Venton Jones has a strong command of the issues related to state House District 100, a key area representing southern Dallas neighborhoods.
That puts him well ahead of his challengers. First elected in 2022, Jones is beginning to make his mark as a legislator, with the right dose of pragmatism for a member of the minority party.
We strongly recommend Jones, 42, in the Democratic primary for this diverse district that is about half Hispanic and 37% Black.
Born and raised in the district, Jones has deep ties to the community. That showed during our interview on subjects like his concerns over the future of Fair Park and the need to decrease police response times in southern Dallas.
Opinion
One of the pressing issues is housing affordability, and Jones’ proposal for state-backed, low-interest loan programs for first-time buyers is worth considering. He also advocates for “right to counsel” programs for tenants to prevent unfair evictions. Jones argues that Senate Bill 840, legislation that allows residential housing in commercial zones, will help increase density in urban areas.
He believes making housing more affordable has to be a continuous conversation in the Legislature. In the last session, he authored House Bill 1367. It would have allowed county governments to offer additional property tax relief to homeowners by increasing the local homestead exemption. The bill failed to pass.
Jones is known for his advocacy for Black gay men. In the last session, Jones authored a bill that would have repealed the state law that banned “homosexual conduct.” The law was ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2003, but the statute remains in the Texas code. The bill narrowly passed the Texas House on a bipartisan vote, but didn’t get a vote in the Senate. He also authored two bills that would have made HIV tests a standard part of routine sexually transmitted disease screenings. Both bills passed in the House but died in committee in the Senate.
While Jones favors Medicaid expansion, he also understands that this goal is out of reach in the Legislature. He told us he wants to emulate Rep. Toni Rose, D-Dallas, whose work across the aisle helped pass House Bill 12, which extended postpartum coverage for new mothers.
Jones has been effective in bringing state investments to his district, including funding for the African American Museum of Dallas and the Fair Park Community Park.
Also running in this race are Amanda Richardson, an accountant and auditor, and Justice McFarlane, a college student.