The runoff election is May 26.
DALLAS — After months of campaigning for both the primary and the runoff, the finish line is finally in sight for the candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for the 33rd District in Dallas.
U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson will take on former Congressman Colin Allred in the runoff and we asked Johnson how she feels about her chances on election day.
“We feel really good about where we are. I have a lot of support from base Democrats, from informed people, people who really know me, who really know Colin Allred, know our distinctions, know our records. They are with me in record numbers. And that’s the typical turnout in a runoff, especially in a low turnout runoff,” the lawmaker told us on Inside Texas Politics.
Johnson has some ground to make up in the runoff. Allred defeated her in the primary by more than 7,700 votes, 44% – 33%.
But the Congresswoman said she also thinks that could work to her advantage. She argues a competitive Democratic Senate primary drove high turnout for the primary. In fact, she claims more than 20,000 new voters participated in the Democratic primary because of that enthusiasm. Not having the Senate race at the top of the runoff ballot, Johnson argues, is the biggest change since March. And that goes back to her argument that she thinks it’s her voters who will show up in a low voter turnout runoff election.
“It’s the nature of runoff turnout. The turnout was low yesterday (first day of early voting). The weather’s going to be terrible all week. And those most determined voters typically vote in a runoff and we have a lot of support in that group,” she said.
We also asked Johnson to sum up the race and tell voters why they should choose her over Allred.
“I’m effective. I get stuff done. I have the experience. I have the perspective. And my values stay true. I’m fighting on the issues that matter. And I’ve delivered for people. I have results on healthcare, affordability, housing, wages,” Johnson argued in her final pitch. “As I’ve dug into his record, I realized he didn’t really do much in a time when we had a Democratic-controlled House, a Democratic Senate, a Democratic President. That’s when Democrats get stuff done. And he didn’t do that.”
Listen to the full interview with Johnson to hear her stance on abolishing ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), bail reform and her endorsements.
While the 33rd District is drawn to favor Democrats, a couple of Republicans will face each other in the runoff, as Patrick Gillespie, who led in the primary, takes on John Sims.
The runoff election is Tuesday, May 26.