This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. 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. color: #6db24f; background: #4c4c4c; State executives | Shes worked as an attorney and a lobbyist. }) Instances of alleged fraud have also in some cases turned out to be mistakes by elections administrators or voters, according to the center. --title-background: #334aab; Do you value our journalism? Susan Hays ( Democratic Party) ran for election for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture. Hes proven himself to not be trustworthy.. clearInterval(nTimer); Check if youre registered to vote, Not always. Read more about election safeguards here. 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. He is a University of Texas graduate, and Spanish is his first language. display: table; --view-more-background: #f0a236; Farming is hard, but ethics should be easy., 2023 KCDP. Getting to know the new district superintendents in North Texas, DFW weather: Warming temps and storm chances this week. })(); See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection. Its just the wrong way to go about it. position: absolute; Miller also led Hays 51%-40% among almost certain voters in a poll late last month by the Texas Hispanic Policy Foundation. And the fact that we havent expanded Medicaid. But for too long, fear-mongering politics have hijacked and overshadowed conversations about what communities actually want and need to build real safety. On top of that, in this growing season, we had the drought and that devastated the cotton crop. } A longtime writer and journalist, Jessica was thrilled to join the Texas Signal where she could utilize her unique perspective on politics and culture. And then there is rural health care, a topic Hays evoked at a recent rally with gubernatorial candidate Beto ORourke at Texas Tech University. Those counts are added in increments to the tally, which is then updated online. In recent days that speculation has solidified, with sources telling Texas Signal that by Jessica Montoya Coggins | Apr 26, 2023. If you look at survival rates from traumatic accidents or heart attacks, you know its the first hour that matters, Hays said. If youre an hour away from getting emergency care, youre more likely to die or be permanently disabled.. And what I think folks who may be anti-cannabis dont understand is unless you have a good regulatory regime, the black markets flood you. Example video title will go here for this video. border: 1px solid #999; (Opinion), Israeli-Palestinian progress means mutual recognition (Opinion), Huffines: Lege property tax cut proposals are Band-Aid solutions, Ten Commandments don't belong in Texas public schools (Opinion). They could not make it without that expanded patient base. .votebox-covid-disclaimer { color: white; background-color: grey; background-color: #dac113; 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. For local elections, you can find results on your countys website. width: 350px; font-size: 16px; div.survey-scrollbox { height:400px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } Democratic challenger Susan Hays, left, will face Republican Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in November. border:1px solid #FFB81F; So are we, thats why were fighting back against the right-wing lie machine. .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper .image-candidate-thumbnail { Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. Our Ag Commissioner and his political operatives apparently missed those lessons, Hays said in the news release. Weve got to do it to save what hospitals are left, Hays told Inside Texas Politics. Susan Hays is a Democrat running to be Texas commissioner of agriculture This November, voters will decide contests for a number of statewide offices, from governor to attorney general. RELATED: Race for Texas agriculture commissioner: Republican incumbent Sid Miller. Check if youre registered to vote here. This summer put its profitability to the test, Voting Guide: Here's everything you should know about the Nov. 8 election in North Texas. a[aria-expanded=false] .fa-chevron-down { display: none; } Im running for Agriculture Commissioner because corruption is bad He was first elected in 2014 and has since been able to stave off being unseated by both Democratic and Republican challengers. Hays has questioned Millers ethics and pointed to his controversies. background-color: #db0000; Attorney Susan Hays filed to run as a Democratic candidate for agriculture commissioner, taking on the current occupant Republican Sid Miller. Its a national security issue. width: 250px; display: inline; background-color: green; You must have known something. For more on the week in Texas politics, including U.S. Rep. position: relative; And youre hours away from your next best option. Now youre going out there saying, I believe in rural Texas, I want to legalize marijuana. Miller banked $48,000 during the same period. Not only are you campaigning in rural Texas, which has a history of being rather socially conservative and politically conservative, too. She became the trope of a rural kid moving away in search of a better living. Miller opposes legalizing marijuana for recreational use in Texas. --progress-bar: #f0a236; display: inline-block; There are a lot of farmers in Texas, family farms that go back generations, and there are a lot of farmers sitting at dinner tables late at night going