AUSTIN, Texas - An embattled Democrat in the Texas House of Representatives faces a fierce challenge in the 2018 Primary.

Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Pflugerville, has led the 46th District since 1994. Even after 12 terms in office, she said she's ready to return to the Capitol and serve her district.

"I know how to do it, and I do do it," Dukes said.

One of the state's longest serving House members, Dukes admits her current session has been filled with distractions. Most notably, a 15-count indictment claiming she abused her elected office. All charges have since been dropped.

"I have shown over these past 20 months the courage to stand up and look wrong in the eye and keep fighting," she said.

In addition to the stress it created for her, Dukes said her parents experienced three heart attacks in the past two years. Injuries from a 2013 car crash have also plagued her health in recent years, Dukes said.

Five challengers say it's time for a new voice for District 45, which includes East Austin, Manor and Pflugerville.

They include Manor School Board Trustee Ana Cortez.

"People are hungry for change--especially what happened this past legislative session," she said. "They want that voice."

Air Force veteran and lobbyist Casey McKinney said families across the district--especially in East Austin--are feeling the effects of a broken school finance system.

"The tax rates--because of the Legislature, mind you--forced them out," she said. "They could no longer afford to live where they had lived and thrived for generations."

Former Austin Mayor Pro Tem and attorney Sheryl Cole witnessed firsthand the impacts of a Legislature that loves to override local laws and restrict how much cities and counties can increase their annual budgets.

"They are actually bankrupting us," she said. "It's just not fair to send unfunded mandates to cities and not give the resources, and then to cap their taxes."

Warren Baker agrees school finance should be top priority in 2019, but he says the state's penchant for toll roads harms his district. US-290A and SH-130 criss-cross it.

"I understand the logic behind toll roads, but at some point we have to sit down and reevaluate," he said.

In a Legislature that seems more politically divided than ever, Jose "Chito" Vela III said there's more unity than some may think. One example he gave was the desire to expand Medicaid, which was allowed under the Affordable Care Act, but Texas leaders opted to forego.

"We are seeing rural hospitals close, so I see urban Democrats and rural Republicans starting to have a common interest in that issue," Vela said.

Gabriel Nila is running unopposed in the Republican Primary.