Democrats intensify efforts to flip Texas House with new funding initiative

The Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee announced Tuesday they would be launching a new initiative to fund competitive races to flip the Texas House.

The initiative will rely on the fundraising abilities of sitting Democratic members of the statehouse, like state Rep. Rey Martinez Fisher who will kick off the program by donating $100,000 to the Texas HDCC, according to the Texas Tribune. 

Already, Democrats in the Texas House have contributed a total of $325,000 to the Texas HDCC, with more to come thanks to the fundraising initiative, dubbed the 2020 Red to Blue Campaign.

“The 2020 Red to Blue Campaign is part of our overall initiative to ensure our candidates have the funds and resources they need to win,” Chairwoman Celia Israel said in a statement. “Democrats have a clear path to winning the House in November. I’m excited to have the support of my good friend Trey Martinez Fischer as we work to elect a Democratic majority.” 

Texas Democrats are only nine seats away from securing a majority in the Texas House. In a recent interview with the Signal, Israel said winning back the statehouse was critical in order to put an end to the divisive Republican-lawmaking that worked to divide Texans. 

If Texas Democrats take back the statehouse this November, it would be the first time in 18 years that Democrats break the trifecta of Republican power in Texas government. 

“The House elects the speaker, and the speaker controls the tone, tenor, and the content on the House floor,” Israel said. “That’s a big way to moderate the crazy in Texas.” 

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