this firsthand. My name is Wesley Lawrence, a lifelong El Pasoan, member of the State Democratic Executive Committee, former political candidate, a community organizer who has spoken with thousands of voters across this city, and someone who’s not afraid to stand up to the status quo. I didn’t start my political life as a Democrat – I began in the GOP. But I found my home in the progressive movement because it speaks to what the government should be about: protecting working families, expanding opportunity, and standing up to the greed and cruelty of those in power.
Today, the disconnect between El Paso Democrats and the people we claim to represent has never been wider.
During the ongoing federal government shutdown, thousands of El Pasoans – from airport staff to Border Patrol agents to small-business workers – are living week to week, wondering how they’ll pay rent or feed their kids. SNAP recipients are preparing for benefit cuts that will leave them hungry. Meanwhile, too many of our elected Democrats have remained silent. Real leadership means action – like donating their government salaries to local nonprofits and food banks until the shutdown ends. Anything less is political theater.
This isn’t just a political crisis – it’s a moral one.
If we’re going to rebuild trust and reignite voter passion, we need to do more than repeat tired talking points. We must buck the establishment, challenge the influence of wealthy donors and political elites, and reclaim the Democratic Party as a movement of the people, not of the insiders. The days of taking voters for granted are over. The Democratic Party must once again earn the trust of El Pasoans through authenticity, accountability, and bold, people-first policy.
That starts by rejecting complacency and corporate influence and returning to the core values of justice, fairness, and economic dignity. Here’s what that looks like:
Economic and Tax Fairness.
We must lower property taxes that are crushing working and middle-class families, ensure large corporations pay their fair share, and prioritize small business relief over developer tax breaks.
Affordable Housing.
We can’t allow developers to profit while families are priced out of their neighborhoods. Inclusionary zoning, rent stabilization, raising impact fees, and community housing funds must be part of our local agenda.
Health Care.
Everyone regardless of their socioeconomic status deserves the right to healthcare. It’s long past time that we tackle the injustices caused by big-pharma and corporate greed that has caused millions of people to slowly die because they can’t afford their healthcare.
Public Education.
We need to fully fund our public schools, pay educators what they deserve, and expand vocational programs that prepare El Pasoans for the future economy. This means taking our state government to task and demanding they increase the public allotment, use Texas’s surplus to fund public education, and we stand up for our teachers and students by abolishing standardized testing.
Labor and Workers’ Rights.
Every worker – from Teachers to tipped workers – deserves a living and growing wage, membership in a union, collective bargaining rights, and workplace protections.
Climate and Community Resilience.
El Paso faces extreme heat, drought, and water scarcity. This means holding some of the biggest polluters in our city accountable, protecting El Pasoans from constant rate increases, ensuring that El Paso holds some large consumers of our water and electricity accountable, and that we enact a green vision in El Paso so we can cool our city down while making it a healthier place for every El Pasoan.
Equality and Human Dignity.
The Democratic Party must once again lead with moral clarity – defending LGBTQIA+ rights, reproductive freedom, animal welfare, and equal opportunity for every person in our community.
Accountability and Transparency.
We must confront corruption and insider politics within our own ranks. That means full financial disclosure from our elected officials, an apology to the progressive activists the party worked hard to silence and chase away, and a party that answers to the people, not to donors or the political class.
The rise of opportunists like Max Grossman, former City Rep. Brian Kennedy, and former Mayor Leeser is not a coincidence – it’s a symptom. When Democrats stop listening to their base, others will fill the void.
The El Paso Democratic Party has reached a crossroads. We can either continue pretending the old ways still work, or we can chart a bold, new, progressive path that rebuilds trust, expands our coalition, and re-centers the people we serve.
Progressives are not the problem. We are the solution – the heart, the conscience, and the future of this party.
It’s time for a Democratic Party in El Paso that listens, that fights, and that leads with courage. The future of this city – and of our democracy – depends on it.
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About Wesley Lawrence
A proud El Paso native, Wesley Lawrence is the Treasurer of the TXPC, a lifelong advocate for justice, equality, and progress. As an LGBTQIA+ community member and President of the Stonewall Democrats of El Paso, he has been a consistent voice for working families. Wesley represents Congressional District 23 on the State Democratic Executive Committee and is a two-time candidate for El Paso City Council in District 4.
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