Some voters are raising eyebrows at a candidate who filed to run in the Republican primary for Texas’ 3rd Congressional District a few days before deciding to run as a Democrat for the Texas Legislature.
On Nov. 26, Brittany Black filed Federal Election Commission paperwork to run in the congressional district that covers most of Collin County as a Republican. The following week, Black filed new FEC paperwork that marked her party affiliation as “unknown.” A few days after, she filed to run in the Democratic primary for Texas House District 61 and subsequently withdrew her candidacy for the congressional race.
Black and Jackie Bescherer, her opponent in the primary for the state House race, are both first-time candidates who don’t have a record of voting in a Democratic primary. Both oppose Texas’ voucher program and vow to increase public education funding. The race is a reminder of the uphill battle for Democratic candidates in historically red Collin County.
Some Democratic voters in the district, which includes most of McKinney and parts of Frisco and Celina, have called Black’s political ideals into question over the federal filing, even though Annie’s List, a Texas political action committee that helps abortion rights supporters and progressive women get elected, endorsed her.
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Rep. Keresa Richardson speaks during a candidate forum for Republicans in Collin County ahead of the March primary at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Feb. 10, 2026.
Anja Schlein / Special Contributor
The district has historically been a reliable one for Republicans — incumbent state Rep. Keresa Richardson won it with more than 59% of the vote in 2024. She is running for reelection.
However, changing demographics in Collin County and split opinions on Texas’ voucher-style plan for education could make the district more competitive.
Several parents in the district were upset when McKinney ISD closed three elementary schools due to budget constraints and because homes in the area are not affordable for young families. Some parents view the school closures as a result of Republican state legislators not funding schools adequately.
Republican Frederick Frazier, who served one term in the Legislature, is running in his party’s primary.
Frederick Frazier speaks as Rep. Keresa Richardson looks on during a candidate forum for Republicans in Collin County ahead of the March primary at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Feb. 10, 2026.
Anja Schlein / Special Contributor
Black, 38, said that filing as a Republican was a procedural mistake she made as a first-time candidate.
“That was not meant to be filed,” Black said. “I was never going to run as a Republican.”
Black, a software engineer, said she decided to run for the Texas Legislature instead of Congress because she realized she was more motivated by issues that the state government handles, such as education.
For Brian Reagan, who has lived in McKinney for the last 22 years, Black previously filing as a Republican is not a red flag. Reagan said he wants to be represented by a candidate who supports increasing public school funding because he sees Texas’ school voucher plan as responsible for the closure of Eddins Elementary, the McKinney ISD school where his wife worked.
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He believes that Black is a more polished public speaker than her primary opponent, Bescherer, and has the best chance of winning the general election.
“Here in Collin County … you’re going to have to appeal to some crossover Republican voters in order to have a chance to win,” Reagan said.
Julie Jernigan, a voter who has lived in McKinney since 2013, said she was unsatisfied by Black’s explanation for why she filed to run as a Republican in the congressional race. Jernigan, a former Republican voter who began identifying with and voting for Democrats in 2016, said her issue was not necessarily about Black’s past party affiliations, but about her lack of transparency.
“We cannot compromise our values, and one of my values is honesty. I want to know who my leaders are,” Jernigan said.
Voter records from Champaign County, Ill., where Black lived before she moved to Texas in 2023, show she voted in Republican primaries in 2016 and 2018. Since registering to vote in Collin County in 2008, Bescherer has only voted in one primary election, the 2016 Republican primary. Both candidates said they voted in the Republican primary in 2016 to oppose Trump.
Jackie Bescherer is a candidate in the Democratic primary for Texas House District 61, which covers most of McKinney and parts of Frisco and Celina.
David Quisenberry
Bescherer, 62, is a former peace officer for the Dallas Police Department and member of the U.S. Navy Reserve who has lived in North Texas most of her life. She said she was motivated to run because she opposed Republican politicians such as Gov. Greg Abbott and gerrymandering in Texas. She said she grew more aligned with Democrats over time, but used to vote for candidates on both sides of the aisle before 2016.
“I was raised in Texas and for the most part ‘Democrat’ was a bad word …at least until Ann Richards [was elected],” Bescherer said.
Bruce Johnson, 27, president of Collin County Young Democrats, said Black’s previous filing to run as a Republican would not impact the group’s endorsement of her, although they were unaware of it when they decided to support her. Johnson viewed Black as having more robust campaign infrastructure and fundraising abilities than her opponent, which he said was important in a place like Collin County where it is typically difficult to even find Democrats to run for office.
“I don’t think we can pick and choose candidates’ histories,” Johnson said.
Brandon Rottinghaus, University of Houston political scientist, said the Democratic primary in House District 61 echoes similar “Democratic base versus electability tensions” discussed in the U.S. Senate primary between James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett.
Rottinghaus said he has seen more and more that Democrats in Texas and across the country are embracing the idea of their party being a “big tent” and fielding competitive candidates, like Taylor Rehmet in Tarrant County, that are not “perfect” Democrats when it comes to ideology.
“They are looking to find authentic people who can speak to Democrats who can compete in these red districts,” Rottinghaus said.
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