Jan 16 Updates
Another Friday, another newsletter!
We had a very busy week on the campaign trail! With a busy week comes a lot of great and encouraging momentum. We continued making great connections with neighbors across District 49. From candidate forums to house parties, listening and learning about the issues that are directly impacting our residents is what fuels my energy on this journey. I am meeting the most incredible people (see “Fun Facts” below) and remembering just how much this district cares about policy. It creates an ever greater urgency in me to serve. District 49 is asking for leadership rooted in service, accountability, and strategic solutions.
In between my daily block-walks (or some days “block-bikes”!) I had the opportunity to attend some important events hosted by dedicated neighbors in District 49.
This Week's Recap
The AND Podcast: Today I am being interviewed for the next episode of the AND Podcast. I am looking forward to sharing my story and having conversations about living in that space of fear and bravery. I think that is the essence of running for office, and is basically the essence of my career – from the Balkans, to Iraq, to chasing traffickers around the world to taking on this campaign. I am looking forward to unpacking how we face two things at once.
Mothers Against Greg Abbott: What a wonderful organization and an amazing group of women who are working towards a better Texas one elected woman at a time; their candidate resources and guides are outstanding, and my team has been participating in their strategy meetings on Monday nights.
Austin Creatives Social: Huge thanks to Mindy Graber, a local artist and friend for hosting me in her South Austin studio! We talked about how our richly resourced state can better support our artistic community, especially since the artistic identity draws tourists and keeps major revenue generators and annual events such as South by Southwest (SXSW) and Austin City Limits (ACL) going. Lack of health insurance was a big issue that came up. One sculptor recounted that she literally trades sculptures for major surgeries! My hope is that we can do better for this community that does so much for us.
Circle C Area Democrats Candidate Forum: Circle C is a neighborhood in far South Austin whose residents take a deep interest in the candidates for my district. Their forum was a great chance for me to meet people across the area. I loved seeing two women whose doors I knocked last week! Only two of my opponents were there as well, which meant more time for me to be in front of this civically minded crowd. The questions were excellent: "What is the one thing you believe you can get done if elected?" and "What if the Texas government redistricts the State House?" My answer to the first is universal preK-3; the Texas Lege passed childcare credits last session, so let’s take it the next step and link it to quality education. My answer to the second is much trickier. We have to vote and vote again. But will that be enough?
House Parties: House parties have been a cornerstone of our outreach, and I am deeply grateful to the many friends who have opened their homes to me and their neighbors. These “meet the candidate” gatherings create meaningful opportunities for neighbors to connect with me, raise important questions, and explore ideas without judgment about the change we want to see in our community. This week we had TWO house parties back-to-back. Education, Republican overreach, and the strategy for getting work done in the House were consistent themes with both groups. I find it interesting how often education comes up with voters, no matter their age. Voters in this district care greatly about taking care of the next generation. We’ve got two more this weekend and two more next week!
Fun facts:
· I received my first phone call from a voter who got my number from a note I left at his door! In fact, he first talked to one of our amazing student canvassers. I went by later to follow up and when I missed him, I left a note, and he called to follow up. He interviewed me and now I’ve got a new supporter! This voter expends the kind of time and energy that is truly exemplary, especially during a primary.
· My first mailer went out! I am hearing from friends across the district that they received it. Admittedly, it feels huge to me! I saw one and exclaimed, "It's almost life-sized!" I'm told that if it's big people think twice before tossing it, and so far that seems to be the case. I've included a picture of me and the mailer below for your viewing pleasure :)
· I knocked on the door of the most gracious couple whose home previously belonged to the late Sarah Weddington (who argued Roe v. Wade!). They invited me in and gave me a full tour. I spent far too much time there, but it was absolutely worth it! Sarah is a hero and now I have two new friends!
· We ordered 250 yard signs, and nearly 100 have been placed already. I can't believe it, and am so humbled to see them dotting yards in neighborhoods, sometimes butted up against a sign for one of my opponents.
