When We Fight Them We Will Win': Beto O'Rourke Blasts Trump, GOP Amidst Redistricting War

But then I remember that they want us to feel hopeless. They want us, as Romney said, to feel helpless. They want us to think that what's happening right now is inevitable and impossible to stop. That's how these people win power, hold on to power, and leave the people completely. From the day that he was named Chancellor in January of 1933, it took Hitler just 53 days to destroy German democracy. His constitutional authority, every time he defied the German constitution, every time he broke the law, the German press, the German politicians, and most importantly, the German people, did far too little, far too late. Every term, in those 53 days, there was an opportunity to solve it. There was nothing about him that was inevitable. But in 53 days, he goes from being this buffoonish thug, who can barely hold power, to the undisputed master. Those who lived there at that time felt hopeless. They felt helpless. They didn't believe that they could stop him. In the seven months since Donald Trump has been sworn in to the highest position of public trust in this land, he has defied and come equal to federal courts. He's dismantled congressional charter and mandated agencies and departments. He has colluded with corrupt public officials. He's covered up his complicity with child sex traffickers and rapists in this country. And he has dispensed with nearly every constitutional protection and safeguard that for the last 249 years has kept us a nation of laws and not one of kings. And now he seeks to grab even more cover. He seeks five congressional districts right here in the state of Texas. And let me make sure that everyone understands the stakes and the terms of this fight, because I guarantee you he does. If he's unable to maintain control of the House of Representatives in 2026, if he can steal that election now in the summer of 2025, there will be no check on his lawlessness. There will be no accountability for his crimes and his corruption. There will be likely free and fair elections going forward in 2028 and beyond. Those are the terms for him, for us, those of us who are alive right now and so lucky to be on this planet and in this country and have the chance of 15 months to go to get everything we have, no matter where we are in this beautiful place. And I was so glad that Jasmine and Martina were all on the stage and seeing how much you've seen our values and serving the people. You know, some folks despair. They're like, why was I so unlucky to be around right now in Donald Trump's second term? Why do I have to go through all these things? If we just heard about the happy speaker who was speaking to me, I might have gotten fucked. No, **** that. It's good to be alive and breathing. Have the chance to save their country at its moment of truth. We've got to be honest. We're not born in this generation. We don't have the chance to fight the mother of all battles for the future of our country. That is who we are here today. So we need to understand that as well because if we fail to win a majority in the House of Representatives in 2026, I believe, and that's why I gave you that analog from German history in 1933, that the consolidation of authoritarian power in the hands of this president will be nearly unstoppable. And what that means for all of us is more masks, plainclothes, federal agents without warrants or badges, sweeping our fellow Americans up off the streets. It means that more outcomes for political opponents. And yes, even for political violence. And it means more likely than not that a Republican majority will roll out. It will be our fate unless we stand and fight. Folks can be forgiven for thinking that we are going to submit and to bend the knee because Columbia for 200 million. Look at the big law firms on the East Coast that have committed hundreds of millions of dollars of pro bono work for the president's chosen priorities. And we'll never again defend anybody who challenges this would-be autocrat or target. Look at Paramount and CBS, Iron and Stephen Colbert. And the last place is we do get the real news on our television. Exactly. Look at even some present company excluded in our own party who seek to conciliate and compromise and yet sometimes submit or even are advised to roll over in the face of what's happening in this country. So they can be forgiven for thinking that that might happen here. But that was more important than that. In the country. In the state where it's harder to cast a ballot or register a vote than in any other in the union. An organization is also fighting to stop the steal of these five congressional seats. That fight has brought the wrath of Ken Paxton on our back. Who sued us in Tarrant County Court to try to pull us out of business. For what Ken Paxton, Donald Trump, Greg Abbott don't understand is that in this state, especially in this city, our needs do not bend. And I'm really upset about that. So we shut our business. He's called to put me behind bars and accused me of criminal contempt. My hearing is later this month. Depending on what happens, you owe me a cake. We did not react. We didn't respond. We didn't fight back. We got off the back foot. On the defense, on the offense, we took the fight to him. We sued him here in El Paso. Thanks to our amazing attorney, Lynn Coyle, we defeated Ken Paxton. To this fight. No matter how intimidating it seems. No matter how hopeless we are sometimes tempted to feel. As Jasmine said, the real power in this country is with the people. For as long as we are a government of, by, and for the people. This room right here is the real center of power in America. I hope you have got to use it. So in addition to joining all the organizations that Veronica Escobar is going to hold us accountable for. There is a presidency that is part of El Paso County that we have to win. And flip blue. Tony Mezaas. As soon as we have a chance. In this room to commit to lawful. Meeting people. In the House of Representatives. These five seats. As Joaquin made clear. It is not popular to cut millions of people off Medicaid. It is not popular to run these disciple tactics all across this country. It is not popular to have nearly four trillion dollars in debt. It is not popular to take a trillion dollars of your hard earned wealth. And send it to the wealthiest one percent. As that bad bill just did. It cannot be on the merits of their policies. On the character that they present to this country. Instead of trying to steal the election of 26. In the summer of 25. You and I together. Have 15 months. Not only to stop them. And fight with everything that we've got. But also to offer our friends. And family. Neighbors. And fellow Alaskans. And Texans. And Americans. Something to fight for. The vision that Donald Trump has. Is so damn regressive. Right? Does anybody in this room want to go backwards? No. We won't go back. And I don't even want to go backwards to the