Press Office and Public Appearances of Xiomara de la Cruz

[Xiomara]

Edited February 27 by Xiomara
Update

[Xiomara]

 

Mayor Xiomara de la Cruz of Houston Announces Candidacy For President;

Vows to Put Partisanship Aside and Fight to Deliver Common Sense Solutions

 

Houston, TX - Mayor Xiomara de la Cruz announced her candidacy for Presidency before a crowd of supporters today in Houston. After walking out to a lively rendition of "Survivor" by Houston's own Destiny's Child, she delivered the following remarks:

 

Good morning, Houston! You know the real reason they call us Space City is because y’all are out of this world! My deepest gratitude and love to all of you in the Big Heart for joining us on this special day. I love each and every one of you for all of the support you’ve shown my family and I as Mayor of our great City the past six years and we cannot thank you enough for giving us your trust, your love, and your support.

 

We have accomplished a lot together in the last six years. 

 

The subprime mortgage crisis a decade ago stole the American dream out from under millions of Americans who found themselves out on the street. But since then, my administration has greenlit over 100,000 new housing permits, cracked down on predatory lending, and led the nation by cutting homelessness in half, including providing permanent housing for 3,500 homeless veterans.

 

We pulled ourselves up from our bootstraps in the wake of the Great Recession to balance a broken budget, brought labor and the private sector together to invest in our infrastructure , revitalize and build new green spaces, and issued over $1.2 billion in contracts to help minority and women-owned small businesses grow and compete in the global economy.

 

We restored trust in the city’s crime lab, cleared the rape kit back log, and established a new human trafficking unit at Houston Police Department that has eased survivors’ options to seek justice, quadrupling the number of human traffickers charged in 2014.

 

Like our great nation, Houston is the Energy Capital of the World and home to the largest concentration of healthcare and medical research institutions, leading the nation in export growth the past two years, and we are innovating and diversifying our economy to ensure we remain the global leader in the new energy economy. The proof is in the numbers. Since I became Mayor in 2010, our diverse city of 2.3 million people has bounced back with unprecedented job growth and created over 364,000 new jobs! 

 

It's no surprise to any of us why Houston leads the nation as the fastest growing City in the United States!

 

But none of this comes easy. We have all had to make some hard choices, to make great sacrifices, and suffered some disappointing defeats. But that is the story of America itself. Our story is that of a constant march towards a more perfect union. That in the face of great adversity we arise all that more resilient and determined to succeed, willing to do the hard work together to build a better community for all. 

 

My parents named me Xiomara, which means “battle-ready.” Perhaps it's fate that I was born on the 4th of July. Resilience and determination are in my blood.

 

I was raised with an unwavering sense of duty and commitment to our great country and have been serving it ever since. When bullies told a little brown girl from a small border town in South Texas that she had no future, I steeled myself, committed myself to my studies and proved them wrong, earning my way into the top schools in Texas and beyond. While working my way through college, I became a role model for other little girls all over Texas to inspire them to get a good education, work hard, and sacrifice to realize their dreams. I turned down lucrative careers to instead serve my country in the U.S. Air Force and volunteered for the tough assignments, stepping up to help our top military commanders navigate evolving new national security challenges in the aftermath of the deadliest terror attack in our nation’s history. When sectarian infighting intensified in Iraq, I was deployed to the region to provide legal support and advice to military commanders over a wide range of missions under difficult and changing circumstances. 

 

When God blessed my husband and I with our daughter, Micaela, I came back home to Texas to provide a safe and secure home where she would grow up with the same values and patriotism for our great country that I did. But when the Harris County DA resigned in scandal, I heard the call to serve once again and stepped up to bring decency and integrity back to the office of Chief Prosecutor. Although we came up short, that didn’t stop me. The next year I was elected the fourth largest City in America’s first Latina Mayor and we worked together to restore trust between the community and law enforcement. Over and over again, I have dedicated myself to serving my community and never stood down from a fight. Whether it was with the Armed Forces defending our country in the wake of 9/11 or lifting our great city up from the throes of the Great Recession, I will never stop fighting for you.

 

That is why today, I am announcing my candidacy for President of the United States of America.

 

The American economy has come a long way from the Great Recession, but we still have further to go to reach our full potential. As a working mom of a young child, I know how hard American families are working to make ends meet right now, trying to stay ahead while ensuring the brightest possible future that our children can envision. But we know that takes hard work. That takes putting aside our differences and celebrating the common values that bind us as Americans rather than surrendering to the same tired partisan divides that you see on TV. We know that it takes someone who doesn’t just share our values but is committed to doing the hard work fighting for your family with a proven record of delivering real results.

