Texas State Senator, District 16

Nathan Johnson is a Democratic state senator from Dallas who has served in the Texas Senate since 2019, representing a Dallas County district¹¹. He is a litigator and mediator in the Dallas office of Thompson Coburn LLP, with a physics degree from the University of Arizona and a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin¹. He won the Democratic nomination for attorney general by defeating Joe Jaworski in the May 26, 2026 runoff¹.

Where they stand

• School choice: No, keep public money in traditional public schools Voted · medium confidence
  • Answered "No" when asked whether he would vote to create a voucher program of any type for private or home schools, and said he would keep working to stop the turnover of public education to the private sector. (2024) source
  • Voted no on final Senate passage of SB 2, which created a state education savings account program to help pay for private school; it passed 19 to 12. (2025-02-05) source
  • Voted no on SB 8, an earlier education savings account bill that passed the Senate 18 to 13. (2023-04-06) source
• Guns: Add universal background checks and red-flag laws Said · medium confidence
  • After the Allen mall shooting, called for gun safety laws such as extreme risk ("red flag") orders, background checks and better training. (2023-05-07) source
  • Listed support for red flag laws, expanded background checks, a minimum age of 21 to buy an assault weapon, a waiting period, and restoring permit and training requirements. (2024) source
  • Voted no on HB 1927, permitless (constitutional) carry; it passed the Senate 18 to 13. (2021-05-05) source
• Abortion: Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks) Said · medium confidence
  • Said he filed bills to legalize medication abortion, repeal a 1925 Texas abortion law, protect people who help women travel out of state for an abortion, and block local abortion travel bans, and that he will always defend reproductive freedom. (2024-01-26) source
  • Voted no on the final version of SB 8, the Texas Heartbeat Act; the Senate concurred 18 to 12. (2021-05-13) source
  • Voted no on HB 1280, the law banning abortion if Roe v. Wade was overturned; it passed the Senate 19 to 12. (2021-05-25) source
  • Voted no on SB 33, which bars local governments from funding travel or logistical support for abortions; it passed the Senate 22 to 9. (2025-04-16) source
  • Voted no on HB 7, which restricts the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs; it passed the Senate 17 to 8. (2025-09-03) source
• Marijuana: Decriminalize small amounts (fines, not jail) Said · medium confidence
  • In a statement explaining his vote on SB 3, said THC should be decriminalized in small consumable quantities and strictly regulated, and that he filed SB 2028 to decriminalize recreational marijuana use and possession. (2025-03-19) source
  • In the 2025 special session, filed a bill to remove criminal penalties for adults possessing up to two ounces of marijuana and allow limited home growing, with a new commission to write rules that include expungements. (2025-07-30) source
  • Said adults should be able to make their own choices about recreational THC use under a strict regulatory system. (2025-09-27) source
  • Voted yes on SB 3, a hemp THC bill, when it first passed the Senate in March 2025 while saying a ban was not the right approach; later voted no on the final version, which the Senate approved 25 to 6. (2025-05-25) source
• Immigration: Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steady Said · medium confidence
  • Said he is against illegal immigration, the border must be secure from smuggling and trafficking, and he would pursue people involved in crimes, but would not make the office "an instrumentality of ICE" and objected to masked agents "ripping people off the streets." (2025-09-27) source
  • His campaign website says the attorney general should assist federal enforcement as appropriate and block federal actions that go too far. (2026-01-13) source
  • Voted no on SB 8, which requires certain sheriffs to seek agreements with ICE to enforce federal immigration law; it passed the Senate 20 to 11. (2025-05-31) source
• Healthcare: Keep the Affordable Care Act and fix what is broken Said · medium confidence
  • Said he has been the lead voice for Medicaid expansion in Texas and passed SB 1296 (2021) to help about 350,000 uninsured low-income Texans get private health insurance. (2026) source
• Business regulation: Stronger rules on big corporations, banks and tech companies Said · low confidence
  • Listed enforcing fair market competition laws to counter monopoly power and reviving consumer protection against fraud, AI scams and price fixing as top priorities. (2026-08-31) source
  • His campaign website says businesses that engage in price gouging, consumer scams and unfair competition "will learn the rules the hard way." (2026-01-13) source
• Housing and growth: Allow townhomes and apartments in more places to bring prices down Voted · low confidence
  • Voted yes on SB 15, which bars certain large cities from requiring residential lots larger than 3,000 square feet; it passed the Senate 29 to 2. (2025-03-19) source
  • Voted no when SB 840, which limits city rules on mixed-use and multifamily housing, first passed the Senate 23 to 7, then voted yes on the final version, approved 31 to 0. (2025-05-26) source
  • His campaign lists "removing the regulatory block on construction of promising new forms of housing" among his accomplishments. (2026) source
• AI regulation: Let states like Texas write their own targeted AI rules Voted · low confidence
  • Voted yes on HB 149, the Texas law regulating the use of artificial intelligence systems with civil penalties; it passed the Senate 31 to 0. (2025-05-23) source
  • Said he has passed legislation to protect consumers from AI scams. (2026) source
• School vaccines: Keep requirements with simple personal-belief exemptions, as Texas does now Voted · low confidence
  • Voted yes on HB 1586, which requires the state to post the school vaccine exemption affidavit form online; it passed the Senate 23 to 8. (2025-05-25) source
• Property taxes: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted yes on SB 4, which raised the school homestead exemption, while saying in a written statement that he had reservations about its long-term cost. (2025-02-13) source
  • Voted no on SB 23, which raised the school homestead exemption for older and disabled homeowners; he was the only no vote in a 30 to 1 tally. (2025-05-29) source