through the bills, and they just dont see how they can stay in business. The commission, which reviews state agencies and programs for efficiency, did note that the department's day-to-day responsibilities are largely removed from the politics and public attention focused on the commissioner.. .widget-row.value-only.black { 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. The agency is also responsible for helping rural hospitals with financial aid and technical assistance through its rural health division. Counties must count results from each polling location within 24 hours of the polls closing. Texas leads the country in the number of rural hospitals that have closed. This includes Millers reputation for making offensive remarks about immigrants, spreading falsehoods on social media, and the indictment of his longtime political consultant on charges of theft and bribery in exchange for state hemp licenses. Listen to the interview above or read the transcript below. The Sunset Commission said were the best state agency theyve ever reviewed, so I think that says a lot about what weve done and what type of people we have with the TDA, Miller said. color: #fff; | County election offices are supposed to post on their websites information on polling locations for Election Day and during the early-voting period by Oct. 18. This election season, Texans around the state will turn to The Texas Tribune for the information they need on voting, election results, analysis of key races and more. position: relative; $('#candidate-connection-twitter-105181').on('click', () => { ga('send', 'event', 'surveycta', 'surveycta-click-twitter'); }); But the governor has said he does not support legalizing the drug. position: relative; background-color: green; Our medical cannabis program is comically rudimentary. } Miller said agriculture has always been the glue that holds Texas together. The states agriculture commissioner oversees a vast portfolio including farming and ranching, rural health care and the scales you use at grocery store checkout. Not looking for ways for small farmers or even medium-sized operations to do well in agriculture. font-size: 12px; The Democrat says she has a plan to address rural health care in Texas. Susan Hays, a prominent cannabis lawyer and hemp advocate, announced she was running for agriculture commissioner, giving Democrats their first candidate to challenge Republican incumbent Sid Miller. .widget-row { display: inline-block; background-color: #003388; } Building warmth with higher humidity and rain chances later in the week. His opponent, Democrat Susan Hays, a former Dallas County Democratic Party chairwoman, has made Millers ethics baggage a central message of her campaign. Miller believes there is enough support in the Legislature for a bill to pass, but we do have to get it by leadership, Miller said. The Texas Department of Agriculture promotes rural development, provides financial assistance to farmers and ranchers, and oversees grocery store operations. My Magic 8 Ball seems to think so. } By not legalizing marijuana, she said the state is missing out on economic development opportunities and tax revenues that could be used for health care funding. The winner of this election will lead the state agriculture department that juggles several tasks. } Billings said it would be greatly beneficial if the agriculture department would help with that mission. $('.pastResponses').show(); Susan Hays offers a much-needed and sensible new vision for state Agriculture Department The Texas Department of Agriculture commissioner has a big job. Hays faces an uphill battle to get elected statewide as a Democrat. More recently, Miller was the special guest speaker at a screening of the debunked film 2000 Mules, which falsely claims there was significant voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election. 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Counties | Her law practice took her to advising cannabis producers and businesses, and pushing Texas to open the door to this high-value crop with the hemp program. Find your county website here. margin-top: 16px; Hays has an extensive legal background, including as a cannabis attorney. display: inline-block; Hays and her husband bought land in Alpine, a small town framed by mile-high mountains and an hours car ride north of Big Bend National Park. } @media screen and (max-width: 350px) { He served on the Trump campaigns agriculture advisory committee in 2016. Source. Republican Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, seeking a third term, is facing Democrat Susan Hays, an Alpine attorney who worked for the Legislature and Texas Supreme Court, in the Nov. 8 election. The board is separate from the newsroom and other sections of the paper. You describe yourself as the first cannabis super lawyer. That happened because black market vapes with adulterants hit the market and it burned peoples lungs out. She said these are still important issues that need to be addressed by state leaders. For federal, district and state elections, Voting machines and software are certified by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and. The results have been certified. Susan Hays is a Democrat running to be Texas commissioner of agriculture This November, voters will decide contests for a number of statewide offices, by Jessica Montoya Coggins | Dec 14, 2021 | Politics, Texas Elections. Susan will fight hard for us. } Home