Dallas, TX

2 Dallas Democrats in bruising primary for Texas Senate seat

Published

5 months ago

February 13, 2024

2 Dallas Democrats in bruising primary for Texas Senate seat

AUSTIN – The race to represent a Dallas-area state Senate district is a surprise contest between two veteran lawmakers in one of the more high-profile elections in the March 5 Democratic primary.

The race pits incumbent Sen. Nathan Johnson against state Rep. Victoria Neave Criado in a bruising campaign that has left both candidates on the defensive for their voting records.

The race features a rare challenge to a well-funded incumbent in Johnson, who flipped the Dallas County Senate district from red to blue in 2018 before it was reshaped into a safe seat for Democratic candidates in the last round of redistricting.

But Neave Criado has largely dictated the campaign’s narrative by launching repeated attacks on Johnson’s voting record in the Legislature, particularly his support for an immigration bill pushed by Gov. Greg Abbott.

Neave Criado has called Johnson’s support for the law, which increased the criminal penalty for human smuggling, a “racial profiling” bill. Johnson says the law has been on the books for decades and has accused Neave Criado of muddling facts.

“He has thrown the residents of Senate District 16 under the bus. He should have fought against that bill and he should have voted against it,” Neave Criado said in a recent interview with The Dallas Morning News.

The Legislature passed the bill in question last year during the third special session. Named a priority by Abbott, Senate Bill 4 increased the penalty for human trafficking from 5 years to 10 years in prison. It had bipartisan support in both chambers, and Johnson voted for the bill.

Johnson has responded to Neave Criado’s attack with his own swipes at her voting record in the Legislature, including her support for bills that required the national anthem to be played at professional sporting events, required schools to display “In God We Trust” posters and prohibited private employers from requiring COVID-19 vaccines.

“She’s tried to attack me in areas where I’ve been very strong,” Johnson said in a recent interview, “and so I don’t blame her, because her record doesn’t stack up to mine. So she’s going to make up stuff to try to make people think that she’s more of a fighter.”

The candidates

Johnson, 56, is a lawyer with a focus on commercial litigation at the national law firm Thompson Coburn. He has lived in Dallas for nearly three decades and has a degree in physics from the University of Arizona and a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

He is a composer who has created music for the classical stage and has scored more than 60 episodes of the television series “Dragon Ball Z.”

Texas Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, takes notes while listening during Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial in the Senate chamber at the Texas State Capitol in Austin on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023.(Juan Figueroa / Staff Photographer)

Neave Criado, 43, was born in Dallas and grew up in the Pleasant Grove neighborhood. She is the daughter of a Mexican immigrant father and Tejana mother. She attended high school at Ursuline Academy before attending the University of Texas at Dallas, where she earned a degree in government and politics.

She got her law degree from Texas Southern University. She is the head of her law firm, Neave Law, in Dallas and focuses on family and employment law as well as mediation.

Legislative records

Neave Criado was first elected to the House in 2016, narrowly unseating a Republican incumbent by fewer than 1,000 votes.

In her four terms in the House, Neave Criado’s signature legislative accomplishment has been the Lavinia Masters Act, named for a Dallas woman whose rape kit sat untested for 21 years. The law required law enforcement agencies to work through backlogs of sexual assault forensic exams.

Neave Criado has focused on domestic violence and violence against women, authoring bills that address domestic and sexual assault, including a law this year that created a public database for repeat offenders.

“That’s the type of leadership that I bring – finding solutions, bringing subject matter experts together to deliver significant results for the women of Texas,” Neave Criado said.

State Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, D-Mesquite, in the House chamber of the Texas Capitol in... — State Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, D-Mesquite, in the House chamber of the Texas Capitol in Austin on Thursday, May 4, 2023.(Juan Figueroa / Staff Photographer)

She is the chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus in the House, chair of the House Committee on County Affairs and a member of the Business and Industry Committee.

Johnson has been in office since 2019. In recent years he has focused on addressing the Texas power grid and led the effort to add $1.8 billion in funding for backup power systems for critical infrastructure such as hospitals and first responders.

He has also focused on health care needs and a leading proponent for the state to accept federal dollars for Medicaid expansion. In three sessions, Johnson has been the driver behind legislation that requires testing for an infant disease that causes hearing loss, improves palliative care and boosts mental health programs for teens.

“The things I’m most proud of are the bills that help people, individuals at the beginning of life and the end of life and in between,” he said.

He is a member of four Senate committees, including Business and Commerce, and is vice-chair of the Jurisprudence Committee.

Endorsements and campaign funds

Johnson has been endorsed by six state senators, including fellow Dallas Democratic Sen. Royce West. Five members of the Dallas City Council, former Mayor Ron Kirk and numerous organizations, including the Texas AFL-CIO and the Dallas Police Association, have thrown their support behind Johnson.

