The most closely watched battle in Texas state-level politics is the effort by Democrats to flip the Texas House to blue this November. If Democrats can hold the 12 seats they gained in 2018 and take nine more, they will control the Texas House for the first time in more than two decades. The upcoming redistricting process, set to happen in 2021, redraws the legislative maps for both state and federal legislatures and makes this election even more consequential.

First, Geren, who chairs the powerful House Administration committee, had to announce an updated and more rigorous sexual harassment policy after claiming just last month there was no need to discuss the policy because there had been no complaints of harassment.  In November, Geren told the Texas Tribune, “We don’t have any (referring to sexual harassment complaints). I don’t deal in ‘ifs.’ When there’s one, I’ll handle it. And that’s it.” Within weeks of Geren’s statement, multiple allegations of harassment surfaced in which victims claimed they had suffered predatory behavior and found little recourse. At least one of the alleged victims claims she reported the incident to Geren himself.