Biden administration. Or the Obama administration. Or the Clinton administration. As great presidents as they were. I think this country demands. Rightfully so. Big. Bold. Radical. Change. In America. And this is something. That we are getting sick of. Right now. I want people to get it. Rise in power. And elect more Democrats. To replace them. So I want you to imagine. Instead of saving a democracy. Which is really confusing for people. In 2024. What democracy are you trying to save? In Texas. Millions of people. Are disenfranchised. In America. One man can spend 300 million dollars. Trying to elect his preferred presidential candidate. In America. Corporations are people. Money is speech. And corporations are spending unlimited amounts of it. Purchasing the outcomes of elections. And the policies that those officials pursue. And the future that all of us should be building together. But we're locked out of now. So how about a democracy? Where we get big money out of politics. Where we can return that power. All of that power. Back to the people. That is a democracy. We have no hope of a political democracy. An economic one. In the last five decades. 50 trillion dollars. With a T. Has moved from lower and middle income. In this country. And it is continuing to increase right now. I mentioned one trillion. Just is flowing right now from all of us in this room. To the lowest 1% in this country. If people in this country. Cannot get what they need. And I'm not asking for much. From a government of the many. Soon enough they're only getting what they need from a government of the few. Or a government even of only one. So let us talk about what this democracy can do. What if all of those trillions of dollars. Were actually returned to the Americans who created that wealth. In the first place. What if people could just live in one state. Or two. Or three. Just to make ends meet. Especially if you're teaching school. And you don't have to pay taxes. What if millions of Americans could get safe at home. Access to fresh and healthy food. And clean drinking water. No matter where you live. The ability to buy. And most importantly. Ensuring that your child can go to a world class public school. Right here in the United States. Starting at home. Jackson was so eloquent about this. Looking in the mirror. And looking at our neighbor. And our friend. And making sure. That we see ourselves in them. And so when that transgender American. When he shows up. For his appointed time. In front of that judge. With those ice agents. With their masks. And their caps. And their sunglasses. And their tactical vests. And you know armed for war. Or waiting outside to take him out. You show up. And stand right next to him. And make sure that you tell his family. Or his neighbors. Tell his family. Tell his husband. Tell him everything. That in 1973. Abortion was just as illegal in the state of Texas. As it is today. But no one came in from outside of the state. To rescue the women of Texas. It was in fact three very young Texas women. You know Jane Roseman, right? One of the congressmen. 26 years old. Most complicated case she had ever tried. Was a no contest divorce. The three of them prevail. Upon an all male United States Supreme Court. To render the Roe versus Wade decision. Ensuring that every woman. Make her own decision. About her own life. She reminds you of God. Imagine this. That America is not... In a starving and a slaughtering. A sovereign independent state. With a Palestinian people. Over it. To save the entire people. And to win their peace. Sacred peace. And to bring that same logic back home. And reconvene ourselves with the constitution. To due process. To the Bill of Rights. So that the protection. that are being erased and destroyed right before our eyes. And in this one, I don't have to tell Jasper, and I don't have to tell, but the next time, they're gonna have to call the cops, because the president and company excluded. They had to talk a big game. And when we had the White House, and the House and the Senate back in 2008, when we had the Senate back in 2020, we did not move an inch on immigration. So if I can help myself, and others who go and live in this, I'm gonna make sure that every dreamer is being overrided. Women and men have so successful matches for themselves in this country, when their potential is finally unleashed. We can do this, right? Now, enough for us to believe that we can. One in two days, a lot of us will make this inevitable. It is up to us to decide differently. 1858, Lincoln's having one of those great debates with Douglass, and creating the essence of power in this country. And Lincoln said something to the effect that, we've got the presidency, but more powerful than all of that is all of us. He called it public sentiment. And he said, it is everything. With it, nothing can fail. Without it, nothing can be. So signing up these groups, campaigning and employing Douglass' district in 2023, registering our fellow Texans here, because of the statewide races for Attorney General, Governor, U.S. Senate, our votes now count just as much as the votes in any other part of the state, and we need to make sure that we get people out. Go into these protests, which are breaking through to our helpful Americans on the King Tribe, New York Tribe, and New York City. Time for the lowest for any president, except for Donald Trump, version one, right? On immigration, his signature issue running into the 2024 election, he's polling at 30%. Will you amplify what he is doing? Who is hurting? How un-American is this stuff is breaking through? Last thing, for that battle that still remains in your head, looking at the world up against you right now, let us remember who we are at the end of the day. I mean, here we have Lawrence Dixon, who wrote the white primary from three to 1924, and here we have Hillary Clinton, who escapes before a different state judge integrated higher education in 1954. We have the least impact anywhere in the United States of America. No matter what they have thrown at us, we have chosen to come together. We are one. We freed ourselves to those to ensure that we were free from ever being ruled by kings. What, 80 years later, we defeated the armies of India. 300,000 in that effort. Full measure, another 80 years, and then from this very community, who do we feed, land owners of the 7th and 9th? From the state of Texas, LBJ, we're past civil rights and the next level of human rights. And it's gonna be, that is who we are. And all of us today, by our good luck, as we go through that service, all that struggle, and all that sacrifice, and what we do with this great, and we'll determine, going forward. So, no pressure. No discipline, and that history will pass before we begin to fight. So today, and every day that follows, for the next 15 months, until I elect you on the 6th, I ask you to do all you can with what you have, wherever you are. If we hang together, we're going to overcome these battles.