By Tj Baker, Literature Elegist of Harris County

HEAR YE! HEAR YE! THE KINGDOM OF TEXAS HATH TURNED BLUE!

Somebody summon the trumpeters! Ring the church bells! Tell the choir to warm up its vocal cords, because after more than three decades of Republican governors, Texas has delivered a political earthquake powerful enough to rattle the chandeliers in Austin!

Gina Hinojosa has defeated Greg Abbott. Vikki Goodwin has unseated Dan Patrick. And James Talarico has conquered Ken Paxton in the race for the United States Senate.

Even Fort Bend County joined the political commotion!

Oh, what a glorious spectacle!

The red political carpet has been rolled up, the blue banners are flying, and the Democratic faithful are dancing as though somebody just announced that gasoline costs ninety-nine cents a gallon!

BUT HOLD THY HORSES, TEXAS!

Before thou crownest every victorious politician a saint, prophet, or miracle worker, allow this humble journalist to interrupt the coronation.  The kingdom may have changed its rulers, but the people’s bills have not surrendered!

Act I: The Crown Has Changed, but the Rent Collector Has Not

Texas, thou hast witnessed history.

Gina Hinojosa is poised to become the first Latina governor of Texas, while Vikki Goodwin will become the state’s first female lieutenant governor. Two women, simultaneously ascending to the highest executive offices in a state where political power has historically been dominated by men.

And for the first time since Ann Richards departed the governor’s mansion in January 1995, a Democrat is preparing to reclaim the governor’s chair.

Bravo! Magnificent! Somebody pass the celebratory sweet tea!

But alas, dear citizens, the mortgage company has not received the election results as a payment.

The insurance company still wants its premium. The landlord still wants the rent. The electric company still threatens disconnection, and the grocery store has not suddenly decided that a dozen eggs should cost a nickel.

Medicaid and Medicare remain complicated lifelines for millions. Seniors, veterans, and citizens living with disabilities still need affordable healthcare.

Public schools still require adequate funding. School vouchers remain a legislative reality. Federal immigration enforcement does not disappear because Texas changes governors.

And poverty?
Poverty does not recognize political colors.

Thou mayest paint the governor’s mansion blue, but the refrigerator remains empty until somebody puts food inside it.

Act II: Two Women, Two Encounters, One Remarkable Moment

Permit me a personal reflection.

Years ago, while working in a hospital in Austin, Texas, I had the privilege of meeting the late Governor Ann Richards.

During a tender moment of grief following her mother’s passing, Governor Richards asked me to pray with her.

Imagine that. A woman entrusted with governing millions of Texans, yet in that moment, she was simply a daughter seeking comfort. Titles disappeared. Politics vanished. Humanity remained.

Decades later, I encountered Gina Hinojosa at a gathering associated with immigration advocacy. We discussed the changes we hoped to witness within our communities.

And now, behold!  Another woman stands at the doorway of the governor’s mansion.

As a journalist, former political candidate, and Texas woman, I recognize the significance of this extraordinary chapter.

But let the record reflect, I may admire the crown without kneeling before the throne.

Respect is earned. Accountability is mandatory. And political admiration must never become journalistic obedience.

Act III: Black and Hispanic Media, Where Art Thou?

Now, here comes a question that might interrupt the royal banquet.

Where was the campaign advertising money distributed?

How much reached Black-owned newspapers, Hispanic-owned publications, and independent community media?

How much reached the publications that have faithfully documented neighborhood struggles, educational inequality, healthcare disparities, unemployment, and the everyday burdens carried by working families?

For decades, community journalists have reported stories that larger media institutions sometimes overlook.

Yet when campaign season arrives, too many politicians suddenly discover our neighborhoods, our churches, our barbershops, and our publications.

They want the interviews. They want the photographs. They want the endorsements. They want the votes.

But where is the advertising investment?

Now, I am not accusing these newly elected officials of neglecting minority-owned media. The campaign expenditure records deserve examination before conclusions are drawn.

However, I am asking a question that should be answered.

If our communities are important enough to court for votes, are our newspapers important enough to support with advertising dollars?

Do not visit our communities merely to borrow their voices during election season, then vanish when the ballots are counted.

Representation matters, indeed.

But economic inclusion matters, too.

Act IV: A Victory Is Not a Lifetime Coronation

Governor-elect Hinojosa, Lieutenant Governor-elect Goodwin, and Senator-elect Talarico, congratulations!

But hear this proclamation from the people’s gallery: The voters have handed thee an opportunity, not a blank check!

Texas government is not a Shakespearean kingdom where one royal decree can repair every broken institution.

Budgets must be negotiated. Legislation must be passed. Political opposition will remain. Federal laws will continue to govern federal matters.

And Washington, D.C.?

Oh, mercy! One newly elected senator cannot wave a magic wand and transform the United States Congress into a cooperative family reunion.

Promises require funding. Reform requires votes. Progress requires patience, persistence, and measurable results.

Therefore, we shall ask: What will change? Who will benefit?  Where is the money coming from? When will the people see relief?

And who shall be held responsible when promises remain nothing more than beautiful speeches?

Act V: The Ballot Box Belongs to No Royal Family

Perhaps the greatest lesson of November 3rd is not merely that Democrats won. It is that voters demonstrated their willingness to change political direction.

For years, Texas was described as reliably Republican, as though the state had been permanently deeded to one political party.

But the ballot box is not inherited property.

It is not a family heirloom.

It does not belong to Republicans, Democrats, governors, senators, billionaires, or political consultants.

IT BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE!

And when the people grow weary of economic hardship, political arrogance, and promises that never reach the kitchen table, they possess the constitutional power to change their representatives.

Let every politician remember: Thou mayest win the crown today and lose the kingdom tomorrow.

Do not confuse applause with permanent loyalty.

Do not confuse victory with unconditional trust.

And do not mistake the people’s patience for permission to accomplish nothing.

The Final Curtain: The Crown Is Yours, but the Kingdom Is Ours

I celebrate this historic election.

I celebrate the women who shattered political barriers.

I celebrate the voters who refused to believe their voices were powerless.  And I celebrate the possibility that Texas may enter a different political chapter.

But I shall not become a court jester whose only assignment is to entertain the newly crowned.  I am a journalist.

My responsibility is not to polish political crowns. My responsibility is to examine the hands that wear them.

So dance, Texas!

Wave thy blue banners! Sing thy victory songs! Shout hallelujah from Houston to Austin, from Fort Bend to Dallas!

But when the celebration ends and tomorrow’s sunlight enters the kitchen window, remember:

• The rent is still due.
• The insurance premium still awaits payment.
• The children still need an education.
• The elderly still need protection.
• And working families still need more than campaign promises.

For a blue crown upon the throne does not place a single green dollar in an empty purse.  Congratulations, Texas.

Thou hast changed the political leadership.

Now let us see whether the leadership can change the people’s circumstances.

THE ELECTION WAS THE CORONATION.

THE GOVERNING SHALL BE THE TRIAL.

And if the newly crowned fail to honor their promises?

Well, my dear Texas… The people know exactly where the ballot box is located.