Erin Shank
Erin Shank (Democratic Party) is running for election to the Texas House of Representatives to represent District 56. She is on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024. She advanced from the Democratic primary on March 5, 2024.
Shank completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Erin Shank earned a bachelor's degree from Trinity University in 1979, a J.D. from the Texas Tech University School of Law, and a graduate degree from Southern Methodist University in 1983. Her career experience includes working as a lawyer and owner at Erin B. Shank, P.C. Shank has been a precinct chair, ballot board member, and election judge for the McLennan County Democratic Party.[1]
As of 2024, Shank was affiliated with the following organizations:[2]
- National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys
- Waco Historic Preservation Commission (chairwoman)
- Lakeshore Baptist Church
Elections
2024
See also: Texas House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
General election for Texas House of Representatives District 56
Erin Shank and Pat Curry are running in the general election for Texas House of Representatives District 56 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
 | Erin Shank (D)  | |
 | Pat Curry (R) | |
| ||||
| = 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 56
Erin Shank advanced from the Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 56 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Erin Shank | 100.0 | 3,771 |
| Total votes: 3,771 | |||
| = 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 56
Pat Curry defeated Devvie Duke in the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 56 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Pat Curry | 58.1 | 15,153 |
 | Devvie Duke | 41.9 | 10,917 | |
| Total votes: 26,070 | |||
| = 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
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
2022
See also: Texas House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Texas House of Representatives District 56
Incumbent Charles Anderson defeated Erin Shank in the general election for Texas House of Representatives District 56 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Charles Anderson (R) | 70.2 | 43,026 |
| Erin Shank (D) | 29.8 | 18,306 | |
| Total votes: 61,332 | |||
| = 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 56
Erin Shank advanced from the Democratic primary for Texas House of Representatives District 56 on March 1, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Erin Shank | 100.0 | 3,966 |
| Total votes: 3,966 | |||
| = 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 56
Incumbent Charles Anderson advanced from the Republican primary for Texas House of Representatives District 56 on March 1, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Charles Anderson | 100.0 | 17,837 |
| Total votes: 17,837 | |||
| = 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
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Erin Shank completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Shank's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
I am a mom, an attorney, the owner of two small businesses, a former teacher, an advocate for the disabled and the wife of a veteran. As an attorney, I have represented over 6,500 Texas businesses and individuals in federal court. I have three college degrees, from three separate Texas universities, all in politics and law. A former Republican voter, I believe that the Republican party has become too extreme and hateful and does not represent the majority of Texans. When you are elected to the Texas House of Representatives, you are elected to represent all of your district, not just those who voted for you. I have represented Texans from all races, religions, sexual orientations, political parties and vaccination statuses and I want to take those decades of experience to represent HD 56 in the Texas House of Representatives.
- Saving our Democracy. I believe our Democracy is in peril. The Texas Republican Party has advocated in it's last two party platforms that Texas should leave the Union, and this issue almost made the 2024 Texas Republican primary ballot. This succession movement is growing in the Immigration debate. Texas Republicans refuse to even talk with Democrats about fixing this problem and are openly defying the Supreme Court and preventing Immigration Officers from doing their jobs at the border. We are the United States of America and Texas should remain in it. Politicians who refuse to address this national security and humanitarian crisis for political reasons do not deserve to be elected into political office.
- Women's Maternal Health. While we remain polarized on this issue of Abortion, I believe we should address the crisis of pregnant women in Texas who are dying or are threatened with serious illness or infertility when they are carrying non-viable fetuses. I could have faced this issue personally if my disabled daughter was ever raped and I went to Court to obtain the medical procedure to prevent that from ever happening. Kate Cox, who had to flee Texas in order to save her life and fertility, showed us how flawed the "life of the mother" exception is in this State. We must come together, Republicans and Democrats, to see that women's lives are saved. Texas ranks 50th in the nation in women's maternal mortality and this is shameful.
- Public Education. My children and I are a blend of public, private and special education in Texas. As a former teacher, I know that our teachers are shaping the future generations. We must support our public schools that educate over 95% of Texas children. I am the mother of a severely disabled child and we need a voice for the disabled in the Texas House, especially regarding education. The voucher movement is primarily funded by billionaires who want to privatize our public schools that they see as a billion dollar industry. I will stand up for our public schools, teachers, administrators and parents work to fully fund our public schools and give our teachers a much needed pay raise.
The Disabled. We do not have a voice for the disabled in the Texas House. My daughter, Rachel, has Down Syndrome, Epilepsy and is medically fragile. I have fought for her at school, with insurance companies, hospitals and even represented her in Court. Disabilities can be temporary or permanent. Disabled Texans are not only my daughter, but also your elderly grandmother, you sister pregnant with twins, or you after a car accident. I now see the world through the eyes of a disabled child. I want to take this insight with me as I represent all of us in the Texas House of Representatives.
