Leilani Barnett

For a Better Texas!

About Leilani
ABOUT LEILANI
A Family Tradition 
of Hard Work 
and Compassion
A Native Texan, Leilani Barnett makes her home in Wichita Falls, and her roots in this district go back to her great-great grandparents. “My mother and her siblings grew up in Clay County,” she says proudly, “as did her parents and their parents.” Her father grew up in Nocona where Leilani's grandfather, silversmith W.D. Barnett, designed and made cowboy spurs for the Nocona Boot Company. 

Pictured: Leilani with her mother and late father, Joan and Clarence, both long-time residents of Wichita Falls
After retiring from Lone Star Gas Company in Petrolia, Leilani's great-grandfather, W.A. Mayo, a Democrat, put on a suit and went to work as the town's mayor in the little brick office that still stands today. "But, this election," says Leilani, "isn't about political parties. It is about choosing the person who will fight for the things that are important to working families--things like affordable housing, clean and safe water, public school funding, and safe communities." 

Pictured, top: Leilani working on her book, "Pray for Us, Molly Ivins: Why a Trump Vote Feels Unforgivable" and below, her great-grandparents, W.A. and Victoria Mayo of Clay County
A Focus on Education
A political writer and teacher with more than 30 years of experience, Leilani Barnett holds a Bachelor’s degree with a double major in Journalism and English; an MA in Educational Leadership; and an MA in Literature. She's now in the last phase of completing a Ph.D. in Education.

In fact, it is her commitment to education that first motivated Barnett to run for the Texas House of Representatives. “Without fully-funded public schools, we turn off the lights on the bright future of our children," she explains.

Pictured: Leilani with grandaughter at graduation and "Great-Mommy" (Leilani's mother) 


A Teacher's Heart
    In addition to her professional experiences in education and leadership at local, state, and national levels, Leilani Barnett previously worked with the National Children’s Advocacy Center, training police officers, attorneys, social workers, mental health and medical professionals in more than 22 cities across the United States. Leilani wrote national curricula on a multidisciplinary team approach that reduces trauma for victims of child abuse. She cares deeply about the issues facing the children and the hard-working families who love and care for them. 

Pictured: Leilani and grandson
​Faith and Freedom
Leilani is a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Wichita Falls and a friend of the Wichita Falls Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Her vision for Texas is guided, though, by what she first learned as a child in a Baptist Sunday school: Love your neighbor and Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you. She is a staunch believer in separation of church and state, which allows every Texan to worship in the way they wish. 

Left: Leilani and her granddaughter, heading to a Women's March in 2016

Donate to Our Campaign

Donate to Our Campaign

We are hitting the ground running, but we need your help! Our opponent is heavily funded by special interest PACs, by the Oil and Gas industry, and by his own wealth which far exceeds the salary of a Texas school teacher. In fact, he has reported several six-figure donations in the past. But, we believe all Texans deserve representation--not just the millionaires! To put up a good fight and save democracy for Texas, we need your help to create a grassroots campaign--funded in large part by many small donations from the working people of our area who believe democracy is worth fighting for! Please, give as you are able. Thank you!

Please donate!
Volunteer Your Time

Volunteer Your Time

Whether you can spare an hour, a day, or a week, we have plenty for you to do to help get out Leilani's message of hope for a better life for all in North Texas! We appreciate those who so willingly give of their time and effort. Please get in touch to let us know you'd be willing to join our movement for a better Texas! We want you on our team, and we need many, many volunteers to work together to take back the houseseat and secure true representation for HD69!

Volunteer here!
Share Your Views

Share Your Views

Leilani is listening! Please come by our booth at local events, send an email, or come back to this site often for updates on where you can find Leilani listening to the concerns of the people in her district each week! "I want to learn all I can about the issues that concern the people of HD69!" Barnett says, and she means to do just that as she travels around all 13 counties in our district this year. Barnett says she's excited about the opportunity to meet and talk with people in Archer, Baylor, Clay, Cottle, Fisher, Foard, Hardeman, Haskell, King, Knox, Motley, Stonewall, Wichita, and Wilbarger counties.

Share Your Opinions!

