May 26 Primary Runoff Election Endorsements for the Austin Area

The Chronicle Editorial Board provides the following endorsements to Democrats in the May 26 primary runoff election. We urge readers to be thorough with their ballots and cast a vote in every contest. You may vote at any Vote Center in Travis County where the “Vote Here/Aqui” sign is displayed.

Early Voting: Monday-Friday, May 18-22 Election Day: Tuesday, May 26 Travis County: votetravis.gov or 512/238-VOTE (8683) Williamson County: wilco.org/departments/elections or 512/943-1630 Hays County: hayscountytx.gov/elections or 512/393-7310  Federal  U.S. House, District 35: Johnny Garcia

While we do believe there is a growing desire for a raw, anti-establishment candidate like Maureen Galindo, in our experience, her campaign style has come off as unpracticed, unprofessional, and even conspiracy-oriented. We weren’t necessarily impressed with her opponent, the more moderate Johnny Garcia; however, having built a career serving in the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and leaning on old-school Democratic tactics, we believe that he has the best shot at keeping this seat blue, as Republicans hope the gerrymandered district will flip red in November.

State Lieutenant Governor: Vikki Goodwin 

Political newbie Marcos Vélez, a labor union leader, has impressed a lot of folks on the campaign trail, and we’d love to see more working-class representation in higher office. But we’re sticking with four-time Austin Rep. Vikki Goodwin, who has a strong progressive track record. If she does the impossible and slays the dragon that is Dan Patrick in the general election, then she’ll serve as president of the Senate, and her legislative savvy would be invaluable there.

Attorney General: Nathan Johnson 

Both candidates – former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski (who previously ran in 2022 but lost in the primary runoff), and state Sen. Nathan Johnson – would represent a breath of fresh air after the corruption-riddled reign of Ken Paxton, and both pledge to bring ethics and transparency to the Office of the Attorney General. But Johnson successfully flipped a red seat in 2018, proved at the Republican-led Lege that he could still advance the ball as a Dem, and has an impressive war chest – all advantages in a certain-to-be-tough general contest in November.  

State Board of Education, District 5: Allison Bush

The Democrat taking the Austin-area District 5 seat will always be a minority voice on the Republican-majority SBOE, so it needs to be a strong and persuasive one. Both Allison Bush and Stephanie Bazan have that politicky charisma and educator background (the latter of which some of their future colleagues lack entirely), but we think Bush’s experience and know-how from serving in specifically Texas public school districts, and her commitment to improving funding and curriculum for neighborhood public schools, make her the pick for this seat.

Texas House, District 49: Dual

We endorsed both Montserrat Garibay and Kathie Tovo in the Democratic primary, and we’re doing it again. We recognize a dual endorsement in a runoff race is not especially helpful for our readers. But we think our editorial board’s split – why we were drawn to both candidates – reflects larger trends in the Democratic Party. So we figured we’d lay out our reasons, and let readers decide which one they most aligned with. What we as a group did agree on: We’ll be in good hands with either candidate. 

Montserrat Garibay

Montserrat Garibay, a former bilingual educator and union leader with the lived experience of being an undocumented student in Austin, often speaks with a kind of fiery intensity that makes it hard not to listen. At the Texas House, Garibay would lean on her decade-plus of grassroots organizing experience – as opposed to local government experience – with labor unions Education Austin and Texas AFL-CIO that landed her at the now-gutted U.S. Department of Education. Garibay’s clear passion for change in Texas education, healthcare, and affordability inspired university students and young Democrats to endorse and vote her to the top of the March primary. That talent for bringing people into politics is something our elected Democrats could use more of.

Kathie Tovo

Kathie Tovo is the more-known quantity in the race. In our two endorsement interviews, we saw her poise and casual mastery of subject matter. She’s a walking database on state and local politics, capable of deep dives on topics like the city and county budgets, the public school system, land use policy, the environment, homelessness, and any other issue that came before her during her 12-year tenure on the Austin City Council. With her, we’ll get a policy wonk who knows how to wield “arcane points of order” to good effect, and a proven politician with a good sense for whether the moment calls for collaboration or confrontation. She certainly has the chops of a legislator, and we know she would make Austin look good in the Texas House. 

Local Travis County Commissioner, Precinct 4: George Morales 

With four candidates in the March primary, former Precinct 4 Constable George Morales led the No.2 candidate, Del Valle ISD Trustee Susanna Ledesma-Woody, by just about a single percentage point. The tenor of the race has unfortunately ratcheted up in the weeks leading up to the runoff, but we see no reason to change our initial backing of Morales. We think his relationships in the community and in government could best improve transportation, food access, healthcare, and more in Eastern Travis County. In our endorsement of Ledesma-Woody for the same position in 2022 we called her a “credible advocate.” While that hasn’t changed, we believe Morales will be the more effective leader. The winner here will run unopposed in November.

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