NE Dallas News

Republican Genevieve Collins' campaign for Texas’ 32nd Congressional District seat shifted early in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead of in-person meetings, she was forced to rely on Zoom calls as she seeks to make Democratic incumbent Colin Allred a one-term congressman.

Collins interviews small business owners throughout the district weekly, talks to people about their health care and jobs, sharing what she hears via social media, she said on The Mark Davis Show.

“It's definitely different not doing retail politics and shaking hands and hugging people and feeling, gee, you know, genuinely connected,” Collins said. “But I feel like we've made the best out of the situation, adapted quickly and really built our online audience to ensure that they feel engaged and connected with the campaign.”

After speaking to thousands of people since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, she said Texans want to get back to work and be safe.

“Let our kids go to school safely and ensure that we are the architects of our own lives,” Collins said. “You know, that's not necessarily a purple message. I think that's a Texas message that we are a pro-business community. We are a pro Texas community. You know, let us live our lives because we know how to do it better than the government does.”

To the Democrat talking point that COVID-19 is President Donald Trump’s fault in how he’s mismanaged it, which wouldn’t have happened with a Democrat in power, Collins looks back at President Barack Obama’s time in office.

“I don't think the Obama administration did a great job on H1N1, considering how many people lost their lives during that crisis,” she said.

With COVID-19, everything has been under a microscope in what has been a global shutdown with healthcare and the economy. People want to get back to their lives, Collins said, living and working in their communities. That can be done while still respecting each other’s different levels of risk tolerance on that return.

“It's not necessarily an administration counterpoint. It's a how are we reacting and getting back to our lives and respecting each other point,” she said.

As for mail-in ballots, Collins said absentee voting will be fine. She’s not as nervous about this as other people.