Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.

Elizabeth Ginsberg

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
BP-Initials-UPDATED.png
This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Elizabeth Ginsberg
Image of Elizabeth Ginsberg
Elections and appointments
Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

University of Texas at Austin, 1990

Law

University of Texas School of Law, 1993

Personal
Birthplace
Houston, Texas
Religion
Christian/Jewish
Profession
Attorney, Small Business Owner
Contact

Elizabeth Ginsberg (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Texas House of Representatives to represent District 108. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Ginsberg completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Elizabeth Ginsberg was born in Houston, Texas. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1990 and a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 1993. Her career experience includes working as an attorney and small business owner.[1]

As of 2023, Ginsberg was affiliated with the following organizations:

  • Dallas Bar Association
  • Dallas Founders Lions Club
  • Dallas County Historical Commission
  • Reading Partners
  • Preston Hollow Democrats
  • Daughters of the American Revolution

Elections

2024

See also: Texas House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for Texas House of Representatives District 108

Incumbent Morgan Meyer defeated Elizabeth Ginsberg in the general election for Texas House of Representatives District 108 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Morgan Meyer
Morgan Meyer (R)
 
57.6
 
60,227
Image of Elizabeth Ginsberg
Elizabeth Ginsberg (D) Candidate Connection
 
42.4
 
44,307

Total votes: 104,534
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 108

Elizabeth Ginsberg defeated Yasmin Simon in the Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 108 on March 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Elizabeth Ginsberg
Elizabeth Ginsberg Candidate Connection
 
58.9
 
7,775
Image of Yasmin Simon
Yasmin Simon Candidate Connection
 
41.1
 
5,423

Total votes: 13,198
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 108

Incumbent Morgan Meyer defeated Barry Wernick in the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 108 on March 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Morgan Meyer
Morgan Meyer
 
51.1
 
12,303
Image of Barry Wernick
Barry Wernick
 
48.9
 
11,766

Total votes: 24,069
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign finance

Endorsements

Ginsberg received the following endorsements.

2022

See also: Texas House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

General election for Texas House of Representatives District 108

Incumbent Morgan Meyer defeated Elizabeth Ginsberg in the general election for Texas House of Representatives District 108 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Morgan Meyer
Morgan Meyer (R)
 
56.4
 
49,755
Image of Elizabeth Ginsberg
Elizabeth Ginsberg (D)
 
43.6
 
38,390

Total votes: 88,145
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 108

Elizabeth Ginsberg defeated Freda Heald in the Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 108 on March 1, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Elizabeth Ginsberg
Elizabeth Ginsberg
 
80.8
 
9,164
Freda Heald
 
19.2
 
2,180

Total votes: 11,344
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 108

Incumbent Morgan Meyer advanced from the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 108 on March 1, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Morgan Meyer
Morgan Meyer
 
100.0
 
16,312

Total votes: 16,312
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign finance

Campaign themes

2024

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia
Released November 21, 2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Elizabeth Ginsberg completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ginsberg's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Elizabeth Ginsberg is a respected Dallas lawyer, small business owner, and community advocate. She and her husband have lived in the district for 27 years and have two daughters. Ginsberg is focused on restoring a woman's right to choose, reducing gun violence, supporting public schools, and increasing access to affordable healthcare. She has a business degree and a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a longtime Democratic Party supporter who has worked on the campaigns of Senator Nathan Johnson, Representative John Turner, D.A. John Creuzot and many more. She was the 2022 Democratic Nominee for District 108, and turned out more Democratic voters than any other campaign in Dallas County during the General Election, after winning her Primary Election with 80% of the vote.
  • Elizabeth Ginsberg is running against incumbent Morgan Meyer. Meyer voted for extremist legislation to deny Texans access to reproductive care and abortion, even in extreme circumstances such as rape and incest. After Roe v. Wade was overturned, he said he would advocate for exceptions, but failed to deliver. Across Texas, women and parents are suffering from emotional and physical pain created by this barbaric legislation. Elizabeth believes that the state government has overreached into our healthcare and is interfering with personal decisions that should be made between Texans and their doctors.
  • Most Texans believe in the 2nd Amendment and the right to own firearms. Texans also agree that we must do something to curb the mass shootings that have led to tragedy after tragedy. Elizabeth will support rational measures such as red flag laws, responsible gun storage, background checks, better enforcement of existing laws, and perhaps even limiting or eliminating the sale of military weaponry so our police aren't outgunned in our neighborhoods. Texans have the right to live free from the fear of gun violence in our schools, shopping malls, movie theaters, places of worship and festivals.
  • Quality public education is a core value in Texas House District 108 and constitutionally mandated in Texas, but Republican Morgan Meyer has voted FOR vouchers and AGAINST teacher raises. Parents and taxpayers expect a State Representative who will defend our public schools, not defund them. We need to provide local districts with the needed resources in schools, and work together towards a long-term solution that reduces the burden on homeowners who have covered the bill left by the state reducing its contribution to public school funding. We also need to support special education programs and invest in trade programs, community colleges, adult education and other ways to prepare our workforce to be job ready.
My top issue is the restoration of women's reproductive rights in Texas. These rights, stripped away by the extremist Republican leadership in Austin, were hard won by my generation and my parents' generation. Women are now no longer in control of their own choices, and are sometimes in medical danger due to the new draconian restrictions. Once elected, I will do everything in my power to advocate for women's rights, from supporting legislation, to empowering other Democrats to run for office so we can return Texas to a common-sense position on choice.

