Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.

#1 I visited a tardeada in the Democratic stronghold of Eagle Pass, Texas, in 2009. I was invited to the Don't Quit, Spit Blood Ranch party. When I got closer, hundreds of heads turned and fixed their gaze on me. It was like an old Western.

#2 I had been trained for this situation. It was like being at a diplomatic reception when I was in the CIA looking to bump a target of interest. I gave the same answer to everyone: Why am I here. Because I like to drink beer and eat barbecue, too.

#3 The 23rd district of Texas is a prime example of how the Republican Party needs to change its mindset if it wants to win elections again. The district is dominated by Latino voters, and has been voting consistently half Republican and half Democrat for the last decade and a half.

#4 To make the Republican Party more reflective of America, we must take four steps. First, we must accept that the 2020 election was lost. Second, we must stop peddling conspiracy theories like those that led to the Capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021. Third, we must broaden family values from its historical views on religion, marriage, and family structure. And fourth, we must appeal to voters of color.