 

Now I know there are a lot of well-intentioned Washington politicians already in the race, measuring the curtains, and pledging grand promises but the American people want to see real results. America deserves a candidate who will lead with integrity, put partisanship aside, and make good on their promises by transforming a bold and compassionate vision into real common sense solutions that move our country forward together. President Kennedy inspired the nation to send a man to the moon, but it was the hard working men and women of Houston, TX that actually led the mission to get it done.

 

We know that to build a more sustainable future for our children we have to keep our promises and honor the hard working Americans and communities that got us here. I am the only candidate who has led a major American city to greater prosperity as chief executive and also served alongside our brave fighting men and women in the Armed Forces overseas in the heat of conflict. I’m the only one ready to meet the challenges of strengthening our economy and ensuring broad prosperity for our families here at home and also ready to meet the challenges that threaten the safety and security of our communities from around the globe.

 

So, what’d ya say, Houston? Are you ready to send a woman from South Texas to the White House to show them how it's done? 

 

I believe our best days are ahead of us, if we are willing to roll up our sleeves and do the hard work together to make it happen. God bless each and every one of you, and may God continue to bless the United States of America!

 

PROVEN LEADERSHIP

REAL RESULTS

 

[Xiomara]

 

Xiomara de la Cruz Makes History in Nevada

Wins Close Second in Iowa & New Hampshire

 

 

Las Vegas, NV - Mayor Xiomara de la Cruz of Houston defied expectations in her campaign for the Presidency by becoming the first Latina in history to win a Presidential primary, winning the Nevada caucus and finishing a strong second in Iowa and New Hampshire, despite being outspent two-to-one in the first four primary states. Xiomara briefly addressed a room of supporters in Las Vegas on election night:

 

Muchas gracias por todo, Nevada! Viva Las Vegas! Thank you so much to each and every one of you for making history here tonight!

 

They said it couldn’t be done. They said a Latina Mayor from South Texas couldn’t break the glass ceiling and compete on the national stage but tonight, with all of your support, we have proved the pundits wrong. Move over, Rudy, America has a new Mayor in town! Xiomara for America!

 

We beat expectations across the board. Just a few weeks ago we were fourth in Iowa and New Hampshire and we came from behind to finish a strong second in both, increase our support in South Carolina, and turned a 6 point deficit into a 6 point lead to make history tonight here in Nevada! Now that’s proven leadership and real results!

 

And that’s despite us facing strong early establishment headwinds and a 2-to-1 fundraising disadvantage. That’s the type of effective, common sense leadership that I am running on. That no matter how insurmountable the task may seem, we can make powerful and lasting progress and deliver real results to all Americans if we’re wiling to work hard and sacrifice to make it happen. Behind every strong woman is a strong village and you demonstrated once and for all that we are stronger together.

 

Thank you to Congresswoman Titus! Thank you Culinary Union! Working class families across Nevada made their voices heard loud and clear tonight! Thank you to every single one of you getting out and knocking doors, making phone calls, and sacrificing so much of your time and your passion in this historic campaign to deliver real results for all Americans. Every single one of you are the reason we’re here tonight and I love and appreciate all of you.

 

But I want to be straight with you: We’re still the underdogs in this race, but our momentum continues to grow stronger every day as more and more people stop and take notice of our people-powered campaign and the energy of supporters like you. Working Americans of all stripes, Democratic stalwarts, and even Independents are joining our growing coalition every day that we press on. I am truly so blessed and eternally grateful for each and every one of you! We are stronger together and Battle Born: you showed them we are Battle-Ready! Let’s keep up the fight. Good night and God bless y’all!

[Xiomara]

 

 

Xiomara de la Cruz Clinches Democratic Nomination

Becomes First Latina Nominee of a Major Party

 

 

Houston, TX - Following big wins in Texas and California, Mayor Xiomara de la Cruz of Houston once again defied expectations to secure enough delegates to become the first Latina in history to win the Presidential nomination of a major party, and will advance to the General election. Xiomara briefly addressed a room of supporters in Houston on Super Tuesday:

 

Houston! Its so great to be back home. What a night! God bless y’all! 

 

Didn’t we tell them that we were going to show them how we deliver results down here in Texas, y’all? I want to thank my husband, my daughter, Micaela, mi mamá y papá, mis hermanos… Senators Fakhouri and Carlsen for seeing the potential in our campaign early on and gosh… so many people that made history here tonight! God bless each and every one of you! 

