Victoria Neave Criado vs. Nathan Johnson: The Showdown No One Saw Coming

A Texas-sized Democratic duel is coming to Dallas County. #txlege

https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/victoria-neave-criado-vs-nathan-johnson



A lot of Democrats have had a knee-jerk reaction to Victoria Neave Criado throwing down the gauntlet and challenging Nathan Johnson for his Senate seat. This is because in Texas, we haven’t seen a lot of competitive Democratic races, and we always worry about splitting the Democratic vote. However, competition within the Texas Democratic Party is good for several reasons.

It encourages candidates to engage with the voters on a different level than if they were running unopposed. Even in safe Democratic seats, our elected officials should prove to their constituents that they are the best people to address their needs.

This will increase political engagement and turnout despite the fears over splitting the vote. When voters are involved in a vibrant democratic process, they feel more compelled to participate.

I don’t have an opinion about this race, but it is one I promise to watch and keep you apprised.

This morning, both appeared on Inside Texas Politics on WFAA. Hear what they had to say (the segment starts about two minutes in).