Congress

Democrats in Collin County Congressional Runoff Believe They Can Get Out the Vote

For the first time since 1991, Collin County will have a new representative in Congress.

U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX 3rd District) has decided to retire. State Sen. Van Taylor is the Republican in the very red county. Two Democrats are in the runoff. Lorie Burch had 49 percent of the vote, but not enough to avoid the runoff.

"We have spent so much time block walking, phone banking and really meeting with the people. And we got a lot of people out to vote that really have not voted in a long time,” said Burch.

She believes her numbers show she can get voters out in a general election. Whoever wins the runoff will show he or she can raise money. Taylor has almost $700,000 in the bank. Burch has made the decision not to take money from political action committees.

"The most consistent thing I hear when I am talking to the most conservative Republicans, or the most liberal Democrats, is they are sick and tired of the dark money that’s in political campaigns,” she added.

Sam Johnson, who is not related to the incumbent, came in second in the race. He believes change is happening in the district, making an easier path for Democrats.

“One part of it is stopping the word Democrat from being a bad word in Collin County anymore. And that's happening right now. But you also just see a lot of people becoming active that haven't been politically active before,” said Johnson.

And he believes what happens in Washington could affect the race here.

"There is a lot of anti-Trump sentiment going on right now even with the Republicans that have been talking too, who are looking for something other than just what they have been seeing in Washington,” said Johnson.

Both Burch and Johnson have said they will support each other if the other candidate wins the runoff.

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