Lupe Valdez, left, Julie Johnson and Mark Phariss, right

Victory Fund adds Dallas-area candidates to its roster of endorsements for the November election

DAVID TAFFET | Senior Staff Writer
taffet@dallasvoice.com
The Victory Fund, an organization that helps LGBT candidates get elected, has endorsed 11 Texas candidates, named two of them “game changers,” and is considering several other endorsements in the state in this election cycle.
Julie Johnson’s race for the Texas House of Representatives is among the those that Victory Fund finds most exciting and promising.
“I have known Julie Johnson personally for many years and am a big supporter of her run for the state legislature,” said Victory Fund board member Kim Hoover.
Victory Fund Political Director Sean Meloy called her a hard worker and a great fundraiser with a strong field game.
What makes her race most promising is that she is challenging Matt Rinaldi, who authored the Texas House version of the bathroom bill and legislation giving medical professionals license to discriminate against LGBT people in Texas.
“He’s clearly out of touch,” Meloy said. What makes so many of the Texas races interesting, he said, is that LGBT candidates “are running against terrible anti-LGBT incumbents.”
Over the summer, Victory Fund will spotlight races around the country. That attracts donors from around the country to support some of the most promising candidates. Johnson’s race may well be among those spotlighted races.
Before receiving an endorsement from the organization, a candidate needs to submit paperwork. Meloy said they’re looking for a strong field game, ability to fund raise and a message that will resonate with voters.
Johnson’s message is her support for public education, while her opponent supports vouchers to send public money to private schools.
“As a mom of two teenage boys Julie believes in the right for all Texans to equal opportunity for a quality education from early childhood through high school graduation and beyond,” according to her website. “Julie is passionate about ensuring that a quality education is available to every child, no matter the circumstances of their birth.”
The two game changers from Texas are both in runoffs — Lupe Valdez, who’s running for governor, and Gina Ortiz Jones, who’s running for Congress.
Jones has a strong record of government experience and military service. She’s an Iraq War veteran who served under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and she’s running on a platform of affordable health care, quality education and basic environmental protections.
Jones is running in the 23rd District, a gerrymandered seat that runs from San Antonio to El Paso and is currently held by Republican Will Hurd. In fundraising reports released this week, Jones out-raised Hurd $708,000 to $620,000.
That’s unusual for a challenger, especially before the runoff.
“I met her a year ago and was floored by her,” Meloy said. “She’s been working her tail off.”
If elected, Jones would be the first openly-LGBT person elected to Congress from Texas, only the third LGBT woman elected to Congress and the second openly-LGBT person of color elected to Congress.
Valdez is the other game changer. If elected, she would be the first openly-LGBT governor of Texas, the first openly-LGBT Latinx governor in the U.S. and the second openly-LGBT woman elected governor in the U.S.
Meloy said Valdez is set to win the runoff and is prepared for the race in the fall.
“She has her team in place,” he said, “and she knows what she needs to do.”
While she’s well known in North Texas, Valdez’s name recognition in Houston isn’t as strong. But her campaign released a list of endorsements from Harris County this week, including backing from state Reps. Ana Hernandez and Carol Alvarado, a former Harris County sheriff, Houston and Pasedena city council members, Houston Community College trustees and two Houston-area Democratic clubs.
Earlier this week, Victory Fund announced new endorsements for candidates including Mark Phariss, who’s running for a state Senate seat in Collin County. It’s a tough district, but Victory Fund doesn’t endorse in races that aren’t winnable.
“They scrutinize the candidate and the campaign, and it’s an endorsement of how I’m running my campaign and the viability of my campaign,” Phariss said of Victory Fund’s nod.
He said he learned from a Victory Fund training session about budgeting, fundraising, field operations and dealing with the press. He hopes to continue to receive operational advice to run a better campaign and expects “a Victory Fund endorsement will buttress my fundraising.”
Meloy said endorsements would continue through the summer. Texas has the longest election cycle in the country.
Some states haven’t even begun their filing period, and the Massachusetts primary isn’t held until early September.
Some candidates, such as Jessica Gonzalez and Celia Israel, are running unopposed for the Texas House. Meloy encouraged them to get their paperwork in, because even though they’re guaranteed their seats this election, the endorsement and affiliation with Victory Fund will get them prepared for the next fight, whether the challenge comes from within their own party or from another party.