When I think about that kind of spirit, I think about my mother, who is standing here with me tonight. My mother is the embodiment of what it means to have a Texas spirit, because she wanted nothing more than for her children to have a better life than she had, to have an education beyond the ninth-grade education that she had, to live happier lives, more successful ones than she had been able to live. And you know what? She raised the daughter who ran for governor.

I always stand out by the voting lines on Election Day, and I can't tell you how many people say, 'I've never voted for a Democrat in my life, but I'm splitting my ticket for you.' They're more engaged and thoughtful than we give them credit for.

Texas Republican political leaders take perverse pride in how deeply they have cut our state's education budget. Thousands of teachers have been pulled from classrooms, schools have closed and valuable programs have been canceled. In many places, districts are forced to choose between prekindergarten programs and English, algebra and art.

I've never worried about payback. People are hungry for leadership that's not afraid of political consequence.

I care about life and I have a record of fighting for people above all else.

Mine is a story about a teenage single mother who struggled to keep her young family afloat. It's a story about a young woman who was given a precious opportunity to work her way up in the world. It's a story about resiliency, and sacrifice, and perseverance. And you're damn right it's a true story.

I think that speaking is the most important thing we can do, but let's talk about what it means to speak effectively. We can talk in an echo chamber to our friends on social media and otherwise - and that's important, that's how we encourage and educate one another.But speech that leads to action is critical. And it doesn't sound very sexy, but one of the most important ways to speak in a way that makes an impact is to vote. Speaking at the ballot box is the most important place that we speak.