Note: This episode was recorded before the recent court decision on redistricting.

State Rep. Mihaela Plesa (HD 70 – Collin County) joins Mission: Texas to break down how gerrymandering, mid-decade redistricting, and low turnout are keeping Texas red—and what it really takes to win in a suburban swing district north of Dallas.

Mihaela shares her journey as the daughter of immigrants and a bilingual kid in Collin County, to small business owner, to unpaid Capitol intern at 32, to Vice Chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus who flipped a gerrymandered district, won by just 800 votes, and made a runoff by only 29 votes. She explains why the Texas House, school boards, and city councils are the real front lines, and why Texas Democrats need to stop running one-size-fits-all campaigns and start running “soul campaigns” rooted in their own communities.

In this episode with Rep. Mihaela Plesa, we cover:

• How redistricting and gerrymandering in Collin County created HD 70—and why there should be more competitive districts
• Why the next census and Texas redistricting fight could decide control of Congress and the White House
• Mihaela’s path from fashion merchandising and small business to policymaking in Austin
• What it took to beat a $4 million Republican campaign in a suburban swing seat
• How voting rules, map changes, and ballot design are used to confuse and discourage voters
• The reality of a “Chamber of Commerce” district and how business and labor both benefit from Medicaid expansion, strong public schools, and economic stability
• Where she actually agrees with Trump (credit card interest caps, taxes on tips, IVF access)—and why Democrats should own the affordability fight
• Why down-ballot races (Texas House, school board, city council) are where Republicans are quietly investing big money
• A call for more Texans to step up and run, especially in tough districts, and to treat taking back the Texas House as a real, achievable goal

Connect with Rep. Mihaela Plesa:
Website & newsletter: plesafortexas.com
Socials: @PlesaForTexas

📲 Follow and share: @MissionTexasPodcast