This story will be updated after polls close at 7 p.m. Nov. 5.
For the first time since 2013, House District 97 residents will have a new face representing them in the Texas Legislature.
With incumbent state Rep. Craig Goldman, R-Fort Worth, running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, several interested candidates threw their hats into the ring. Crowded primaries in both parties led to two runoff elections.
Now, voters will choose between John McQueeney, R-Fort Worth, and Carlos Walker, D-Fort Worth.
As of Oct. 28, McQueeney, who owns a freight business and fast food franchises, reported having $192,187.67 cash on hand, according to a filing with the Texas Ethics Commission.
McQueeney, who won a contentious runoff against Cheryl Bean in May, previously told the Report that he is a strong proponent of school choice and supportive of Gov. Greg Abbott’s push for a voucher-like program.
He also supports banning Democrats from chairing House committees, an issue that has dominated the House speaker’s race. Republican leadership has historically appointed some Democrats to chair committees despite their minority status in the House.
“This is a conservative state and we need conservative leadership that will deliver on securing the border, lowering property taxes, fighting violent crime and improving our schools,” McQueeney told the Report. “We cannot put Democrats in a position to block conservative legislation.”
Walker, director of Fort Worth ISD’s Family Action Center, listed $8,345.12 cash on hand in a report filed Oct. 7, the most recent filing available from the Texas Ethics Commission.
Walker, who also defeated a runoff opponent in May, previously told the Report that increasing teacher pay and fighting for robust public education funding will be among his priorities if elected to the seat.
“Teachers put in a lot of work, they put in a lot of hours. They need to be rewarded,” Walker said. “A lot of teachers I know have a second job in order to make ends meet. That’s not right.”
House District 97 encompasses Benbrook, White Settlement, Crowley and parts of Fort Worth south of Camp Bowie Boulevard and Texas Christian University.
Election Day is Nov. 5, and polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Find a polling location here and check out a sample ballot here. For other voting questions, such as how to check a voter registration status and acceptable forms of identification, please visit the Report’s Election Central for our voter guide and answers to other frequent questions.
Marcheta Fornoff covers the arts for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at marcheta.fornoff@fortworthreport.org. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
