Eye on Politics: Former Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings gets involved in third-party effort
There will likely be new Republican faces coming to the Texas House in January. We hear from conservative lawmakers, Tony Tinderholt of Arlington and Brian Harrison of Ellis County, about the potential impact. State Rep. Julie Johnson tells political reporter Jack Fink how she defeated nine other candidates in the crowded Democratic primary for the 32nd Congressional District. And former Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings talks about his role with No Labels, a centrist group that hopes to field candidates to run for the White House against President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
Jack Fink covers these stories and more in the latest edition of Eye on Politics (original air date: March 17).
No Labels
While Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican former President Donald Trump have now secured enough delegates to win nominations in their parties for the presidential election, some analysts say third-party candidates could make the race tighter.
Right now, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West are both running as Independents, while Jill Stein is with the Green Party. And now, there could be another independent presidential ticket: candidates running for the centrist organization, No Labels.
It's a movement—not a party—and leaders hope to recruit what they call a unity ticket sometime next month.
Former Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings is the National Conventional Chair of No Labels. Jack spoke with him about the effort.
Watch the full interview below.
Rawlings said that if No Labels doesn't have a clear path to victory, they won't field candidates to run. They're on the ballot in 13 states already but they're hoping to be in 30 states, including Texas, in the next two months.
Key to victory
On election night, despite facing nine other candidates, Texas Rep. Julie Johnson won the Democratic primary for the 32nd Congressional Seat. The seat opened up after Congressman Colin Allred announced his bid for U.S. Senate.
Jack spoke with Johnson about why she was successful and what her priorities are.
Watch Jack's one-on-one with Johnson below.
New look at the Texas Legislature
When the new legislative session at the Texas Capitol begins in January, there will be a new look in the Texas House. There could be as many as nine, possibly 10, new Republican lawmakers in North Texas alone.
Four Republican challengers won their races outright:
- Mike Olcott defeated incumbent Glenn Rogers in the 60th House District, in cities like Mineral Wells and Weatherford.
- In the 65th House District, which includes parts of Carrollton and Dallas, Mitch Little beat incumbent Kronda Thimesch. Little was one of Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment attorneys.
- In the 62nd House District, which includes Sherman and Dennison, Shelley Luther defeated incumbent Reggie Smith. Luther is the salon owner who stood up against COVID restrictions in Dallas.
- In the 2nd House District, which includes Greenville and Sulphur Springs, Brent Money Defeated Jill Dutton, just weeks after she beat him in a special election for the seat.
There are other incumbents who landed in a runoff against one of their challengers:
- Katrina Pierson, former spokeswoman for then President Donald Trump, hopes to defeat incumbent Justin Holland in the 33rd House District, which includes Rockwall and parts of Richardson.
- Keresa Richardson is challenging incumbent Frederick Frazier in the 61st House District in parts of McKinney and Frisco.
- Andy Hopper is facing incumbent Lynn Stucky in the 64th District in most of Denton.
- Helen Kerwin is hoping to beat incumbent DeWayne Burns in the 58th District in Cleburne and most of Burleson.
- David Lowe is challenging incumbent Stephanie Klick in the 91st District in North Richland Hills and Haltom City.
Jack spoke with two Republican House members from North Texas, Tony Tinderholt of Arlington and Brian Harrison of Ellis County, about the potential impacts the new Republicans will have at the Capitol.
Watch the conversation below.