In the new Texas House District 114, the November general election field is finally set. While the Democratic nominee clenched his spot on the ballot after winning his party’s primary, the Republican candidate’s path was a bit more unconventional and not without controversy.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Dallas County Republican Chairman Jennifer Stoddard-Hajdu’s husband Mark initially secured the Republican nomination for the district in an uncontested March party primary.
However, he was later declared ineligible due to failing to live within the district. Dallas Democrats alleged political subterfuge and have accused the Hajdus of committing felony election fraud.
Regardless of these claims, after Mark Hajdu was declared ineligible, the Dallas County Republican Party selected Sarah Lamb to represent them on the November ballot.
Lamb is a commercial real estate broker who serves on the board of Bryan’s House, whose mission is to “provide children with special needs and their families with trusted case management, educational, therapeutic and medically-supported care.”
Lamb also serves on the Public Policy Committee of The Real Estate Council (TREC).
Lamb is not a newcomer to seeking office, as she ran for Dallas City Council District 9 in 2019, coming in third in a field of five with 15.81% of the vote.
In an email to The Dallas Express, Lamb asserted that her top three priorities for this office were property tax reform, education, and border security.
On property tax reform, Lamb called for utilizing the state’s historic revenue surplus to “provide and enact permanent reforms” but did not state explicitly what the reforms should entail.
She also called for revamping the appraisal process, stating, “We need more transparency with our protest process. Currently, 100% of the members of the appraisal board are appointed by the taxing entity within the district.”
On border security, Lamb said, “Dallas might seem insulated because of its proximity to the crisis at the Southern border, but we have a human trafficking and drug crisis right here in our city,” and called for “voters to throw out politicians who refuse to tackle the issue.”
John Bryant, the Democratic nominee, previously served five terms as a member of the Texas Legislature from 1974 to 1983 before spending 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. Bryant unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate in 1996, failing to secure his party’s nomination and ending his political career at that time.
Seeking a comeback decades later in House District 114, Bryant advanced to a runoff after finishing a close second in a field of five for the new seat. He then secured the Democratic nomination with a strong 62.4% finish in the runoff.
Bryant did not respond to a request for comment, but his website prominently features the slogan “protecting reproductive rights.”
“I am backed by the district’s strongest pro-choice supporters, and I am committed to defending reproductive rights in the Texas State Legislature,” he states on his website.
Bryant also lists property taxes and the state’s electric grid among his top priorities.
“My opponent first entered office in 1974,” said Lamb by email to The Dallas Express. “Republicans and Democrats alike recognize there’s a need for new leadership. I’m a mom and a community leader, not a career politician.”
The newly drawn House District 114 stretches from downtown Dallas up toward 635 and Northwest Parkway.
The newly drawn House District 114 stretches from downtown Dallas up toward 635 and Northwest Parkway.
For the sake of Dallas, VOTE in Sarah Lamb! We don’t need any more career politicians who are only there to line their own pockets at tax payers expense. If you keep voting for those lying career politicians who can’t get a job anywhere else you will keep getting bad political decisions.