I am also the product of public education, and I have watched for years as the extremist right has chipped away at funding for public schools, undermining teachers and the vast majority of young people in Texas who rely on public schools. I have been a powerful voice against voucher schemes that would siphon tax dollars away from public schools to private schools that have no accountability. My anti-voucher petition drive collected thousands to signatures that were shared with Texas legislators, encouraging them to stand up for our public schools.

As a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense candidate in 2022, I have consistently called out the Republican leadership for inaction on gun violence. I am a firm supporter of the right to bear arms, but I also strongly believe there are common-sense ways to reduce gun violence available to us. Texans overwhelmingly want action on this issue, and I will fight to create needed change.
In my personal life, I look up to my mother and father who always worked to open doors for me and encouraged me to question and take risks.

Politically, I think of former Representative Gabby Giffords as someone I look up to. It was no accident that she was injured when she was out meeting constituents. She understands the power of relationships to achieve change. I was impressed by her listening skills and understanding of what constituents care about, and how change can affect their lives. This is a sentiment that was also impressed upon me by former Texas State Representative Harryette Ehrhart, who shared with me that her favorite part of being a legislator was constituent services.

Gabby Giffords also illustrated to me the power of persistence. Persistence has been at the core of her efforts to promote common sense gun laws. She will not give up, and on a national level, she has taken her personal tragedy and saved lives. I had the privilege of meeting her in early 2023 and we discussed that I was considering running for this seat for the second time. She told me that persistence is the key to victory. We cannot give up, because change takes time and experience matters.

Persistence is important not only in winning House District 108, but in achieving our political goals. I would love to wake up in November 2024 and be part of a Democratic majority in the Texas House. Even when that happens, persistence will still be necessary to achieve our goals of ending extremism, of fully funding our public schools, of reclaiming reproductive rights and of implementing common sense gun violence prevention laws.
The Constitution is the best summary of my political philosophy. The Preamble states, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." The key to me is that our government is a work in progress. We should always be aiming to form a more perfect union. Democracy is a practice, not a state, and we are working to expand the promises of democracy in Texas.
An elected official must first be a listener in order to be an effective representative. Too many elected officials are so focused on reelection that they become political ideologues who cannot set aside their philosophy in order to work on solving problems.

An elected official must also have empathy for those who disagree with them and who may be different than them. With empathy, opposing factions can set aside dogma to reach solutions.
I reject the extremism and anti-intellectualism that has permeated our state politics. District 108, where I have lived for more than 27 years, is a moderate district with constituents who want solutions to real problems instead of gridlock and hyper-partisan culture wars that distract us from pressing matters. I intend to focus on finding workable solutions for supporting our public schools, reclaiming our rights to make the most personal decisions about our healthcare, and advocating for common-sense solutions to reduce violence and make our communities safer.

