Texas House District 63 spans all of Denton County, including parts of Fort Worth, Flower Mound, Lewisville, and Carrollton. Redrawn in 2021, the district is now more competitive than last time.
The 2024 race pits two familiar faces: Republican incumbent Ben Bumgarner and former state Rep. Michelle Beckley, a Democrat. Neither is a good choice in this politically complex district, so I have no recommendation.
Bumgarner won his seat in 2022. At the time, the former Flower Mound Town Council member expressed extreme opinions, including wanting to abolish the property tax. He appears to have softened his position, saying on his website that he wants to “lower taxes.” He is credited with passing legislation that created a health program for peace officers and made it easier to crack down on illegal spas.
Fall 2024 general election
Texas House of Representatives Candidates – District 63
But Bumgarner’s tone is far from bipartisan. He says on his website that he will not allow “someone’s radical policies to threaten the future of our children,” no matter what that means. He didn’t fill out the voter guide or attend candidate interviews, so we don’t know his views on important policy issues.
Beckley was unseated from his House District 65 seat in the final round of redistricting. She told us she’s running for increased funding for public schools, an issue that has cross-party consensus. She also said she would like to see a return to Roe v. Wade standards for abortion, but supports incremental improvements to Texas’ abortion ban, including exceptions for victims of rape and incest.
But Mr. Beckley was unable to make any broad claims about how he would appeal to conservative voters. During her tenure in the state Legislature, she was rated as one of the most liberal members of Congress. And she failed to make a significant mark on policy debates or legislative accomplishments.
The 65th District needs a candidate with bipartisan appeal. That won’t be the case this fall.
We welcome your feedback in a letter to the editor. Please see our guidelines and submit your letter here. If you have a problem with the form, please email letters@dallasnews.com.