 

I also want to thank all the other candidates who stepped up to run and engage voters of all walks across the country in this campaign. Our blue collar hero, Senator Doug Murphy; Senator deSonido, who is an inspirational voice for the next generation, and the list goes on. And whether you supported me or any of the other candidates, including those across the aisle, then I look forward to the chance to meet you and try to earn your support going forward. But look, I also want to take a moment to congratulate Senator McCord. Like me, she has served our country in our armed forces and we owe a debt of gratitude to all of those who served. And together, we will guarantee that America will finally have its first woman President in 2017!

 

But ours is a campaign of many historic firsts. And as we turn to the General Election, it is time to look closer at our records and our history of results. I remain the only candidate who has not only served our country in our armed forces but also leading a City to greater prosperity. As you know too well, we have so much to be proud of here in Houston. I am the only candidate who has built a coalition of business and labor to rebuild and grow our infrastructure. I am the only candidate to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs, including union jobs right here in Texas. I am the only candidate ever to balance a public budget without raising taxes on the hard working families I represent. 

 

We have come so far since the Great Recession and the failed policies of unilateral invasion and endless ground wars around the globe. But we still have further to go to reach our full potential. I believe we should increase access to affordable, quality healthcare for more Americans, not leave them high and dry. I believe Medicare should be able to negotiate drug prices and lower out of pocket costs for seniors. I believe we should cut taxes for hard working American families and small businesses, and I am happy to work with anyone from any wing of any party who agrees on delivering common sense solutions and real results for all Americans. Finally, I believe that we should grow our armed services by welcoming all who want to serve and take the fight to destroy ISIS to keep Americans safe here at home once and for all.

 

The road ahead will not be easy. As you know, I am not a Washington insider. I am just another hard working parent like you committed to serving our country and delivering real results for Americans. But I’ll never stop fighting for you. It’s in my blood. And just like here, and in Nevada, we have proven once again tonight that women from Texas know how to get things done. We are resilient and as strong as our resolve: If we’re willing to continue to work hard and fight for it, then we are stronger together and I will be that President for America who delivers proven leadership, and real results. God bless y’all and let’s get to work!

[Xiomara]

 

Xiomara de la Cruz Announces Wisconsin Senator Doug Murphy as Running Mate

de la Cruz/Murphy Will Restore American Dream for Working Families

 

 

Milwaukee, WI - After weeks of speculation and meeting with prospective candidates representing every region and constituency within the Democratic coalition, Xiomara de la Cruz has announced the selection of Wisconsin Senator Doug Murphy to be her running mate to serve as Vice President, if elected, in November. The two first appeared together at a kickoff announcement in Milwaukee:

 

Xiomara:

"How do ya do, Milwaukee!? Its so great to be here on this special day. Its been a long, spirited campaign and an honor to get out and meet hard working families like yours across the country: To hear your stories and your hopes for America, and for your children. Its stories like yours of hard working everyday Americans who have had to take on multiple jobs to take care of your family while striving for a brighter future for our children that inspired me to set out on this improbable campaign. One job should be enough! Stories of our brave servicemen and women who have stepped up to defend America at home and abroad from World War II to Iraq and never received all of the recognition and dignity that they deserve for their sacrifice. That’s why when I took to the task of considering who I would pick as a running mate, I knew it had to be someone who understood those stories. Someone who had some experience navigating Washington, but hadn’t yet abandoned their roots. An All-American working class story of a man from a place like Milwaukee, who volunteers for his church and community, stepped up to defend his country in the U.S. Marine Corps and share the stories of others who served, worked hard to provide for his family, and has the courage to step up and fight for the little guy or gal when people in power like Governor Walker target working people in their sights. Someone like Milwaukee’s own, Senator Doug Murphy.

 

 

Just a short while ago, Senator Murphy and I may have been competitors vying for the nomination. But we know we are stronger together. Nothing is impossible in the United States if we are willing to reach out, come together, and work hard to build a stronger and more vibrant future for our children. Although Doug and I may have come from different places and backgrounds, we share the same values of hard work and service, love for our families, and vision for America: An America where every person can access the healthcare they need without going into debt, where every child has the chance to get a good education and have the same opportunities that we did, an America where hard work and the workers that built this country are valued and treated with the dignity they deserve. Ladies and gentleman, I’m proud to introduce a man who needs know introduction here in Wisconsin, the next Vice President of the United States, Doug Murphy!"

 

 

Doug Murphy:

"Thank you Milwaukee! I want to say what an honor it is to be here with you all. Thank you again to our next president Xiomara de la Cruz for the honor and privilege and joining you here on the ticket. Thank you to everyone here for giving her the warm and proper Wisconsin welcome! And I already told Xiomara and her family that we can't leave until we stop by O'Lydia's for Spotted Cow and some cheese curds. I'm sure we'll see some of you over there afterward.