I have raised a family in this district, opened my own successful small law firm here, and interacted with my neighbors and fellow business people through my community involvement, my legal practice, and my longtime work as a leader in the Democratic Party. I have my finger on the pulse of this district, and I am firmly focused on finding solutions, finding common ground, and getting things done. As a litigator, I have learned how to advocate for my clients, and as a Representative, I would advocate for my constituents. I have learned to negotiate and find a way forward, just as a Representative must do. I understand how laws work and the impact that careful drafting of legislation can have on the citizens of Texas. One of the things I most enjoy about being an attorney is learning about new businesses and meeting new people every day. I know how to gather information and critically evaluate sources of information to educate myself and be an independent thinker. My experiences in this community, my personal and professional skills, and my commitment to getting things done set me apart.
The core responsibility of the State Representative for House District 108 is making sure that our community's values are given a strong voice in Austin. This means ending the culture wars and respecting the rights of Texans to determine their future. It means working to make Texas a place of opportunity and prosperity through education, cooperation, and a robust exchange of ideas. It means fostering safe communities where Texans flourish rather than cowering in fear over gun violence.
I want to be remembered as a leader who stood up to right-wing extremism and Greg Abbott's radical agenda, and secure our state's return to dignified, common-sense leadership that respects the rights and wishes of the majority of Texans.
The first historical event I remember was the Iranian Hostage Crisis. I was ten years old. I remember that we had just finished celebrating the Bicentennial a few years earlier, and the idea that there could be people who hated our country was difficult to understand. We also knew Iranian refugees who shared in a limited way their experiences. I believe it shaped my understanding of fundamentalism and authoritarianism. It also made me want to understand other cultures and study languages.
My first job was when I was 15. I worked over the summer registering voters.

After I completed law school and college, my first full time job was as a briefing attorney for the Court of Appeals for the First District of Texas. For one year, I worked for a judge who decided criminal and civil appeals. It was formative for me as an attorney, primarily because the judge I worked for understood that there were no "small" cases. Any dispute that becomes a lawsuit is important to the people involved. This has shaped my practice in working with my clients who are primarily individuals and small businesses.

The Court I worked for was a mix of Democrats and Republicans, and at that time, party affiliation was one of the worst predictors of how a judge would decide a case. Working for the Court was an example of how respectful discussions of matters of law can cross the political divide and result in decisions that work for Texans. This example of respectful disagreement and finding common ground is what we need more of today. It is how I work professionally and how I plan to work in the legislature.
I love to read, and my favorite book is usually the one I am reading now. I am in the middle of The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds and Democracy, by Anand Giridharadas. The book discusses polarization and finding common ground - topics I believe are vital to preserve our democracy.

My favorite autobiography is Personal History by Katharine Graham. Katharine Graham is an example of a woman who was believed in bringing people together, took her role as publisher of a national paper as civil responsibility, and rose to the challenge.

On of my recent fiction favorites is Writers and Lovers by Lily King. It is a novel about a young woman in her 20s as she is navigating a life as a writer. The character is the same age as my daughters set in the time I was that age. It took me back to that moment in my life and has prompted some meaningful and deep discussions in our family.

I also love the Philippa Gregory series of historical fiction books focusing on British queens and how they wielded power in male-dominated environments. The books are an escape to a different time and place, but so thought-provoking.
Dolly Parton's "Nine-to-Five" after I heard the song as part of the entertainment at a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood.
Like so many women, balancing work and family has been a struggle. I am the mother to two young women, raised in House District 108 with my husband. They are now grown and pursuing their passions. I worked throughout their life. There were times when I felt work was suffering and there were times when I was worried my children were suffering. The worries about childcare were a constant source of stress to our family, and we were well supported with family and resources, something that is not true for all Texans. Our family and my employer made adjustments, sometimes reducing my work schedule and sometime relying on family to help with our girls. I know being a mother has made me a better attorney and a better a citizen. I know being a attorney and pursuing my passions showed by daughters a wider range of opportunities available to them.
Collaborative and willing to compromise, and primarily focused on enacting the will of Texas citizens, rather than extremist ideology.
Restoring women's rights, reducing gun violence, expanding Medicaid, fixing our power grid and leading on alternative energy, working with the federal government to enact comprehensive - and humane - immigration reform.
It can be. But at this point, having a common-sense, non-extremist approach to leadership is the critical factor.
Yes because legislating is a matter of building consensus and engaging other viewpoints to create effective legislation.
There are so many political leaders who I admire, from Abraham Lincoln who worked tirelessly to maintain our union, to Lyndon B. Johnson, who sacrificed his political future to ensure that the Civil Rights Act was passed. I admire Governor Ann Richards for her honesty, wit, and ability to get things done and bring people together. Closer to home, the leadership of Representative John Turner inspired me to campaign for State House District 108. Representative Turner is committed to leading with common sense and principles, and when he announced his resignation, I realized how much our community and the state need this type of selfless but effective leadership. He has stood firm on our principles and worked across the aisle to bring real results to Texas. He understood his obligation was to the people of his district. He listened and made us proud.
The stories I have heard from families who have been personally impacted by Texas' extreme ban on abortion have been most chilling. It is a privilege that they shared them with me, and I see it as a responsibility to work to make sure women can control their reproductive health and, in turn, their lives.

