Democratic state lawmaker says her experience gives her chance at Lieutenant Governor

After flipping a state House District in 2018, Representative Michelle Beckley now has her sights on the number two job in the state, Lieutenant Governor. Even though she’s never held statewide office or served in the Senate, the Democrat says her success in 2018 and her experience inside the Capitol make her the best qualified candidate. “I am the only candidate that is running statewide that has worked in Austin, in the legislature, as an elected official,” Rep. Beckley said on Inside Texas Politics. And that experience, she says, will be vital in a redistricted Texas that will no doubt see another Republican-led Senate and House. While not naming specific names or groups, Rep. Beckley told us she was asked to run after low polling for other Democratic candidates already in the field.

And she thinks she’s the only candidate with the bona fides to stand up to GOP members when needed, but also work across the aisle when that is just as necessary. As an example, she says she managed to get her legislative priority in the controversial elections bill passed by Republicans last year. “I got it in that bill. So, Denton County, they’re going to get election day vote centers and about 70 other counties can now apply as well,” she said. One of Beckley’s top priorities would be Medicaid expansion, using it in particular to help stop the closure of rural hospitals. The Democrat says she’s also a small business owner looking for better healthcare coverage for everyone. “We are at the bottom of the barrel in Texas. And as a wealthy state, we should not be. Most of our people, they should have some form of healthcare, high quality healthcare,” said the Democrat. During her short time as a state lawmaker, Rep. Beckley has sometimes been labeled as the most liberal member of the Texas House. While she says he does vote the Democratic platform, it’s not necessarily an accurate description.