In the 2018 elections, the Democrats made huge gains, picking up 12 seats in the house and 2 in the Senate. State leadership took noticed and dropped many of their divisive policy goals that they had pushed hard only the session before. Teacher pay and the TRS pension fund was addressed, but state employees were still largely ignored. In 2020 there is the opportunity to drastically change the makeup of the leadership in the House. Getting a Speaker that is pro-state worker would be a game changer in the legislature. As we saw in the controversial Bonnen-Empower Texas tapes, union busting policies such as the removal of our right to deduct dues straight out of our check are still be discussed behind closed doors. This election is pivotal to TSEU’s ability to organize and reestablishing proper funding and staffing levels in state agencies, apply a real across the board pay raise to all state agency and university employees, and fund ERS to the point that retirees can receive their first COLA in 19 years. State Employees must organize, join the Union, and work together this election cycle to seize this opportunity.