Public Education Candidate Forums

Raise Your Hand Texas hosts a series of statewide public education candidate forums to allow Texans to educate themselves on the issues and be informed voters before election day. The candidate forums are specifically geared toward education topics and let participants know where candidates stand on some of the most pressing issues facing our public schools. Organized and hosted by our Regional Advocacy Directors, each event invites all candidates running for the Texas Legislature or a run-off election in their respective region. All candidates on the ballot for the district are invited to participate, and no candidates are endorsed.

Candidate Forums

The following candidate events were taped prior to the 2024 Primary elections.

House District 2
Jill Dutton (Republican)
Brent Money (Republican)
House District 61
Tony Adams (Democrat)
Chuck Branch (Republican)
Frederick Frazier (Republican)
House District 1
Dale Huls (Republican)
Chris Spencer (Republican)
Gary VanDeaver (Republican)
House District 80
Cecilia Castellano (Democrat)
Rosie Cuellar (Democrat)
Carlos Lopez (Democrat)
Clint Powell (Republican)
House District 115
Scarlett Cornwallis (Democrat)
Cassandra Hernandez (Democrat)
Kate Rumsey (Democrat)
House District 18
Ernest Bailes (Republican)
Stephen Missick (Republican)
Shanna Steele (Libertarian)
House District 52
Jennie Birkholz (Democrat)
Angel Carroll (Democrat)
House District 34
Roland Barrera (Democrat)
Solomon Ortiz Jr. (Democrat)
Denise Villalobos (Republican)
House District 37
Ruben Cortez (Democrat)
Alex Dominguez (Democrat)
Jonathan Gracia (Democrat)
Carol Lynn Sanchez (Democrat)
House District 45
Chevo Pastrano (Democrat)
Erin Zwiener (Democrat)
House District 77
Alex Annello (Democrat)
Norma Chávez (Democrat)
Vince Perez (Democrat)
Homer Reza (Democrat)
House District 139
Mo Jenkins (Democrat)
Charlene Ward Johnson (Democrat)
Angeanette Thibodeaux (Democrat)
House District 29
Adrienne Bell (Democrat)
Jeffrey Berry (Republican)
Edgar Pacheco Jr. (Republican)
House District 86 & 87
Cindi Bulla (Republican)
Caroline Fairly (Republican)
Jesse Quakenbush (Republican)
John Smithee (Republican)

These candidate events are free to attend because Raise Your Hand Texas believes it is important for all voters to have access to the information they need to make an educated decision when they go to the ballot box. The Texas Legislature plays a large role in shaping the requirements and resources of every public school in the state, and an informed electorate is important to ensure decisions made at the Capitol impacting our students and teachers are in their best interest.

Browse the Fall 2022 Candidate Forum Archives
Browse the Spring 2022 Candidate Forum Archives

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