Ramona Thomspon has announced her run for Texas House District 106, which is currently held by State Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Frisco. Fallon announced this fall that he will be challenging incumbent Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls, for State Senate District 30. Community Impact Newspaper asked Thompson a series of questions. Her responses, edited for publication style, are below. 1. Why did you decide to run for this office? Texas Democrats have been underrepresented in Austin politics for too long. As I watched the last year unfold with horror, I realized that too many of us abdicated our power by not being informed, involved, donating and voting. That’s what a healthy democracy requires, but we left the gates of power open and unguarded by taking our freedoms and way of life for granted. That stops now, with me, and you. We must rise up and take back our power, turning Texas blue and Washington too, again. The conservative voice has become very loud over the last several years and progressives have been too quiet, sometimes for fear of harassment. Many who live here in House District 106 have chosen to be quiet because we thought we were a small minority. However, as we’ve watched the moral fabric of society falling apart, we see we are not alone in our outrage. We have stood quiet for too long and not spoken out when values we believe in have been put aside because of fear. As a nation, we have become afraid of change and instead of embracing it and making it a positive force for our state and nation, we have fought it. We need to grow with the change. One person’s courage gives others the courage to also speak up and do the right thing. Look at the powerful voices of the #MeToo movement who are so loudly speaking up about the sexual misconduct, behavior that has been known but not acknowledged for so long. The time has come for those who have been shamed and humiliated to come into the light. 2. What experience—professionally or politically—do you have that would prepare you for this position? My first actual foray into politics was in 1972. That was the year 18-year-olds got the right to vote, and I turned 18 that year. I led the first 18-year-old voter registration drive in my high school. I have been involved in politics in some way or another ever since. I bring over 30 years of business experience and community activism that includes:

• Daughters of the Republic of Texas (member since 1991, president 1995-96);
• communications director for Neighborhood Board of Directors;
• precinct chair for more than 10 years in Dallas and Denton counties;
• former election judge;
• founder of Alliance of Progressive Voters;
• and founder of Indivisible Frisco.

On the business side, I owned a secretarial service for 11 years, worked in the home mortgage industry for 25 years and have been a member of the North Texas Association of Mortgage Professionals since 1992 and board member for many years. 3. If elected, what would be your top priorities? As described in more detail in articles on my website (http://ramona4tx.com/home/blog/), my top issues are local control, bringing balance back to Austin, public education and affordable health care. One of my top priorities is to help other progressives save capitalism from corruption, which is what has been happening with increasing influence from wealthy special interests that have shaped laws and regulations in their favor, against the needs and interests of the general public. 4. What else do you want constituents to know about you and your background? Throughout my career, I’ve seen strong business benefits from treating employees, customers and people in general with fairness and respect. I’ve lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 1978, currently live in Frisco with my husband of 26 years and have three children and six grandchildren. I graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, minoring in Marketing, Journalism and Pre-law.