I admire Governor Ann Richards. I love her tenacity, unbelievable sense of humor and her rise in Texas politics against all odds. Governor Ann was from McLennan County - Lacy Lakeview to be exact. As a child, I remember when very few women were in politics or law. Now, women consist of over 50% of most law school graduating classes and women's contributions to both the Democratic and Republican parties can not be overstated. I also admire local attorney Betty Denton, who was the first woman to be elected to the Texas House of Representatives from McLennan County. I am proud to call Betty Denton a friend and I have her endorsement in my candidacy for the Texas House of Representatives.
The Bible. I believe in Jesus' greatest commandment - love one another. Every major world religion also espouses this basic tenant. On the campaign trail, I have visited churches throughout McLennan County and love to see how we all worship the Creator. Although many Texas politicians claim to be "Christians", they propose hateful legislation that simply serves no purpose but to hurt another group of human beings that God created. I believe in the separation of church and state and reject any attempt to nationalize religion. However, we must stop this hateful polarization and once again simply love one another.
Experience. I am a life long student of politics. I hold three college degrees, from three separate Texas universities, all in politics and law. I have represented over 6,500 Texas business and individuals in federal court. I have represented individuals from all races, religions, sexual orientations, political parties and vaccination statuses. When you are elected to the Texas House, you are elected to represent all of your district, not just those who love like you, pray like you or vote like you. This experience makes me the most qualified candidate to represent HD 56 in the Texas House of Representatives.
Empathy and experience. I have represented over 6,500 central Texans at some of the most difficult periods of time in their lives - when their homes were being foreclosed on, they were financially crushed in a divorce, their business failed or the IRS was pursing them. I feel their pain and have advocated strongly for them as we search for solutions to their financial problems. Although I could not fix every client's problem, I have successfully found solutions to the vast majority of them. This experience is invaluable and makes me the most qualified candidate in this race for the Texas House of Representatives.
The role of a member of the Texas House of Representatives is to propose laws that affect McLennan County, review approximately 8,000 laws proposed by other legislators, advocate for our community in oral arguments made on the House floor and examine and cross examine testifying witnesses. Over 2/3rds of the Texas House Representatives are practicing attorneys. I am the only attorney on the ballot in this race. I have been practicing law in Texas for 40 years. After being represented for twenty years by a retired veterinarian, our community needs a representative who knows the law, deals with legal issues daily and is ready to hit the ground running in the Texas House on day one.
I would like to be remembered as a Representative who had a true servant's heart. Serving as a Representative in the Texas House is not a popularity contest or something to do to boost one's ego. It is a calling for those of us that believe that this job requires serving your community to the best of your ability. I have had a very successful legal career and could easily retire, like many of my friends. However, I believe in my community and believe that, if elected, I could really make a difference for my community in Austin. I will give this job every drop of energy that I have and I will make my community proud. That is a true legacy and one that I will proud of.
The assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I lived in Dallas, was in first grade, and my mother and I were in her car going to my pediatrician when we heard the terrible news. I remember watching her cry as she heard that our President had been assassinated over the radio in her car. After we left my doctor's office, she drove us to Love Field Airport where we parked in a used car lot parking lot that was adjacent to the airport. We sat on the hood of her car and watched as Air Force One departed with the President's casket aboard. Lyndon Baines Johnson was sworn in by Judge Sarah Hughes on that flight. That experience began my lifelong interest in politics and is embedded in my memory as one of our nation's greatest tragedies.
In my first job, I woke up at 4 am, drove my bike for about a mile and made donuts in Mr. K's Donut Shop in Farmers Branch, Texas. I was 15 years old. This was only a summer job because I could have not worked those hours and attended high school That job taught me the value of hard work. However, to this day I really don't like donuts. I am a kolache girl now!
I am a voracious reader, but a boring one. I only read books about political current events and issues. I've even recently read a college textbook entitled "Texas Politics". However, I would say that the book that affected my life the most is "Night" by Elie Wiesel. I read that book in high school, condensed it into a prose reading, was enrolled in a UIL contest by my speech and drama teacher and won first place. Elie Wiesel survived the death camps in a concentration camp during the Holocaust. I was a shy child with a troubled home life. Reading that book, internalizing it into a prose reading and then being rewarded for my efforts was the first step on my journey of becoming an attorney, a public speaker and now a politician. Ironically, it is banned now in many schools because of its graphic but true depictions of the horrors of the Holocaust.
Barbie, of course. She saved the world, enabled women to pursue all professions and did it all while wearing high heals!
