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In what could be a quick but competitive contest, candidates to finish the unexpired congressional term of the late Ron Wright are emerging from both political parties.
Wright’s widow, Susan Wright, is expected to announce her bid for the District 6 seat as early as Wednesday. The Republican and community activist will be considered a frontrunner in the contest, analysts say, because of her connection to the district.
“A lot of people are waiting to see what Susan does,” said Jeremy Bradford, executive director of the Tarrant County Republican Party. “There are people waiting to see if she does go for it. She has a long history of politics on her own.”
Tax attorney John Anthony Castro, a Republican who challenged incumbent John Cornyn for Senate in 2020, has already announced his candidacy to replace Wright.
Ron Wright died earlier this month after contracting the coronavirus. He had also battled cancer.
The Republican lawmaker’s funeral was Saturday in Fort Worth, and most potential candidates put off getting into the race to replace him until this week.
Wright was just beginning a two-year term when he died. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will announce the date of the special election to replace him.
It will be an open primary, which means Democrats and Republicans will run in the same field. The top two-finishers will meet in a runoff, if no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote.
Along with Susan Wright, Republicans mentioned as potential contenders to succeed Wright include Katrina Pierson, a former adviser to former President Donald Trump, along with state Rep. Jake Ellzey of Ellis County, state Rep. Tony Tinderholt of Arlington, former Health and Human Services Chief of Staff Brian Harrison and former WWE wrestler Dan “Big Dan” Rodimer. Last year, Rodimer lost a congressional race in the state of Nevada.
Ellzey, a former Navy fighter pilot, lost to Wright in a 2018 congressional race.
Several Democrats have either announced or are expected to announce their candidacies.
Last week, Jana Lynne Sanchez officially jumped into the race.
“I’m running for Congress because we need to get Washington working for all North Texans for a change. For far too long, special interests and the well-connected have called the shots, leaving working people behind,” Sanchez said in a statement. “As we work to recover from the pandemic and distribute the live-saving vaccine, people should come first.”
On Tuesday, school teacher and former 2020 state representative candidate Lydia Bean announced her candidacy, saying the response to last week’s winter storm informed her decision to run.
“The events of the past several days and weeks have thrown into stark relief how badly our leaders are failing us,” Bean said in a statement. “As a new parent, small business owner, and community leader, I have too much skin in the game to sit back and watch it happen.”
Fort Worth educator Shawn Lassiter is also mentioned as a candidate and could make a decision on the race this week. And Tarrant County minister and former Homeland Security official Patrick Moses is mentioned as a possible candidate.
“We’re going into this race with our eyes wide open,” said Democratic Party strategist Matt Angle. “It’s a tough district that leans Republican, but it’s a district where Biden performed well.”
Republicans say it’s important that the seat stay in the GOP column. Democrats now control Congress, but by a slim margin.
“We obviously want to keep that seat, not just in honoring of the congressman, but it’s also important to gain control of the House in 2022,” Bradford said.