The 2024 election was another victory for Texas Republicans, who re-secured every U.S. house and senate seat with a Republican incumbent, as well as securing all the open Texas judiciary seats, one more seat in the Texas Senate and two more seats in the Texas House of Representatives. Texas’ federal representation remains unchanged, with two Republican senators and 25 Republican representatives of 38 total seats.
Congressional Districts 32 and 24, which cover parts of UTD’s campus, were respectively won by Janet Johnson (D) and Beth van Duyne (R). Johnson is the first openly LGBTQ+ person to represent Texas in the U.S. Congress.
Four candidates visited UTD Oct. 30 in the run up to the election as part of Student Government’s Meet Your Candidates panel: Texas State Sen. Nathan Johnson, State Rep. Rhetta Bowers and challengers David Carstens and Averie Bishop. Johnson (D) ran uncontested in District 16, which includes portions of UTD, and Bowers (D) won with 56.5% of the vote in House District 113, which includes portions of Garland, Rowlett and Mesquite. In House District 112, which includes southern parts of campus, Bishop (D) lost to UTD alum Rep. Angie Chen Button (R). In House District 66, immediately north of campus, Carstens (D) lost to Matt Shaheen (R). Mihaela Plesa (D) won House District 70, which covers the northern parts of UTD.
According to The Texas Tribune, Gov. Greg Abbott said that since 11 pro-school voucher candidates had won seats in the Texas House, he will again push for Texas to implement vouchers during the upcoming legislative session. Abbott has been attempting to get school vouchers for all students approved by the Texas Congress since 2023 but faced opposition within his own party last legislative session.