The theme song to Saturday Night Live. I have been watching that show since I was in a musty college dorm room at Trinity University back in the 70's. However, I must admit that I struggle to stay awake until midnight every Saturday night and therefore now record it and frequently watch it days after it has aired. I love the show's political satire and "Weekend Update" is always timely, hilarious and frequently inappropriate...but I love it. We must learn to laugh at our politics and problems because humor can be a great antidote.
I struggle to find the time to do all of the things that need to be done, especially now that I am on the campaign trail again. There is an old saying "If you want something done, give it to a busy mom". Well, that is me. I started saying "no" to activities and invitations, but there still doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to get everything done. I keep writing those "to do lists", and smiling as things get crossed off, but that darn list seems to keep getting longer and longer!
The Governor and the state legislature should work together for the good of all Texans. I have been truly amazed at our governor who is falsely attacking representatives even of his own party for taking a vote on a policy issue that he disagreed with. This "my way or the highway" attitude is not conducive to good governance. This is why I believe in term limits.
Saving our Democracy. Good governance works when politicians are not "bought" by wealthy donors and reaching across the isle is applauded, not vilified. The Republican Party's Platform actually advocates for Texas to leave the Union and Republican politicians have actually advocated for Texas to defy Supreme Court orders and even shoot people without due process that they believe are breaking the law. As we strive to become a "more perfect Union" we must remember that we are the United States of America. United we stand, divided we fall.
Yes. I have three college degrees, from three separate Texas universities, all in politics and law. I have been practicing law in Texas for forty years. I have been elected twice to the McLennan County Bar Association's Board of Directors and have served in leadership positions in the bar on both the state and local level. I have also been appointed to several boards and commissions in McLennan County and was elected twice as the President of the Austin Avenue Homeowners' Association in Waco. Most importantly, I have represented over 6,500 Central Texans address serious problems in federal court. I am the only candidate in this race who is an attorney. In the Texas House, in which over 2/3rd of the elected representatives are attorneys and where our laws are made, McLennan County deserves a representative with this kind of experience. I am ready to hit the ground running on day one and have the knowledge and experience to do so.
Yes. I was fortunate to receive a full scholarship to the University of Texas' LBJ Women's Campaign School. I graduated and two days later announced my first race for HD 56. State Representative Julie Johnson served as my mentor through Campaign School and introduced me to many Representatives who are currently serving. I also personally travelled to the Texas House 42 times during the last legislative session and watched legislators, met with many of them and learned first hand how vital collaboration is in that body. I collaborate frequently with other attorneys on behalf of clients who have multiple legal issues and so working with others comes naturally to me and is vital to being a successful Representative.
Congressman Chet Edwards. Congressman Edwards represented this community in the Texas Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives and was on the short list for U.S. Vice President several years ago. He was simply an amazing representative who worked across party lines and achieved great results for Central Texas. He is most remembered for his outstanding representation of the soldiers and veterans of Ft. Hood, now known as Ft. Cavazos Military Installation. I have also represented literally thousands of active duty soldiers and veterans from that military installation, whose legal issues are handled in federal court in Waco. I admire Congressman Chet Edwards and am proud to call him a friend and mentor. He has endorsed my candidacy to the Texas House of Representatives.
No. I am a lifelong student of Texas and US. politics and am now fully dedicated to serving my community in the Texas House of Representatives.
The story I repeatedly hear on the campaign trail is that our currently elected Representative ignores constitutes and their requests. It is vital that we have a strong Representative working in the Capitol. However, constituent services back home is a vital part of this job. I pledge to have a strong home office ready to meet with McLennan County citizens who need help navigating through Texas government in order to address their needs. I also pledge to be a representative who represents this community, not a representative who only votes the way his/her political party dictates.
I am sorry, I am not a joke teller. I love a good joke, but am lousy at telling one.
I believe legislation regarding this issue, especially regarding any future pandemics, was passed in the last Session. Yes, I believe in legislative oversight of the governor. However, until we prohibit partisan gerrymandering, that oversight will be limited because Texas politicians can now draw the election district lines so that only one party can hold the majority in all branches of government. True oversight is therefore limited to only members of the Governor's party.
I strongly believe that the failure of the "life of the mother" exception in our abortion laws must be addressed immediately in the next legislative session in order to save the lives, health and fertility of Texas mothers who are pregnant with non-viable fetuses. As a freshman legislator, I believe my voice would be better heard on this issue by collaborating with more senior Representatives, such as Representative Donna Howard who is also a nurse. However, my personal experience with my disabled daughter Rachel is an experience that would enable me to have a strong voice and advocate with Representative Howard for this legislation. Rachel would die if she was impregnated by rape and I was required by a local McLennan County hospital to obtain a court order to obtain the medical procedure to prevent that from ever happening. Rachel, and I as her guardian, could have been in Kate Cox's shoes and I want to use that experience to help save the lives of Texas pregnant women.