  • Voted no on SB 10, which lowered the voter-approval tax rate limit for certain local taxing units, saying in a written statement that such a major change should not be rushed through a special session. (2025-08-19) source
  • Voted no on the final version of SB 2 (2019), the property tax bill; the Senate adopted it 21 to 9. (2019-05-25) source
  • Said he wrote an op-ed raising concerns about dedicating so much money to property tax cuts without funding schools as promised. (2024) source
• Texas power grid: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · medium confidence
  • Said his "Texas Power Promise" law directs a $1.8 billion program for sustained emergency power at critical community facilities. (2026) source
  • Voted yes on SB 2627, which created state loans for dispatchable power plants and backup power packages; it passed the Senate 27 to 4. (2023-05-04) source
  • Voted no on SB 6, which set up a Texas Energy Insurance Program to support power plant construction; it passed 22 to 9. (2023-04-05) source
• Energy and climate: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted no on SB 819, a bill on renewable energy generation facilities that authorized new fees; it passed the Senate 22 to 9. (2025-04-15) source
  • Voted no on SB 388, setting legislative goals for electric generation capacity; it passed the Senate 18 to 13. (2025-03-19) source
  • Said he passed legislation to increase penalties on polluters. (2026) source
• Nuclear power: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted no on HB 14, which created the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office and a development fund with grant programs; it passed the Senate 26 to 5. (2025-05-27) source
• Gender care for minors: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted no on SB 14, which bans gender transition procedures and treatments for minors; the Senate approved the final version 19 to 12. (2023-05-17) source
• Transgender athletes: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · high confidence
  • Voted no on the final version of SB 15, which requires college athletes to compete based on biological sex; the Senate concurred 19 to 12. (2023-05-26) source
  • Voted no on HB 25, which requires K-12 athletes to compete based on sex assigned at birth; it passed the Senate 19 to 12. (2021-10-15) source
• Religion in schools: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · high confidence
  • Voted no on SB 10, requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms; the Senate approved the final version 21 to 10. (2025-05-28) source
  • Voted no on SB 11, which provides for a period of prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text in public schools; it passed 23 to 7. (2025-03-18) source
• Curriculum and books: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · high confidence
  • Voted no on SB 13, which creates local school library advisory councils and expands parental rights over school library materials; it passed the Senate 23 to 8. (2025-03-19) source
  • Voted no on HB 900, regulating library materials sold to or kept in public school libraries; it passed the Senate 19 to 12. (2023-05-23) source
• DEI programs: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · high confidence
  • Voted no on SB 17, which bars public colleges from keeping diversity, equity and inclusion offices, with some exceptions; it passed the Senate 19 to 12. (2023-04-19) source
  • Voted no on SB 12, which bars DEI duties in public K-12 schools and expands parental rights; the Senate adopted the final version 20 to 11. (2025-05-31) source
• China policy: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · high confidence
  • Voted no on SB 17, which restricts purchases of Texas real estate by certain foreign individuals and entities; it passed the Senate 24 to 7. (2025-03-19) source
  • Voted no on SB 147, an earlier land purchase restriction bill; it passed the Senate 19 to 12. (2023-04-26) source
• Election rules: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · high confidence
  • Voted no on SB 1 (2021), the election law overhaul; it passed the Senate 18 to 11. (2021-08-11) source
  • Voted no on SB 16, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote; it passed the Senate 20 to 11. (2025-04-01) source
  • Said he would investigate allegations of voter fraud, election official intimidation, improper purging of voter rolls and election irregularities. (2026-08-31) source
• Redistricting: Independent commissions draw maps, with a national ban on partisan gerrymandering Official action · medium confidence
  • Authored SJR 54 (2021), a proposed constitutional amendment to create an independent redistricting commission to draw Texas congressional and legislative districts; it was referred to committee and did not advance. (2021-03-18) source
  • Voted no on HB 4, which redrew Texas U.S. House districts in 2025; it passed the Senate 18 to 11. (2025-08-22) source
  • Voted no on SB 6, the 2021 congressional map; it passed the Senate 18 to 13. (2021-10-08) source
• Policing and crime: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted yes on SB 9, which tightened bail procedures and regulated charitable bail groups; the final version passed 29 to 2. (2025-05-29) source
  • Listed partnering with and supporting district attorneys to improve public safety among his top priorities. (2026-08-31) source
  • His campaign lists promoting peace officer wellness and benefits for surviving families among his accomplishments. (2026) source
• Mandatory minimums: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · medium confidence
  • Voted yes on SB 4 (2023), which set a 10-year minimum prison term for certain enhanced human smuggling and stash house offenses; it passed the Senate 29 to 2. (2023-10-12) source
  • Said he filed SB 2028 in 2025 to reduce potential sentencing ranges for certain amounts of marijuana. (2025-03-19) source

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, E-Verify mandate, Kids online, AI data centers.

Record

• Elected to the Texas Senate, District 16, in 2018, defeating Republican incumbent Don Huffines⁸.
• Says he has authored about 433 bills and passed 134 into law since 2019³.
• Won the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary with 48.1% and the May 26 runoff over Joe Jaworski with 59.4%².
• Endorsed by former Texas Supreme Court justices Tom Phillips and Deborah Hankinson, both appointed by Republican governors¹².
• Said in a January 2026 primary debate that the Texas Women's Privacy Act is "a dumb law" and that the attorney general's tip line for it would not be staffed if he were elected¹⁰.