The Battle for TX24: Can Sam Eppler End Beth Van Duyne’s Extremism?

Inside the campaign to unseat one of North Texas’ most controversial figures.

Congressional District 24 is one of the most flippable Congressional districts in North Texas. While Republican gerrymandering was intended to keep New York native Beth Van Duyne safe in her red district nestled between two blue counties, in 2024, she has a lot to worry about.

As Eppler pointed out in a recent ad, Beth Duyne is a far-right extremist, and her positions are harmful to her constituents.

But Van Duyne has been a far-right extremist for a long time.

Do you remember Republicans’ 2015 freak-out over Muslims and “Sharia Law?” Do you remember how it led to extreme Islamophobia coming from Republicans and caused a wave of hate crimes around the country against Muslim Americans?

It probably wouldn’t surprise you to learn that the movement had roots in Texas. But did you know that Beth Van Duyne, who served as mayor of Irving, initiated it?

In 2015, Van Duyne was awarded her own page on Southern Poverty’s HateWatch and made national news more than once with her racist and Islamophobic crusade. This launched her career in national politics.

The anti-Islamic movement that Van Duyne catapulted onto the national stage in 2015 shattered communities and took people’s lives.

Nothing Van Duyne has done since then has indicated that she’s softened her stances of hatred and bigotry. She’s only been given more power to harm people.

The people in TX24 deserve better.

Van Duyne has only moved further to the right, gaining more power and pushing even more dangerous policies. From her relentless attacks on reproductive rights to her efforts to dismantle public education, she’s proven time and again that she doesn’t represent the values of North Texans. TX24 deserves leadership that reflects compassion, inclusivity, and forward-thinking policies.

That’s where Sam Eppler comes in. Unlike Van Duyne, Eppler is committed to fighting for the rights and well-being of every constituent. His platform prioritizes reproductive freedom, ensuring that women have autonomy over their bodies and that medical decisions are made without government interference. He understands the importance of keeping extremist politics out of classrooms and supporting an education system that works for all students.

Eppler also sees the urgent need for meaningful immigration reform, an issue that Van Duyne uses to stoke fear and division. While she exploits border security as a weapon to further her far-right agenda, Eppler is focused on comprehensive, humane solutions that prioritize safety without sacrificing our values of dignity and justice.

TX24 doesn’t need a Marjorie Taylor Greene clone. It requires someone who will work for the people—not for extremist ideologies. Eppler’s vision offers a path forward rooted in respect for personal freedoms, sensible reforms, and the belief that every North Texan deserves better.

But what about this district?

TX24 surrounds DFW airport, which is a hub of commerce. This district also has some of the wealthiest zip codes in Texas. TX24 constituents have higher education and are more wealthy than Texas as a whole. It’s also whiter than Texas as a whole.

Source: Census Reporter

I’m not going to say that it won’t be an uphill battle for Eppler, but when considering the various factors of this election, Eppler definitely has a leg up.

• The GOP Civil War and the Never Trumpers embracement of Democratic politicians is something we’re seeing in this election that may not be a factor in other elections but may be enough to give the down-ballot Democrats a bigger swing.

• The congressional seat overlaps with several other state districts where the candidates are working hard for flips. This Democratic GOTV energy should transcend across the district.

• While the Republican’s advantage may seem like a lot, it’s not.

There are many examples of Texas districts moving left by double-digit margins all over Texas. Before the last redistricting, TX24 moved 16 points to the left from 2016 to 2020. I distinctly remember when Michelle Beckley won her Texas House race. She moved that district 10 points to the left.

When Republicans gerrymandered the maps in 2021, they gave Beth Van Duyne a +12.4 advantage. That was three years ago, and a lot has changed since then.

Van Duyne did have a Democratic opponent in 2022, but Democrats largely stayed home in 2022. Midterms are hard to compare to presidential elections because Democratic voters pay more attention to the top of the ticket. That’s a cultural thing that we Texans really need to work on.

So, what will it take to flip this district?

To flip TX24, Eppler should focus on a few key strategies that have proven effective in shifting other districts left in recent years.

First, it’s all about turnout. The GOP’s hold on TX24 has been slipping, but Democratic voters must show up in force. This requires a massive ground game, with targeted outreach in neighborhoods with lower turnout in previous elections. With a district that includes some of the wealthiest and most educated voters in Texas, there is potential to tap into issues that resonate—such as public education, reproductive rights, and economic justice—especially given how out of step Van Duyne is with the needs of her constituents.

From what I can tell, Sam Eppler has been doing that so far. Here he is block walking with Averie Bishop (their districts overlap):

It’s just a coincidence that their signs match.

And here he is (on stage) at an event with Colin Allred and National Democratic Party Chair Jamie Harrison in Dallas just last week:

I also see David Carstens and Julie Johnson in the background.

I’ve been invited to several events over the last year where Eppler has spoken. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make it to any of them (it’s always a school night when you have little ones). But I know that his campaign has been working hard all year long.

Second, directly engage voters on the issues that matter most to them. With TX24’s high concentration of educated voters, economic stability and policy-driven conversations will be essential. This means continuing to hammer home Beth Van Duyne’s positions and how her positions are not only extreme but actively harmful to the district’s future. Eppler should make it clear that Van Duyne’s far-right agenda will only push the district backward.

Eppler has also done an excellent job with this.

Third, Democrats must mobilize independent and swing voters. While TX24 leans wealthier and whiter than much of Texas, it’s also home to a growing demographic of younger, more diverse voters—many of whom are disillusioned with the extremism of the current Republican Party. The key will be to tap into this dissatisfaction and frame Eppler as the candidate for a better future, one who prioritizes issues like women’s rights. His message must be one of unity and contrast with Van Duyne’s divisive and harmful rhetoric.

Again, he’s doing great in this department.

Finally, a coordinated GOTV effort across overlapping districts is crucial. The synergy between congressional candidates and down-ballot state candidates could provide the push needed for success. When voters see the power of flipping seats at both the state and national levels, they can be energized to make their voices heard.

Box, checked.

Here is Sam Eppler out block walking with Elizabeth Ginsberg:

And Scott White and Laura Leeman:

Flipping TX24 is entirely within reach but will take continued hard work and sustained voter engagement.

Sam Eppler’s campaign is already doing much of the necessary groundwork—building a strong grassroots network, connecting with voters on key issues, and presenting himself as the clear alternative to Beth Van Duyne’s far-right extremism. By prioritizing reproductive rights and education and tapping into the dissatisfaction with the current Republican leadership and the energy of down-ballot campaigns, Democrats have a real shot at turning this district blue.

With the right focus on voter turnout, direct engagement, and a unified effort from Democrats across overlapping districts, TX24 could be the next battleground where change takes hold in North Texas. Eppler’s campaign has already shown that it’s ready for the challenge, and with continued momentum, we just might see Beth Van Duyne ousted from office come 2024.

You can learn more about Sam Eppler on his website, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Early voting starts in EIGHT days. Make a plan to vote, and keep on your friends and family’s butts about voting, too.

• October 21: First day to early vote.

• October 25: Last day to apply for a mail-in ballot.

• November 1: Last day to early vote.

• November 5: Election day!

LoneStarLeft’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, and Instagram.