Congressman Ron Wright died in early February after a COVID-19 hospitalization and long battle with lung cancer, and his funeral was held Saturday.
“Ron always fought for the people and conservative values of the sixth district. I’m asking the voters of Ellis, Navarro, and Tarrant Counties to help me continue the fight for stronger borders, lower taxes, and the precious right to life in Washington,” said Susan Wright in an announcement.
She added, “Working side by side with the people of Ellis, Navarro, and Tarrant county for decades to connect citizens to their government has been an honor. I look forward to asking them for their vote.”
Alongside her husband, Susan Wright has been actively involved in state politics, working in roles related to both the Republican Party of Texas and the state legislature.
In June 2017, Susan Wright was nominated to be the committeewoman for the Texas GOP’s State Republican Executive Committee and won a secret ballot with 39 of the 62 votes that were cast.
She also worked as the district director for former state Rep. Bill Zedler and his successor, Rep. David Cook (R-Mansfield).
“The taxpayers of the sixth district deserve a proven conservative in Congress who will stand up for them and do whatever it takes to stop the radical left’s socialist government takeover,” said Susan Wright. “I’m running for Congress to continue my husband’s legacy by supporting economic growth, reforming our broken healthcare system, and defending Texas conservative values.”
Governor Greg Abbott set the special election date for Saturday, May 1 — the next uniform election date in Texas when many local elections will be held — with early voting to begin on April 19.
Candidates will be required to file with the secretary of state for a position on the ballot by March 3.
Other Republicans to file with the Federal Election Commission for the seat thus far include Asa Palagi, Mike Egan, Monty Markland, and John Anthony Castro.
State Rep. Jake Ellzey (R-Midlothian), who ran against Ron Wright in the 2018 primary election for the open seat but lost in a runoff, is also reportedly considering a bid for the seat but has not yet made an announcement.
Brian Harrison, the former chief of staff for the Department of Health and Human Services under President Trump, told Fox News in an interview that he was considering a run for the seat, and former Trump campaign advisor Katrina Pierson told Breitbart something similar.
Two Democrats have also filed: Jana Lynne Sanchez, who ran against Ron Wright in 2018, and Shawn Lassiter, who withdrew from an ongoing Fort Worth City Council race to run for the federal seat.
Lydia Bean, who ran for the state legislature in November against Rep. Matt Krause (R-Fort Worth), announced that she would be running for the seat after Abbott set a date for the election.
Stephen Daniel, who ran against Ron Wright in 2020, said he would not be running in the special election but that he would be “actively engaged to support my fellow Democrats in this district and across Texas.”
Texas’ 6th Congressional District has been eyed by Democrats in recent elections, though to no avail.
The district has a Cook Partisan Voter Index score of R+9, meaning the district voted in the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections nine percent more in favor of Republicans than the average nationwide congressional district.
Though the district has seen some leftward shift in the most recent elections, Ron Wright still won reelection handily last fall with 53 percent against Daniel’s 44 percent. A third Libertarian candidate, Melanie Black, received 3 percent.
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Daniel Friend
Daniel Friend is the Marketing and Media Manager for The Texan. After graduating with a double-major in Political Science and Humanities, he wrote for The Texan as a reporter through June 2022. In his spare time, you're likely to find him working on The Testimony of Calvin Lewis, an Abolition of Man-inspired novel and theatrical podcast.