 You're invited to our CAMPAIGN KICKOFF from 6-8 p.m., Friday, January 30 at The Loft at Picker's, 1000 Indiana Avenue, Wichita Falls! 

Campaign Kickoff!
Meet Leilani and celebrate a candidate who fights for North Texans!

 Check back for new speaking dates! Leilani will be visiting all 13 counties many times during the next 11 months! Come meet her, share your views and concerns, ask your questions, and learn about her vision for a better North Texas. Need a speaker for your group or class? Contact Leilani! 

Where Leilani is Speaking
Come hear Leilani talk about her vision for a better Texas!

 Look for Leilani's little card table and the "Leilani is Listening" sign! She'll be setting up to speak with as many residents as she can in each of the 13 counties that make up House District 69! You'll find her at festivals, vendor events, and anywhere you find the folks in our district gathering! 

Where Leilani Listening
Leilani is determined to represent all 13 counties in District 69. She wants to know you and your concerns!

Public Schools -- The Heart of Texas Towns

Public Schools -- The Heart of Texas Towns

Leilani Barnett believes the future of Texas depends on a strong, fully-funded public school system that serves every child—regardless of their ZIP code, family income, or learning needs. School vouchers fail that basic test of fairness.

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Clean, Safe, Abundant -- Water Solutions

Clean, Safe, Abundant -- Water Solutions

No Texan should have to worry whether their tap will run dry. North Texas has lived with drought-driven water shortages for far too long, and it’s time for a state representative who will step up with real, sustained solutions. State-supported measures must begin with modernizing our water infrastructure.

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Make the Economy Work for Working People!

Make the Economy Work for Working People!

Leilani Barnett believes affordability is not just an economic issue—it’s a quality-of-life issue and a moral one! For too many, the promise of Texas prosperity feels out of reach. We must stop giving billion-dollar tax breaks to corporations that don’t reinvest in Texas families. North Texans deserve an economy that ensures everyone can afford to live, work, and thrive right here at home.

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Affordable Housing

Affordable Housing

Rents continue to skyrocket, starter homes vanish, and wages fail to keep pace with the cost of living. Teachers, nurses, young families, and even seniors on fixed incomes are finding it harder each year to stay rooted in the communities they love. Every Texan deserves the stability, dignity, and opportunity that comes with a safe place to call home. Leilani stands ready to face the issue of affordable housing, an issue that requires bold state action.

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Safe Schools - Simple Solutionsto Create Safer Buildings

Safe Schools - Simple Solutionsto Create Safer Buildings

Leilani Barnett believes every child deserves to learn in a school where safety is a given—not a privilege. She's coming to the table with commonsense measures that respect the Second Amendment while prioritizing the safety of our children. Along with reinforcing background checks and red flag buyers, simple upgrades can make a dramatic difference, including, for example, requiring--and providing funding for--schools to provide modern, functional classroom furniture designed to increase bullet resiliency and capable of better shielding students during emergencies.

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Affordable and Accessible Health Care

Affordable and Accessible Health Care

North Texas families are grappling with skyrocketing premiums, deductibles, and prescription prices. Leilani doesn't believe one should need to be rich to access health care! Strengthening rural hospitals through targeted state funding, expanding Medicaid, and investing in telehealth infrastructure are critical steps. These are commonsense, cost-effective solutions will keep care close to home, protect rural economies, and ensure every Texan—no matter where they live—can get the treatment they need without going broke.

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Support North Texas Veterans

Support North Texas Veterans

Leilani Barnett will be a fierce and faithful advocate for the men and women who served our nation and now call North Texas home. Our veterans deserve more than gratitude! For Leilani, veterans services aren't just about policy; they are a moral obligation and a debt that must be paid.

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A Proactive Partner for Sheppard AFB

A Proactive Partner for Sheppard AFB

As State Representative in the Texas House, Leilani will be a proactive partner with Sheppard Air Force Base — recognizing that its success strengthens our local economy, supports thousands of families, and enhances national defense. Our military families are a vital part of our community, and Leilani Barnett will fight for state investments in infrastructure and quality-of-life improvements that benefit the community our military men and women can call home!

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  • Barnett for Texas HD69
  • P.O. Box 4194, Wichita Falls, TX 76308