Cross Roads Podcast - Vote? Oh Yes You Must Vote!

Ever feel like someone else keeps ordering for you—at the taco stand and at city hall? We unpack how primaries in North Texas quietly decide who sets policy on schools, roads, taxes, and public safety, and we make the case for showing up when it counts most. With clear examples and a few laughs, we translate political jargon into practical choices you can make before you hit the polls.

We start by debunking the myth that one vote does not matter, especially in low-turnout primaries where a handful of ballots can tilt outcomes for statewide and local races. From U.S. Senate contenders to newly drawn House districts and county judge seats, we walk through the Republican field and explain why records matter more than mailers. You will learn how to spot the difference between a promise and a track record by checking voting histories, committee roles, bill sponsorships, and public statements that align—or clash—with your priorities.

Research should not be a burden, so we outline a fast, honest workflow: compare candidate websites, verify claims against public records, and use AI tools to summarize platforms with sources you can audit. Then we hand you a no-stress voting checklist—make a plan, confirm your polling place or ballot by mail, bring valid ID, and carry a short list of must-have policies. We also highlight why local offices deserve attention: county budgets, infrastructure, and emergency services touch everyday life long before national headlines do.

If you want better outcomes—smoother commutes, stronger schools, fairer budgets—start where decisions are made and margins are thin. Hit play, get equipped, and take five minutes to map your ballot. If this helped you think differently about primaries, subscribe, share the episode with a neighbor, and leave a quick review so more North Texans vote with confidence.

