Democratic vehicle parade winds through Mexia

Supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden met in downtown Mexia Saturday morning for a vehicle parade to show their pride in the Biden-Harris ticket.

One state candidate was present for the event, Rick Kennedy, who is running in the Texas Congressional District 17 race against Republican Pete Sessions. 

About 40 to 45 vehicles participated, many decorated with red, white and blue ribbons, banners and signs. One car even had a life-sized cutout of Joe Biden emerging from its sunroof. 

The mood was jubilant among the attendees as they met in the large parking lot of the former grocery store building in the 400 block of East Commerce. A Mexia police car led the parade, and a Mexia Fire Department truck brought up the rear. 

The vehicle parade turned left, or west, onto Commerce, proceeded to Belknap and turned south; then to Titus and turned east, then to Ross and turned north, then to Commerce and turned west, back to where the parade began.

“I think the turnout was phenomenal,” Kennedy said. “I don’t know how many cars we had here, but but it was a long line and everybody was enthusiastic and there were a lot of people out waving and supporting as we rode through the neighborhoods. We couldn’t have asked for a better turnout.”

As for the upcoming race he is in with Sessions, Kennedy said, “I think it will be close. There are thousands of new voters out there. We don’t know which way they’re going to break, but a lot of times new voters come out because they’re not happy with the status quo, so we’re hoping we get a break in our direction. It’s going to be a tight race.”

Other attendees were also pleased with the parade’s turnout. 

“It’s awesome,” said Shri Bhat, of Austin, whose daughter Prerna Bhat, also of Austin, helps run Limestone County’s Democratic activities. 

Lorna Duke, whose husband, Dennis Duke, is a former chair of the Limestone County Democratic Party, described the parade as “great.”

“This was better than the turnout in Waco,” she said, “because I participated in the Waco parade, too.”

Duke’s car was the one with the life-size Joe Biden cardboard cutout emerging from the sun roof. 

Limestone County Democratic Party Chair Maurice Washington described the parade turnout as “awesome.”

“We had a bigger turnout than I expected,” he said. “We’re just really excited about being Democrats right now. We’re really enjoying the fact that we’re able to get out and celebrate. Anyone who thinks this is just a one-size-fits-all county, it’s just not. A bunch of us have different points of view, different ideas and things like that. I have no problems with people with different ideas. In fact, that’s what makes our country great. The idea is to come together and decide the best solution for everybody. That’s what I’m all about.”