Local nonprofit-head Titus Benton announced Monday that he will be putting his name in the hat for the Texas House District 132 race as a write-in independent. Benton will face incumbent Democratic Representative Gina Calanni and Republican and former HD 132 Representative Mike Schofield in the race.

“The partisan temperature in this country and in our state has risen to dangerous levels. The fever has to break eventually. I believe independent candidates can help pave a more united path forward,” Benton said in a press release announcing his run for the Texas congressional seat.

Both the Calanni and Schofield campaigns declined to comment on the announcement.

Texas House District 132 is situated in northwestern Harris County and has a population of about 173,000. It’s area includes the northwestern portion of the city of Katy and parts of the Cinco Ranch area just west of Houston. Highway 290 serves as its northern border while Fort Bend County’s northern and Waller County’s eastern border count as its boundaries.  

Benton is a philanthropist and runs The 25 Group, a nonprofit that serves vulnerable populations around the world and is active in the Katy area’s nonprofit community. He was pastor at Current – A Christian Church from 2011 to 2017 and has been involved in nonprofit work since leaving that congregation.

Like most campaigns during the pandemic, the race for HD 132 has been somewhat quiet with both Calanni and Schofield making limited public appearances due to social distancing requirements currently in place. However, with both of his opponents having been on the election trail for quite some time, Benton understands it will take a lot of work in order to win the seat all three candidates are vying for.

“I’m looking forward to the sprint to the finish here this fall. An Independent hasn’t won in a general election to the State House since the 1930s. But if ever there was a year to expect the unexpected, I think 2020 might be it,” Benton said.