Averie Bishop, the former Miss Texas who has spoken out against state GOP leaders, announced Tuesday she is challenging state Rep. Angie Chen Button, R-Richardson.
The 26-year-old Bishop said she would run as a Democrat for House District 112, a perennially competitive district in northeast Dallas County.
“I know what it’s like to grow up in a small town and never see leaders who looked like me, let alone who fought for me,” Bishop said in a statement. “It’s time for the next generation of Texans to lead — to protect our state’s environment and economy, to safeguard our schools and our right to education, and to truly represent the majority of this great state.”
If elected, Bishop would be the first Filipino American in the state legislature.
Bishop made history last year as the first Asian American to win the Miss Texas title, and told KERA that experience and her identity will inform her candidacy.
“So I’m really excited to do the groundwork, not only within District 112, but also to showcase how culturally vibrant Texas certainly is,” she said.
The law school graduate told KERA she's been thinking about a career in politics since she won Miss Texas.
“A lot of the issues that I'm very passionate about and my generation is passionate about are issues that are happening right now,” Bishop said. “We can't afford to wait for anyone to put off running for office like myself.”
Bishop was the first Asian contestant to become Miss Texas in the pageant’s 85-year history.
Button is also Asian American, an immigrant from Taiwan whose parents fled communist China.
As Miss Texas 2022, Bishop was unusually vocal for a pageant winner about the direction of the state, criticizing Republican leadership on issues of abortion, guns and race. She has amassed a large following on social media, boasting 841,000 followers on TikTok.
This appears to be Bishop’s first run for public office.
Bishop emerged as a likely candidate for District 112 last week, filing a campaign treasurer appointment for the seat that allowed her to start raising money.
Button, who has served in the House since 2009, is a veteran of tough campaigns. In 2020, she won reelection by less than 300 votes, while President Joe Biden carried her district by 9 percentage points.
Redistricting made the district redder. Under the new boundaries, Biden would have lost the district by less than 1 point. Even so, Button defeated her Democratic challenger last year by 10 points.
Button chairs the House International Relations and Economic Development Committee.
Rebekah Moore contributed to this story.