Johnson in the HD134 Democratic primary
She is best choice in strong field if Dems hope to flip district.
Child prostitutes were seen as criminals, not victims, under Texas law until 2010, when Ann Johnson won a case at the Texas Supreme Court involving a girl who was 13 when she was arrested. The case changed both the state law and the national conversation around sex trafficking, and is among several achievements that distinguish Johnson from a strong slate in the Democratic primary for House District 134.
The district includes affluent neighborhoods on the west side of Houston including Bellaire,
West University, River Oaks and Timbergrove. Rep. Sarah Davis, a Republican, has held the seat since 2010 even as it has gone blue in other races. In 2018, Beto received over 60 percent of the vote there. This primary has outsize importance because Democrats see flipping it as critical to taking control of the Texas House and the looming redistricting battle. All three candidates are exceptionally articulate.
Lanny Bose is a Rice University graduate who taught with and then served as a principal for
YES Prep. He brings the energy of a gifted teacher when explaining core Democratic issues such as redistricting, common-sense gun reform, healthcare and education. Ruby Powers is an immigration attorney who has worked on the border and here in Houston. With a mother from Mexico, fluency in Spanish, a humble upbringing, a husband from Turkey, and time living abroad, Johnson can connect to voters of diverse backgrounds through her personal and professional experiences.
Ultimately it is Johnson who presents the strongest chance for Democrats to take back control of District 134. She speaks with authority about a broad range of issues and with the persuasive power of a former prosecutor. After the landmark case she argued to the Texas Supreme Court, she was was hired by a Republican district attorney as a humantrafficking specialist. She worked with Republican judges to start the CARE court to assist child victims of human tracking and SAFE court for people 17 to 25 charged with prostitution. Now she’s calling for public-private partnerships to establish a victim recovery village.
Even if Democrats do flip the House, whoever wins this seat will have to work those across the aisle. Johnson has a record of appealing to common values to get important work done.