Tony Adams For House District 61
The Blue Battle 2024: Inside the Democratic races.
Note: The House Committee on Public Education is meeting again today and tomorrow to discuss vouchers. I’ll have a full breakdown of these hearings, with clips, on Wednesday.
This year, the Collin County Democratic Party and a handful of grassroots groups are working hard to turn Collin County blue. Several Collin County House seats are poised to flip, each having a far-right Republican seeking to mandate every aspect of your life. I’m unsure if there is a way to measure if one extremist is worse than another, but if there were, the Republican running for House District 61 would be at the bottom of the barrel.
That’s why it’s refreshing to see a solid Democratic candidate and community activists working to ensure that extremist never makes it to Austin. If Collin County does flip blue in November, it could also flip one, two, or even three seats. HD61 is low-hanging fruit, and turning this seat will only take a solid voter turnout.
Who is Tony Adams?
Tony Adams is a dedicated and passionate advocate for the people of North Texas, running for House District 61. With over 30 years of experience living in Collin County, Tony has deep roots in the community and a commitment to improving the lives of its residents. A father and small business owner, Tony brings a wealth of experience from his career in corporate America, where he has built businesses, developed leaders, and created jobs across various industries, including technology, banking, and healthcare.
Tony's campaign is centered on a few core principles: supporting public education, advocating for women's rights, and securing the Texas border through bipartisan cooperation. He strongly opposes education vouchers, which he believes undermine public schools, and is committed to fighting for educators and ensuring all children have access to quality education.
In addition to focusing on education and women's rights, Tony is dedicated to fostering a thriving business environment in Texas. He aims to work across party lines to support small and minority-owned businesses, improve infrastructure, and ensure that Texas remains a leader in innovation and economic growth. Tony's vision for House District 61 is one of unity, prosperity, and progress for all residents, regardless of political affiliation.
Who is he running against?
Keresa Richardson is the Republican vying for this seat. She recently ousted the Republican incumbent, Frederick Frazier, after a heated primary battle and runoff election.
Frazier was a convicted criminal who committed more crimes while he was running for election. While at face value, it looks like the Republican voters in HD61 made a good choice by axing a criminal for another GOP representative, but once you learn more about Richardson, you’ll see the GOP voters here have a history of making bad decisions.
Richardson and her husband are multi-millionaires who live in a million-dollar home. Over the last 40 years, they’ve grown their enterprise to include several businesses, including Benjamin Franklin Plumbing in DFW. Richardson is looking to join a few dozen other millionaires in the Texas House, who focus on making decisions for the lives of us little people.
Richardson is not only against abortions; she’s also signed the “Abolish Abortion Pledge,” meaning that if elected, she plans to ban IVF and some forms of birth control and give the death penalty to women who have abortion care. It’s no skin off of her back since her daughters and granddaughters have the means to leave the state if critical healthcare or family planning is needed.
Keresa Richardson has also signed the “Text” pledge, which is a pledge to align herself with the far-right nationalist group that pushes Texas secession. The Texit organization’s political ideology is fascism, and 99% of this organization is Anglo. While they don’t say it explicitly, they make it very clear that their agenda is to make Texas a white ethnostate. Considering that Texas is a majority-minority state, this should alarm everyone.
As a wealthy person, it shouldn’t surprise you that Keresa Richardson is pro-voucher, which will funnel Texas taxpayer dollars into the pockets of the wealthy.
She also signed the “Contract On Texas,” which is the far-right plan to ban the political representation of communities of color in the Texas House.
The rest of her political platform is just as horrendous: the militarization of border communities, pro-Show Me Your Papers bill, pro-voter oppression, pro-fossil fuels, and anti-worker.
Keresa Richardson doesn’t hold one value we seek in governmental leaders.
The people look for leaders who value integrity, fairness, and a genuine commitment to serving the public good. The people want representatives who prioritize the well-being of all constituents, protect the rights of women and minorities, and champion public education as the foundation of our future. The people seek leaders who are transparent, who foster unity rather than division, and who work to ensure that the government serves everyone, not just the wealthy and powerful. In Keresa Richardson, we find none of these qualities—her platform and alliances represent a dangerous departure from the inclusive, equitable values that should guide our state’s leadership.
What about this district?
House District 61 is in Collin County and includes Anna, Celina, Frisco, McKinney, Melissa, Weston, and some county areas.
It’s important to understand what’s been happening in this area over the last few years. Not only is Collin County one of the fastest-growing counties in America, but Celina and Anna are two of the fastest-growing cities.
So, while Republicans gave themselves a +7.8 advantage in 2021 when they redrew the maps, that advantage has likely dwindled since and probably become more diverse.
When the maps were redrawn in 2021, this district was 52% Anglo and 47% non-Anglo. This matters because, in general, we know how each voter demographic votes.
The more diverse a district is, the more likely they are to lean blue. Considering how fast Collin County is growing and diversifying, HD61 likely leans a lot more blue than it used to.
In general, this district is more educated and wealthier than Texas as a whole, with a large upper-middle-class community here.
HD61 can flip, and if we see a high enough turnout in Collin County, we may see it flip this year.
The future of House District 61 will be determined by the voters who care about the direction in which their community is heading.
With Collin County’s rapid growth and increasing diversity, this election presents a pivotal moment to choose leaders who reflect the values of fairness, inclusion, and a commitment to the common good. It’s an opportunity to ensure that the voices of all residents are heard and that the district moves towards a future that prioritizes public education, healthcare, and economic opportunity for everyone. The choice between progress and extremism couldn't be clearer.
You can learn more about Tony Adams from his website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
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:
August 19: Last day for write-in candidates to declare their candidacy.
October 7: Last day to register to vote.
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!
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