A two-term Dallas-area Republican lawmaker, who failed for a second term to back pro-taxpayer reforms in the Texas Legislature, is facing a primary challenge.
Richardson businessman Chad Carnahan is running to represent Texas House District 102, challenging State Rep. Linda Koop (R–Dallas) in the 2018 Republican primary.
The Far North Dallas district includes parts of Addison, Dallas, Garland, and Richardson.
Carnahan says that while the state’s governor and Senate are united on a conservative agenda that includes tax cuts, better utilization of state funds, stronger border security, education reform, and expansion of individual liberty, the Texas House under the leadership of Speaker Joe Straus has obstructed almost all of these reforms.
Incumbent Koop was “instrumental” in helping Straus obstruct conservative reforms in the legislature, Carnahan says.
“My objective is to defeat the cronyism that is paralyzing the Texas legislature. My platform mirrors the positions already put forward by Governor Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Patrick, and the Texas State Senate.
“It is time to begin moving Texas into a new era of even greater business growth and opportunity for citizens.”
Koop, who was first elected in 2014 after serving eight years on Dallas City Council, has a career “F” rating on Empower Texans’ Fiscal Responsibility Index. She earned a failing score of 47 on the 2017 Index that includes 117 record House votes related to fiscal issues and the role of government.
Dallas resident Scott Kilgore, who writes that “he’s worked tirelessly in various blue collar jobs” and served overseas as a Christian missionary, is also running in the Republican primary to represent HD 102.
Richardson resident and Dallas attorney Ana-Maria Ramos is unopposed in the district’s Democrat primary.
The primary election date is March 6, 2018.
