Election 2024: Races to watch in North Texas

DALLAS - Texas' political landscape for the next two years may come down to a few key statehouse races in Dallas, San Antonio and South Texas. Here are the races to watch in North Texas.

U.S. Senate - Ted Cruz (R), Colin Allred (D)

The Senate race between Ted Cruz and Colin Allred has brought in plenty of attention and ad money to the Lone Star State.

Ted Cruz-Colin Allred: Where the candidates stand on the issues

Ted Cruz is an attorney from Houston who has served as the U.S. Senator from Texas since 2013. He is seeking his third term.

Colin Allred, from North Texas, is a civil rights lawyer and former NFL player serving as the U.S. representative from Texas's 32nd congressional district since 2019.

Dallas HERO amendments

Dallas city leaders past and present have pushed for voters to oppose three city charter amendments that will be on the ballot. 

Propositions S, T and U were put onto the ballot after Dallas HERO gathered 170,000 petition signatures.

If passed, the proposals would require the city to increase police pay and hire more officers, put the city manager on performance-based pay and allow citizens to sue city officials if they don't follow the law.

Dallas officials say the proposals will cost the city tens of millions of dollars in funding and lead to cuts in city services.

Dallas HERO argues that the measures will hold government officials accountable and cut back on unnecessary spending.

• Proposition S would allow Dallas residents to sue the city if it doesn't comply with the city charter, city ordinances and state law. Shall the Dallas City Charter be amended by adding a new chapter that grants standing to any resident of Dallas to bring a lawsuit against the city to require the city to comply with provisions of the city charter, city ordinances, and state law; entitles claimants to seek declaratory and injunctive relief against the city and recover costs and reasonable attorney’s fees; and waives the city’s governmental immunity from suit and liability in claims brought under this amendment?
• Proposition T would create a community satisfaction survey related to the city manager's job - affecting compensation. Shall Chapter VI of the Dallas City Charter be amended by adding a new section compelling the city to conduct the city-commissioned Community Survey on an annual basis, to be completed by a minimum of 1,400 Dallas residents on their satisfaction on quality of life issues, the results of which will result in the city manager earning additional performance compensation (between 0 percent and 100 percent of the city manager’s annual base salary) or the termination of the city manager?
• Proposition U focuses on public safety. It would require 50 percent of all new city revenue to go to police and fire pensions. It would also require a minimum of 4,000 police officers - that is 900 more officers than the current force. Shall Chapter XI of the Dallas City Charter be amended by adding a new section compelling city council to appropriate no less than 50 percent of annual revenue that exceeds the total annual revenue of the previous year to fund the Dallas Police and Fire Pension, with any monies remaining of that 50% to be appropriated to increasing the starting compensation of officers of the Dallas Police Department and to increase the number of police officers to a minimum of 4,000, and to maintain that ratio of officers to the City of Dallas population as of the date of passage of this amendment?

Dallas Proposition R - Marijuana

Dallas voters will decide on decriminalizing less than 4 ounces of marijuana.

A "yes" vote supports amending the city charter to decriminalize marijuana, making it the lowest enforcement priority for the Dallas Police Department.

A "no" vote opposes amending the city charter to decriminalize marijuana, making it the lowest enforcement priority for the Dallas Police Department.

If Dallas voters approve the measure, the legal fight may not be over.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued cities like Denton and Austin over similar measures, saying they are in violation of Texas law.

Education Savings Accounts

One of the biggest hot button issues in Texas politics has been education savings accounts, which are similar to, but not the same as, school vouchers.

Education savings accounts are essentially taxpayer-supported bank accounts for parents who remove their children from the public education system. Those parents get state money up front to pay for their educational expenses, like private school tuition, online schooling or private tutors. In most cases, the state manages these accounts.

In November 2023, rural Republicans sided with Democrats to remove the education savings accounts from a larger education bill.

Governor Greg Abbott actively campaigned against Republicans who opposed education savings accounts in the Republican primaries.

Abbott says he believes the bill now has enough support to pass education savings accounts in Texas' next legislative session.

