Detrick Deburr For House District 65

The Blue Battle 2024: Inside the Democratic races.

I have repeatedly said that Texas Democrats have many reasons to be optimistic this year. Many of us who have been actively working toward a better, bluer Texas see the light at the end of the tunnel. This year, the stars seem to be lining up, and Democrats are working for a repeat of 2018 when they flipped 12 House seats. Unironically, if we flip 12 House seats this year, we would flip the entire House.

Even if we don’t flip 12 seats, many will likely flip for various reasons. House District is shaping up to be one of those seats, and Detrick Deburr is a stellar candidate for this district.

Who is Detrick Deburr?

Detrick Deburr is a dedicated public servant and community leader with over two decades of experience in North Texas. Deburr is a seasoned software engineer, a father of three, and a grandfather of three. His extensive community service background and professional expertise make him a standout candidate for Texas House District 65.

Deburr serves as a Planning and Zoning Commissioner in The Colony, Texas, where he has been instrumental in guiding the city's growth and development. His previous experience includes chairing the Planning and Zoning Commission in Cedar Hill, Texas, from 1999 to 2007 and serving on the Board of St. Philips School and Community Center. He has also chaired the Dallas Blueprint for Leadership Program, which prepares minorities to serve on non-profit boards and committees throughout the metroplex.

I met Deburr several weeks ago. He seemed to have all the ingredients for a strong candidate: a commitment to thoughtful, progressive policies and a deep understanding of the local community's needs. His legislative priorities include expanding Medicaid, adequately funding education, and reasonable gun-control legislation.

Supporters of Detrick Deburr can expect a candidate who is not beholden to any political agenda but is dedicated to making sound policy decisions for the benefit of all Texans.

Who is he running against?

The Republican running for House District 65 is one of the far-right, Paxton-picked extremists who beat a Republican incumbent in the Republican primary election. Mitch Little may already be familiar to those who follow Texas politics, as he is the securities fraud attorney who represented Ken Paxton in his Impeachment Trial.

In March, ultra-fanatic Mitch Little unseated “alleged” moderate Kronda Thimesch by less than one point (296 votes).

I said “alleged” moderate because she voted 99% with the Republican caucus. However, she voted to impeach Ken Paxton. For that, Republicans called her a RINO and spread vicious lies about her in the district. After her loss, Thimesch penned an op-ed in the Dallas News and talked about how dark money lied about her, spun things out of context, and deliberately misled voters in this primary election.

Whether that’s true or not, it doesn't change that many of Little’s policy positions are outright monstrous.

• Little signed the “Abolish Abortion” pledge, which is a promise to file and vote on legislation that would ban IVF, ban certain forms of birth control, prohibit pregnant women from traveling in Texas, and give the death penalty to any woman who acquires an abortion.

• Another pledge Little signed is the “Texit” pledge, which is a pledge to advance legislation for secession, breaking ties with all federal protection of civil rights, and turning Texas into a white ethnostate.

• Little signed the “Contract on Texas,” which is Republican’s latest effort to end fair representation for communities of color in Texas.

• Unsurprisingly, Little would vote for vouchers, funneling taxpayer dollars into the pockets of the wealthy and re-segregate public schools in Texas.

Mitch Little is entirely out of touch with the needs and kitchen table issues of Texans and residents of HD65.

What about this district?

House District 65 is one of the five gerrymandered districts in Denton County. It’s the blue rainbow-looking district:

HD65 encompasses the northern parts of Carrollton, Lewisville, and Flower Mound. It also includes small parts of The Colony, Plano, Dallas, and several smaller suburban areas.

Based on precinct-level data after redistricting, this area was +8.3 Trump in 2020.

This area is incredibly diverse. The demographics here are 53% Anglo and 46% non-Anglo.

You have to remember that all of this data is based on the 2020 census (which is one of the reasons why making sure to fill out your census is so important). That means this data is essentially four years old. Since then, Denton County, particularly in House District 65, has seen exploding growth.

As of January 1, 2023, Denton County, Texas, had a population of 1,006,492, a 3.2% increase from the previous year, this growth has been consistent, with an average annual increase of 3.2% between 2010 and 2022.

In 2023, Argyle and Northlake, two towns in HD65, were among the fastest-growing municipalities in North Texas by percentage, with Argyle growing by 20.3% and Northlake growing by 18.7%. 

Denton County is one of the top ten fastest-growing counties in America.

Denton has seen unrelenting and exploding growth over the last several years, and these areas are getting more urban, diverse, and Democratic.

Denton and Collin Counties have moved a staggering 41 points to the left since 2000, shifting an average of 8.16 points to the left each four-year election. (Except for 2012, when Democrats didn’t show up.)

While I’m pretty confident that Tarrant and Collin will be blue this year, I don’t think Denton’s ultimate flip is too far behind. House District 65 is looking like an excellent district to flip this year.

To re-cap why:

• Mitch Little’s policies are so extreme he is likely to alienate moderates and independents.

• Denton County, especially areas in HD65, might have been +8 Trump in 2020, but it has grown exponentially, moving the district further left.

Then there are so many unknowns, like Donald Trump. Will Trump be in prison in November? Would he have led another insurrection? Would he have flown to Russia to avoid extradition? These are unknowns, and any of these scenarios could drastically impact Republican turnout in November. It’s a wild election year.

What is it going to take for Detrick Deburr to win HD65?

To flip House District 65, Detrick Deburr needs a strategic campaign focused on voter outreach, digital presence, coalition building, and countering his opponent’s extremism. Countering Mitch Little’s extremism by highlighting policies and showcasing Deburr’s reasonable platform will sway many voters.

As with every other campaign, Deburr will need volunteers and money. So, if you’re in the district, consider signing up for block walking, phone banking, or a donation.

You can find more about Detrick Deburr on his website, Facebook, and Instagram.

• 156 days left until the November 5 election!

The Blue Battle 2024 is my series covering races in the Texas Legislature (in no particular order). This series will highlight Democratic candidates once or twice a week leading to the November election. If you missed the previous installments:

• Cody Grace for House District 06

• Jennie Birkholz for House District 52

• David Carstens for House District 66

• Kristian Carranza for House District 118

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