One of the Texas Legislature’s lowest-performing Republican members when it comes to fiscal issues has a potential primary challenger.
Dallas entrepreneur Lisa Luby Ryan signaled she may be considering a challenge to State Rep. Jason Villalba (R-Dallas) in Texas House District 114.
Ryan, who previously initiated a campaign for the Texas House back in 2010, reportedly re-established a state campaign committee last week, positioning her to take on incumbent Villalba in the March 2018 Republican primary.
Villalba announced back in June that he would seek re-election to the HD 114 seat.
Villalba is one of the lowest-scoring Republicans on Empower Texans’ Fiscal Responsibility Index. He earned a failing grade of 43 on the 2017 Fiscal Index, putting him in the bottom 20 of Republicans and below the overall House average of 47. His career rating since joining the legislature in 2012 is an F.
Villalba is also notorious for his vitriolic Twitter rants, which he acknowledged in a recent public apology are “inappropriate” and “beneath the dignity of the office” of a state legislator.
In addition to running a successful interior design business, Ryan is a former president of Park Cities Republican Women and a strong advocate for life, serving on the board of Council for Life and the state’s Choose Life Advisory Committee.
As more Republican lawmakers draw primary challengers, they’ll be forced to defend their weak voting records on fiscal issues. Ryan and others considering a primary run have until December 11 to file.
