Democrat Bobby Cole Discusses Race for Texas Governor

Summary

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The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode: Democrat Bobby Cole Discusses Race for Texas Governor
Date: December 7, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this episode, the Meiselas brothers welcome Bobby Cole, Democratic candidate for Texas governor, to discuss his campaign, the political climate in Texas, and the challenges faced by working families in the state. The conversation dives into the economic hardships inflicted by current GOP policies, healthcare affordability, partisan entrenchment, and Cole’s personal journey from cattle rancher and firefighter to reform-minded candidate. The episode focuses on the urgent need to protect democracy and work towards a government that serves the people, not just special interests.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Texas in Crisis: Economic and Social Challenges

[02:41-07:17]

• The hosts highlight the damage caused by the Trump regime and Governor Greg Abbott:
  • Health insurance premiums and utility costs are skyrocketing.
  • Texas's refusal to expand Medicaid has left millions without affordable coverage.
  • Trump’s tariffs have harmed small businesses, with concrete examples from local Texas entrepreneurs.
  • Loss of 120,000 small business jobs reported in the last month alone.
  • Health care premium increases: “According to the Texas Association of Health Plans… in Texas, it's expected to top 115%, which means the average monthly cost for a family is forecasted to jump from $1,600 to more than $3,400.” [07:13]
• The lack of federal emergency response for local disasters due to state politics is discussed.

Voter Disenfranchisement and Gerrymandering

[07:18-08:54]

• Recent Supreme Court decisions allowed Texas to gerrymander districts, favoring GOP control.
• The prevailing assumption that Hispanic voters are moving towards Trump is challenged, with hosts citing a dramatic net-negative approval among Hispanic voters.
• Ben Meiselas remarks: “Trump's support with Hispanics in Texas and throughout the country has collapsed. Negative 58 net approval among the Hispanic community.” [07:52]

Bobby Cole on Why He’s Running

[08:04-11:22]

• Bobby Cole outlines his motivations:
  • Disillusionment with a government “tearing itself down to the point that it doesn’t function for the people.”
  • Belief in government as an extension of the people: “Government is the people and people are the government.” [10:41]
  • A commitment to supporting working families, affordable healthcare, fair wages, and true representation.
• Notable Quote:
  • “I would run. I am running for governor because I want to make government actually work for the people and actually meet their needs.” — Bobby Cole [10:52]

Battling Deep Partisan Entrenchment

[08:54-10:19]

• Discussion of Texas’s history and the belief that the state can return to Democratic leadership.
• The hosts and Cole agree that the current party in power acts counter to the interest of the majority.

Personal Story and Call to Service

[11:22-14:39]

• Cole reflects on his upbringing, his grandparents’ generation, and the sense of duty that inspired him to enter politics:
  • “The government didn’t come to him and say, hey, would it be convenient… They just said, you know, your service is demanded. Here’s a gun, and slapped him on the back and said go fight for your country. And so that’s the attitude I took.” [12:34]
• He views the current rise of authoritarian MAGA politics as a direct threat to democracy and his children’s legacy.
• Cole positions himself as a rural candidate able to reach and represent rural Texans whose values are being ignored by the GOP.

Vision for Texas and Grassroots Organizing

[14:39-15:40]

• Cole calls for public support and highlights his grassroots, people-powered campaign.
  • “This campaign is about the people and I need the people’s help. …I am the candidate that can do in Texas what a generation—it’s been a generation since—as a Democrat, I can win this state. I am change. I am the agent of change and I am for working families and I’m for fair wages and economic justice and I’m for protecting the legacy of democracy that’s been left to all of us. And I want to make sure it’s given to the next generation.” [14:59]
• Directs listeners to coleforgovernor.com for more information and ways to get involved.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s almost like they don’t want anybody to vote for them. And the only way I can explain that is they don’t want your vote. They’re gonna gerrymander their way in, or they’re simply not going to have a vote anymore. So, you know, when you got the Supreme Court in your back pocket.” — Bobby Cole [08:25]

• “If you’re not going to fight for [your children’s future], I don’t know what you’ll fight for. And… there’s this MAGA movement afoot, and it’s an authoritarian movement.” — Bobby Cole [12:01]

• “If that candidate could break through and become the Democratic governor of Texas, it would be a big red roadblock to this MAGA movement nationally. And that’s what I’m prepared to do.” — Bobby Cole [14:34]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:41] – Texas protests and economic pain under GOP policies
• [05:32] – Health care premium increases and coverage crisis
• [07:18] – Gerrymandering and Hispanic voter trends
• [08:04] – Bobby Cole joins; campaign motivations and critique of GOP
• [10:41] – Cole's philosophy on government serving the people
• [11:22] – Cole’s personal background and call to service
• [14:39] – Cole’s closing campaign message and grassroots call

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Tone:
The tone throughout is a mix of urgency, frustration with the current GOP leadership, and optimism for change anchored in grassroots activism and genuine public service. Bobby Cole, practical and plainspoken, channels rural values and a sense of duty, while the hosts layer their trademark humor and fervent support for democracy.