· My giant road signs are out on the major arteries around town, and they are BIG. They look so great and I love hearing from friends that they are seeing my “billboards”.
· Our field team has hit thousands of doors and with UT Austin back in session as of Monday (1/12) we've got an even greater number of fabulous students block walking, knocking doors, and leaving those door hangers.
· Less fun but still fun because it's done(!), we submitted our very first semiannual report to the Texas Ethics Commission. Thanks to everyone who donated and provided their information so we could make a complete and compliant submission!
Intern Spotlight!
This campaign is strongly supported by our student team members. We are so lucky to have them, their passion, dedication, and hard work. Without them, none of what we are doing would be possible. They are helping with door knocking, organizing and prepping me for events, engaging with voters, and bringing fresh ideas to shake up our impact. We are so grateful for each of them!!!
This week, I want to highlight some members of our ultra fabulous comms team, who work daily to push out our message through social media posts and outreach. Please meet Jonathan Perez, the student lead for this dynamic team; Isabella (Isa) Lezama, our Instagram lead on the Longhorns 4 Lerner account; Savannah Cunningham, our LinkedIn strategist; and Dana-Alyssa Suleimen, our TikTok lead content creator.
· Jonathan Perez is a junior at UT Austin majoring in Government and Advertising. Jonathan is a Terry Scholar, VP of Student Association, and the VP of Theta Chi. Connect with Jonathan here! LinkedIn
· Savannah Cunningham is a native of District 49 and a sophomore at UCLA majoring in Political Science and Economics. She is a writer for the UCLA newspaper, The Daily Bruin, and amazingly a D1 athlete on the UCLA Rowing Team. Connect with Savannah here! LinkedIn
· Isabella (Isa) Lezama is a sophomore at UT Austin majoring in Government and minoring in Law, Justice, and Society. In her free time, Isa is a Social Media Officer of the Lawtina UT Austin Chapter, a RA on campus, and Up to Us Team Lead. Connect with Isa here! LinkedIn
· Dana-Alyssa Suleimen is a sophomore at St. Edward’s University here in Austin majoring in Psychology and minoring in Legal Studies. In her free time, Dana enjoys watching movies, journaling, spending time with friends, and creating social media content. Connect with Dana here! LinkedIn
Next Week at a Glance
As we move into the weeks ahead, our focus remains on expanding conversations across the district and continuing to show up in every corner of HD 49. This next week, we have a packed schedule, which means more opportunities to connect with the voters of District 49! I am excited to attend these upcoming events and house parties.
Saturday 17 | NETCo Candidate Forum; Tejano Dems Endorsement Forum; Central Austin House Party
Sunday 18 | Barton Hills House Party
Monday 19 | Raise Your Hand Texas HD 49 Candidate Forum
Tuesday 20 | South Austin Dems & Capitol Area Progressive Dems endorsement forum
Wednesday 21 | Austin American Statesman Endorsement Candidate Interview; Central Austin Dems Meeting
Thursday 22 | Campus time!
**I block-walk or block-bike every weekday from 2:30 - 6:00 pm and on weekends from 11am to 6 pm. It's a lot, but SO worth it! Meeting voters where they are and encouraging conversations about what matters to them has been so rewarding! If you care to join me, I am always looking for company!!**
We have yard signs available! If you would like one and live in District 49, we would love to deliver one to you! Please fill out this form: Yard Sign Request!
To stay updated, please check out our socials–we appreciate the follows! Instagram LinkedIn Facebook Website
If you’d like to make a donation, please visit: https://www.robin4texas.com/contribute.
Please feel free to share this update to your network! And as always, thank you for being a part of this campaign. Your support, time, and belief in this movement are a constant source of encouragement not only to me, but to my whole team.
Until next Friday!
Have a great weekend, stay safe, and stay well!
Robin Lerner
P.S. Please enjoy these pictures from the campaign trail!
