After positive strides for public education in the 2019 session, candidates for the Texas Legislature in the 2020 elections will be asked how to build upon the boost of education funding during their campaigns. Thanks to Raise Your Hand Texas Foundation, one opportunity to learn more about candidates’ plans for public education will be available to voters before the March 3rd primary in over 40 candidate forums across the state.
“Public education has never been more important to our local communities and state, and we believe it’s critical every voter is informed on this issue,” said Libby Cohen, the director of advocacy and outreach at Raise Your Hand Texas.
All candidates of both major parties are invited, but some state Republican leaders have advised their candidates to avoid these events.
Here are the details for the town halls and forums for officeholders and primary races.
Note: Inclusion in this list does not denote confirmation of attendance
San Antonio
| Event Name | Date | Location | Time | District | Candidates |
| For the Future Forum | Jan. 30, 2020 | Texas A&M-University San Antonio Auditorium One University Way San Antonio, TX 78224 | 6pm – 8pm | Senate District 19 | Pete Flores (R, Incumbent) Roland Gutierrez (D) Xochil Pena-Rodriguez (D) Freddy Ramirez (D) Belinda Shvetz (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 11, 2020 | Highlands High School Auditorium 3100 Hiawatha St San Antonio, TX 78210 | 6pm – 8pm | House District 119 | Liz Campos (D) George Garza (R) Jennifer Ramos (D) Sean Villasana (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 13, 2020 | MacArthur High School Auditorium 2923 MacArthur Vw San Antonio, TX 78217 | 6:30pm – 8:30pm | House District 121 | Steve Allison (R, Incumbent) Becca DeFelice (D) Jack Guerra (D) Celina Montoya (D) |
Southeast Texas / Houston
| Event Name | Date | Location | Time | District | Candidates |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 3, 2020 | Houston Community College – Spring Branch Campus 1010 W Sam Houston Pkwy N Eagle Room 150 Houston, TX 77043 | 6pm – 9pm | House District 138 | Akilah Bacy (D) Josh Flynn (R) Lacey Hull (R) Claver Kamau-Imani (R) Jenifer Rene Pool (D) Josh Wallenstein (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 4, 2020 | Baker Ripley – Cleveland Campus 720 Fairmont Pkwy Pasadena , TX 77504 | 6pm – 8pm | House District 144 and 145 | HD 144: Mary Ann Perez (D, Incumbent) Tony Salas (R) HD 145: Christina Morales (D, Incumbent) Martha Elena Fierro (R) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 6, 2020 | Tucker Hall at Lee College 200 Lee Dr Baytown, TX 77520 | 6pm – 8pm | House District 128 | Briscoe Cain (R, Incumbent) Bob Hoskins (R) Josh Markle (D) Mary Williams (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 6, 2020 | Baker Ripley – East Aldine 3000 Aldine Mail Rte Rd Houston, TX 77039 | 6pm – 8pm | House District 140 | Armando Walle (D, Incumbent) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 10, 2020 | A 2nd Cup 1111 E 11th St Houston, TX 77009 | 6pm – 8pm | House District 148 | Anna Eastman (D, Incumbent) Adrian Garcia (D) Luis LaRotta (R) Penny Morales Shaw (D) Cynthia Reyes-Revilla (D) Emily Wolf (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 11, 2020 | Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce 445 Commerce Green Blvd Sugar Land, TX 77478 | 5:30pm – 7pm | House District 26 | Leonard Chan (R) Jacey Jetton (R) Matthew Morgan (R) Lawrence Allen Jr. (D) L. Sarah DeMerchant (D) Rish Oberoi (D) Suleman Lalani (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 12, 2020 | TaD’s Lousiana Cooking Restaurant 1425 FM 1463 Katy , TX 77494 | 5pm – 7pm | House District 28 | Gary Gates (R, Incumbent) Elizabeth “Eliz” Markowitz (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 13, 2020 | Dow Academic Center at Brazosport College 500 College Dr Lake Jackson, TX 77566 | 6pm – 8pm | House District 25 | Troy Brimage (R) Ro’Vin Garrett (R) Rhonda Seth (R) Mitch Thames (R) Cody Vasut (R) Patrick Henry (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 25, 2020 | Rosenburg Civic Center 3825 TX-36 Rosenberg , TX 77471 | 5:30pm – 7pm | House District 85 | Phil Stephenson (R, Incumbent) Abolaji Tijani Ayobami (R) Robert Boettcher (R) Joey Cardenas III (D) |
