BY HANNAH BROL
Texas Senate, District 15, Democratic candidates
What is your top priority if elected?
Michelle Anderson Bonton Occupation: social entrepreneur, business woman, retired educator Experience: 15 years as a founder and leader of a 180-employee, $14 million budget organization www.votemichellebonton.com
Alberto “Beto” Cardenas Jr. Occupation: attorney Experience: cleaning up the Housing Authority, millions raised for charity and local infrastructure improvements www.texansforbeto.com
Molly Cook Occupation: ER nurse Experience: ER nurse, public health expert, policy advocate and community organizer www.mollyfortexas.com
Women’s rights. I want to enshrine women’s control over their bodies in the Texas Constitution. Voters have a right not only [to] decide this issue but to stand up for women and stand up to the special interests that politically blackmail the “conservative” Legislature into endangering Texas women. Ridiculous.
Increasing voter turnout. After two years of talking to voters, high-priority issues include: fully funding public schools, reducing gun violence, abortion access, secure housing, environmental justice, public safety and rejecting extremism. I will co-govern with the constituency to develop a long-term strategy to achieve these goals.
Mitigating voter suppression. The vote is the only way that citizens can make their voices heard. Laws that make it more di cult to vote—i.e., restricting the number of polling places in certain communities, or making it illegal to pass out food or water—are detrimental to the democratic process.
Jarvis Johnson Occupation: business owner
Todd Litton Occupation: attorney-mediator Experience: father and husband; attorney-mediator, former candidate for [U.S. House, District 2]; education nonpro t leader www.toddlitton.com
Karthik Soora Occupation: former award- winning [Houston] ISD teacher and renewable energy developer Experience: Rice University graduate; nonpro t leader www.karthikfortexas.com
Experience: state representative for HD 139 since 2016; Houston City Council member for District B, three terms www.jarvisfortexas.com
Our rights are under attack from Republican leadership—from voting rights, attacks on public education, reproductive rights, local control and LGBTQ rights, to name a few. [Senate District] 15 needs a proven leader and someone who has fought against Republicans to stand up for them in the Texas Senate.
I’m running to stand up to Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick and ght against their politics of fear and hate. We must put an end to their extremist agenda and move Texas forward by expanding access to abortion, making health care more a ordable and protecting our public schools and local control.
In every conversation, political reform is the top priority. I will introduce legislation to legalize citizen- led ballot initiatives, so Texans can put reproductive freedom, universal gun background checks, Medicaid expansion, campaign nance limits, ranked choice voting, connecting ERCOT to other states, and more on the ballot like folks in other states.
Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity. For more election coverage, go to www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide.
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