DALLAS _ Eddie Bernice Johnson is running for a 15th term in Congress.
The 83-year-old Democrat told constituents and voters in Texas' 30th Congressional District this week that she's in for "one last term." Johnson will turn 84 in December.
"I fully intended to retire after my current term, but with much pressure and encouragement, I have agreed to one more term," Johnson told district residents on voicemail recordings paid for by her campaign. "I plan to continue to work hard to serve District 30."
Johnson has served in Congress since 1993, when she left the Texas Senate to run for the U.S. House.
In 1972, she won a seat in the Texas House, becoming the first black woman to hold elected office in Dallas.
With the exception of 1996, Johnson has never received less than 70% of the vote, a stunning figure that illustrates her political dominance.
For the past decade, there was speculation that Johnson would retire, to the point where two years ago, candidates were actively campaigning in anticipation of her stepping aside.
But after each cycle, Johnson has decided to run for another term, and she has said that her experience and leadership are critical in the era of President Donald Trump.
Johnson, dean of the Texas delegation to Congress, is chair of the House Science and Technology Committee.
Her district is a safe Democratic seat, covering most of southern Dallas and the Dallas County suburbs of Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville and Lancaster and part of Grand Prairie.