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Transcript

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[D]

That right there was from one of the peaceful no Kings protests in Texas standing tall. Texas standing proud. And if you look at the latest polling data, Donald Trump is negative 20.5 in Texas. Of all of the states he won, where he is underwater, even more so than Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arizona, Iowa. TRUMP Negative 20.5. I'll show this to you as well. The Handmaids protest that went down as well in Fort Worth. Let's play it Foreign.

People in Texas are getting hit from all sides from this Trump regime. From the MAGA Republicans, from their MAGA Republican Governor Greg Abbott. Whether it's their health insurance premiums going up, whether it's the fact that Abbott did not even opt into Medicaid expansion, whether it's utility costs, insurance costs, the general cost of living. People from Texas again are getting hit from all sides. Trump's tariffs against the world hurting small businesses. I mean, you hear stories like this all across Texas, North Texas shoe designer hit hard by those tariffs, has to pass the costs on to her customers. And we've seen small businesses have been gutted and decimated by this Trump regime. 120,000 small business job losses last month. And just take a look at what's happening in North Texas. Ucy let's play it.

[B]

Tariff war continues. One local shoe designer tells NBC 5's Vince Sims the tariffs on her latest invoice are threatening the future of her beloved business.

[E]

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The creative mind behind these intricately carved shoes is Lucky Loose Shoes owner Lulu von hotricht.

[E]

A good 20 years of my life and I wouldn't do anything else. There's nothing else I want to do.

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She knows tariffs were impacting a lot of things, but she wasn't expecting the tabs she got on this year's order.

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At the most, my duties will come in at like 2 to $3,000 at the most, depending on my order. This last week I got an order, a small order. I got a $16,000 duty. I just started crying because I knew, I knew that it was going to have such an impact on everything I've.

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Done in my life, Von Hotrich says Like everyone else, she's had to raise her.

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Hopefully the customers will pay. They'll understand and pay. But I'm finding the customers are sort of pushing back a little bit. Normally, October, November are really good months for me coming into Christmas, and I'm probably at about 40% less than I would be at this time of year last year.

[D]

Let's talk about health care costs as well. As I mentioned, Abbott opts out of Medicaid expansion Now, the Affordable Care act premiums skyrocketing as Trump and Maggie refused to extend the subsidies here. Take a look at what's going on in Texas. Health care costs are ready to climb for millions of Americans. And data shows costs for Texans will likely be well above the national average.

[B]

So the enhanced premium tax credits that kept plans affordable are set to expire at the end of this year. And if Congress does not extend them, then premiums are set to Skyrocket next year. Fox 4's Casey Steagall Live from the newsroom with all this. Casey.

[A]

Hey, Steve, Heather, good evening. Texas is one of 10 states that did not expand Medicaid back in 2012, which means millions here rely on buying private plans through the federal marketplace. And as people prepare to renew their coverage for 2026, analysts warn of true sticker shock. Open enrollment for health insurance begins this Saturday. But with the enhanced federal tax credits about to expire, next year's costs are expected to.

[D]

So when those tax credits go away, those Texans that were able to come into the market and get that affordable coverage, they're going to find that their coverage is now a lot more expensive. In most cases, about double.

[A]

According to the Texas association of Health Plans, average premiums nationwide are projected to climb roughly 75%. Here in Texas, it's expected to top 115%, which means the average monthly cost for a family is forecasted to jump from 1,600 doll to more than 3,400.

[D]

Wow.

[A]

Wow, wow.

[D]

And I do want to mention as well, because everyone knows now that the Supreme Court allowed Texas to gerrymander those maps, Trump and Abbott to try to pick up those five additional Republican seats, what they believe is going to happen. But that was based on a view that Hispanic voters were moving towards Trump. But Trump's support with Hispanics in Texas and throughout the country has collapsed. Negative 58 net approval among the Hispanic community. Let's bring in Bobby Cole, Democratic candidate for governor in Texas. Cattle rancher, firefighter. Bobby, you're running for governor in Texas. Think you're going to be able, you think you're going to be able to flip this thing, man?

[C]

Yeah, I think so. I mean, your, your run up tells the tale. We're talking about Dublin of health insurance premiums in this state. And then, and then you got your insurance premiums going up on your car, your house utility Costs are going up, mortgages are going up, interest rates. I don't even understand what this Republican Party is wanting to do. It's, it's, it's almost like they don't want anybody to vote for them. And the only way I can explain that is they don't want your vote. They're gonna, they're gonna gerrymander their way in, or they're simply not going to have a vote anymore. So, you know, when you got the Supreme Court in your back pocket. Other than that, I can't explain why they want to attack the working men and women of Texas like they do.

