DALLAS — It is a crowded field with nine candidates now.
Can state Rep. Carl Sherman, D-DeSoto, distinguish himself from the other Democrats running for U.S. Senate?
He says he was the last to announce, and that only came after prayer and meditation.
Sherman says to him it isn’t about giving up a safe seat in the Texas House. It’s about making sure democracy is safe.
“I wasn’t in a rush to do it because the state of politics is in a broken condition,” Sherman told us on Inside Texas Politics. “And I believe that our democracy being at the threat of demise that we’re at, with authoritarianism going across the globe, it’s important to have a candidate who’s not from Washington, who’s not from Austin, but someone from here.”
Before serving in the Texas House, Sherman was the first African American mayor of DeSoto. He’s also been a city manager in Ferris and Hutchins.
Sherman says that management experience will help him in Washington, as will his legislative experience in the Texas House.
While there are nine candidates, three of them routinely lead in fundraising and polls: Rep. Sherman, state Sen. Roland Gutierrez and Congressman Colin Allred, who is considered the front-runner.
But Allred and Gutierrez have raised significantly more money than Sherman, who says that doesn’t concern him.
“We’ve had candidates in the past by the grace of God who have been outraised, and Washington has someone that they send, or Austin, and the people choose,” said Sherman. “I’m real encouraged by the folks that I meet across this great state. They want someone who’s going to fight for their interests. And I’m up for the fight.”
The Democratic primary in Texas will be held on March 5. Early voting runs from February 20 – March 1. The last day to register to vote is February 5.
Editor's Note: The following video was uploaded in Sept. 2023.