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Houston's Amanda Edwards running for Congress
With surprise "entries" and just as surprising "exits", the dynamics of the Houston Mayor's race shifted once again this week with Amanda Edwards altering political course. With her focus now set on Congress, the former Houston City Councilmember sat down with FOX 26 Political Reporter Greg Groogan to explain the decision.
HOUSTON - With surprise entries and just as surprising exits, the dynamics of the Houston Mayor's race shifted once again this week with candidate Amanda Edwards altering the political course by leaving the mayor race and running for Congress.
The former City Councilmember spoke with FOX 26 political reporter Greg Groogan to explain the decision.
Greg Groogan FOX 26:
Amanda, a big announcement this week and there is a one-word question - why?
RELATED: Amanda Edwards drops out Houston mayor's race, announces bid for Congress
Amanda Edwards:
After I chatted with, talked to, and consulted with lots of residents, community members etc. realized that the wisest and best choice for me to serve this community would be to pivot into a different role of service and this one happens to be the Congressional 18th District.
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Amanda Edwards drops out of Houston mayors race, announces bid for Congress
Former at-Large Houston City Council Member Amanda Edwards is suspending her bid for mayor to run for Congress.
Groogan:
What if, iconic Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee fails in her bid to lead the nation's fourth largest city and runs for office (Congress) again, will you stay in the race?
Edwards:
Yes, I would. The issue here is not necessarily whether she is in the race or not, it's really being committed to the race for the 18th Congressional District.
Groogan:
When you are talking to people in the18th, what are the biggest challenges in their lives and how is government in some ways falling short for them?
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Edwards:
It's been nearly six years since Hurricane Harvey and we cannot allow our community to have the intense housing needs that they currently have and go without response or solutions. I'm running because I want to put people over the politics and I want to deliver the solutions people are looking for.
People have become conditioned to being relevant during campaign season, but being forgotten otherwise. What I want to do is restore people's confidence in the fact that you are not just relevant during the campaign season. I will deliver the change you are looking for and deserve. These things we talk about on the campaign trail you should hold me accountable to doing and I should do.
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Groogan:
In a matter of minutes this country hit critical mass and I'm talking about the minutes the knee was on George Floyd's neck. George Floyd a native Houstonian. The battle for equal justice for all continues. Can you talk about that, your commitments there?
Edwards:
I think it caused a lot of us to reflect on what is being just lip service versus true equity in our community.
Whether that means we have to deal with infrastructure or housing or health care access or economic opportunity or environmental justice issues and concerns. These are things we have got to make sure are front and center when we look at where we are as a country.