} Your gift helps pay for everything you find on texasstandard.org and KUT.org. } 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. top: -1px; Hays has questioned Millers ethics and pointed to his controversies. Sid Miller, who was elected in 2014, is seeking a third term as agriculture commissioner. .top_disclaimer { .outer_percentage { He served on the Trump campaigns agriculture advisory committee in 2016. } Well, I mean, I wouldnt ask that question on the nose. The job of this office is to maximize that. And thats already happening in Texas. max-width: 600px; You can contact your county elections official or call the Texas Secretary of State's helpline at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683). background-color: grey; When pressed on how to get to the root of the problem, Miller said there wasnt much to do. by Vanessa Fuentes & Jalen McKee-Rodriguez | May 1, 2023. max-width: 75px; .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { Aarn Torres, Austin Bureau Correspondent. } } Susan Hays, Democratic candidate for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture. Susan Hays padding-left: 8px; font-weight: bold; An example from only a few years ago. Republican Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and Democratic challenger Susan Hays. Before he was elected in 2014, Miller served six terms in the Texas House. margin: 8px auto; Are you suggesting that marijuana is a reasonable cash crop for growers here in Texas? The arrest didnt seem to affect the outcome of the primary, which Miller won with more than 58% of the vote. } Source, tusa-race-stage-summary, tusa-person-summary, tusa-filing-dates { a[aria-expanded=false] .fa-chevron-down { display: none; } He was first elected in 2014 and has since been able to stave off being unseated by both Democratic and Republican challengers. background-color: #f9d334; Susan Hays (Democratic Party) ran for election for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture. } He is a University of Texas graduate, and Spanish is his first language. She spoke with the Texas Standard about why she, a progressive, has decided to challenge a conservative incumbent in a deep red state. Meanwhile, another 4 million Texans struggle with hunger and food scarcity because of inflation. .widget-row.Green { [1][2], .votebox { Susan Hays. display: inline-block; And out there, theres three counties that share one hospital with 25 beds and only three ventilators. height: 56px; }) Republican Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and Democratic challenger Susan Hays. Thanks for donating today. } WebCommissioner Miller is a businessman who breeds and trains American Quarter Horses. .race_header { Greg Abbott signed a bill that allowed patients under the Texas Compassionate Use Program to access cannabis with up to 1% THC, which is twice the current limit. } And yet, you think about, well, what about the ag department? display: inline-block; A longtime writer and journalist, Jessica was thrilled to join the Texas Signal where she could utilize her unique perspective on politics and culture. State and local courts | padding-bottom: 3px; } You know, weve reported on this. 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. It also oversees the states department of rural health, which helps rural hospitals with financial aid and technical assistance. One of the problems of getting into hemp, the varieties of hemp that are for sale arent predictable. .results_row td:first-child { The board is separate from the newsroom and other sections of the paper. 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. Why does this factor so largely in your campaign? For more than two decades, Republicans have held every statewide office. padding-left: 0; Susan Hays: Seeing how poorly that agency is run and the notorious graft and corruption. The fight for sustainable agriculture and rational, safe cannabis laws, including legalization, isnt.. 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. Hays has an extensive legal background, including as a cannabis attorney. 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. The states agriculture commissioner oversees a vast portfolio including farming and ranching, rural health care and the scales you use at grocery store checkout. overflow: hidden; .non_result_row th { The machines also have seals with unique serial numbers and are locked down at the end of voting. Susan Hays also discusses her ideas for sustainable agriculture. } For federal, district and state elections, you can find results on our results page. 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. Aarn is an Austin native who previously covered local government for The Kansas City Star and high school sports for the Knoxville News Sentinel. During this election cycle, high-ranking Texas Republicans were privately undermining Miller, too. And yeah, the cannabis markets, like any new market, are very volatile. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Election Results - New York Times padding-bottom: 0px; $('.collapse').collapse('hide'); Shes worked as an attorney and a lobbyist.
