This series is called Meet the Candidates. Over the next two 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 Odus Evbagharu?
Odus Evbagharu is the son of immigrants who grew up in Cy-Fair, went through Cy-Fair public schools, and came out the other end with a University of Houston degree and a small business to his name.
In 2021, he became the youngest and first Black person elected Chair of the Harris County Democratic Party. While in the role, he ran one of the most inclusive voter contact operations the county has seen. He helped deliver the first Democratic supermajority on Harris County Commissioners Court since the 1970s. Then he went on to serve as Chief of Staff in HD135, under Jon Rosenthal.
His platform, “A Plan for US,” includes fully funded public schools, Medicaid expansion, reproductive freedom, living wages, union protections, and infrastructure.
The district.
HD135 is 82% non-Anglo, 48% Hispanic, 24% Black, 11% Asian, and more than half the households speak a language other than English at home. Per capita income sits at $32,400, well under the state’s $40,752, and renters here are paying an average of $1,797 a month, which is more than the statewide average rent, in a district where income is lower than the statewide average.
In 2024, Rosenthal ran unopposed and pulled 100% of the vote in HD135. Meanwhile, Harris carried the district’s presidential vote 52.8% to 45%, a tighter margin than you’d expect from a seat nobody thought was worth fighting for. Turnout was 56% of registered voters. Statewide, turnout was 61.3%. So this “safe blue district” actually turned out below the state average in a presidential year.
Which is exactly why it matters for November. Letitia Plummer is running countywide for Harris County Judge against Republican Orlando Sanchez. A margin that thin means every precinct’s turnout counts, including the ones inside HD135 that Democrats have gotten comfortable ignoring because “it’s safe.” Add in the statewide ballot. Allred outperformed Harris here in 2024, pulling 56.4% to Cruz’s 40.4%, so this electorate clearly shows up for the right candidate when motivated.
HD135 is a safe blue district, but turnout is everything.
The Republican.
The incumbent for this district is Jon Rosenthal (D). However, he is running for Railroad Commissioner.
The Republican running in this district, Liz Ramos, had only $500 on hand at the last filing deadline. Odus Evbagharu had over $42,000. Which probably says a lot about the kind of race they’re having in the district.
I checked her out, and her website is a standard Republican “Gun, God, and Country,” and on her Facebook, she’s pushing out racist propaganda.
For those who weren’t around for SB17, I covered the debate extensively. And Republican ads against Talarico completely mischaracterize what the vote was. And it was racist, and it was targeting certain people of certain ethnicities.
Liz Ramos is a typical Republican, unfit for governing a multi-racial state like Texas.
In Odus Evbagharu’s own words.
Below are some questions I asked Evbagharu, 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 Texas’ minimum wage to at least $15 an hour. No Texan working full-time should struggle to afford housing, groceries, healthcare, and other basic necessities. My campaign is centered on building prosperity for working families through living wages and lowering everyday costs. As a small business owner, I also understand the pressures employers face, so I support a responsible phase-in paired with expanded access to capital and resources that help local businesses grow while paying workers what they deserve.
Q: Should Texas end tax subsidies and abatements for large corporations?
Yes, in their current form. Texas should end blank-check tax subsidies and abatements for large corporations that can afford to invest here without special treatment. Economic development incentives should be targeted, transparent, and tied to measurable benefits like good-paying jobs, local hiring, and real community investment. If companies receive public support, taxpayers deserve strong accountability, enforceable commitments, and clawbacks when those promises are not kept.
Q: Do you oppose school vouchers and efforts to privatize public education?
I oppose school vouchers and efforts to divert public dollars away from our neighborhood public schools. Texas should fully fund the schools that serve every child, increase educator pay, strengthen special education and student support services, and give districts the resources they need to succeed. Public education is a public responsibility, and taxpayer dollars should come with transparency, accountability, and a commitment to serving all students.
Q: Should Texas guarantee free school meals to all K–12 students, regardless of income?
No child should have to learn on an empty stomach, and no family should have to navigate unnecessary barriers just to make sure their child is fed at school. I support universal free school meals because they reduce stigma, support student health and learning, and ease costs for working families. Texas should treat nutritious school meals as part of the basic infrastructure of public education.
Q: Would you support redirecting state subsidies from fossil fuels to fund community-owned solar, wind, and battery projects in low-income and rural areas?
I support shifting state subsidies toward community-owned solar, wind, and battery projects, particularly in low-income and rural areas that often face higher energy burdens and reliability challenges. Public incentives should help lower household energy costs, strengthen local resilience, and expand access to distributed energy resources. Any transition should also protect grid reliability, support workers, and ensure communities have a meaningful role in how projects are developed.
Bonus Question: Who are your political role models, living or dead?
Barack Obama, Muhammad Ali, Raphael Warnock, Nelson Mandela, and Shirley Chisholm. I admire leaders who combine courage with conviction and never lose sight of the people they serve. Each of them, in different ways, showed that leadership is about more than holding office. It is about inspiring people, standing firm in your values, challenging injustice, and using your voice to create opportunity for others.
Odus Evbagharu is walking into HD135 because he’s spent years doing the work that has built his reputation as someone you can count on.
From organizing a county party and delivering a commissioners court supermajority to sitting in the room as Chief of Staff. His answers on wages, vouchers, school meals, and energy are straightforward and to the point.
His opponent has $500 in the bank and a Facebook feed full of the same racist mischaracterizations Republicans have been running for years, in a district that’s 80% non-Anglo.
Vote like the margin matters, because somewhere down this same ballot, it already has.
You can learn more about Odus Evbagharu from website, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.
58 days until the November election!
Did you know you can find links to all the previous Meet the Candidate articles on these lists?:
Click here to find out what Legislative districts you’re in.
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