Austin
| Event Name | Date | Location | Time | District | Candidates |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 10, 2020 | Allen R. Baca Center 301 W Bagdad Ave #2 Round Rock, TX 78664 | 6:45pm – 8pm | House District 52 | James Talarico (D, incumbent) Lucio Valdez (R) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 24, 2020 | Cedar Park Recreation Center 1435 Main St Cedar Park, TX 78613 | 6:45pm – 8pm | House District 136 | John Bucy III (D, Incumbent) Michael Guevara (R) Brian Elliott (L) |
Dallas
| Event Name | Date | Location | Time | District | Candidates |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 3, 2020 | Canton High School 1110 TX-243 Canton, TX 75103 | 6pm – 9pm | House District 2 | Dan Flynn (Incumbent, R) Bill Brannon (D) Doc Collins (R) Bryan Slaton (R) |
| For the future Forum | Feb. 4, 2020 | Fretz Park Branch Public Library 6990 Belt Line Rd Dallas, TX 75254 | 5:30pm – 7pm | House District 102 | Ana-Maria Ramos (D, Incumbent) Linda Koop (R) Rick Walker (R) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 4, 2020 | Medical City Lewisville Grand Theater 100 N Charles St Lewisville, TX 75057 | 6pm – 7:30pm | House District 65 | Michelle Beckley (D, Incumbent) Nancy Cline (R) Paige Dixon (D) Kronda Thimesch (R) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 5, 2020 | White Rock Hills Branch Public Library 9150 Ferguson Rd Dallas, TX 75228 | 5:30pm – 7pm | House District 100 | Lorraine Birabil (D, Incumbent) James Armstrong III (D) Daniel Davis Clayton (D) Sandra Crenshaw (D) Jasmine Crockett (D) Paul Stafford (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 6, 2020 | Plano ISD Sockwell Center 6301 Chapel Hill Blvd Plano, TX 75093 | 6pm – 7:30pm | House District 66 | Matt Shaheen (R, Incumbent) Forrest Hampton (G) Sharon Hirsch (D) Aimee Garza Lopez (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 6, 2020 | Waxahachie ISD PAC at Waxahachie High School 3001 US Highway 287 Byp Waxahachie, TX 75165 | 6:30pm – 9:30pm | House District 10 | Jake Ellzey (R) Ryan Pitts (R) Robert “Zach” Rader (R) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 11, 2020 | Collin College Living Legends Conference Center – Spring Creek Campus 2800 E Spring Creek Pkwy Plano, TX 75074 | 6pm – 7:30pm | House District 67 | Jeff Leach (R, Incumbent) Tom Adair (D) Rocio Gocewehr Hernandez (D) Anthony Lo (D) Lorenzo Sanchez (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 11, 2020 | Audelia Road Branch Public Library 10045 Audelia Rd Dallas, TX 75238 | 5:30pm – 7pm | House District 114 | John Turner (D, Incumbent) Luisa del Rosal (R) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 12, 2020 | Lakewood Branch Library 6121 Worth St Dallas, TX 75214 | 5:30pm – 7pm | House District 108 | Morgan Meyer (R, Incumbent) Joanna Cattanach (D) Tom Ervin (D) Shawn D. Terry (D) |
Fort Worth
| Event Name | Date | Location | Time | District | Candidates |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 4, 2020 | Chandon Arbors Event Center 121 S Elm St Keller, TX 76248 | 6:30pm – 9pm | House District 98 | Giovanni Capriglione (R, Incumbent) Debra Edmondson (D) |
