Governor Greg Abbott officially slated May 1 as the primary date for a special election in TX-06, and there are currently three democratic women vying in the jungle primary. If no candidate gets above fifty percent a run-off will occur with the top two finishers.
The former member of Congress from TX-06, Ron Wright, passed away earlier this month from COVID-19. Wright had also been diagnosed with lung cancer.
The TX-06 congressional district includes Ellis and Navarro counties, and a portion of Tarrant county. In the 2020 election, attorney Stephen Daniel lost to Wright, 52.8-44 in a DCCC red-to-blue targeted race. Daniel announced that he would not be running in the special election.
Ron Wright’s widow Susan officially declared her candidacy yesterday. Susan Wright has the backing of Arlington mayor Jeff Williams, US Rep. Lance Gooden, and several other Republicans around the state.
Susan Wright joins a Republican field that also includes Sery Kim, a former Trump official in the Small Business Administration. There is also speculation that former Trump spokesperson and tea party activist Katrina Pierson could also run in the race.
The three democrats that have announced they are running include 2018 candidate Jana Lynne Sanchez. Sanchez’s run was featured in the documentary Surge which followed three women candidates running in competitive 2018 races. Sanchez lost to Wright, 53.1-45.4.
Shawn Lassiter, an educator and nonprofit leader, is also running in the special election. Lassiter released an ad filmed in her powerless home last week that went viral and has been shared and liked thousands of times on social media.
Former professor Dr. Lydia Bean also declared herself a candidate this week. In 2020, Bean ran for the Texas House of Representatives in District 93. Bean lost to State Rep. Matt Krause.
The filing deadline for the special election is March 3.
Photo: Jackson Lanier / Wikimedia Commons
A longtime writer and journalist, Jessica was thrilled to join the Texas Signal where she could utilize her unique perspective on politics and culture. As the Features and Opinion Editor, she is responsible for coordinating editorials and segments from diverse authors. She is also the host of the podcast the Tex Mix, as well as the co-host for the weekly SignalCast. Jessica attended Harvard College, is a onetime fitness blogger, and has now transitioned to recreational runner (for which her joints are thankful).
