Opal Lee endorses this candidate to replace the late Republican Ron Wright in Congress

Brian Lopez
·1 min read

Opal Lee, long-time civil-rights activist, has endorsed Democrat Shawn Lassiter for Texas’ 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Lee, 94, known for her activism and fight to recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday, said it was time that the 6th District elected a representative who will fight for communities of color and working-class people. Early voting for the May 1 elections began Monday and will continue until April 27.

“I believe the time has come to send someone to Congress that will have our backs,” Lee said. “People in our community need to know that this is somebody who’s going to advocate for us. There’s so many disparities that need to be addressed.”

The 6th District stretches from east Fort Worth to Corsicana.

Lee believes Lassiter will combat injustice and fight for the working class in the seat left behind by Republican Ron Wright, who died in February. The ballot has 23 candidates, including Susan Wright, Wright’s wife, and former Trump administration employees.

Lassiter is a former Fort Worth school teacher just like Lee and vows to fight for people of color and the disparities they face. If elected, Lassiter would be the first woman and Black woman to represent the 6th District.

“It means a lot to me being a Black woman,” Lassiter said of the endorsement. “It just means a lot when your elders respect the work that you’ve done.”

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