Tag Susan Hays | The Texan The 88th Session Kickoff Event Join The Texan reporters in Austin on Jan. 24, 2023 as they moderate panels of lawmakers discussing the issues and priorities of the 88th Legislative Session! Consider donating today to help us stay in this fight. Miller, 67, had a strong show of support across rural Texas, while Hays, 53, had the backing of a few urban counties. .results_text { 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. .race_header.democratic { They want better for Texas, but paint different pictures of what that is. color: #0645ad; So there are loans and grants that USDA administers that help stabilize farmers and help them make it in the lean years so they can keep producing our food and fiber. .mw-body #mw-content-text .votebox .race_header h3.votebox-header-office-name { The two towns have rich histories in farming and ranching. Hes late to the party, and Texas is already behind the times, said Susan Hays during an interview on Capital Tonight. p.survey-response {white-space: pre-line;} Instead of just throwing out press releases, attacking groups of peoples, or mimicking national red-meat politics. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. AUSTIN The race for Texas Agriculture Commissioner has focused less on the positions responsibilities and more on the controversies involving the Republican incumbent throughout his almost eight years in office. background-color: #f9d334; A service of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin | Contact us, A service of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin, Rising values of adobe hit home in West Texans, Indigenous tribe renews yearslong fight to reclaim human remains from UT, Major leak hits Grand Theft Auto VI, sending stock in the games developer tumbling, Carmen Tafolla goes public with her love of art and artists, Security in place at San Antonios Migrant Resource Center in days after controversial DeSantis flight, H-E-B madness grips North Texas as first Metroplex store opens in Frisco, Texas Republicans push to end countywide voting. Obviously, the current agriculture commissioner, Sid Miller, is quite a character. Miller, who faced similar attacks during a three-way primary earlier this year that he won handily, said controversies about him are a Democratic strategy and a low way to campaign. .large-date { text-align: center; margin-top: 30px; margin-bottom: 20px; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600;} And theres a lot of potential in those programs. } .results_table_container { background-color: grey; If reelected, Miller said he would make the issue a top priority in the upcoming legislative session. Get the latest. One is a former rodeo cowboy caught in controversy. width: 100%; Aside from Millers corruption, when you have a leader thats disengaged, its hard to get things done. Incumbent Sid Miller defeated James White and Carey Counsil in the Republican primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture on March 1, 2022. I could lose everything: Dallas drag performers say Texas bills could impact their jobs, Facebook users can now apply for a portion of a $725 million settlement. $('.showResponses').show(); GOP leaders say ballot shortage was targeted at Republicans. Youll want to check for open polling locations with your local elections office before you head out to vote. letter-spacing: 0.03em; Republican Sid Miller has been reelected as Texas agriculture commissioner, defeating Democratic candidate Susan Hays on Tuesday night in a Failure to expand Medicaid is a great example of Republican policies that are terrible for rural Texans. } width: 100%; 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. Millers ethics problems began soon after he took office in 2015. 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. Rural health should be more of a priority, Billings said. Well, you anticipated what I was going to ask, because when you started talking about hospitals, I thought, agriculture commissioner, really? font-size: 1.25em; Theres a lot of buzz about legalizing and decriminalizing, but not a lot of thoughtfulness on the part of the state of Texas on developing really well-thought-out cannabis policy. } Your opponent is an incumbent with a whole lot more name recognition. margin-bottom: 0; Ill also say this about rural healthcare, having grown up in rural Texas, I know how important having a rural hospital is to the local economy. The contest to serve as rural Texas ambassador to the state has become animated. And I also enjoy getting my boots dirty and getting out there.. And because it [was] run by an out-of-state corporation that doesnt particularly care. I helped draft and pass the law that legalized hemp in Texas, and the ag commissioner regulates the hemp program and it was going through its rulemaking process. The deadline to register to vote in the 2022 primary election was Oct. 11. Voters can check with their county election officials to see whether their vote was counted. .votebox-scroll-container { Federal courts | .votebox_legend { Trending Stories Elections 2022 , Judicial , Local News Texas requires counties that use electronic machines to count votes to conduct a partial manual audit after the election. Susan Hays, Democratic candidate for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture. color: white; background-color: #f9d334; 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. Are there any other issues that you would like to champion as agriculture commissioner?
