Jolanda Jones Full Speech: Congressional District 18 Race Update

Campaign Kick-off and Challenges

• 🎙️ Jolanda Jones expresses optimism despite a late start to her Congressional District 18 campaign, beginning five months after other candidates due to her role as a state representative.
• ✊ She explains her decision not to quit her state representative job to fight against what she describes as "really bad plans for Texas" from Greg Abbott and Trump.
• 🗺️ Jones asserts that the redrawn maps were "racist" and that her campaign worked to explain this to the world.

Election Day Progress and Strategy

• 🗳️ With early vote and absentee results in, Jones is only 2,700 votes away from a runoff, a position she finds encouraging given the circumstances.
• 🏃 She likens her campaign's situation to running a relay race as the anchor, often receiving the baton late but still determined to win.
• 🤝 Jones highlights the positive feedback and "positive vibes" she received from voters while visiting multiple polling locations on Election Day.

Campaign Team and Support

• 🌟 Gratitude is extended to her family, including her mother, sister, son, daughter-in-law, and "glam baby," for their support and volunteer efforts.
• 💼 Recognition is given to her campaign manager, Dallas Jones, and general consultant Grant Martin, who has supported her since 2003.
• 💪 Jones emphasizes her identity as a "fighter" and thanks her state office staff for their support during the campaign.

Lessons from a Decathlete Career

• 🏅 Jones draws parallels between her past as a heptathlete, winning three NCAA championships, and her current campaign.
• 🎢 She explains that heptathlon involves "ups and downs," with strengths in some events (like high jump and long jump) and weaknesses in others (like hurdles).
• 🏁 This experience taught her to overcome initial setbacks and perform strongly in later events, similar to her campaign strategy.

Overcoming Adversity and Future Outlook

• 🌱 Jones shares her background of growing up in poverty, where her family faced challenges like power and water shutoffs, instilling a belief that hard work and prayer can overcome anything.
• ⏳ She acknowledges that the race is not over until all results are in, noting long lines of people still voting on Election Day.
• ✨ Despite the uncertainty, Jones remains hopeful and encourages supporters to "stick around" as they await the final outcomes, confident in their ability to make it work.