Texas Democrats look to special election for suburban Houston state House seat as 2020 harbinger

When Tom Perez, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, visited Austin this past weekend for the state party's annual fundraiser, there was no race he mentioned more than the special election for House District 28, a suburban Houston seat vacated by Republican state Rep. John Zerwas last month.

It was among the first topics Perez mentioned in a pre-dinner gaggle with reporters. And once he took the stage later in the night, he brought it up four times, twice urging donations for the sole Democratic candidate, Eliz Markowitz, who sat at the table closest to the stage.

"This ain't Tom DeLay's Fort Bend County anymore," Perez said, touting the politically changing terrain on which the Nov. 5 contest is unfolding. He reveled in the relation to the former House GOP leader, later telling Markowitz: "You are a remarkable role model — in Tom DeLay's county. I love saying that."

The race's top billing at the dinner was no accident. Democrats both inside and outside Texas have become intent on flipping HD-28 as they charge toward 2020 with hopes of capturing the lower-chamber majority. For Democrats, a win in HD-28 would not only serve as a momentum boost heading into next year — potentially bringing them within eight seats of the majority — but provide a gauge of just how many seats are really in play.



https://www.texastribune.org/2019/10/09/democrats-eye-texas-house-district-28-special-election-2020-harbinger/