Community organizer and activist James S. Burnett announced on Monday he’s running for state representative of House District 76.
“I’m proud to announce my candidacy for State Representative in #HD76 to represent the place I have called home since I was four years old,” Burnett said in a tweet announcing his bid for the seat.
In his announcement, Burnett said he’s running on better education, higher wages for teachers, lower property taxes, and affordable healthcare.
“Public service has always been the cornerstone of my life,” Burnett said. “ I grew up in this district. My parents chose to raise a family here. I know people here, I know the problems we face. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to represent my home.”
Despite a lengthy resume in the public service arena, at 26 years old, Burnett is the youngest Democratic candidate in the HD 76 primary race.
In 2018, Burnett was the African American outreach organizer for the Beto for Texas Campaign and also served as the former chief of staff in the Texas Young Democrats.
And most recently, he served as the Community Engagement Coordinator in Harris County Precinct One while also leading Democrat organization efforts in Fort Bend County.
The newly drawn District 76 now represents Fort Bend County south of Houston, after Republican redistricting maps removed the district from its prior home in El Paso, Texas.
According to the Texas Tribune, 47 percent of the district voted for Trump while 50.9 percent voted for Biden. In the new maps, Democrats have an even greater advantage with 60.6 percent of the county that would have voted for Biden in the 2020 Presidential election.
Republican opponent Rep. Jacey Jetton also announced his re-election bid for the seat earlier this month.
Kennedy is a recent graduate of the University of St.Thomas in Houston where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Celt Independent. Kennedy brings her experience of writing about social justice issues to the Texas Signal where she serves as our Political Reporter. She does everything from covering crime beats, Texas politics, and community activism. Kennedy is a passionate reporter, avid reader, coffee enthusiast, and loves to travel.
