Two North Texas congressional races could chart new political course

North Texas will feature two intriguing congressional races that will determine if Democrats are truly gaining ground on the GOP.

One of the biggest contests in the country is the fight to replace retiring Republican Rep. Ken Marchant of Carrollton. That district, which includes parts of Denton, Tarrant and Dallas counties, has been undergoing population shifts that make it attractive to Democratic candidates.

Last year Marchant narrowly got past Democrat Jan McDowell, who is running again for the seat in 2020.

But McDowell, who has strong connections in the district, will be tested by rivals in a large Democratic Party field of contenders. The March primary is expected to be dominated by a trio of women — retired Air Force Col. Kim Olson, Candace Valenzuela and McDowell, who has residual name identification after two runs for the District 24 seat.

In 2018 Olson ran for Agriculture Commissioner and has a following, though her ties to the district aren’t as pronounced as her competitors. Valenzuela has support inside and outside the district. She recently scored an endorsement from Emily’s List, the group committed to elect women who support abortion rights to Congress.

The race will likely be determined after a runoff. Other Democratic candidates include John Biggan, Richard Fleming, Crystal Fletcher and Sam Vega.

Meanwhile, former Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne is the heavy front-runner of the GOP race to replace Marchant. She’s been endorsed by a cross-section of Republicans, including Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn and a host of other local mayors. She’s also backed by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California, Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Elise Stefanik, R-New York.

Van Duyne was the first mayor of a major city to endorse Donald Trump for president. She recently served as a regional administrator at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Democratic candidates are already attacking Van Duyne as “dangerous,” which suggest she won’t have much of the problem beating Desi Maes, David Fegan, Jerone Liverman and Sunny Chaparala in the March, GOP primary.

In the 32nd Congressional District, Republicans are trying to oust Democrat Colin Allred. National Republicans have blasted Allred for supporting the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. The popular Democrat won the seat in 2018 by beating longtime Republican incumbent Pete Sessions, who is now running to replace retiring Republican Bill Flores in the 17th District in Central Texas.

Dallas businesswoman Genevieve Collins is running the most visible GOP campaign, but must get by former Navy SEAL Floyd McLendon Jr. in the primary.

Republicans excited about Collins hope she can win back suburban voters, particularly women, who abandoned the party in 2018 to vote for Allred.

Demographic shifts have made that district more Democratic than ever, and Collins would have to run a nearly flawless campaign to beat the incumbent.

But she’s proven she can raise money and comes from a politically active family.