Out In SA has been following 11 Democratic Primary races with LGBTQ candidates in Texas: two U.S. Congressional races and nine for seats in the Texas House. Of that total, only one candidate will not go on to either the May runoffs or the November election. Some of these candidates ran unopposed.
Following is our list of Democratic LGBTQ candidates and how they fared in the primary.
Gina Ortiz Jones, U.S. House, Texas District 23
San Antonio
Ortiz Jones defeated Rosalinda Ramos Abuabara, Efrain Valdez, Ricardo Madrid, and Jaime Escuder in the Democratic primary. She will face off against either Tony Gonzales or Raul Reyes, Jr. who are competing in the Republican runoff.
Charlie Jackson, U.S. House, Texas District 27
Corpus Christi
Jackson lost the primary against his opponent Ricardo De La Fuente who took 68 percent of the vote.
Dr. Elizabeth Markowitz, Texas House of Representatives, District 28
Ft. Bend County
Markowitz was running unopposed in the Democratic Primary and will face off in November against Republican incumbent Gary Gates.
Eric Holguin, Texas House of Representatives, District 32
Corpus Christi
Holguin ran unopposed in the Democratic Primary and will run against Republican Todd Hunter in November.
Erin Zwiener, Texas House of Representatives, District 45
Driftwood
Zwiener beat out opponent Liliana Posada in the Democratic Primary and will go on to face off against either Kent Wymore or Carrie Isaac who are competing in the Republican Runoff in May.
Celia Israel, Texas House of Representatives, District 50
Austin
Israel, the incumbent, ran unopposed and will face off against Republican Larry Delarose in November.
Mary Gonzalez, Texas House of Representatives, District 75
El Paso
Gonzalez, the incumbent ran unopposed in the primary and no Republican ran in the primary, so she is now the defacto winner
Addison Perry-Franks, Texas House of Representative, District 83
Snyder
Perry-Franks won the primary against opponent James Barrick and will face off against incumbent Republican Dustin Burrows in November.
Julie Johnson, Texas House of Representatives, District 115
Carrolton
Johnson ran unopposed in the primary and will run against Republican Karyn Brownlee in November
Ann Johnson, Texas House of Representatives, District 134
Houston
Johnson beat out two opponents and will go against Republican Sarah Davis in November
Jessica Gonzalez, Texas House of Representatives, District 104
Dallas
Gonzalez ran unopposed in the Democratic Primary and no Republican ran in the primary, so she is now the defacto winner.
A Republican Footnote: U.S. House Texas District 20
In the Republican Primary, San Antonio gay bar owner Mauro E. Garza had the highest vote total (33 percent) out of 5 candidates in the race. Garza will face second place winner Gary Allen in the May runoff.
The winner of the Republican runoff will go up against incumbent Congressman Joaquin Castro who beat out two opponents and won the Democratic Primary with 92 percent of the vote.
