Meet The Candidates: Danny Norris For Texas House District 142

The public school question at the heart of HD142.

This series is called Meet The Candidates. Over the next eleven months, I’ll spotlight a handful of Democratic races each month, mainly in the Legislature and in Congress. These aren’t endorsements. They’re introductions, a way to understand who’s running, the districts they hope to represent, and what’s at stake for people across Texas.

Who is Danny Norris?

Danny Norris is a father, husband, attorney, educator, and public servant. They are roles he has actually held, often at the same time, while staying rooted in Houston and its public institutions.

Professionally, Norris holds degrees in chemical engineering, law, and library science, and has practiced law for more than 17 years. Today, he serves as a Senior Assistant City Attorney for Houston. As the first African American president of the Harris County Department of Education Board, he delivered concrete outcomes. Under his leadership, participation by minority-owned businesses expanded by millions of dollars, and salaries for Head Start teachers increased.

Norris has worked inside the legal and educational systems that shape daily life in Harris County. He understands how policy choices land on the ground, because he lives there too. In Texas House District 142, Norris isn’t promising to fight someday. He already has, and now he’s asking voters to let him do it at the state level.

The district.

HD142, in one breath, is a safely blue, working-class Houston House seat where the real fight is almost always the Democratic primary. In 2024, the district backed Democrats by wide margins. Kamala Harris carried HD142 68.3% to Trump’s 30.6%, and Colin Allred won 70.8% to Ted Cruz’s 26.6%.

That’s what “safe blue” looks like in raw numbers.

That partisan reality is also why Harold Dutton has been able to hold this seat for so long. In the 2024 general election, Dutton ran unopposed.

Demographically, HD142 is a majority-minority district with a deep base of Black and Latino voters. The Texas Legislative Council’s ACS profile estimates that the district is about 45.8% Hispanic, 38.2% Black, and 86.6% non-Anglo overall.

The TLC district table tells the same story as the 2020 Census: 87.4% non-Anglo and a combined Black + Hispanic share of 83.8%.

This is a district built out of communities that have long been asked to carry Texas Democrats statewide and who expect their own representation to reflect that reality.

It’s also a district with many families and a lot of pressure on schools. Kids are a big part of the population here. 21.1% of residents are ages 5–17, and 49.6% of families have children under 18. And the economic context matters. 19.5% of residents live in poverty.

When you put that together, HD142 is the kind of district where “public education” isn’t a political talking point. It’s the infrastructure of daily life.

The incumbent.

Harold Dutton is the definition of an entrenched incumbent. He’s represented HD142 since the mid-1980s (when the picture above was taken), and he has built the kind of longevity that turns a seat into an institution. In 2024, he didn’t even face a general election opponent.

Dutton has real power inside the building, especially on education. That’s where a lot of the friction around him comes from. When you’re an education leader in Texas, you don’t get to be “moderate” in the abstract. You end up being the person who either blocks bad policy or helps it become law.

And on public education, especially here in Houston, Dutton’s name is tied to one of the most explosive fights of the last decade. The state takeover of Houston ISD. He authored the 2015 amendment that expanded TEA’s takeover authority, and he has publicly defended that decision, saying he has no regrets. That stance has made him a lightning rod locally, where many parents, educators, and activists view the takeover as a democratic power grab with real human fallout.

Layer on top of that the backlash he’s taken for advancing Republican priority bills while chairing Public Education in past sessions, and you get the core story: Dutton is criticized because, at key moments, he’s used his power in ways that public-school constituencies in Houston believe cut against them.

In Danny Norris’ own words.

Below are some questions I asked Norris, based on previous reader polls, along with his answers.

Q: Do you support a statewide minimum wage increase to at least $15/hour?

Yes, I support raising the statewide minimum wage to at least $15 an hour. As the cost of living continues to rise—especially in urban and working-class areas like much of HD-142—it’s critical that wages keep pace with basic needs like food, housing, and healthcare. A $15 minimum wage would not only help reduce poverty but also increase spending power in local economies and support small businesses by boosting consumer demand. I believe economic justice is at the heart of a thriving Texas, and raising the minimum wage is a necessary step toward a fairer, more equitable future.