Neave Criado has pulled in support from several Dallas-area colleagues in the House, including Dallas Democratic Rep. John Bryant. She’s been endorsed by three Dallas City Council members, the Mesquite Police Association and the Texas Organizing Project.

Johnson entered the race in a stronger financial position than Neave Criado that he has continued to maintain with nearly $750,000 in his campaign account, compared with $33,000 for Neave Criado, heading into the campaign’s homestretch, according to the latest campaign finance reports.

Johnson has pulled in large donations from power transmission companies and a health care organization, while Neave Criado’s top contributor is a Dallas plumbers and pipefitters union.

The Senate district

Both candidates are running for Senate District 16, one of 31 seats in the Senate. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is the president of the chamber and wields tremendous power in dictating what bills will come up for a vote.

For 38 years, a Republican represented the North Texas district until Johnson ousted GOP incumbent Don Huffines in 2018 in a midterm election that saw wide Democratic gains in the Texas Legislature.

After the 2020 census, the Legislature redrew the district lines, changing it from a northern Dallas County-centric district that included Carrollton and Garland to a jigsaw containing parts of Dallas and suburbs that ring west, north and east Dallas, including portions of Richardson, Irving and Mesquite.

It is now considered a safe blue seat that favored Joe Biden over Donald Trump by a near 2-to-1 margin in 2020.

Redistricting shifted the demographics of the district from a near-even split between white and non-white residents to a district that has a 73% non-white population. Half of the district is Hispanic.

Neave Criado said the district needs representation that better resembles its population.

“I understand the needs of the residents of this district and I will be a better representative hands down, and that’s where we’re working hard to earn the votes of our fellow neighbors,” Neave Criado said in a Spectrum News interview in January.

Johnson said that decision is up to the voters, but residents of the district deserve good representation.

“They deserve people who are going to take into account their interests and their needs – particularly things like health care, education, fundamental infrastructure needs – and they’re going to choose the person who best represents them,” he said.

Early voting for the primary begins on Feb. 20. Election day is March 5.

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Dallas, TX

Suspect arrested after Dallas police shooting was wanted for March double murder

Published

3 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Press Room

Suspect arrested after Dallas police shooting was wanted for March double murder

Police shoot suspect after truck rams cruiser

Dallas police are searching for a suspect after an attempt to stop a stolen truck led to a shooting in Northeast Dallas.

DALLAS – Dallas police have released the names of the three people arrested at a Northeast Dallas apartment complex on Thursday,

17-year-old Eric Lampkin-Scarborough, 21-year-old Damon Price and 19-year-old Deantae Moore were arrested after ramming two police cruisers in a stolen truck.

Police say Moore was wanted on two counts of capital murder after two 18-year-olds were killed on Dixon Avenue this March.

Camren Stacy was found on the ground outside of a vehicle and Kamari Smith-Capps was found in the driver’s seat on March 22.

An arrest warrant affidavit obtained by FOX 4 says Moore was Instagram messaging Smith-Capps about buying “Glock Switches” before the shooting.

Dallas Police Shooting

DPD says on Thursday afternoon they tried to stop a red truck that had been flagged as stolen.

The truck rammed two police cruisers in the parking lot of the Lakeside Apartments and the four suspects inside ran from the area.

Police shot one of the suspects, Eric Lampkin-Scarborough. He is in the hospital in stable condition. Police say he was armed at the time of the shooting.

Deantae Moore and Damon Price were also arrested.

In connection to Thursday’s incident, Price was charged with the unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, two counts of aggravated assault of a public servant, and a probation violation for the manufacturing and delivery of a controlled substance.

A fourth suspect got away. Police say they are working to identify the suspect, but there is no description at this time.

Police say three guns were recovered in the area.

Chief Eddie Garcia is expected to release more information and video of the incident in the coming days.

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Dallas, TX

Best Dallas Cowboys player to wear jersey No. 44

Published

10 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Press Room

Best Dallas Cowboys player to wear jersey No. 44

Thursday was an eventful first day of the Dallas Cowboys training camp. The front office attempted to answer tough questions, and even an emotional Dak Prescott spoke about his future with the franchise.

So, let’s start today on a lighter note, celebrating the best player ever to wear the number 44 for the Cowboys.

Herb Weitman-USA TODAY Sports

A second-round pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, Robert Newhouse played the role of bruiser in the backfield for the Cowboys. Playing for the franchise from 1972 to 1983, Newhouse appeared in 168 games, starting in 75.

The fullback position is a lost art in the game today; however, in this era, Newhouse’s position was vital to the success of most teams in the league.

Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports

Many of the greats from this franchise have a ring to compliment their time in Dallas; Newhouse is no different. Newhouse was a member of the 1977 team that went on to win the Super Bowl.

