TEXAS — This March, two prominent Dallas Democrats will battle it out for a North Texas Senate seat.

Last month, Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, D-Dallas, announced she’s challenging incumbent Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, in the Democratic primary. Neave Criado says she’s running because Johnson has not fought hard enough to push back against the Republican agenda. 

“Are we comfortable with business as usual or are we going to step up our game?” she said in a recent interview on Capital Tonight. “We have to stand up and fight, and that’s the difference between us two.” 

Johnson’s represented Senate District 16 since 2019 after he unseated Republican incumbent Don Huffines. He pushed back against Neave Criado’s criticism during an interview Thursday. 

“Maybe she’s not actually watching what’s happening in the Senate,” he said. “Ultimately, fighting is not just about getting on Twitter. It’s about making progress, changing politics. I do that every single day. The difference is, I’m able to do it and still pass bills and deliver for my district. I think that’s a very important distinction between us.”  

When asked about whether he thinks a contested primary is healthy for the Democratic party, Johnson said not in this case. 

“I do not think it’s healthy to turn personal ambition against effective representation in the party,” he said. “If we are going to make advances in the image of Democrats, in the efficacy of Democrats, we cannot be turning members against each other. So I think it’s very unhealthy, frankly, in this case.” 

Click on the video link above to watch our full interview with Sen. Johnson.