Veasey faces rematch on Nov. 5 ballot as he seeks seventh term in Congress

U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, is expected to cruise to his seventh term in Congress. 

The Democrat faces a rematch against Patrick Gillespie, a 66-year-old Republican who has worked in industrial manufacturing and UPS supply chain solutions, according to his campaign website.

The two are fighting for Texas’ 33rd Congressional District seat, a claw-shaped district stretching across Tarrant and Dallas counties, including parts of Fort Worth, Arlington, Grand Prairie, Irving and Dallas.

In 2022, Veasey comfortably won the sea-blue urban district with 72% of the vote to Gillespie’s 25.6%. 

District 33’s boundaries were last amended in 2021, in a congressional map that has drawn criticism for giving political security to incumbent lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

Veasey has campaigned on issues such as expanding access to affordable health care, providing low-income communities with career opportunities, ensuring abortion access and funding infrastructure improvements.

He’s called his efforts to raise federal funds for Fort Worth infrastructure projects one of his biggest accomplishments, and he’s campaigned on expanding public transportation infrastructure, which his campaign says is “essential for the metroplex to stay competitive in today’s economy.”

At a voter engagement event on Oct. 29 at Black Coffee in east Fort Worth, Veasey told the Report his priorities for a seventh term will stay the same no matter who wins the presidential election. Those priorities revolve around funding city improvement projects and working with his fellow Tarrant County representatives on the other side of the aisle.

In a September interview, Gillespie told the Report he is campaigning to halt a century-long progression of Communist principles he has seen in Congress. The country’s current leadership has been too weak to deal with the “humanitarian crisis throughout Central America and Mexico,” Gillespie said.

Gillespie sees border security as a top issue, saying he wants to crack down on vetting immigrants at the border and detaining illegal border crossers. He has previously said it’s Mexico’s responsibility to handle the border crisis humanely. The federal government should be stricter with people who have immigrated illegally, Gillespie said. 

Regarding Fort Worth improvement projects, Gillespie wants more private funding involved. He doesn’t see a need for expanding public transportation, but would rather put money into improving roads, he said.

Veasey has run a low-key campaign typical of incumbent politicians in uncompetitive districts. The strategy focuses on emphasizing their accomplishments in Congress, rather than attacking opponents. 

Veasey has barely tapped into the stockpile of funds raised for his reelection campaigns. On Oct. 16, he had $1,043,531 in cash on hand, according to his most recent campaign finance report.

Gillespie previously told the Report he self-funded about $1,000 for his campaign. He does not have a campaign finance report filed with the Federal Ethics Commission as of Oct. 30. 

Veasey has represented Fort Worth alongside U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, who has held her seat representing most of west Fort Worth since 1997. Granger, now 81, is not running for reelection.

That means Veasey would be Fort Worth’s most senior House member should he be reelected. He previously told the Report he views the new status as an opportunity to build on his achievements and face Tarrant County’s current challenges with a fresh perspective.

Drew Shaw is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at drew.shaw@fortworthreport.org or @shawlings601. 

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