State of Texas
State Representative, District 56
Ashley Bean Thornton
Democratic- On ballot as
- Ashley Bean Thornton
- Current role
- Retired; Democratic nominee for Texas House District 56
- Background
- Attended Baylor (per campaign)
- Teaching certificate, Southwest Texas State University (per campaign)
- Former high school teacher and corporate trainer
- Former Baylor employee, training and planning, 20 years (per candidate)
- Former Transformation Waco employee, afterschool program (per candidate)
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- Retired in 2023 (per candidate)
- Family settled in Baytown (per campaign)
- Experience
- Chaired the City of Waco's Poverty Solutions Steering Committee (per candidate)
- Served on the Waco Transit Advisory Board (per candidate)
- Co-founder, Waco Walks (2016) (per candidate)
- Founder, Act Locally Waco newsletter (2008) (per candidate)
- Democratic primary (March 3, 2026): won, about 56% over Janessa Givens
- Top priorities
- "Strong Public Schools Make us ALL stronger."
- "The Texas Economy should work for ALL of us."
- "We work best when we work TOGETHER"
- "Educating children in public schools should be our highest priority."
- "Texas can be business-friendly and worker-friendly."
- Tidbits
- Abortion: No public statement found
- Border and immigration: No public statement found
- Guns: No public statement found
- Public schools and vouchers: Campaign site: says legislators "were willing to spend a billion dollars on a voucher program, even though voucher programs have not shown they serve the students who need the most help"
- Property taxes: In an October 2025 campaign blog post on property tax ballot measures: "if we give an exemption to one group, that means all the other folks have to pay a little more"
- Endorsements
- Texas AFL-CIO
- Texas AFT
- Campaign website
- ashleybeanthornton.com
Open in the full comparison: McLennan County