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| Texas House of Representatives District 120 | ||
| Current incumbent | Barbara Gervin-Hawkins  | |
| Population | 175,132 | |
| Race | 23.9% White, 72.6% Black/Hispanic, 3.5% Other | |
| Ethnicity | 53.2% Not Hispanic, 46.8% Hispanic | |
| Voting age | 71.3% age 18 and over | |
Texas' one hundred-twentieth state house district is represented by Democratic Representative Barbara Gervin-Hawkins.
As of the 2010 census, a total of 175,132 civilians reside within Texas' one hundred-twentieth state house district. Texas state representatives represent an average of 167,637 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 139,012 residents.
Members of the Texas House of Representatives serve two-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Texas legislators assume office at the beginning of the legislative session (January).
To be eligible to serve in the Texas House of Representatives, a candidate must be:
| State legislators | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $7,200/year | $190/day. Set by the ethics commission. |
When calculating a legislators' pension, their normal salary is artificially inflated to $125,000. This goes back to 1981, when lawmakers linked their salaries to those of state judges. Since then, they raised judges' salaries while removing the caps on their own pensions, pushing the maximum benefit up to 100% of a judge's salary.
In 2011, this resulted in an average state employee pension of $17,526 annually. The maximum pension a legislator can earn is $125,000, of which Rep. Tom Craddick (R) will be the first to qualify for when he retires. .
If there is a vacancy in the house, the Governor must call a special election to fill the vacant seat. A Governor's proclamation to a special election must be delivered to local elections authorities representing the vacant seat no later than 36 days before the scheduled election.
The Secretary of State can declare a candidate duly elected in a special election if there is no opposition.
Elections for the office of Texas House of Representatives will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for March 3, 2020, and a primary runoff is scheduled for May 26, 2020. The filing deadline was December 9, 2019.
Incumbent Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D) defeated Ronald Payne (R) in the general election for Texas House of Representatives District 120 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D) |
68.4
|
28,864 |
|
|
Ronald Payne (R) |
31.6
|
13,354 | |
|
|
Total votes: 42,218 |
Incumbent Barbara Gervin-Hawkins advanced from the Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 120 on March 6, 2018.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D) |
100
|
6,161 |
|
|
Total votes: 6,161 |
Ronald Payne advanced from the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 120 on March 6, 2018.
Candidate |
% |
Votes |
||
| ✔ |
|
Ronald Payne (R) |
100
|
3,161 |
|
|
Total votes: 3,161 |
Elections for the Texas House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on March 1, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was December 14, 2015. Incumbent Laura Thompson (I-Independent) was elected to the seat in a special election on August 2, 2016.
Barbara Gervin-Hawkins defeated incumbent Laura Thompson in the Texas House of Representatives District 120 general election.Texas House of Representatives, District 120 General Election, 2016
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  Barbara Gervin-Hawkins |
77.65% | 31,510 | |
| Independent | Laura Thompson Incumbent | 22.35% | 9,072 | |
| Total Votes | 40,582 | |||
| Source: Texas Secretary of State | ||||
Texas House of Representatives, District 120 Democratic Primary Runoff, 2016
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Barbara Gervin-Hawkins |
55.83% | 1,983 | |
| Democratic | Mario Salas | 44.17% | 1,569 | |
| Total Votes | 3,552 | |||
Texas House of Representatives, District 120 Democratic Primary, 2016
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Barbara Gervin-Hawkins |
26.31% | 2,684 | |
| Democratic | Mario Salas |
23.16% | 2,363 | |
| Democratic | Byron Miller | 18.76% | 1,914 | |
| Democratic | Art Hall | 12.36% | 1,261 | |
| Democratic | Latronda Darnell | 11.57% | 1,180 | |
| Democratic | Lou Miller | 7.85% | 801 | |
| Total Votes | 10,203 | |||
A special election for the position of Texas House of Representatives District 120 was called for May 7. A special runoff election was held on August 2. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 7.
The seat was vacant following Ruth Jones McClendon's (D) resignation on January 31, 2016.
Latronda Darnell (D), Chris Dawkins (D), Lou Miller (D), and Laura Thompson (I) ran in the special election. Since no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters, Thompson and Miller, faced off in a special runoff election, which Thompson won.
Texas House of Representatives, District 120, Special Election Runoff, 2016
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Laura Thompson |
52% | 635 | |
| Democratic | Lou Miller | 48% | 585 | |
| Total Votes | 1,220 | |||
Texas House of Representatives, District 120, Special Election, 2016
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Laura Thompson (advanced to the runoff) |
33% | 675 | |
| Democratic | Lou Miller (advanced to the runoff) |
28% | 574 | |
| Democratic | Latronda Darnell | 23.8% | 487 | |
| Democratic | Chris Dawkins | 15.2% | 312 | |
| Total Votes | 2,048 | |||
Elections for all 150 seats in the Texas House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on March 4, 2014. Those candidates who did not receive 50 percent or more of the vote in their party primary on March 4 faced an additional May 27 primary runoff. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was December 9, 2013. Incumbent Ruth Jones McClendon was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Jones McClendon defeated Gilberto Villela (L) in the general election.
Texas House of Representatives, District 120 General Election, 2014
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ruth Jones McClendon Incumbent |
82.3% | 16,892 | |
| Libertarian | Gilberto Villela | 17.7% | 3,637 | |
| Total Votes | 20,529 | |||
Elections for the office of Texas House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on May 29, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. Incumbent Ruth Jones McClendon (D) defeated Gregory L. Fox (G) in the general election. McClendon was unopposed in the Democratic primary election.
Texas House of Representatives, District 120, General Election, 2012
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ruth Jones McClendon Incumbent |
87.9% | 33,756 | |
| Green | Gregory L. Fox | 12.1% | 4,651 | |
| Total Votes | 38,407 | |||
From 2002 to 2014, candidates for Texas House of Representatives District 120 raised a total of $1,158,547. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $115,855 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.
Campaign contributions, Texas House of Representatives District 120
| Year | Amount | Candidates | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | $100,950 | 2 | $50,475 |
| 2012 | $171,333 | 1 | $171,333 |
| 2010 | $161,124 | 1 | $161,124 |
| 2008 | $226,395 | 1 | $226,395 |
| 2006 | $161,600 | 1 | $161,600 |
| 2004 | $147,946 | 2 | $73,973 |
| 2002 | $125,594 | 1 | $125,594 |
| 2000 | $63,605 | 1 | $63,605 |
| Total | $1,158,547 | 10 | $115,855 |
