It's Texas Primary Time, Time to Save Cannabis

It’s Texas Primary Time, Time to Save Cannabis

Jesse Williams

February 22, 2026

Blog

This is the first point in an election year where advocates can really alleviate some of the heavy lifting we’ve been struggling with in the legislative session.

Primaries in Texas can help weed out the bad actors fast on policy change.

This an opportunity to take all of those candidates that said things truly detrimental to the industry and show them that all of us aren’t about that. Both our Governor and Lt. Governor are up for election. Every rep is up for election, most of the statewide offices are up for reelection and at least half of the Senate seats are up for election if not more because of redistricting. Their vocalizations and voting records should be a clear start, regardless of party, on how to respond to them in a primary.

They’ve behaved this way because for years now, the voters in this state have time and time again said they will put up with it. They put up with it by voting for the same people time and time again. It’s not about how no candidate is perfect and therefore people voted for them again. This is about how people have said it wasn’t worth changing and vote, but now are clenching to their pearls that the government both state and federal plans to shut down their businesses regarding hemp, and tank the cannabis industry nationwide via congressional vote.

The sentiment of “they won’t do that, because it would be dumb for them to do that,” when the dumb behavior causes those elected officials to face consequences for it. Not only do elections have consequences, it supposed to be that elections are consequences. Many are now shocked that state and federal officials are considering shutting down hemp businesses and undermining the broader cannabis industry through regulatory maneuvering and congressional action. But the sentiment of “they wouldn’t do that because it would be dumb” only works when there are consequences for doing dumb things and now there is no incentive to change course because past history says so.

Then when’re back in power, sitting in the capitol to craft these bills, they don’t care. In Texas, power is centralized. The Governor sets the legislative agenda for the first 60 days and can veto legislation unless overridden by a two-thirds vote. The Lieutenant Governor controls the Senate — including which bills are heard and which die quietly. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has openly acknowledged leveraging procedural control to stall legislation until he gets his way.

The only thing that has possible sway is enough atrocity on a subject to make the news and get the entire state to wag their finger in saying they disapprove. And even then, they don’t really backtrack. There is a show of such and then another workaround is utilized quietly (no major news coverage) to get their way. We’re watching that happen right now with DSHS.

But we can end this, and make this a much smoother task to accomplish

It sounds easier than one would think. It’s actually easier than people make it out to be. Stop voting for them in primaries. Stop voting for them in general or gubernatorial elections. If your business matters to you, stop voting for people trying to tear it down. If you think the community is benefitting from this more than having damage done from it, stop voting for people that look to reverse that. Vote for anybody that isn’t positioning themselves as such. Look at candidates that are looking to have the state do the job necessary without making wild excuses. Look at candidates that can read the back of a package to find the ingredients listed, unlike a few that demonstrated they aren’t that capable.

If you have been in this space for some time, you’re probably accustomed to seeing a voter guide about this. Unfortunately, the groups that typically create them did not do such for this election. That means it’s time for everyone to put on their adult pants and find out who the bad actors in the legislature were and keep them from coming back if possible.

Tired of the elected officials saying dumb foolish things about cannabis? If you have an enmity towards those that speak hate about the good actors of the industry and drive talks about hatred and spite about the general populace using these products, why would you want to send them back? Why would you want to continue to have them there unless you have some sort of hatred yourself for the business you run and the livelihood you earn?

If you want to know the real answers to that question, Spend five minutes reading the comment section under any cannabis advocacy post, and you will see how often cultural resentment outweighs economic self-interest. But that does not have to define the outcome.

There’s not much longer left of early voting, and not much until the regular primary day of voting in the state. Don’t ever feel your vote was wasted because you voted for great change to take place in the cannabis industry. It’s your choice, your voice, and your vote to use as you see fit.

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