David Van Os (photo)
By Billy Longino
Van Os campaigns in Angelina County
As the morning sun rises and glistens between the trees around the Angelina County Courthouse on June 22, people gather and wait.
They wait for a man with big ideas: David Van Os, Democrat running forTexas Attorney General.
Van Os arrives with wife, Rachel, and two daughters in tow, wearing a cowboy hat and a smile as he greets the people who stand waiting.
Immediately upon arrival he confronts every person with a handshake and words of kindness. At this point one could not guess at the passion that lay behind his eyes.
As Van Os mounts the courthouse steps, his demeanor changes from the friendliness to a fiery passion for his views and ideas.
He opens with an appropriate quote from Abraham Lincoln, "I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country… Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money-power of thec ountry will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed."
Van Os's ideas and views reflect this quote. He travels from courthouse to courthouse in an old-fashioned grass roots campaign to get his message across to the people of Texas.
According to Van Os, that message is "I am the people's lawyer." Van Os claims to fight for the working class against big oil, bigi nsurance and other "corporate and political elites who are rampaging against democracy."
Van Os says he is on a 254 county campaign with the goal of "taking back Texas by taking it to the people."
His supporters wave signs and applaud his every statement. In November Van Os will face Republican incumbent Attorney-General Greg Abbott.
While some political experts give Van Os little chance of winning against the Republican Abbott, it seems that nothing can dissuade Van Os when his sights are set on a goal.
As Van Os continued to speak on the courthouse steps more people began to gather to hear his words. The crowd was lively and attentive. Van Os's campaign seeks to reach out the working people of the state.
With no major television advertisements to attempt to persuade the people with timeless rhetoric and mudslinging, Van Os prefers to meet the voters one-on-one.
A welcome change in today's political arena that could ring a bell with many voters in November.
You can email Billy Longino at: billylongino@gmail.com
Good story on David.
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