Ambassador Lyndon Olson
I would love to serve on the Human Services Committee in the Texas House that oversees our foster care system which has basically been in a state court receivership for years. I would also love to serve on the Public Health Committee to work issues regarding maternal health and mortality. After studying the detrimental effects of partisan gerrymandering and serving as an election official in both McLennan and Bell County, I am very interested in the Elections Committee and the Redistricting Committee. Finally, I would love to serve on the Public Education Committee as we strive to fully fund our Texas public schools and give our teachers and school employees a much needed pay raise.
I believe in financial transparency and governmental accountability. This is why I am a strong supporter of term limits and campaign finance reform. The Republican party in Texas is literally controlled by a few billionaires who control that party with their huge donations that "buy" legislation and outcomes. This is patently undemocratic. I also strongly support ending partisan gerrymandering, which enables politicians in Texas to see that only one party controls the three branches of Texas government by drawing voting districts to ensure that only their party can be elected. We need to restore a true two political party democracy in Texas, by allowing the voters to elect both Republican and Democratic members fairly, so that these parties can oversee each other and ensure that Texans are fairly and equally represented.
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
Erin Shank completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Shank's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
I am a lawyer, a mother, a wife, and an owner of two small businesses here in Central Texas. I have been a Texas bankruptcy attorney for nearly 40 years and have tirelessly advocated for more than 6,000 Central Texans during some of the most difficult times in their lives. I know how to listen to folks, understand their issues and then fight for them in Court. For nearly 4 decades, I have been an advocate for Texans across Waco and McLennan County, and I’m ready to continue to fight for them in Austin. Our current representative has been in office for over 14 years. After a deadly winter storm and two years of a pandemic, we can't afford to wait for a representative who will advocate for Waco and McLennan County. We deserve better. I am running for the Texas House because I believe that all Texans deserve a safe place to live, strong infrastructure, good schools, access to affordable health care and the opportunity for a good job.
- Fixing the grid.
- Bringing our tax dollars back to our district.
- Advocate for the rights of women and children.
Advocating for Disability rights
All people in our district deserve an advocate who will fight for their rights. I've spent the last twenty four years taking on health insurance companies on behalf of my daughter, Rachel, who was born with Down Syndrome, epilepsy, and a set of bad lungs. She has been hospitalized 63 times during her life. I have seen the good and the bad of our healthcare system up close. I have learned how to push government agencies to get what she needs. When elected, I plan to be a strong advocate for health care and disability rights in our district and our state.
I have always been interested in politics — I have two degrees in political science and journalism and a law degree, so I’m very involved in politics, especially at the local level — but it was the ice storm that killed two of my clients that pushed me to run. The Texas Leg. was warned 10 years ago that the grid would fail and be a catastrophic failure. They were told it needed to become winterized, and they didn’t do anything, and that’s where I said, ‘We deserve better.’”
Waco is truly a magical city. I have loved it since we first decided to move to Central Texas over 26 years ago. Waco is experiencing tremendous revitalization, growth and expansion. Baylor University is growing in prominence on a national basis in both academia and athletics. Downtown Waco has been graced with the Silo District, which is bringing tourism and tourist dollars to Waco. East Waco is also experiencing tremendous revitalization with quaint restaurants, new hotels and other businesses coming to life where boarded up buildings previously lined Elm Avenue.
But Waco is literally divided racially in its representation before the Texas House of Representatives. The beautiful Brazos River runs through the heart of downtown Waco. East Waco, a historically Black and historically economically challenged portion of Waco, sits on one side of the Brazos River. Residents of East Waco could literally walk to Baylor University from their homes and businesses. Those residents could also walk across the Suspension Bridge over the Brazos River and right into the office of the representative who represents most of Waco in District 56 of the Texas House of Representatives.
However, our fellow Wacoans who reside in East Waco are represented in the Texas House by a representative who lives and works in College Station. Think about that: One of our most economically challenged portions of Waco is not represented in Austin by a representative who lives and works in Waco. That community is represented by a representative who lives and works 90-plus miles away from Waco. It’s truly sad, even tragic, that a representative who lives and works in Limestone is representing the minority population in the home of the Baylor Bears.
Even on the west side of the Brazos River, predominantly Black communities of Waco currently have their House district line drawn so that they are also represented by the Limestone representative in the Texas House, and not by Waco.
I want to go down to Austin with common sense and think about these issues together. I am a Democrat, but I am not weighted to the party. If something is better for District 56, I am going to vote for what’s best for our area. I have talked to a whole lot of people and I think people are sick of the far right and sick of the far left. What we need to do now is to find middle ground. I think most people in Central Texas are centrist, and certainly, that’s where I am. I am here to find bipartisan solutions to our problems, because that is what it takes.
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.
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.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Texas House of Representatives District 56 |
Personal |
Footnotes
