Candidates for the Texas House of Representatives are preparing for the general election, and Waco County is holding a special election

Each of the 150 districts represented in the Texas House will elect a candidate in this year’s general election. Representatives serve a two-year term and will participate, along with the Texas Senate, in the 89th Texas Legislative Session, which will run from January 14 to June 2, 2025.

Currently, the majority of the Texas House of Representatives is made up of Republicans, 86 out of 150, with only 42% of representatives being Democrats, or 63 out of 150 representatives. District 56, which represents McLennan County, is temporarily vacant after Republican Charles “Doc” Anderson resigned in August. At the time of his resignation, Anderson was endorsing Republican candidate Pat Curry as his successor and resigned from office before the end of his term to allow Curry to advance in seniority.

Anderson called on Gov. Abbott to call a special election to appoint a representative to serve the remainder of his term, which ends in January. This special election, requested by Anderson, will take place on Election Day.

District 56 represents most of McLennan County, including the cities of Crawford, Riesel, West, Robinson, Woodway, Gholson, Ross, McGregor, Moody, Lorena, Bruceville-Eddy, Hewitt, Lacy-Lakeview, Beverly Hills and most of Waco .

Republican businessman Pat Curry faces Democratic candidate Erin Shank in this “special election.” According to Curry, Shank is a “relatively liberal” lawyer.

“In my opinion, we have way too many lawyers in Austin,” Curry said.

Curry said he was honored to be endorsed by Anderson and hoped he could use his term to strengthen civic engagement, advance further education reform, reduce property taxes and strengthen Christian moral values. on which the government was originally founded.

“We must infuse our Christian values ​​into many aspects of the law and conduct of our government,” he said. “A lot was lost there. We need God back in our government.”

Curry said he believes he will be a strong voice for the community and is committed to pushing for reform on their behalf. Education issues are among his top concerns, as Texas’ high school graduation rate continues to decline.

“Most of them are not reading at their grade level. Most of them are also not learning math at their grade level. That’s a problem,” Curry said. “Our school systems need to be better.”

Curry also said unemployment is a problem because many students are not well prepared for the job market after graduating from high school or college.

“Workforce development is critical,” Curry said.

Gary Gates, incumbent Republican representative for Fort Bend County District 28, is encouraging college students to get out and vote.

“You have a whole life ahead of you, and a lot of that depends on policies that are set now,” Gates said.

Gates is currently completing his second term as State Representative for District 28 and is running for re-election against Democrat Marty Rocha. Gates described Rocha as a “hardcore Democrat.”

Gates says he is a “big believer in smaller government” and hopes to push for fewer government regulations.

Like Curry, Gates will focus on education reform and property taxes.

“The kids coming out of high school today are not prepared for today’s job market,” Gates said. “I’m really trying to focus on expanding vocational training for those kids who aren’t going to college.”

According to Gates, in today’s social world, high school graduates are “expected” to attend college, but that may not be the best solution for many graduates. He hopes to strengthen middle and high school education so students are better prepared for the job market.

Gates said he would also address infrastructure issues in Fort Bend County. According to Gates, inadequate energy availability has prevented many areas from expanding and hindered the opening of new businesses.

“We have reached our capacity for the electricity we can generate,” he said.

Gates plans to build more power plants in the Richmond-Sugar Land area to accommodate growth and avoid local blackouts.

Aside from the strong Republican presence in the Texas House of Representatives, Democratic representatives are looking to expand their platforms as urban areas become increasingly Democratic, according to The Texas Tribune. Districts that include cities like Houston, Dallas and San Antonio have a promising Democratic presence and hope to see Democratic candidates turn out so they can push for things like legalizing abortion and eliminating private school vouchers.

However, according to Gates, there is little threat to Republican dominance because most independent voters in the state lean to the right.

Both Gates and Curry agree that college students need to take advantage of the opportunity to vote and educate themselves about what they are voting for and who their vote is going to.

“As a voter, you not only have to be well-educated, but you also have to know about the person you are voting for,” Gates said. “What exactly are they pushing?”

Rocha and Shank could not be reached for comment.