 

There is a lot you can tell about a presidential candidate by who they pick as their running mate. As for myself, what we learned is that Xiomara de la Cruz is the champion of the working American. Whether you were born and raised in the Midwest, the southwest, or anywhere else in America, she is committed to restoring your share of the American dream. President de la Cruz knows folks in our neck of the woods were abandoned by Wall Street. She's got the courage and plan to deliver for us. It's my honor to join her on the Democratic ticket, the voice of working Americans in Washington D.C.

 

And then there's Kate McCord and her ambassador to Wall Street Chuck Walker.

 

Look, God bless the two of them. They sure have done a bang-up job marketing themselves as something new. But just because you slap a new label on a jar of old piss doesn't make it fresh lemonade.  

 

When you pick a running mate who thinks stock brokers and billionaire progeny are the ones who need help with immunity from taxation, that's nothing new or innovative. It's just trickle-down economics on a high-carb diet.  

 

When you support putting a blindfold on the referees of Wall Street, you might as well tell the working families of Wisconsin to buy gold and give up on tomorrow because their money and retirement savings will be at the complete mercy of the Big Banks. 

 

When you made your fortune at Lockheed off the same catastrophic error that gave rise to ISIS, the Iraq War, don't then tell us to believe you know how to win wars. You may know how to make bank off Middle Eastern wars, but don't have the slightest clue how to end them.

 

And when you threaten to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with nothing more than a punchline and a platitude, don't then go and tell working people that you give a damn about their kids and their medical bills. You can take your yacht trip to the Bahamas with all the insurance heads and Wall Street executives but don't come back to Wisconsin all tanned and rested with your pockets overflowing with lobbyist cash and try selling yourself as an everyday American. We can sniff out a phony through the tanning oil and golf shirts. 

 

There is nothing new under the sun about this Republican ticket. All they are offering is a double helping of Dubya and Cheney all over again, twice as bad and even more amenable to the demands of billionaire defense contractors and tycoons. If you think the future of America should be cloistered away in a corporate boardroom or stuck in another endless war in the Middle East, look no further than Kate McCord and her Wall Street Ambassador Chuck Walker. 

 

But if you believe that this country belongs to working families and the salt of the earth folks who wake up before dawn to go to work and enjoy their coffee out of a mug every morning instead fine china, then Xiomara de la Cruz is your candidate, your vision, and your voice. Her father was a technician in the Air Force and her mother an immigrant, her story is quintessentially an American one. Just as my great-grandfather came to these shores with little more than a few bucks in his pocket and that stubborn Irish streak in his soul, so too does Xiomara de la Cruz stand here today a child of the American dream. She knows what it is like to see your mom and dad at the dinner table working through the bills, clipping coupons, and putting aside their dreams for their sons and daughters. That is the America Xiomara believes in. And that is the country we are going to build and restore.

 

Working together, we are going to invest in working families. Expanding the Child Tax Credit, guaranteeing paid and family leave for everyone, and making sure everyone in America has quality health insurance. Give people back the financial safety and economic security that was theirs in the first place. More money and lower prices for everyday Americans. We will bring back the engine of America's economy which is industry. As much as it may pain Charles Walker and his buddies who depend on the grounds crew at their resort golf course, I'd rather put working Americans back into stable, good-paying union jobs instead of continuing to cater to the wealthy and privileged. Under President de la Cruz, we will invest in American manufacturing with a union focused agenda, push an all-of-the-above energy approach, restore our mining capacity, and take on China with a new and worker-centered approach to trade. And we will take on ISIS and defeat them the right way. It's time for a new and bold approach to defeating theocratic fascists. Instead of going back to the failed retreads of the Bush years, we will pursue an engaged strategy that works with our allies, isolates the extremists, and sends ISIS to its grave.

 

That is the future we are going to build together. That is what we as Americans can believe. And that is why I am proud to stand here today alongside our next president Xiomara de la Cruz! Thank you, God bless you all and God bless the United States!"

[Xiomara]

 

Xiomara de la Cruz Elected 45th President of the United States;

Becomes first woman, Latina, and youngest person ever elected President

 

Houston, TX - Following big wins in the critical battleground states of Pennsylvania and Florida, Xiomara de la Cruz secured 292 electoral votes to be elected the 45^th President of the United States with Wisconsin Senator Doug Murphy being elected Vice President. Americans saw record turnout across the nation as voters were mobilized to make history and elect the first female President of the United States. A child of a Mexican immigrant, Xiomara de la Cruz will also become the first Latina of Mexican-American descent to become President, as well as the youngest both elected and to assume the office. Xiomara de la Cruz addressed the nation from her campaign victory rally at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas, which recently completed an expansion of the facility and a new union hotel under Mayor de la Cruz’s administration to prepare for Super Bowl LI next year.

