Toplines & Key Facts:

• State Rep. Julie Johnson advances to Nov. Election
• Voter Registration ends Oct. 7
• Early Voting for November election starts Oct. 11

History in the Making 

Texas State Representative Julie Johnson, is heading to the November general election after winning the primary on March 5 for the Congressional seat left open by Rep. Colin Allred, (TX-32) who is running to unseat Ted Cruz in the U.S. Senate. If she wins, she would be the first openly LGBTQ+ legislator from the South in Congress. 

Rep. Johnson fought a very competitive primary with nine other opponents, prevailing with 50.1% of the votes. Johnson touted her experience on the campaign trail as a trial lawyer, and honed in on her experience in the Texas Legislature. With MAGA extremism on the rise and numerous anti LGBTQ+ legislation passed during the 2023 Legislative Session, Julie Johnson’s win will not only speak volumes for progressive voices in Texas, it will show that building a coalition of unity, instead of hate, is an example of what it means to be a true Texan. 

Julie Johnson is a state legislator and attorney who specializes in personal injury cases, family law, and mediation. She has represented thousands of clients in the DFW area and has been in practice since 1991. First elected into the Texas House of Representatives in 2018, she unseated a MAGA Republican incumbent Matt Rinaldi, and made history as one of the first two openly LGBTQ+ legislators from Dallas County. As a legislator, Julie Johnson authored the historic “Live Well Texas'' bill, which would have expanded Medicaid in Texas, helped to kill 76 out of the 77 anti LGBTQ+ bills, and remains a front-line champion for women’s reproductive rights. 

The Fight Ahead:

We spoke with Rep. Johnson and Ricardo Martinez, CEO of Equality Texas, about the historic victory: 

“This win belongs to all of us. Together, we’re going to make history in November. When elected, I’ll be the first openly gay member of Congress from the South. It’s not something I take lightly. We can’t take anything for granted or get complacent in this critical election year. MAGA Republicans have launched an all out war against women and LGBTQ+ Americans. It’s vital that between now and Election Day, we work hard, drive voter turnout, and fight to protect our Democracy.”- Julie Johnson for Congress

”We’re long overdue for a queer Congressperson from the South, and we couldn’t be more proud to see Julie Johnson move into that role. She’s been a fearless and persistent advocate for LGBTQ+ Texans in the state legislature, and I’m confident she’ll bring that same fire to Washington.” - Ricardo Martinez, CEO of Equality Texas 

We are once again excited for Rep. Johnson’s journey ahead, and look forward to her monumental victory come November! Voter registration in Texas for the November election ends Oct. 7, 2024 and early voting begins Oct. 11. You can visit our handy website Go Vote Texas.org to view information regarding the voter registration timeline and to view the process for mail-in ballot registration. 

What’s Next:

• Support Rep. Julie Johnson and other progressive candidates in 2024!
• Voter registration in Texas ends Oct. 7.
• Early Voting for the November general election starts Oct. 11.
• Visit Go Vote Texas.org to get more information and to check your voter registration status!