Eric Johnson has declared victory over State Rep. Terri Hodge in the District 100 Texas House race. Hodge pleaded guilty to a felony charge in February and is ineligible to serve. If Hodge had won, the nominee would have been decided by precinct chairs in the district. But it appears that won’t be necessary. With 16 of 51 precincts reporting, Johnson leads Hodge by a margin of 72 percent to 28 percent. Here’s the press release we just received from Juan Ayala, Johnson’s openly gay campaign manager:
ERIC JOHNSON CAPTURES DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR TEXAS HOUSE DISTRICT 100, THANKS VOTERS AND SUPPORTERS
DALLAS, TX — Surrounded by friends, family, and supporters, Dallas attorney and first time candidate Eric Johnson celebrated his victory in the Democratic primary for the Texas House of Representatives, District 100. As no Republican filed to run, he is poised to be the next State Representative from District 100.
“I’d like to thank the voters of District 100 for their support at the polls today,” said Johnson. “Having been born and raised in District 100, I am incredibly honored and humbled that my fellow citizens have elected me to serve them in Austin. They share my belief that District 100 is ready for a strong representative who will work to improve our struggling public schools, address the crime and drug issues that have plagued our neighborhoods, and create more well-paying jobs.”
Johnson’s historic campaign featured comprehensive grassroots effort never before seen by residents of District 100. His campaign called over 4,800 voters and knocked on the doors of over 6,200 voters.[1]
“I’m very grateful to my dedicated volunteers who were with me every step of the way,” Johnson said. “They joined me block walking on the coldest days in January and came into the office after long days at work to make phone calls.”
Johnson also received unprecedented financial support from over 750 contributors. More than 65 percent of contributors gave $100 or less, and over 130 contributors to the campaign had ZIP codes that fall in District 100.
“In such tough economic times, I’ve been amazed by people’s generosity,” Johnson said.
Johnson looks forward to serving the people of District 100 both in the community and in Austin.
“I don’t intend to rest on my laurels now that the election is over. My hard work has just begun,” remarked Johnson. “I see a bright future ahead for District 100, starting with strengthening our public schools, which has been my priority since day one of my campaign. I want to continue to engage my fellow residents of District 100 and learn more about the challenges they face each day so I can pass truly effective legislation in the House and bring real, substantive change to District 100.”