Voter's Guide: U.S. House District 32 - Democrats running to replace Collin Allred
There is a crowded field of Democrats looking to replace Congressman Collin Allred has 10 candidates.
The redrawn 32nd congressional district skews heavily Democratic, with the northernmost parts in Plano and the southernmost in Balch Springs.
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Allred left the seat to pursue a run for Senate, where he is challenging incumbent Senator Ted Cruz.
We interviewed the four candidates who qualified for, and participated in, a recent primary debate in Richardson.
In this primary race, the lead candidates have a variety of life experiences.
The Texas primary elections will be held on March 5.
Justin Moore
Justin Moore
Civil rights attorney Justin Moore is looking to make a move to public office.
"Instead of me complaining about the laws that aren't on the books and a radical conservative federal judiciary, I decided to throw my hat in the ring and to become a person to create these laws to push back against this radical conservatism that we have right now," Moore said.
Moore served as a prosecutor at the Dallas County District Attorney's Office before shifting to a private practice.
"I am from this community, born and raised. I've been serving this community," Moore said.
Moore said his roots within the area set him apart from the other candidates.
"I was baptized in this district, I was raised as a child in the district, I came back home from college to go to law school in this district. I've been serving folks in this community for ten years. I am planted firmly in this community, my opponents are not," Moore said.
When asked about what should be done at the southern border, Moore said there is work to be done.
"It's the past few administrations that have made our border treacherous for people to cross. I think President Biden has an opportunity to do something at this border to ensure safe passage for folks. We need safe pathways to citizenship, that the border does not institute inhumane restrictive access. These are things our President and Congress should be working toward," he said.
State Rep. Julie Johnson
Julie Johnson
State Rep. Julie Johnson currently serves District 115 in the Texas House of Representatives.
"People need help, I have experience helping people. I’ve helped a lot of people," said Johnson.
Johnson took office in January 2019. Her district includes parts of Irving, Coppell, Addison and Carrollton.
"Republicans control Texas and Democrats just have not turned out the vote to completely flip the state house in order to correct some of the very terrible things we need to pass," she said. "At the federal level we need to pass clear, comprehensive abortion rights access, unequivocal. The Equality Act to provide unequivocal equality for the LGBTQ community."
Johnson says not enough is being done at the border and that Texas representatives should be heading the charge to fix things in Washington.
"It's time for the Texas delegation to lead on this issue, our border is a mess. I've actually been to the border. I am the only candidate in the field that has been down there and seen it for myself. We do need to put more resources into funding border operations for processing timeliness of applications," she said.
Johnson says her experience at the state level sets her apart from her opponents.
"I am the only one that has actually passed legislation and that has ever won a competitive election and knows how to win, that knows how to turn out Democrats. I flipped my house seat from red to blue in 2018, and I didn't win by a little bit, I won by a lot of bit," she said.
Dr. Brian Williams
Dr. Brian Williams
Dr. Brian Williams is looking to become the first trauma surgeon to serve in Congress.
"The end goal is what we can do as a representative for district 32 to help create justice for everyone in this district," said Williams.
Williams also served in the Air Force and says he has the experience needed to bring change to Washington.
"Our country is in a crisis, Congress is broken, and I felt we need a new kind of leader to address these issues. I am an Air Force veteran, trauma surgeon, I've served on the hill as an advisor, so I have success with these issues on the front line in Dallas and Washington," he said.
Despite being a Democrat, Dr. Williams believes President Biden is not doing enough on the southern border.
"We clearly need comprehensive immigration reform. We can secure the border, we can give border patrol the resources to keep the border secure, give a pathway to citizenship, extend the temporary protected status and these are things we can do and still be true to our American values," he said.
Williams says his past proves he has the mettle for the job.
"We need people from the front lines who know what's at stake. We have an epidemic on gun violence, we have a crisis in health care, we have attacks on abortion rights, these are things where I have seen effects of bad policy in my patients, but I have seen what's possible in Congress because I served as a policy advisor passing monumental legislation," he said.
Callie Butcher
Callie Butcher
Callie Butcher hopes to make history as the nation's first transgender member of Congress.
"As I was looking at who was representing the trans community, there really wasn't representation in Texas and its getting worse, and I said I need to make a change," she said.
If elected, Butcher would also be the first openly LGBTQ+ representative in Texas.
"I'm a young mom, I have two kids that will start school in the fall. I have a unique perspective that most candidates don't have. I worry about my children going to school and being subject to gun violence. I worry about their future with climate change," Butcher said.
Butcher believes she brings something to the table that the other candidates do not.
"I think I connect well with young voters as a 34-year-old," she said.
Butcher believes there are steps President Biden can take now to improve the situation at the border.
"He could take executive action to allow people to come in as temporary protective status. He could speed up the time required to get a work authorization and take burdens off of cities and help places who are saying we have too many immigrants coming in. They don't want to be supported, they want to have a job and work and contribute," said Butcher.