float:right; font-style: italic; } He points to the work the department did with distilleries during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide sanitizer and other resources. } padding-top: 3px; position: absolute; Theyre back to doing elective surgeries which were at times put on hold during the pandemic and its business as usual now.. Hays said she would support that program, which is now stalled, and also diversify the agriculture departments staff. People arent afraid of it anymore. width: 50%; Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan. As for the marijuana issue, Hays differs from her opponent, Republican incumbent Sid Miller, in that she wants to legalize marijuana, while Miller is only advocating expanding access to medical marijuana. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022. Texas Results Takeaways Governor Attorney General Texas Agriculture Commissioner Primary Election Results Democratic Primary Winner Susan Hays wins the Democratic primary. DALLAS Attorney Susan Hays says she knows the marijuana issue is garnering most of the headlines in her race for Texas agriculture commissioner. It sounds like maybe the Legislature would be more of a fit, if youre talking about the kind of sweeping changes youre suggesting. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. Consider donating today to help us stay in this fight. Miller and Hays can both legitimately claim deep Texas roots, but from those roots grew two diametrically opposed politicians now running against each other for Texas agriculture commissioner. She directly against the corruption surrounding the selling hemp licenses for absurd prices ($25,000 vs. the expected $100). Susan will fight hard for us. Im running for Agriculture Commissioner because corruption is bad for business. 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. We think Hays is the best choice for Democratic voters. } text-align: center; Sid Miller, Texas Commissioner of Agriculture during a general } } The contest to serve as rural Texas ambassador to the state has become animated. Biography Susan By Sean SaldanaSeptember 22, 202212:53 pmGovernment & Politics, Texas Standard Original, Susan Hays is a Democrat running to be Texas commissioner of agriculture. By signing up you agree to ourTerms of ServiceandPrivacy Policy. clear: both; font-size: 2em; However, polling locations may change, so be sure to check your countys election website before going to vote. How would you approach leading this organization as opposed to how he does it? Sid Miller, former Dallas County Democratic chairwoman in race for Texas ag commissioner, (Photo courtesy of Hays Campaign / Courtesy of Hays Campaign), promotion of conspiracy theories, false stories and racist memes on social media. } Cities | Both candidates displayed humor, a solid understanding of the job, and maturity levels that seemed to far exceed the incumbents. } Well, you can be a character without being a nonstop scandal. .inner_percentage { .widget-key { font-size: 1.2em; And its not because we want giveaways to farmers farmers arent the type to take them. max-height: 580px; background-color: #f9f9f9; position: relative; .inner_percentage.Republican { But I watched him not be able to change anything, not be able to use the power youd think hed have as a Trump guy. padding-top: 8px; position: relative; 0. padding-left: 10px; Do you value our journalism? left: 0px; Additionally, you can, County election offices are supposed to post on. --title-background: #334aab; My husband and I are now out in Brewster County and a lot of counties like Brewster, there are only one, maybe two, health insurance providers and they get to dictate the terms and that is not fair to rural Texans, said the Democrat. Candidates for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, incumbent Sid Miller (R) and Susan Hays (D) In the coming November election for Texas Governor, Lt. Well, it seems like the biggest issue that you were running on, and correct me if Im mistaken here, is rural development. .widget-row { margin: 0; This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. display: table; 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. Hays spoke against Millers lawsuit opposing the U.S. Department of Agricultures program to provide funds and debt relief for farmers of color. If you look at survival rates from traumatic accidents or heart attacks, you know its the first hour that matters, Hays said. Do you really trust Sid Miller with your kids school lunch? float: right; Obviously, the current agriculture commissioner, Sid Miller, is quite a character. A few years ago, rural life was calling her home. Any and every one of those controversies that have been falsely charged against me or some of my people have all been disproven. We were impressed with Ireson, 34, a businessman with family ties to the cattle industry in Brazos County. Texas Agriculture Commissioner election, 2022 - Ballotpedia In July, Miller announced he was in favor of legalizing medical marijuana, becoming the highest-ranking Texas Republican to endorse the measure. Could you talk a little more about that? , See also:Texas Agriculture Commissioner election, 2022. Susan Hays: Candidate for Texas Agriculture Commissioner We have a really great hemp bill, at least I like to think so because I helped write it. .results_row td { Which is the exact opposite of what an AG Commissioner ought to be doing. With his signature cowboy hat and pressed blue jeans, Miller, 67, is the old-school image of a Texas cowboy. For federal, district and state elections, Voting machines and software are certified by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and. Hays appears to have a fundraising edge. .external_links_table { width: auto !important; } For local elections, you can find results on your countys website. I have a great working relationship with Senator Charles Perry. a[aria-expanded=true] .fa-chevron-right { display: none; } But something that Im hearing you talk about, though, are these sort of political and broader social implications, when it comes to criminal justice, all of those implications. background-color: #db0000; Texas leads the country in rural hospital closures. Im running for Agriculture Commissioner because corruption is bad for business. And what I fear right now is that as the market gets further and further ahead of the government, its going to be harder to put some of the genies back in the bottle.. You describe yourself as the first cannabis super lawyer. .results_text { Doing more to help farmers instead of nickel and dime tax them to death, which is what Miller does. So what would you like to see Texas do, and how would your role as agriculture commissioner fit in there? color: black; Its a food security issue. And youre hours away from your next best option. For Miller, it was De Leon, a town with less than 3,000 people. .mw-content-ltr td.votebox-results-cell--text, text-align: center; The winner of this election will lead the state agriculture department that juggles several tasks. She sees the office as a way to help improve health care for farmers and rural communities. 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.. var nTimer = setInterval(function() { 2023 Texas Standard. Susan Hays Political party: Democratic Age as of November 8, 2022: 54 Campaign website: hays4ag.com Occupation: Attorney Education: UT-Austin, B.A. This option is fairly limited in Texas. margin-bottom: 4px; .results_table { The job of this position is to bring as many federal dollars back to Texas as possible. } Sid Miller, former Dallas County Democratic chairwoman in race Public policy. Hays says number one, the state should expand Medicaid. You are a cannabis attorney. }) 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. Im a policy wonk and smart enough to figure out how to get things done the right way, Hays said. } Texas agriculture commissioner Its the deep frustration of watching whats happening to the state and watching the communities where I grew up and used to run around as a teenager, not do near as well as they should because of policy choices. Incumbent Sid Miller defeated James White and Carey Counsil in the Republican primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture on March 1, 2022. Dan Patrick has been very adamant against marijuana legalization. Get the latest. $('#candidate-connection-email-105181').on('click', () => { ga('send', 'event', 'surveycta', 'surveycta-click-email'); }); The Texas Secretary of States office launched an audit of the 2020 election results in Dallas, Harris, Tarrant and Collin Counties. At the top of Millers list is stopping China from buying farmland in the U.S. And Miller does want to expand and fully implement medical cannabis use. And thats not fair to rural Texans. text-align: center; font-size: .9em; Voters can check with their county election officials to see whether their vote was counted.