Transcript

Welcome And Why Voting Matters

Steven Killfoil 1:06

Good morning, Cross Roads. Welcome back to Cross Roads Podcast, where we intersect big ideas with small town values and make jokes along the way so you don't fall asleep during politics. I'm Steven Killfoil reminding you that voting matters even more than your morning coffee, and probably less than our sponsors this week. Today we're talking about why voting matters, especially here in North Texas, and who's running on the Republican side in some of the key races. We'll keep it informative, we'll keep it light, and yeah, there might be some metaphorical donuts involved. If you've ever yelled at your television during election season, congratulations! You care. But yelling at the TV doesn't count as voting. I checked, and today we're talking about something that affects your taxes, your schools, your roads, your health care, and yes, even the price of your tacos. We're talking about voting. Let's start with some of the basics. Some folks say, well, why should I vote? My one vote doesn't matter, but that's like saying one grain of sand doesn't matter because it's not the whole beach. Imagine going into a barbecue restaurant. You don't order, you don't speak up, you don't check the menu, and then you complain about what shows up on your plate. That's not how it works. Voting is how you order your brisket, or at least influence the menu. In competitive races, especially primaries, a handful of votes can decide who gets on the ballot in November. And once you're on that ballot, you've got a shot to shape policy. That means school boards, county judges, state legislatures, and yes, US Senate, they all start with that first vote. Whether you like politics or not, your ballot is your voice. If silence were gold, we'd all be rich. But we'd also have someone else picking the restaurants, the schools, and all the streets that we drive on. Anyway, imagine if voting was like ordering tacos. You could choose soft or crispy, beef or veggie, mild, medium, or Stephen's fire of accountability. Now imagine someone else ordering for you every single time. Yeah, not so tasty. Your vote lets you choose the tacos of governance, and no one should eat beans they didn't order. Primaries are where parties choose their nominees. If you vote in the Republican primary, you help determine who represents the party in the general election. Just like if you vote Democrat in this same primary, you help determine which Democrat representative represents the party in the general election. This is especially important in Texas where many races are effectively decided during the primaries. Primary voters often determine state legislatures, congressional nominees, local judicial candidates, county officials. Your participation shapes the options everyone else sees in November. Okay, this episode is brought to you by author Stefan McDermott, who wrote the book Achieve Optimal Brain Health with Nutrition. An easy to follow holistic guide to help boost memory, mental clarity, and cognitive function with recipes and examples anyone can use daily. If you're concerned about cognitive health, memory retention, focus, or long-term brain wellness, this practical guide breaks down the science of nutrition in simple, actionable steps. You can grab your copy today on Amazon.com because a healthy brain makes informed decisions, including at that ballot box. Go to Amazon.com, achieve optimal brain health with nutrition by Stefan McDermott. And also our other sponsor is the Santa Steven, bringing joy to parades, corporate events, private parties, and holiday celebrations across Texas. From tree lighting to personalized visits, the Santa Steven delivers authentic Christmas magic with professionalism and heart. Book early because even Santa's calendar runs out of space. You can book him on www.gigsalad.com/ the_ Santa_ Steven_ Aubrey. Now before heading to the polls, you need to do a few things, a little bit of research before voting. Review the candidates websites. Find out what they're saying, what they're supporting, compare their policy positions. Look up their past voting records for what they voted on. See if they align with your beliefs. This is very important. If you want to find out, don't listen to all the rhetoric that you get in the mail. I mean, that's just mudslinging politics garbage. The real proof in the pudding is what did they do while they were serving in their last place of office? How did they vote? What did they support? What were they opposed to? All of these things that line up in your own personal beliefs will help you determine which candidate you believe is right for the position. Then you got to ask yourself, what authority does this office that they're running for actually have? What decisions does this position actually influence? And how does it affect my local community? Being informed prevents voting based solely on headlines and yard signs. So here's a little rundown of Republican candidates in key Texas North Texas races for March 3, 2026 primary. These races votes in North Texas will be seen on sample ballots that you will receive in the mail or that you have received in the mail. Matt Matty and I, we always get out and vote early because I don't want to be in that long line. But here's a little rundown. Republicans vying for the GOP nomination to run for U.S. Senate include John Cornyn, Ken Paxton, Wesley Hunt, Anna Bender, Virgil John Bierschwale. Okay. Cornyn is incumbent U.S. Senator. Paxton was Texas Attorney General challenging Cornyn for the Senate race. Hunt is the representative running on the Senate primary. Anna Brender is an IT analyst candidate, and Virgil John Bierschwale is a software developer candidate. No personal endorsements here, just the factual lineup. This is who the Republican voters choose from in their primary. And the reason I'm reading the Republican bell is I'm I'm a registered Republican, and that's important to me. Those of you who are Democrats out there, you have access to the same information about your candidates. And I encourage you, look them up, find out what they voted on, what they opposed. All of these things count because they affect the bottom line. Like I said, nobody wants to order beans and eat them that you didn't order, right? Okay, so do your research. It's very, very important. Now, some of the federal house races with GOP contenders include District 26, Brandon Gill, and Robert Chick, who's the challenger. Gill is the incumbent Republican. District 32, newly redrawn Republican leaning. Ryan Binkley, Joyce Yarbrough, Darrell Day, Paul Bondar. Binkley is a businessman and a pastor. Yarbrough is an attorney and an activist. Day is a Republican nominee from the last cycle. And Bondar is a previous congressional candidate. For Lieutenant Governor, Dan Patrick, the incumbent, running against Perla Munoz, Timothy Mabry, uh, and Esala Wueschner. Read your stuff, folks. Now you'll see a lot of campaign rhetoric that that is sent out through the postal mail. I'll be honest with you. Most of it is either just malicious or potentially a bunch of crap. You do your research. Um I'll give you a piece of advice. A good way to help you deep dive into that if you don't have a whole lot of time, is incorporate uh chat GPT and ask it those questions and tell it how far you want it to go, how deep you want it to dive, and you can customize the questions to fit what information you're seeking. That's exactly what I did when I was looking up who to vote for on the comp controller because we had so many names on that, and I dialed down and I got the information on all of them, and it was a lot of information. A lot of that information that was on those cards that you got in the mail was was exactly that. It was baloney, uh baloney, baloney, baloney. So don't believe everything that you see in in print, but at the same time, public record is something that you can access. And if you don't have the time to research it yourself in deep dive, let an AI tool do it for you, and you will get all the information that you need to make a good educated decision. Okay, uh Tarrant County judge in the Republican primaries running against one another, the incumbent Tim O'Hare, and the candidate Robert Bucker. Local offices like county judges and commissioners are often overlooked, but these roles directly impact schools, roads, and community services. So now you know who's running, but how do you vote? Like I said, here's a quick checklist. One, make a plan when you'll go. Two, know your polling place or get your ballot if you're voting early or by mail. Three, bring the ID. Four, remember your voice counts, especially in primaries where turnout can be light. And remember, voting is more fun than doing taxes, usually. Unless there's a free coffee and donuts at the polls, uh then we might talk. Right, yeah. But also remember this if you want to hear a really good inspiration on why you should vote, go to YouTube, look up Paul Harvey, and in the subject line, say Paul Harvey's the rest of the story on the founding fathers' votes. It's an interesting story, and it's a true story. I used to love listening to Paul Harvey when I was a kid. He was amazing. So whether you're deep in North Texas or listening across the country, voting is a chance to show up, have a say, and shape the world you live in. Politics may not be as exciting as a barbecue cook-off, but it sure affects whether that cook-off gets a new health code or not. Thanks for tuning in to Crossroads Podcast. I'm Steven Killfoil. Go vote and go make your voice heard. And if you see me at the polls holding extra coffee, that's not on purpose. If you have a business or you want to make a statement, share a cup and a laugh. We would love to have you on the show. Reach out to us at crossroadspodcast2023@ gmail.com. Give us a topic, we'll put it on. Until next time, stay curious, stay engaged, and stay kind out there. We'll see you at the top! Bye bye.

Speaker 1 14:56

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