Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther and State Rep. Drew Springer face off in a runoff election Dec. 19 to fill the open state Senate seat vacated by Sen. Pat Fallon.
When state Sen. Pat Fallon (R) decided to run for Congress, it opened the seat in Texas Senate District 30, which covers a sprawling rural district -- the entirety of 12 counties, plus parts Collin and Denton counties.
Fallon was elected to represent Texas' 4th Congressional District, which was vacated when U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Rockwall) was appointed the Director of National Intelligence. The district includes Rockwall and areas north to the Red River and east to the Texas-Arkansas border.
The top two finishers in the runoff to fill Fallon's open seat are state Rep. Drew Springer (R-TX 68th District) and Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther. The state's 68th district includes 22 counties west of North Texas.
Springer has served in the Texas House since 2013 and grew up in Senate District 30.
“I am a proven conservative that has fought for Texas. The last eight years Texas has been on a great path. You know that is why I have been endorsed by the NRA, that is why I have been endorsed by most every single group, because I have fought for the things that we all care about, and I can get them done in Austin,” he said.
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Springer is the chairman of the House Agriculture and Livestock Committee. He said major accomplishments included passing a major anti-abortion bill and working on tax policy.
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“The biggest issue that’s facing us right now is the shutdowns and the government overreach. It’s why I filed the first House bill that reigns in the executive powers of the governor because we need that individual choice to figure out what’s open and what businesses are essential," he said.
Both Springer and Luther said they were for constitutional carry and the elimination of abortion. Luther became well known after she opened her salon before Gov. Greg Abbott's orders allowed, defying state and local guidelines, and went to jail.
“I am just a regular person and I think the government is kind of lacking that right now. A lot of the people that are representing us have been disconnected, career politicians,” Luther said.
Luther said she believed orders affected businesses and that Abbott went too far. Luther, a former school teacher, talked about the issues facing the constituents of Senate District 30.
“There is not a lot of job opportunities when you live in rural Texas, and for mom and pop stores and bars that haven’t able to open, or they open, they shut, they open, that is messing with people's lives," she said. "And I really feel like it should be personal responsibility. A business owner can make decisions for their business and patrons can decide if they want to go in that business or not."
The runoff election is Dec. 19 and early voting begins Dec. 9.
