What to watch: Midland County Republican Party Chair James Beauchamp told The Permian Press the Nov. 3 general election carries unusually high stakes for Midland, citing the local economy’s dependence on oil and gas and the potential impact of local voter turnout on statewide races.

“The Midland County Republican Party is trying our best to get out the vote for this November election,” Beauchamp said. “Every election cycle, we always hear from candidates how this is the most critical election cycle ever. I can tell you, based on my experience, those folks were wrong, because this is that election.”

Editor’s note: The Permian Press contacted both the Midland County Republican and Democratic party chairs for their perspectives ahead of the November election. The Democratic Party chair had not responded by the time of publication.

The big picture: Beauchamp said protecting Midland’s oil and gas industry is central to the local party’s message ahead of the election.

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“Our message is simple — Midland is an oil and gas economy,” he said. “Everything here is based on the industry, and without it, we would be in a world of hurt. That’s why it is important to get out and vote — to protect our economy and way of life from the radical left who would gladly ban fracking, pass environmental regulations to shut down production, and stop pipelines that are necessary to get products to markets.”

Beauchamp said the Midland County Republicans are focusing their get-out-the-vote efforts on approximately 10,000 lower-propensity voters who strongly support domestic energy production. He added that the county’s history of voting Republican does not diminish the importance of local participation in statewide races.

“While Midland has a solid GOP voting record, our ability to turn out even a few extra votes is important to every statewide office on the ballot, and this election, that’s true, more than ever before,” he said.

Go deeper: Despite the emphasis on turnout, Beauchamp acknowledged challenges generating enthusiasm among some Republican voters. He said voter apathy has historically been an issue in Midland County, particularly because of the area’s transient population. This election cycle, however, he said even established Republican voters appear less enthusiastic, which he attributed partly to candidates and limited grassroots engagement.