Chamber Makeup State Senate 12 Democrats 19 Republicans State House 67 Democrats 83 Republicans Opportunity Assessment What was once a Democratic pipe dream—a Blue Texas—is now a real possibility: Democrats picked up 12 seats in the Texas House, two seats in the Texas Senate and two seats in the U.S. House. And Beto O’Rourke won a 76-74 majority of Texas State House districts, pointing to a clear path to the seats needed for a new majority. This is the most crucial chamber up in 2020 for Congressional redistricting. The Stakes For decades, the Texas legislature has been swept up in racism and right-wing ideology. Today, the legislature is defined by its meanness and intolerance. Demonstrated an open hostility to same-sex marriage and undocumented immigrants.Revolutionized redistricting, drawing districts that decisively captured the state for the far right.Zealously defunded women’s-health programs, ignoring skyrocketing rates of women dying in childbirth and living in poverty.Denied tens of thousands of special needs kids the education they need.Refused to expand Medicaid, despite having the highest rate of uninsured people in the country. 2020 Political Landscape In 2020, the entire Texas House is up for election, and Democrats need to net nine of 83 Republican-held seats to flip the chamber.In 2018:Beto O’Rourke won a majority of State House districts (76), and came within 4 points of winning an additional nine districts. Democrats improved on their 2016 state legislative performance in all 18 of the Republican-held seats that O’Rourke won or came within four points of winning. In 16 of them, Democrats improved by 9% or more.Democrats had to contend with Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s well-funded re-election campaign atop the ticket. In 2020, both the presidential and U.S. Senate races will be closer than the gubernatorial race, denying a similar coattail effect to down-ballot Republicans.
Meet the candidates Ann Johnson HD-134 Ann is a former chief human trafficking prosecutor, who now teaches and runs a small business. Ann has worked with members of both parties to find common sense solutions to help all Texans.