| For the Future Texas | Feb. 5, 2020 | Chisholm Trail High School Performing Arts Center 3100 NW College Dr Fort Worth, TX 76179 | 6pm – 8:30pm | House District 93 | Matt Krause (R, Incumbent) Lydia Bean (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 6, 2020 | Cleburne ISD Administration Building 505 N Ridgeway Dr Cleburne, TX 76033 | 6:30pm – 8:30pm | House District 58 and Senate District 22 | HD 58: DeWayne Burns (R, Incumbent) Cindy Rocha (D) SD 22: Brian Birdwell (R, Incumbent) Robert Vick (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 12, 2020 | North Side High School Auditorium 2211 McKinley Ave Fort Worth, TX 76164 | 6pm – 8pm | House District 90 | Ramon Romero (D) Dr. Kent Scribner – Fort Worth ISD Superintendent |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 13, 2020 | Bowie High School Auditorium 2101 Highbank Dr Arlington, TX 76018 | 5:30pm – 7:30pm | House District 101 | Chris Turner (D, Incumbent) Kecia Mays – Arlington ISD Board of Trustees President Dr. Marcelo Cavazos – Arlington ISD Superintendent |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 13, 2020 | Mineral Wells High School 3801 Ram Blvd Mineral Wells, TX 76067 | 6:30pm – 8pm | House District 60 | Jon Francis (R) Christopher Perricone (R) Dr. Glenn Rogers (R) Kellye SoRelle (R) |
West Texas
| Event Name | Date | Location | Time | District | Candidates |
| For the Future Forum | Jan. 30, 2020 | Ozona Middle School 808 6th St Ozona, TX 76943 | 6pm – 8pm | Senate District 19 | Pete Flores (R, Incumbent) Roland Gutierrez (D) Freddy Ramirez (D) Xochil Peña Rodriguez (D) Belinda Shvetz (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Jan. 30, 2020 | Ramada by Wyndham Del Rio Ballroom 2101 Veterans Blvd Del Rio, TX 78840 | 6:30pm – 8:30pm | House District 74 | Ruben Falcon (R) Robert Garza (R) Ramsey English Cantu (D) Rowland Garza (D) Eddie Morales (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 6, 2020 | Amarillo College Downtown Campus 1314 S Polk St Amarillo, TX 79101 | 6:30pm – 8:30pm | House District 86 and 87 | HD 86: John Smithee (R, Incumbent) HD 87: Four Price (R, Incumbent) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 13, 2020 | Lubbock Cooper Administrative Board Room 13807 Indiana Ave Lubbock, TX 79423 | 6:30pm – 8pm | House District 83 | Dustin Burrows (R, Incumbent) Dr. James B Barrick (D) Addison Perry-Franks (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 18, 2020 | Bel Air High School Tartan Theater 731 N Yarbrough Dr El Paso, TX 79915 | 6:30pm – 8:30pm | House District 76 | Claudia Ordaz-Perez (D) Elisa Tamayo (D) |
Rio Grande Valley
| Event Name | Date | Location | Time | District | Candidates |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 12, 2020 | McAllen Convention Center 700 Convention Center Blvd McAllen , TX 78501 | 6pm – 8pm | House District 41 | Bobby Guerra (D, Incumbent) Ricardo Gonzales (D) John R. Guerra (R) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 13, 2020 | Mission Event Center 200 N Shary Rd Mission, TX 78572 | 6pm – 8pm | House District 36 | Sergio Muñoz, Jr. (D, Incumbent) Abraham Padron (D) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 18, 2020 | Travis Elementary School 600 E Polk Ave Harlingen, TX 78550 | 6pm – 8pm | Senate District 27 | Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D, Incumbent) Ruben Cortez, Jr. (D) Sara Stepleton-Barrera (D) Vanessa Tijerina (R) |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 20, 2020 | Brownsville Event Center 1 Event Ctr Brownsville, TX 78526 | 6pm – 8pm | House District 37 and 38 | HD 37: Alex Dominguez (D, Incumbent) Amber Medina (D) HD 38: Eddie Lucio III (D, Incumbent) Erin Gamez (D) |
Other
| Event Name | Date | Location | Time | District | Candidates |
| For the Future Forum | Feb. 6, 2020 | Comanche High School 1600 N Austin Comanche, TX 76442 | 6:30pm – 8pm | House District 59 | Dr. J.D. Sheffield (R, Incumbent) Cody Johnson (R) Shelby Slawson (R) |
For more event information, click on the “Event Name” hyperlink.
