HD-118 Emerges as the Last Defense Against Private School Vouchers Following Tuesday Night’s Primary Runoff Results
Following Tuesday’s primary runoff election results, in which Governor Abbott and his anti-public school faction declared victory in their assault on public schools after spending millions to secure a slim majority in support of private school vouchers, HD-118 Democratic nominee Kristian Carranza released the following statement:
“Greg Abbott’s radical agenda to steal billions of Texas dollars for the GOP’s voucher scam can only be stopped by flipping battleground seats like House District 118. In his multi-million dollar crusade to shrink his party’s tent and exact vengeance, Abbott makes clear there is no room for independent thought in his party and he will happily sacrifice our children’s public schools to prove it. Voters across HD-118 are well aware that John Lujan was among the first to toe the line for Abbott’s voucher scheme. Time and again in the legislature, he rejected bipartisan efforts to fund our public schools. Instead, he voted for a partisan scam to siphon money to private schools with no accountability. As the most competitive state house district in Texas, HD-118 represents our last opportunity to fund public schools, hold the line against private school vouchers, and provide all Texas children with the education they deserve to successfully navigate their futures. That’s why our campaign will be reaching out and extending a hand to all voters, including community-minded Republicans and Independents, who are tired of party-first politics that leave our children behind. After last night’s results, the stakes for public education are clear. I’ll be a bold voice for investment in our public schools and will push back against anyone using them as bargaining chips for special interests. It’s time for change in House District 118.”
About the Candidate: Kristian Carranza, 33, is a champion for working families running for the Texas House this November because she’s tired of inaction on the part of elected Republicans. Born and raised in House District 118 on the Southside of San Antonio by a single mom, Kristian understands the challenges facing Texas families firsthand. She began a career in community organizing as a way to uplift the voices of working people. Since then, she’s registered 10,000 voters in Texas, enrolled families in the Affordable Care Act, and managed multi-million dollar budgets for progressive candidates and causes. Now, after more than a decade working on the ground in her community, she’s ready to take the fight to the state capitol and work to expand Medicaid, fully fund public schools, combat the rising cost of living, restore reproductive rights, and stand up for ALL Texans.
About the Race: Kristian Carranza became the Democratic nominee for House District 118 after winning her two-way primary on March 5th by 27 points. She will face Republican incumbent John Lujan in the November 5th general election. House District 118 stretches from the Southside of Bexar County to the Interstate 35 corridor through Selma. As the only state house seat represented by a Republican that both President Biden won in 2020 and Beto O’Rourke won in 2022, House District 118 is the most flippable seat in Texas.
The product of San Antonio public schools, Carranza has earned the endorsement of Texas American Federation of Teachers. She has also built an extensive list of local, state, and national endorsements that includes EMILYs List, Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, Latino Victory Fund, Annie’s List, AFL-CIO COPE, Laborers’ Local 1095, Plumbers & Pipe Fitters UA Local 142, IBEW Local 60, CWA Local 6143, NALC Local 421, AFSCME Texas Retirees Chapter 12, the San Antonio Building Trades, Northside AFT, SA Alliance, Texas Latina List, Sierra Club, Run for Something, Mothers Against Greg Abbott, the Bexar County Young Democrats, Congressman Joaquin Castro, Congressman Greg Casar, Congressman Lloyd Doggett, Former County Judge Nelson Wolff, Former Mayor Phil Hardberger, Hon. Gina Ortiz Jones, Hon. Rosie Castro, and San Antonio City Councilmembers Melissa Cabello Havrda and Jalen McKee-Rodriguez.
