Texas Democrat Drops Out of Race After Major Scandal Breaks

Texas Democrats suffered a blow to their election plans after one of their candidates suddenly dropped out of the race.

This comes after a report that suggested a candidate was a felon who may have lied on her campaign filings.

Ericka Lomick announced Monday that she was ending her campaign for Texas House District 93, an open seat covering parts of northern Tarrant County.

"After careful consideration, I have made the decision to suspend my campaign for House District 93," Lomick said in a statement. "Although this was not an easy decision, I am convinced that it was the right one for the people of HD 93."

The sudden departure came days after Protect and Serve Texas PAC, which supports Republican nominee Alan Blaylock, published opposition research on Lomick's criminal history and raised questions about whether she is legally eligible to hold office.

Federal court records independently reviewed by multiple news outlets identify Ericka L. Flood, also known as Ericka Lomick, as a defendant in a 2010 federal mortgage-fraud prosecution in North Carolina. Lomick pleaded guilty to offenses involving mortgage-fraud conspiracy, bank fraud and money-laundering conspiracy and was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison.

That record drew additional attention because Lomick previously told the Fort Worth Report that she had never been convicted of a crime "in any state."

Lomick did not directly address the convictions in her campaign-suspension statement. Instead, her campaign said questions had arisen about her eligibility to serve and that she was stepping aside to avoid having the controversy consume the race.

"Ericka Lomick has chosen to step aside and allow the people of HD 93 to elect someone who can serve the district without the burden of defending against attacks that would threaten to derail the business of the people," her campaign said.

Protect and Serve Texas also alleged that Lomick has an outstanding federal lien of roughly $300,000 connected to restitution from the criminal case. The Dallas Express independently confirmed the underlying federal criminal records but reported that it had not independently verified the current status of the Tarrant County lien.

Texas law generally bars a person who has been finally convicted of a felony from being a candidate for public office unless that person has been pardoned or "otherwise released from the resulting disabilities." According to the Texas Secretary of State guidance cited in reporting on Lomick's case, simply completing a felony sentence does not automatically restore eligibility to run for office.

Lomick's announcement may end her active campaign, but it won't necessarily remove her name from voters' ballots.

Texas Election Code sets a firm deadline for general-election withdrawals: "A candidate may not withdraw from the general election after the 74th day before election day." It also provides that a candidate's name is omitted if the candidate withdraws, dies or is declared ineligible on or before that deadline.

The Tarrant County Democrat Party, meanwhile, was assessing the situation after Lomick informed party officials that she planned to suspend her campaign, according to the Fort Worth Report.

With Election Day set for Nov. 3, Lomick's withdrawal came well after that cutoff. She is therefore expected to remain listed on the ballot despite suspending her campaign.

The seat was previously held by Republican Nate Schatzline, who left the Legislature after accepting a position advising Gov. Greg Abbott. Voters will choose someone to complete the remainder of Schatzline's current term and separately elect the representative for the new two-year term beginning in January.

Republican candidate Alan Blaylock, a former Fort Worth City Council member and retired technology executive, is now in the driver's seat to win.

Blaylock said after Lomick's announcement that his campaign would continue focusing on its stated priorities.

"Our campaign continues forward with an unwavering focus on lowering the cost of living, providing real, permanent property tax relief, strong schools and safe neighborhoods," Blaylock said.

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