Sara Stapleton Barrera

Texas Equity PAC, the political action committee of Equality Texas, the largest statewide organization solely dedicated to securing full equality for LGBTQ Texans, has endorsed Sara Stapleton Barrera, Senate candidate for District 27 in the Rio Grande Valley. She forced incumbent Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., who has been in office for three decades, into the July 14 Democratic Party run-off.

“It is long beyond time for a new dynamic leader to represent the Rio Grande Valley in the Texas Senate, and we strongly believe attorney Sara Stapleton Barrera is the leader we need,” said Ricardo Martinez, CEO of Texas Equity PAC. “Sara will be a strong pro-equality voice in the Texas Senate and is the person we believe understands the importance of representing ALL of her constituents — including LGTBQ people. Lucio voted for the bathroom bill and has consistently voted against LGBTQ equality during his tenure in the Texas Senate. It is time for a new leader to represent the values of the district and stand for equality.”

Barrera is a constitutional lawyer, a working mother of three young children and a women’s rights and human rights advocate. She is a progressive candidate who has pledged to support pro-equality positions 100 percent of the time and to work to defeat any discriminatory bills that are filed in the Texas Legislature.

Sen. Lucio has been the lone Democratic vote against LGBTQ equality in the Texas Senate. He personally allowed the bathroom bill vote to move forward in the Texas Senate by voting with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick instead of supporting the position of every other Democrat in the Texas Senate.

“Senate District 27 deserves a new leader after decades of poor representation. I’m very proud to a part of the equality movement and will do everything that I can to lift Texas out of this pit of hatred that has been filled by our current senator. I am a strong supporter of LGBTQ Equality and I will work every day to uplift the voices of LGBTQ Texans in the Texas Senate,” Barrera said.

If Barrera wins the Democratic primary and is elected in November, she will become the first woman ever elected to the Texas Senate from District 27.