I heard from the mom of a young woman the week before her daughter was getting married. The daughter and her husband planned to move to Texas because they wanted to be near family when they started a family. With the abortion ban and its cascading impact on whether women can have safe and healthy pregnancies, the daughter and her fiancée turned down jobs in Texas because it is not a great place to start a family.

A few weeks after the Dobbs decision, I visited with a young pregnant woman who was in tears about what her options would be if her pregnancy was complicated. Her doctor was frighted to even discuss the topic with her.

I have talked to OB/GYNs who are angry that the state is second guessing how they practice medicine. Other physicians have shared with me that they know they could be next with big government interference, and many are rethinking whether they will continue practicing in Texas or whether they should retire.

I talked to women of all ages who shared their stories of complicated pregnancies that ended, and they are angry that our state has removed their right to make the most personal decisions about their health and their families.
I love a good joke that works to bring people together and find common values.
I believe the legislature should oversee the use of emergency powers. Our governor has abused the emergency powers he seized during the pandemic. Such abuse of emergency powers circumvents the balance of powers, and supports authoritarian leadership.
Ideally, Texas would have legislators capable of compromise to find solutions to challenges. Compromise happens when there is listening, empathy, trust and understanding. Ideally, I would join such a policy-making body that would work for the good of all Texans. In today's political environment, extremists on the right rule Texas by majority and show little interest in negotiating with Democrats. I have seen a glimmer of hope with the rejection of school vouchers through a coalition of Democrats and rural Republicans. I hope this voucher vote is the beginning of change in Texas, for the good of the state and it residents.
I believe that the first bill I file must be a high priority bill that helps to achieve the priorities for all Texans, and there is no greater priority that fully funding our public schools. Therefore, the first bill I would introduce would be a bill to peg educational funding to inflation.
Early endorsements include Dallas County District Attorney John Cruzot, County Commissioner Andrew Sommerman, and Dallas City Council Member Jaynie Schultz.

Additional endorsements will be coming soon once endorsement screenings begin for 2024.
State Affairs interests me because it appears to be the committee that considers legislation that bridges different committees including everything from bills related to women's reproductive health to our power grid. I am also interested in serving on Public Education, Ways and Means, Business and Industry and Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence. I believe these committees are most important to the residents of House District 108 and where my experience and knowledge would contribute to discussion on the issues.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2022

Elizabeth Ginsberg did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign finance summary


Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.


Elizabeth Ginsberg campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2024* Texas House of Representatives District 108Lost general$675,610 $547,581
2022Texas House of Representatives District 108Lost general$448,424 $382,347
Grand total$1,124,034 $929,928
Sources: OpenSecretsFederal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on November 21, 2023


Current members of the Texas House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Dustin Burrows
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
Jay Dean (R)
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
District 41
District 42
District 43
District 44
District 45
District 46
District 47
District 48
District 49
District 50
District 51
District 52
District 53
District 54
District 55
District 56
Pat Curry (R)
District 57
District 58
District 59
District 60
District 61
District 62
District 63
District 64
District 65
District 66
District 67
District 68
District 69
District 70
District 71
District 72
District 73
District 74
District 75
District 76
District 77
District 78
District 79
District 80
District 81
District 82
District 83
District 84
District 85
District 86
District 87
District 88
Ken King (R)
District 89
District 90
District 91
District 92
District 93
District 94
District 95
District 96
District 97
District 98
District 99
District 100
District 101
District 102
District 103
District 104
District 105
District 106
District 107
District 108
District 109
District 110
Toni Rose (D)
District 111
District 112
District 113
District 114
District 115
District 116
District 117
District 118
District 119
District 120
District 121
District 122
District 123
District 124
District 125
Ray Lopez (D)
District 126
District 127
District 128
District 129
District 130
District 131
District 132
District 133
District 134
District 135
District 136
John Bucy (D)
District 137
Gene Wu (D)
District 138
District 139
District 140
District 141
District 142
District 143
District 144
District 145
District 146
District 147
District 148
District 149
Hubert Vo (D)
District 150
Republican Party (88)
Democratic Party (62)