State Rep. Victoria Neave Criado is shaking up Texas politics by challenging incumbent Sen. Nathan Johnson in a primary face-off that's got Democrats in Dallas County taking sides. Neave Criado, who's built her reputation as a crusader for women's rights and legislative reform, dropped the bombshell announcement just under the wire before the filing deadline, setting the stage for a heated contest within the party. Making her intentions clear, Neave Criado stated, "Let me share with you my record in the House is one of fighting for issues that disproportionately impact women," as reported by KENS 5.
Her legislative achievements include spearheading the passage of the Lavinia Masters Act, which addressed a backlog of untested rape kits—a long-ignored issue that Neave Criado turned into a legislative victory. Though leaving a safe House seat for a Senate gamble could sideline her, she's betting on a different trade-off. "And this is really also about a bigger issue and the threat of Democracy that's being posed by Donald Trump, Ken Paxton, Greg Abbott. We don’t need somebody who’s not going to be standing up to fight. We don’t need somebody who’s going to buckle under pressure to Dan Patrick," she told KENS 5 in a pointed critique of the incumbent's resolve.
Incumbent Sen. Johnson, no stranger to the rough and tumble of politics, flipped a Republican seat in 2018, indicating a solid footing among his constituents. However, Neave Criado accuses him of failing to fiercely counter the Republican agenda. In a not-so-subtle jab during her campaign rally, she singled out Johnson's support for what she described as a "racial profiling bill," ramping up the stakes of this primary challenge. "There is too much at stake in our state and in our nation in order to allow people who are not going to stand up and fight for our communities," Neave Criado declared, as per KERA News.
The upcoming primary on March 5, 2024, is more than a mere political contest; it's a battle for the soul of the Texas Democratic party, a struggle between differing ideologies on how to confront a dominant Republican legislature led by the likes of Dan Patrick. Neave Criado is confident her record will resonate with voters and distinguish her from the incumbent. She has the backing of local state House members John Bryant and Ana-Maria Ramos, bolstering her campaign as she gears up to take the fight from the House to the Senate chamber.
The deadline for Texans to register to vote is February 5, 2024, with early voting kicking off on February 20 and running through March 1, 2024. As Dallas Democrats brace for an inner-party showdown, the outcome of the primary could signal a seismic shift in the political landscape of the State of Texas. With Neave Criado's and Johnson's visions for the future at odds, Dallas County voters will have a clear choice to make when they cast their ballots come March.
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