As Texas Republicans continue to get more and more extreme, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee names key targets for legislative holds and flips in Texas
WASHINGTON — Today, amidst a full civil war within the Texas Republican Party where one of the most extreme state governments has somehow gotten even more extreme, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee announced three Spotlight candidates running in the Texas House and Texas Senate, the first spotlight candidates for the November 2024 elections, to hold and build power in both chambers in November.
Candidates who received our Spotlight designation:
- Sen. Morgan LaMantia (SD-27)
- Rep. Mihaela Plesa (HD-70)
- Kristian Carranza (HD-118)
Texas Republicans are in an all-out civil war, with already extreme Texas Republican incumbents losing re-election to even more extreme, anti-public school candidates, the conservative extremist speaker of the Texas House forced into a runoff, and right-wing billionaires with ties to Nazis funding a disgraced, indicted attorney general on his quest for revenge.
On the flip side, our Texas Democratic Spotlight candidates represent the best of Texas – they are young, diverse, and ready to chip away at Republican majorities in Texas this cycle. As the Texas Republican civil war continues and Republicans continue to get even more extreme, the DLCC knows that there is an opening to continue to hold and build power in Texas this cycle.
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams issued the following statement:
“Texas Republicans are in a full-on civil war right now, with one of the most extreme legislatures in the country poised to get even more extreme. These anti-education, anti-accountability Republicans are out of step with the people of Texas – many of whom have seen the rightward drift of Texas Republicans for a very long time. With these changes occurring and amidst no plans for the Texas Republican Party to moderate themselves, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is proud to announce a slate of Spotlight candidates to hold and build power in the Texas Legislature in November, our first in 2024.
“Our Democratic Spotlight candidates represent the best that Texas has to offer. Sen. Morgan LaMantia, Rep. Mihaela Plesa, and Kristian Carranza are young, energetic, and ready to move Texas forward. They aren’t funded by right-wing billionaires. They are candidates for the people of Texas, by the people of Texas. Block by block, community by community, our Spotlight candidates will join the rest of the Democrats in the Texas Legislature to move Texas forward. We’re happy to be spotlighting them and are ready to hold and build power in the Texas Legislature in November before the next legislative session.”
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) is the official Democratic Party committee dedicated to winning America’s state legislatures and building state infrastructure. Over the last decade, we have fought cycle-over-cycle to gain a dozen new legislative chamber majorities and we are leading the effort to bring national attention and investment to our ballot level. State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and have the closest connections to Americans’ day-to-day lives. From protecting fundamental freedoms and voting rights to growing the middle class, the DLCC and state legislators are moving the Democratic agenda forward and shaping the future of this country.
