House District 112 voters have a choice between two thoughtful candidates who clearly care about serving their communities. We were impressed by Democratic challenger Zach Herbert, a Marine Corps veteran and attorney who is qualified for the job, but ultimately Republican incumbent Angie Chen Button has earned another term.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Button, 72, has represented the district that includes northern Dallas, Richardson, Garland, Sachse and other cities since 2009. She brings valuable leadership experience and has long been one of the Legislature\u2019s most pragmatic Republicans. An immigrant who arrived in the United States from Taiwan, she attended the University of Texas at Dallas and served on the Dallas Area Rapid Transit board before assuming her seat in the Legislature.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Button\u2019s story represents the best of an immigrant achieving the American dream \u2014 the kind of story GOP leaders used to celebrate before the party began embracing rhetoric against immigration, even the legal kind.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Button chairs the House Trade, Workforce and Economic Development Committee and is a senior member of the Ways & Means Committee. She has focused on affordability, backing tax relief for individuals and businesses while also ensuring Texas remains economically competitive.<\/p>\n
We wish Button would be more willing to take firmer positions. Some of our questions were met with assurances that the Legislature was \u201clooking into\u201d an issue or that there was a process underway, rather than a clear statement of what she would suggest moving forward. Voters deserve direct answers, particularly from experienced incumbents.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Button deserves credit for demonstrating some degree of independence that is increasingly uncommon within today\u2019s Republican Party. She voted to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton in 2023 and drew three primary challengers this year, all running to her right. And at the end of our interview, she said she would not vote for her party\u2019s nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission, Bo French.<\/a> French made comments on social media<\/a> last month attacking the racial diversity of University of Texas football fans celebrating after the team\u2019s win against Ohio State.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Herbert, the Democratic nominee, impressed us as a well-prepared candidate. Herbert, 42, is the strongest challenger Button has faced in years. He has nuanced positions on pursuing new technologies like Flock cameras and data centers, if there are guardrails in place.\u00a0<\/p>\n We found, however, that his command of education \u2014 one of the Legislature\u2019s most important responsibilities \u2014 was less developed than it should be for someone seeking a seat in the Texas House.\u00a0<\/p>\n This editorial page appreciates that, over the years, Button has worked to develop relationships with local leaders across North Texas and has reached across the aisle to pass bipartisan legislation. In an era where blind party loyalty too often outweighs independent judgement, her willingness to focus on policy questions rather than culture wars deserves recognition.<\/p>\n For these reasons, voters should return Button to Austin for another term.\u00a0<\/p>\n