On Tuesday’s edition of NBC’s “Meet the Press NOW,” Texas Democratic U.S. House candidate Johnny Garcia said that he’s “a different Democrat” and responded to a question on where he breaks with the Democratic Party by saying that “we’ve gotten to see from the Democratic Party, that they want to defund law enforcement.” But he doesn’t agree with that.
Guest host Kelly O’Donnell asked, “You’re trying to pitch yourself to Independents, to Republicans who would be willing to vote for a Democrat. You’ve talked about your law enforcement career and how that informs your approach to this, and you’ve mentioned rubber stamp as something that you don’t like in your opponent. What would you be willing to do to stand up to the Democratic Party if elected? What issue would you let them know that you would like to see it go in a different direction?”
Garcia responded, “Absolutely. Look, when I’m talking to business owners, and I’m talking to owners in our building community, they’re telling me that tariffs are ripping their businesses apart. I’m bringing a very unique skillset with me to Congress. Look, when I served my community as a sheriff’s deputy, which I now have for nearly two decades, it was never asking dispatch whether that home I was headed to was Democratic or Republican. I responded every single time like lives were on the line. And I’m meeting folks in the district, that, once they hear my message, they’re telling me, I’m voting for you, because I clearly see a different Democrat that is willing to fight for me and my families, rather than some political agenda. And I’ll work with anybody to make sure that we are tackling corruption by ending congressional stock trading, that we are fighting for a safe and secure border, and, ultimately, we’re working to tear down these tariffs that are hurting 97% of small businesses and working-class families.”
O’Donnell then pressed, “I’m not hearing a challenge to what the Democratic issues might be. Where would you break with the Democratic Party?”
Garcia answered, “Look, we’ve gotten to see from the Democratic Party, that they want to defund law enforcement. And here in Texas, having safe communities in our streets is essential to our community here in District 35. And, as a career law enforcement officer, I won’t subscribe to that notion of defunding our law enforcement. We need to make sure that we’re standing up for accountability and transparency, and, currently, where I sit, there’s major reform that needs to be called for. And these are just some of the things that I’m absolutely set on bringing with me to Congress on day one.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