[D]

Well, look, you know, partisanship is so deeply entrenched, and people are growing up in Texas thinking, you know, if you're a Republican, can never vote Democrat, you know, they'd almost rather have Putin based on what Trump and Abbott are saying. I mean, prob. You know, so I've heard that, you know, and you have there all of this disinformation that's being spread. But like the government, you know, Abbott, I mean, whether it's with all of the costs, utilities, insurance, heck, the floods in the Guadalupe river that, you know, I mean, it's, it's now something that's not even being discussed nationally, but at a state and local level, the refusal to accept certain federal funds to have emergency responses, and then it just moves on. And let's focus on gerrymandering versus giving emergency relief there. I mean, it's just. How do you get over, though, the fact that it is such. The deeply entrenched partisanship in that state where people keep voting for a guy in Abbott who, you know, seems to keep giving the middle finger to the people.

[C]

Well, I mean, before this state was Republican, it was Democrat, and so there's still hope that, that Democrats can wrestle this state back.

I don't, I don't understand why you want to be a head of a state government where you essentially want to tear it down to the point that it doesn't function for the people, which are. Which is what the government's for. And so the, the, the only, only way that makes sense is that you're really just cutting it up and dicing it up so that you and your cronies and billionaires can, can profit from other people's lack of services. And so I'm, I'm running because I believe in government, because government is the people and people are the government. So I would run. I am running for governor because I want to make government actually work for the people and actually Meet their needs.

Where they live, at their kitchen table, in their jobs, in their education and in their health care and in affordability.

[D]

Talk to us about your background. I spoke a little bit about it. Cattle rancher, firefighter. What made you want to step into this area and even run for office? And you're getting a lot of attention out there in your race, I might add, but without really a political background, other than maybe you and I share. Student government president or running for student government back in high school.

[C]

Yeah, it's been a while since I've had to run a campaign. But with that being said.

Even though, even though I haven't participated in running for office.

I'm, I'm, I'm absolutely invested in what this, where this state goes and what it becomes. And to, to put it on a more granular level, when I decided to run was when Trump got elected again. And, you know, I know an authoritarian when I hear and sing. And so I've been struggling my whole life to build a legacy to leave my kids. And I feel that that legacy is at risk. Their future's at risk. And then the overarching legacy that we've all been given by generations before us, our democracy is also at risk. And so, you know, I hearken back to when, you know, my grandparents raised me, you know, a lot of time when I, when I was young, because my parents were young and starting out, so I spent a lot of time with my grandparents and my granddads. You know, they sacrificed and served in World War II. And when war broke out, the government didn't come to him and say, hey, would it, would it be convenient? Do you have the time to go fight for your country? They didn't ask. They just said, you know, your service is demanded. Here's a gun, and slapped him on the back and said, go fight for your country. And so that's the attitude I took. You know, I really don't have the time to do this, but I'm going to make the time, and I don't have the money to do this, but I'm going to find a way to make it work. Because when I tell you I am concerned about the future of this state, the future, the futures are youth, our children. If you're, if you're not going to fight for that, I don't know what you'll fight for. And, and that's the reason I decided to run. And I'll touch on the thing I started it off with. There's this MAGA movement afoot, and it's an authoritarian movement. And what I believed was if you, if you could find the right kind of candidate, Abbott is, is, is vulnerable in rural Texas. If you run a candidate that is from rural Texas, that has lived in rural Texas, has worked in rural Texas and has and has been raised with the value, the values that rural Texans are, are raised with that his message could resonate. And if that candidate could break through and become the Democratic governor of Texas, it would be a big red roadblock to this MAGA movement nationally. And.

That'S what I'm prepared to do. And that's what I'm going to do.

[D]

Bobby, where can people find out more about your campaign and learn more about you as a candidate?

[C]

They can go to coleforgovernor.com you can read about my positions. You can also access all my social media feeds. And like I said, if you, if you want to help, support and donate, don't. Donations are gladly accepted. I am grassroots. This campaign is about the people and I need the people's help. And I'm prepared. I am the candidate that can do in Texas. What a generation. It's been a generation since I, as a Democrat, I can win this state. I am change. I am the agent of change and I am for working families and I'm for fair wages and economic justice and I'm for protecting the legacy of democracy that's been left to all of us. And I want to make sure it's given to the next generation.

[D]

Bobby Cole, thanks for joining us.

[C]

Okay, thank you, Ben.

[D]

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