 

"Howdy Houston! Buen día! That’s one small step for women. One giant leap for humankind!

 

After a long hard fight, the American people have spoken. And this victory belongs to you. For every girl who was told that they couldn’t; for every person of color who was made to feel marginalized or told to go back from where they came; for every young person who was told to wait their turn; for every working family who has forgotten or left behind: This is our moment. I want to thank each and every one of you who were a part of this movement. All of those who saw the hope and possibility in our campaign even when others did not. May what began in the streets of Houston as the unlikeliest of campaigns of a young Latina veteran and mom from South Texas to shatter not one ceiling, but countless - despite starting off behind in endorsements, fundraising, and establishment support - be a shining example to our children everywhere that the American Dream is very much alive and well and stronger than ever, and more tangibly real and possible in the eyes of young girls, in particular, across our country tonight. Micaela: this is for you. May no one other than your own will and commitment to sacrifice and work hard limit your dreams. Tony, my love, thank you for being my rock and so supportive of our family through every step. You will make America proud as our First Partner.

 

While I am deeply humbled and honored to be here in this moment and to earn your trust and your support: none of this would be possible without each of you and all of those who came before. Thank you to leaders like Secretary Hillary Clinton and Ambassador Geraldine Ferraro for paving the way, along with so many who marched for freedom, justice, and equal rights from Seneca Falls to Washington, DC. Thank you to God for lighting the way, and all the brave souls who saw the potential in our movement and joined us early on in this fateful journey along the way.

 

And thank you, to those who had the vision laid out 200 years before my birth, that became the United States of America: The only place where even a child of an immigrant from Mexico can grow to one day grow up to become President. Seeing my mom’s hardship and pride on her journey to becoming a U.S. citizen for the first time inspired me with civic pride and belief that in America, anything is possible no matter where you come from. Thank you, Mama, for your strength, your resilience, and your patriotism. And to my Papa, who dreamed of flying but never did, instead working day in and day out to make sure that others could: Thank you. Papa! We may not yet have our wings, but because of you I learned to fly. And because of you we have flown higher than anyone has ever come before. In the final analysis, the reason that this country, in such a short time, realized humankind’s eternal ambition to reach the heavens from Kitty Hawk to the Apollo Program in only a generation is because of millions of hard working Americans like you, who propel our nation onwards and upwards every day without the recognition and credit they deserve. People like Heather and Doug Murphy, my partner in this journey, who went from working class kid to a storyteller who shines a light on these forgotten Americans every day. I am proud to have you by my side and you will be a great Vice President for all Americans elevating the stories and struggles of everyday Americans who have too often been left behind.

 

Now is our chance to begin to make that right. To honor the extraordinary in millions of Americans hard work and determination in their everyday lives. For those who dare to dream big, to work hard, and to serve their communities no matter how challenging the task ahead. People like Senator Kate McCord and Retired General Charles Walker, who are among the many who have served this country valiantly with distinction and pride. America is better because of the service and dedication of them and servicemembers like them and we are all enriched by their commitment to the service of our nation. And to those who may have supported them, or even none of the above, I hear you, I see you, and I will work to make sure that all of your voices are heard as we work to build a stronger and more prosperous union together. While I am proud of my Party and all who have supported us in this election, when I take the Oath of Office next January I will do so as the President of the United States of America and I will look forward to working with anyone in this country committed to delivering common sense solutions and real results for all Americans.

 

The road ahead will not be easy. There will most certainly be setbacks. I know what it’s like to lose a campaign. I know what it’s like to lose a policy fight. But the real determination of one’s strength of character and likelihood to succeed in the final analysis is their ability to learn from it and rise again empowered to fight again another day until victory has come. As President Theodore Roosevelt said: “It is not the critic who counts…the credit belongs to the man, or woman, who is actually in the arena, who strives valiantly and spends themselves in a worthy cause, regardless of victory or defeat.” The forces of cynicism and doubt can be the strongest of adversaries. But nothing cannot be overcome if we have the will and determination to succeed and the willingness to come together and put the work in necessary to get it done. For it’s in the story of millions of Americans like you, every day in the arena of our lives, striving to carve out your share of the American Dream and working hard to ensure your little boys and girls can learn to fly. That is what makes this the greatest country on Earth. That is why we are standing here today. And together, in the morning, the work to build that future for all of God’s children across America begins anew. Thank you, America, may God bless each and every one of you, and continue to bless the United States of America! Thank you and good night!"