, See also:Texas Agriculture Commissioner election, 2022. .votebox-results-cell--number { padding-left: 0; Why does this factor so largely in your campaign? } color: white; However, weve heard from Republican Sid Miller about things like abortion, Second Amendment, property taxes and obviously part of the larger political conversation, to be sure. .results_row td:first-child { One of the problems of getting into hemp, the varieties of hemp that are for sale arent predictable. .widget-key { He served in the Texas House of Representatives from 2001-13. Miller said a majority of Texans 4 in 5 are in favor of legalizing marijuana for compassionate purposes. You look at maps of where theres medical cannabis and Texas usually is counted as not having a program at all, because its such a joke. Sid Miller has been clamoring for a fourth special session, this one to ban any COVID-19 vaccine mandate. left: 0; She said a top priority is to address the rural hospital shortage by revitalizing agriculture programs now rotting in the basement that can boost rural economic development and rural hospitals. } .contact_office { font-size: 0.8 em; margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} And one thing about the ag industry that many outside of it dont fully get or havent been exposed to is ag is a heavily subsidized industry. And its particularly awful given the crisis thats ongoing with our rural hospitals. Hays displays a firm command of policy and also struck us as a clear communicator. padding-bottom: 8px; The audit is ongoing, but an initial report found few discrepancies between manual and electronic counts. 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. Race for Texas agriculture commissioner: Republican incumbent Sid Miller, Legalizing marijuana is a hot issue in the race for Texas agriculture commissioner, Hemp has been legal in Texas for three years. height: 100%; The Democratic nominee will face a tough race in the fall against a Republican in a state that hasnt elected a Democrat statewide in nearly 30 years. Hays, 53, grew up in Brownwood, about two hours west of Waco, and lives in Alpine, where she and her husband purchased land several years ago to grow hemp and hops. width: 50px; Troy Nehls strange spat with Capitol Police and more, listen in the audio player above. .clearfix { 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. .inner_percentage.Green { Luckily, in every corner of our state, people are ready to move beyond Could this be the week? Texas is one of 12 Republican-controlled states that havent expanded coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Im running 0. SAN ANTONIO - Susan Hays is a Democrat candidate Texas Agriculture Commissioner. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. No one trusts the incumbent to do whats right for Texas. $('.showResponses').hide(); .indicate_scroll { Republican Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and Democratic challenger Susan Hays. Meanwhile, another 4 million Texans struggle with hunger and food scarcity because of inflation. Sid Miller, who was elected in 2014, is seeking a third term as agriculture commissioner. } The State Office of Rural Health is there and rural economic development. display: block; font-size: 12px; .widget-value { Well, you can be a character without being a nonstop scandal. .infobox { So I went to hearings, got to know some of the staff, and it was just a hot mess. vertical-align: middle; margin: 0; And nobody wants to throw them in jail for that. } Hospitals are failing all over Texas. There was a period, where because hospitals in Midland and El Paso were full, they had no place to send patients. 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. You can contact your county elections official or call the Texas Secretary of State's helpline at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683). font-size: 20px; Youll want to check for open polling locations with your local elections office before you head out to vote. I would love to see more of an investment financially, as well as with time and resources. The winner will serve a four-year term overseeing the Texas Department of Agriculture, which provides financial assistance to farmers, administers the federal free and reduced-lunch programs in schools and regulates hemp production. .infobox p { .non_result_row th { }.contact_entity {font-size: 1.5em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;} } WebSusan Hays Candidate for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Democrat Candidate Information Age: 54 City/Town: Austin Address: P.O. Hes just not suited for public office and not suited for this management role and outreach role that this office demands, Hays said. Several studies, reports and courts have found that voter fraud is relatively rare, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy institute. p.survey-question {font-weight:bold;} AUSTIN, Texas When Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller called for expanding medical marijuana use in Texas, his Democratic opponent was quick to question his timing. This option is fairly limited in Texas. What can you tell them that might convince them to vote for a Democrat for this position? And yeah, the cannabis markets, like any new market, are very volatile. width: 50%; A few years ago, rural life was calling her home. cricket wireless coverage map,