Sadly, Newhouse passed away back in 2014. The legacy of the number 44 starts with Newhouse. A Texas boy who went to college in Houston and found his professional home in Dallas.

Texas made and is now known as one of the best to play for the Cowboys.

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Dallas, TX

What we learned from Dallas Cowboys’ training camp opening presser and first practice

Published

17 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Press Room

What we learned from Dallas Cowboys’ training camp opening presser and first practice

Day 1 of Dallas Cowboys training camp is in the books, meaning we have a lot to revisit.

To start things off, Jerry Jones dominated much of the team’s camp-opening news conference by answering questions about contract extensions, fan frustration and expectations. Stephen Jones and Mike McCarthy were also in attendance but didn’t generate as much buzz as the Cowboys owner and general manager.

Before the team’s first practice started, Jerry Jones had already coined a word of the day and pointed out the positive trajectory of the team’s season ticket sales. Here’s a look at what we learned from Day 1 of Cowboys training camp:

Jerry Jones and ambiguity

Much of Jerry Jones’ Thursday monologue included the phrase “ambiguity.” The word was mainly used while discussing frustration from the fan base after a slow summer that was marked by minimal moves on the free-agency market, a holdout from CeeDee Lamb and the lack of an extension for Dak Prescott.

“After 35 years, the one thing that is for sure is ambiguity,’’ Jerry Jones said. “Just the nature of what being a part of sports, a part of football is, is very ambiguous.

“There is always going to be many dangling participles out here of unfinished business. That’s the reality of it.

“That’s what frustrates you [media],’’ Jones continued. “And if it frustrates you it frustrates fans, obviously, to not have closure or to not have bright lines.

“That’s not in my mind. That’s not in my life. I don’t ever anticipate it getting any better with the NFL and the Cowboys.’’

Read more here from The Dallas Morning News’ David Moore.

A lame-duck year for Mike McCarthy?

Following the team’s news conference, Jerry Jones told a small group of reporters that McCarthy has the ability to become Dallas’ coach for years to come. McCarthy is in the final year of a five-year contract.

“I don’t agree with you,” Jones said. “I understand the term and I understand how it fits. I don’t look at it that way. There’s a point in there, I know our fans would like it if everybody were on a low contract, but if they won a Super Bowl, they’d get rid of [everybody]. I’m talking about every coach, every player, I’m talking about everybody. I know that’s the fans’ sentiment. I know that for a fact that you don’t domino if you don’t [win a Super Bowl]. But if you get it, it’s glory hole. Oil and gas term of hitting the big well.”

When asked why McCarthy didn’t receive an extension after the 2023 season, Jerry Jones pointed toward Dallas’ latest wild-card playoff loss to the Packers.

“Green Bay,” Jones said. “Mike has shown me that I want to have him and he’s qualified and he’s excellent and the players are excellent and he’s shown me that he could be our coach for years to come. He sits next to me in the draft. I really call on him a lot. If you can’t get along with Mike McCarthy, you can’t get along.”

Read more from The News’ Calvin Watkins here.

Where do extension talks stand for the Cowboys’ three big stars?

A majority of Dallas fans most likely already know CeeDee Lamb is in the early stages of a camp holdout. The Cowboys receiver is seeking the largest contract for a non-quarterback in league history.

He isn’t the only one seeking a big payday, as Micah Parsons and Dak Prescott are also in line for extensions. Parsons, who said he’ll wait until next year to get a new contract, also wants one of the largest contracts for a non-quarterback in league history.

That leaves us with Prescott.

The Cowboys quarterback desires to retire with the franchise that drafted him but is comfortable knowing it might not end that way. Prescott, entering the final year of his deal, expects to get a fair market value contract if he doesn’t get an extension this year.

“I want to be here but when you look up all the great quarterbacks that I watched, played for other teams,” Prescott said. “So my point in saying that it’s not something to fear. It may be a reality for me one day. It may not be my decision. The freedom that I have is be where your feet are, make the most of it, be confident in yourself, make your team better. I love my teammates I love that locker room.”

Read more here.

What Jerry said about his trial

Before the Cowboys owner joined his team in Southern California, he spent part of the week preoccupied with a trial in Texarkana. Jones brought a countersuit against a woman alleging she was his biological daughter, accusing the woman and her mother of breaching a settlement agreement reached in 1998. The trial came to a sudden resolution Tuesday as the parties settled, signaling the end of multiple lawsuits Jones has faced since 2022.

“Well, we got it resolved like I wanted. And so it was unfortunate but it is resolved,” Jones said Thursday. “And it was, of course, very sensitive with my family and it was very sensitive with the unique publicity that’s involved with the Cowboys, but it was [resolved] satisfactory for all concerned. I won’t be commenting any more about it, but I certainly are where I want to be.”

Read more here.