November's election will give us a better indication of what to expect when the session begins in January 2025.

Texas Supreme Court Seats

There are three seats on the Texas Supreme that are up for re-election in November.

The Texas Supreme Court has been reliably Republican in the past, but Democrats are putting up challengers in each of this year's three races.

Left-leaning political action committees are attempting to use recent abortion rulings from the court as a possible wedge issue to push democratic candidates over the top.

Place 2

Republican Jimmy Blacklock was appointed to the Texas Supreme Court in 2018 by Governor Greg Abbott.

He is facing a challenge from Democrat DaSean Jones, who is currently a judge in Texas' 180th District Court in Houston.

Place 4

Republican John Devine has served on the Texas Supreme Court in November 2012. Before that, he served as a judge in Harris County in the 190th State District Court.

Democrat Christine Vinh Weems currently serves on the 281st Civil District Court in Harris County. Weems granted a temporary restraining order in a case that allowed abortions in Texas to continue before it was stayed by the state Supreme Court.

Place 6

Republican Justice Jane Bland has served on the Texas Supreme Court since 2019. Before that, she served 15 years as a justice on the First Court of Appeals and six years as a State District Judge.

Democrat Bonnie Goldstein currently serves in the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas.

U.S. House District 12 - Craig Goldman (R), Trey J. Hunt (D) 

After nearly three decades representing Fort Worth, U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R) is retiring from Congress. Her seat in District 12 is now up for grabs.

Craig Goldman is from Fort Worth. He serves as a Republican Party member for the 97th district of the Texas House of Representatives. He is the Republican nominee for Texas's 12th congressional district in the 2024 election.

Trey Hunt, of Fort Worth, is a housing coordinator for My Health My Resources of Tarrant County. He ran for the seat in 2022.

U.S. House District 24 - Beth Van Duyne (R), Sam Eppler (D)

Beth Van Duyne serves as the U.S. representative for Texas's 24th congressional district. She was mayor of Irving from 2011 to 2017. She was an official in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Trump administration.

Sam Eppler is the principal of North Lake Early College High School in Irving. At 27-years-old, he is the youngest principal working in Dallas ISD and recently earned a master’s degree in education from Southern Methodist University.

U.S. House District 26 - Brandon Gill (R), Ernest Lineberger (D)

Brandon Gill, a political newcomer, received the majority of the Republican votes for the U.S. House District 26 in Texas. He is the son-in-law of conservative filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza. He is the Republican candidate on the ballot to replace longtime Congressman Michael Burgess.

Ernest Lineberger III is a Democratic Party candidate for the U.S. House Texas District 26 in the 2024 election. He is a former U.S. Navy officer and engineer who advanced from the primary on March 5, 2024.

U.S. House District 30 - Jasmine Crockett (D), Jrmar Jefferson (L)

Jasmine Crockett has been a U.S. representative from Texas's 30th congressional district since January 2023. Her district covers most of South Dallas County, Central Dallas, Dallas Love Field Airport, and parts of Tarrant County. A member of the Democratic Party, Crockett previously represented the 100th district in the Texas House of Representatives. 

Jrmar Jefferson is a Libertarian Party candidate who was born in Texarkana, Texas. His career experience includes working as a CEO. He was disqualified from the Democratic primary scheduled on March 5, 2024.

U.S. House District 32 - Darrell Day (R), Julie Johnson (D)

Darrell Day has been a small business owner for 25 years. Darrell is a business leader, husband, father and grandfather.

Julie Johnson has served in the Texas House since January 2019, representing District 115. If Johnson wins in the reliably blue District 32, she will be the first openly LGBTQ member of Congress in Texas history.

U.S. House District 33 - Patrick Gillespie (R), Marc Veasey (D)

Patrick Gillespie works in the international division for UPS Supply Chain Solutions. In 2022, he was the Republican candidate against incumbent Marc Veasey. Veasey won with 72 percent of the vote.

Marc Veasey is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Texas's 33rd congressional district. From 2005 to 2013, he was a member of the Texas House of Representatives, where he served as chair pro tempore of the House Democratic Caucus.

