AUSTIN, Texas — With the candidate filing deadline behind us, the 2022 campaign season is officially underway and the race to try to unseat Republican incumbent Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is heating up.

Patrick's likely to win his party's primary. But three Democrats are hoping for the chance to give him a run for his money in the general election.

Houston accountant Mike Collier came within 5 points of upsetting Patrick in 2018, state Rep. Michelle Beckley, D-Carrollton, is one of the most liberal members of Texas House, and the latest entrant into the race is Carla Brailey, vice chair of the Texas Democratic Party, who said she couldn't sit on the sidelines anymore.

In an interview on Capital Tonight, Brailey said she’s focused on making sure every Texan has a seat at the table.

“Rights, rights, rights. Civil rights were targeted, human rights were targeted, women’s rights were targeted,” she said of the past legislative sessions. “After getting elected, it really is making sure that’s a people’s house we’re dealing with.”

Brailey is also a professor at Texas Southern University where her work has focused on social justice and diversity. She said she’d push for high quality, inclusive education in public schools, increase jobs and affordable housing and work to make health care more affordable and accessible.

Click the video link above to watch our full interview with Brailey.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly referred to the rolling back of critical race theory. That has been corrected. (Dec. 17, 2021)