Preview: Democratic primary for Texas Senate District 16

CBS News Texas

DALLAS - As early voting continues through next Friday, we are following a hotly contested race in the heart of Dallas County: The Democratic primary for Texas Senate District 16.

State Sen. Nathan Johnson, who's held the seat since 2019, is facing a challenge from state Rep. Victoria Neave Criado who has served in the Texas House since 2017.

The District 16 seat includes parts of Richardson, Irving, Dallas, Mesquite, and other cities in Dallas County.

Johnson's top priorities include education, improving access to healthcare, and increasing the reliability of the state's power grid.

Neave Criado's top priorities also include education and also issues that disproportionately impact women such as domestic violence.

Democrats are in the minority in the Texas Senate, and both candidates say they have to work across the aisle on some issues and fight back against Republicans on major bills and the direction of the state.

"We have a $2 trillion economy and 30 million people," Johnson said. "I am not going to let the Republicans run all of that. I'm going to be involved in all these major issues and we have to realize we can't do it ourselves."

Neave Criado said that includes a variety of issues. 

"When it comes to issues that impact our right to choose, when it comes to issues that impact diversity, supporting communities of color, when it comes to gun reform, raising the age to purchase an assault rifle, attack on our LGBTQ community, we cannot accept that," Neave Criado said.

The full profile of this primary race will appear on this Sunday's Eye On Politics.

We'll also break down the races for the three open Congressional seats in North Texas plus show what Gov. Greg Abbott had to say about being considered a potential VP pick with former President Donald Trump.

Eye On Politics airs every Sunday morning at 7:30 on CBS News Texas ON AIR and streaming.

Follow Jack on X: @cbs11jack

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