Republican State Rep. Frederick Frazier announced he is running for a second term representing Texas House District 61 in Collin County, despite legal scandals related to his last election campaign and backlash from local party activists over his voting record.
The freshman lawmaker lives in McKinney but works for the Dallas Police Department.
Frazier’s campaign announcement states that he is the “first active-duty police officer to serve in the Texas House of Representatives.”
However, Frazier has been on administrative leave from the department since his arrest in June 2022 on two felony charges of impersonating a public servant. The charges are related to alleged campaign sign shenanigans during the March 2022 primary.
Witnesses say Frazier twice claimed to be a code compliance officer as part of a scheme to vandalize campaign signs belonging to one of his Republican primary opponents, Paul Chabot.
Dallas PD Internal Affairs investigators also found evidence that Frazier violated the department’s rules of conduct. An investigation report cites surveillance camera video showing Frazier vandalizing Chabot’s signs.
Frazier denies the charges, and prior to his election said he was “looking forward” to defending himself in court and getting the scandal “cleared up as fast as possible.”
Yet as soon as he took office in January, Frazier requested and received a legislative continuance—a perk that allows lawmakers to put their court proceedings on hold throughout a legislative session, plus 30 days before and after.
In June, he extended his original continuance through July 28, 30 days after the end of the first special session.
Frazier may request more delays related to the second special session, which ended on July 13, as well as any future special sessions in the fall.
Dallas Assistant Chief of Police Monique Alex confirmed last week that the department will proceed with its administrative investigation of Frazier while the Legislature is temporarily out of session.
Despite his legal troubles, Frazier is already attracting contributors to his 2024 campaign, including $10,000 from Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC, $5,000 each from the Austin Police and Dallas Fire Fighters associations, and $1,500 from the Dallas Police Officers PAC.
He’s also among 15 House Republican incumbents benefitting from casino lobby money funneled from the Texas Sands PAC to another PAC called Texans for Opportunity & Prosperity.
The PAC reported spending $15,625 on advertising for Frazier in May.
Frazier’s top donor during his 2022 campaign was House Speaker Dade Phelan, who contributed $172,000. Texans for Lawsuit Reform was a close second, contributing $164,000.
Unlike in 2022, Frazier now has a legislative record.
“This past year has been an incredible opportunity to enact conservative policies that supercharge the Texas miracle,” he said in his announcement.
Frazier earned a failing score of 38 on the Fiscal Responsibility Index for his votes on fiscal issues during the regular legislative session.
He also voted to impeach Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a fellow McKinney resident who remains popular with voters in Frazier’s district.
Last month, the Collin County Republican Party denounced the House impeachment vote. The Texas GOP also condemned the vote to impeach Paxton.
Former President Donald Trump, who endorsed Frazier in 2022, has vowed to fight any Republicans who supported Paxton’s impeachment.
Primary Election Day is March 5, 2024.
