State of Texas
State Representative, District 146
Lauren Ashley Simmons
Democratic Incumbent- On ballot as
- LAUREN ASHLEY SIMMONS
- Current role
- State Representative, Texas House District 146 (since January 2025; first term)
- Background
- Union organizer; began at the Texas State Employees Union and American Federation of Teachers
- CWA 1180 shop steward,
- Born and raised in Houston's Third Ward and attended public schools
- Experience
- Assumed office in January 2025; serving her first term in the Texas House
- Inaugural chair of the House Labor & Workforce Caucus
- Serves on the Appropriations and Public Health committees
- Her HB 107 created the state's first sickle cell disease registry
- Unopposed in the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary
- Top priorities
- "Keeping our public schools strong by supporting teachers, students, and parents"
- "Securing health care for people who can't afford it or are drowning in medical debt"
- "Increasing wages for working people"
- Cost of living: "bring down the cost of healthcare by expanding Medicaid"
- Housing: "down-payment and closing-cost assistance for first-time buyers"
- Tidbits
- Abortion: "Repeal Texas' abortion ban and remove all medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion access."
- Border and immigration: "Stop construction on the border wall." Also backs federal "comprehensive immigration reform" with "a pathway to citizenship"
- Guns: "Pass common sense gun safety reforms, including an assault weapons ban, universal background checks, red flag / extreme risk protection orders"
- Public schools and vouchers: "Spend public dollars on public schools, not private schools or voucher schemes."
- Property taxes: Supports stronger public services, renter rights, wages. Nothing on property tax relief.
Claims and the record- 2025 quorum-break fine: Fined $8,354.25 by the House Administration Committee (April 2026) for the August 2025 quorum break. No response found.
- Endorsements
- Texas AFL-CIO
- Texas AFT
- Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
- Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus
- Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA)
- Campaign website
- laurenashleysimmons.com
Open in the full comparison: Harris County