Q: Should Texas end tax subsidies and abatements for large corporations?

Yes, I support ending tax subsidies and abatements for large corporations in Texas. These giveaways often drain public resources without delivering the promised job creation or community investment, especially in historically underserved areas like House District 142. Instead of subsidizing wealthy corporations, we should reinvest those funds in education, infrastructure, healthcare, and small-business support. Ending these corporate handouts would help level the playing field and ensure taxpayer dollars are used to uplift working families and build equitable, thriving communities.

Q: Do you oppose school vouchers and efforts to privatize public education?

Yes, I strongly oppose school vouchers and any efforts to privatize public education. As a former Democratic elected official who served on the Texas State Board of Education, I saw firsthand how critical it is to invest in our public schools and ensure they are equipped to serve all students, regardless of background or zip code. Voucher schemes divert desperately needed public funds to private institutions that aren’t accountable to taxpayers and often fail to meet the needs of students with special education needs, low-income families, and rural communities. Texas must instead strengthen its public school system by increasing the basic allotment, supporting teachers, and expanding access to quality education in every district.

Q: Do you support closing or downsizing state prisons and redirecting that funding to community-based alternatives like mental health care, housing, and youth programs?

Yes, I support closing or downsizing state prisons and redirecting those funds toward community-based alternatives such as mental health care, affordable housing, and youth intervention programs. Decades of over-incarceration—especially targeting Black and Brown communities—have failed to reduce crime or improve public safety. Instead, investments in community wellness, trauma-informed care, and economic opportunity are proven to reduce recidivism and prevent crime at its roots. A smarter and more just Texas starts with reimagining public safety through rehabilitation and support—not punishment and profit.

Q: Do you support publicly financed elections to reduce corporate and PAC influence?

Yes, I support publicly financed elections as a necessary reform to reduce the outsized influence of corporations and political action committees (PACs) in our democracy. When elections are primarily fueled by big donors, everyday Texans are often shut out of the political process, and policymaking becomes skewed toward the interests of the wealthy and well-connected. Publicly financed campaigns level the playing field, allowing candidates from all backgrounds to run competitive races and focus on serving their constituents rather than special interests. This would create a more accountable, equitable, and representative government for all Texans.

Bonus Question: Who are your political role models, living or dead?

President Barack Obama, Senator Bernie Sanders, and the late Congressman Sylvester Turner are my political role models because they embody the bold, principled leadership our communities need. Obama inspired me with his vision of hope and unity, showing how progressive policies can uplift marginalized families while building coalitions across divides. Sanders’ unapologetic fight for economic justice, Medicare for All, living wages, and worker power mirrors my push to lift HD-142’s 20% poverty rate through equitable opportunities. Turner, a Houston legend, modeled local service with integrity, transforming our city while championing education and equity—values I’ll carry to Austin to deliver real change for Fifth Ward, Sheldon, and Atascocita. Their examples guide my grassroots campaign for universal healthcare, fully funded schools, and justice for all.

HD142 is a safe blue seat.

It does not need to be “flipped,” rescued, or rebranded. What it does need is a real conversation about representation, power, and priorities in a district where public education, economic security, and community stability are not abstractions but daily realities.

Danny Norris is entering that conversation with a resume rooted in Houston’s public institutions and a record that already touches the systems HD142 depends on most. He is running on the work he has done, the decisions he has made, and the values he is willing to state plainly. Whether voters ultimately agree with him or not, this race exists because many people in the district believe it is time to ask harder questions about who holds power and how it is used.

That is what a safe blue seat is supposed to be for. Not complacency, but accountability. Not silence, but choice. Over the coming months, HD142 voters will decide whether continuity still serves them or whether a new chapter better reflects the families, workers, and students who actually live here.

You can find out more about Danny Norris on his website, Facebook, or Instagram.

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