TX House District 33 - Katrina Pierson 

Katrina Pierson is a former Tea Party activist, best known as Donald Trump's national spokesperson in the 2016 campaign. She has the backing of Texas Governor Greg Abbott as he hopes to push for education savings accounts in the next legislative session.

TX House District 63 - Ben Bumgarner (R), Michelle Beckley (D)

State Representative Ben Bumgarner represents House District 63, succeeding now State Senator Tan Parker. House District 63 covers southern Denton County including Flower Mound, Lewisville, Carrollton, Coppell, Trophy Club, Northlake and Roanoke.

Michelle Beckley was elected on November 8, 2018, to represent House District 65 in the Texas House of Representatives & then re-elected in 2020.  During redistricting she was drawn into House District 63.

TX House District 65 - Mitch Little (R), Detrick DeBurr (D)

Mitch Little is a native Texan and graduated from Harvard University. In 2003, he earned his law degree from the University of Texas. Mitch and his family live in Lewisville. He is currently an attorney for Scheef & Stone, LLP. Little served on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's legal team during his impeachment trial.

Detrick DeBurr is a software engineer, father of 3, and grandfather of 3. He has served North Texas for more than 23 years in various capacities. He currently serves as a Planning and Zoning Commissioner in The Colony, Texas. 

TX House District 67 - Jeff Leach (R), Makala Washington (D)

Jeff Leach is the Republican incumbent from Plano and is a lawyer, known for authoring and passing Proposition 4 in 2019, which banned state income taxes on Texans. He also serves on several House committees.  

Makala Washington is a mother of three and grandmother of two. She is involved as a Football Booster Club Mom and has been a substitute teacher for more than five years. She is also a small business owner. 

TX Representative District 70 - Steve Kinard (R), Mihaela Elizabeth Plesa (D)

Steven Kinard was born in Dallas, Texas. Kinard earned a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University in 2008 and a graduate degree from George Washington University in 2013.

Mihaela Plesa is a member of the Texas House of Representatives, representing District 70. She assumed office on January 10, 2023. Her current term ends on January 14, 2025. She was born in Dallas. She earned a bachelor's degree from University of North Texas in 2006. She earned a graduate degree from Southern Methodist University in 2012. 

TX House District 108 - Morgan Meyer (R), Elizabeth Ginsberg (D)

Morgan Meyer was first elected in 2014 and is now in his sixth term as a State Representative. He serves as Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Elizabeth Ginsberg is a Dallas lawyer, a small business owner, a working mom, and a longtime Democratic Party donor and volunteer. She and her husband Jacob have lived in District 108 for nearly 30 years and raised two daughters here.

TX House District 112 - Angie Chen Button (R), Averie Bishop (D)

Angie Chen Button is currently serving as State Representative for House District 112 which includes portions of Garland, Richardson, Rowlett, Sachse, and Dallas in Dallas County.

Button is facing a challenge from Averie Bishop, the former Miss Texas-turned-political candidate who is using her high name recognition and large social media following to take on the incumbent.

Dallas Co. Sheriff (Unopposed) - Marian Brown (D)

Sheriff Marian Brown was sworn in as Sheriff of Dallas County on January 1, 2018. She is the first African-American Sheriff in Dallas County and one of only five African-American female sheriffs in the United States. She began her career in law enforcement in 1988 with the Duncanville Police Department. She was the first African-American female hired by the Duncanville Police Department.

Tarrant Co. Sheriff – Bill Waybourn (R), Patrick Moses (D)

Incumbent Republican Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn took office in 2017 after defeating longtime Sheriff Dee Anderson.  The former Dalworthington Gardens police chief is now facing his first real challenge, thanks to concerns about in-custody deaths at the Tarrant County jail. Waybourn called for patience as investigators looked into the deaths. He is endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott.

Democratic challenger Patrick Moses has embraced those jail death concerns with his campaign. He is the pastor of First Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth and is a retired federal law enforcement officer of three decades. He has degrees in political science, public administration and divinity from Southern University and TCU.