Neave, first elected to the Texas House in 2016, flipped the seat to the Democrat column after defeating then-incumbent Ken Sheets (R). She was off to an auspicious beginning, earning the distinction “Freshman of the Year” by the Texas House Democratic Caucus and “Elected Official of the Year” by the Texas Democratic Women. In December, 2017, however, Neave had an embarrassing and disturbing run-in with the Dallas Police Department after she crashed her BMW into a tree and was found with a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit.

Empower Texans (ET) is the standard bearer of conservative PACs in the state of Texas. While they do not directly lobby for specific pieces of legislation, ET does push for more conservative representation in Austin. They often claim that rather than looking to secure a seat at the table of power, they instead are working to get rid of the table altogether.

One of the biggest differences distinguishing Empower Texans from other advocacy groups is the fact that they do not lobby elected officials. They do not write bills or meet with lawmakers to ensure passage or failure of particular legislation. Instead, Empower Texans focuses on reporting information to voters about what’s happening at the Capitol and then aiding citizens in holding legislators accountable for their actions. As the most outspoken opponent of current Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, the group is often at odds with Straus’ inner circle, Democrats, and other more moderate Republican legislators. Empower Texans is also known for its promotion of conservative policies and for their scorecard, The Fiscal Responsibility Index, which scores legislators based on votes and positions taken on liberty and self-governance issues. Texas Monthly has called them “one of the most influential advocacy groups in Austin” and has described their scorecard as having the power “to make or break careers.”