Shannon Dicely, a Democrat, is running for Texas State Senate District 11 in the Nov. 3 general election. Dennis Paul, a Republican, is also in the race.

Asked in our candidate questionnaire why she is seeking office, Dicely said: "After battling breast cancer during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and having to rely on the kindness of strangers throughout my treatment, I wanted to help my community more. The thought of others receiving the same devastating news as me without the safety nets and support system that I had moved me to want to do everything I can to systematically help those patients. As politics in general are becoming more divided and Austin has become more extreme, I wanted to ensure my children's future is one of opportunity, equality, and compassion and felt that running for office was the best way to do that for everyone's children."

Candidate information

Party: Democrat

Education: Dicely said in our questionnaire that her education includes "BA, Mathematics - Drew University" and "MA, Political Science - Sam Houston State University."

Family: "Happily married for 17 years with 2 children," Dicely said in our questionnaire.

Residence: Dicely has been a resident of Senate District 11 for nearly 20 years, according to her campaign website. She moved to League City a week and a half before Hurricane Ike hit in 2008, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Experience and public service

Asked about her occupation and work history, Dicely said in our questionnaire: "Most recently, I was a Coordinator for the Center for Civic Engagement at Lone Star College. However, I left that position to focus on my campaign full time. Prior to that, I had been a stay at home parent for nearly 13 years and volunteered in different capacities within my community."

On previous offices, Dicely said: "I have not held office but I have been on my city's Bond Ad Hoc Committee and my children's school district's Superintendent Advisory Committee. I was also my POA's treasurer for 6 years."

Asked what accomplishments show she can handle the job, Dicely said: "Being a parent gave me a front-row seat to how government decisions affect families. I've navigated public schools, healthcare, insurance, rising costs, and the everyday challenges families face … Seventeen years after I graduated college, I returned for my master's degree to deepen my understanding of voting rights and ultimately ended up working in civic engagement."

On the issues

Asked about critical differences between herself and other candidates, Dicely said in our questionnaire: "I've worked hard to understand the different experiences of people across SD-11 and how those experiences translate into what they need from their state senator … That's why I've held issue-based town halls and invited experts to discuss the issues that matter to our communities. … That's one of the things that sets me apart from my opponent. He has held office but has never held a town hall for the people he represents." She added: "I also refuse corporate PAC money because my only obligation in Austin will be to the people of this district."

Education: Dicely said on her campaign website that she supports raising teacher pay, expanding career and technical education programs, funding schools based on enrollment rather than attendance, and expanding access to affordable child care and universal pre-kindergarten.

Healthcare: Dicely said she supports expanding Medicaid, lowering healthcare costs through consumer protections, investing in mental health services, reducing maternal and infant mortality rates, and keeping medical decisions between patients and doctors.

Voting rights: Dicely said she supports repealing voter suppression laws like SB1, expanding online voter registration and mail-in ballot access, and ending gerrymandering through nonpartisan redistricting.

Affordability: Dicely said she supports raising the minimum wage, tackling rising insurance costs, and supporting grid reliability to keep energy affordable.

Endorsements: Dicely's campaign lists endorsements from Planned Parenthood Texas Votes PAC, Everytown for Gun Safety, Texas AFL-CIO, the Houston Chronicle editorial board and former state Sen. Wendy Davis, among others.

The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.