Perez, Morales best for Districts 144, 145
Three terms of experience, accomplishments give Democrat a clear lead over opposition.
State Rep. Mary Ann Perez, a Democrat representing the 144th district, has earned the right to two more years in the Texas House of Representatives through a solid record of accomplishment and commitment to the nitty- gritty details of constituent work that often gets overlooked but can mean everything to voters seeking help from the Legislature. We recommend her in the Nov. 3 election over Republican Tony Salas .
In this past term, Perez, 58, helped pass a series of three bills that made prosecutions easier when scammers use credit card skimmers at gas pumps, stealing customers’ credit card numbers and, ultimately, their money. The bills passed with overwhelmingly bipartisan support. She was also a strong advocate for HB 3, which added billions in new funding for Texas schools, and which she said will be under attack in the coming Legislature as lawmakers look for places to cut spending in the face of pandemic-related revenue shortfalls.
Preventing a raid on the school funding will top her list of priorities in 2021, she said, noting that she also expects to back police reforms under development in the House by the Texas Legislative Black Caucus.
Perez was first elected in 2012, then narrowly lost her seat in 2014. Voters in the district, which includes parts of Houston, South Houston and Pasadena, returned her to Austin in 2016, and again in 2018. In those three terms, she said she’s served on a total of 10 committees and is ready to use that experience for the district.
Salas is a business development specialist who describes himself as a part of a “new breed of Latino Republicans entering Texas politics.” He said he wants to trim the public education budget by eliminating layers of management and boost the Texas economy by restructuring the state’s regulatory environment.
In challenging Perez, he’s running against an accomplished, experienced legislator who we heartily recommend for a fourth term.