Ray for District 135
District 135 was a longtime Republican seat until 2018, when it flipped as part of the blue wave that swept across Harris County. Justin Ray, a former councilman and mayor of Jersey Village, is the best candidate to bring the seat back to the GOP.
“It’s going to be a large, widescale discussion of ideas and vision and philosophies,” he told the Editorial Board. “It’s going to take people who want to work hard and engage with the voters, and I’ve done that before.”
The district, whose butterfly shape spans from Jersey Village to Westgate, is changing, and Ray — both in his role as a public servant and lifelong resident — believes he understands the needs and challenges that face his community.
Elected in 2012 to the Jersey Village City Council and as mayor in 2015, the 41-yearold Ray focused on infrastructure, business development and addressing flooding. His practical experience will be key in connecting with suburban voters over conservative values and broader concerns, such as keeping taxes low, improving public safety, and what he considers the most important issue: education.
While schooling should come with choice for parents, Ray said, be it charter, homeschooling or private, public schools should be a viable option so Texas remains a growing, dynamic and attractive state.
“People move to states, people move to communities, based on the public schools,” Ray said. “We need to make sure that Texas’ schools are the best.”
The other candidate in the race, Merrilee Beazley, has four educational degrees and is a self-described political watchdog who ran for Jersey Village City Council in 2019. Her well-meaning desire to represent the district is notable, but her attention to hyper-local issues suggests she’s better suited to run at the municipal level.
Republican voters in District 135 have an easy choice in supporting Justin Ray.