Politics
NEW: Salon Owner Jailed Amid COVID Lockdowns Wins Election
Shelley Luther, who gained national prominence for defying COVID-19 lockdown measures by reopening her salon in North Dallas, has achieved a resounding victory in Texas House District 62. Luther captured over 75% of the vote, decisively defeating Democrat Tiffany Drake.
She initially made headlines in 2020 when she was incarcerated for seven days due to civil and criminal contempt of court charges. Her electoral win marks a significant transition from Dallas salon owner to Texas House representative.
#txlege pic.twitter.com/27NtAI479d
— Shelley Luther (@ShelleyLuther) November 6, 2024
Luther faced significant penalties during the lockdown, being fined $1,000 for each day her business, Salon à la Mode, remained open against court orders.
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She had sought election in North Texas three times. After an unsuccessful bid for the state Senate in 2020 and a defeat in the 2022 Republican primary for House District 62, Luther made a comeback by defeating incumbent Reggie Smith in the March 5 primary, paving her way to victory in the 2024 general election.
“There‘s a lot of issues going on in Austin that people care about, and they wanted to get a different candidate in there,” said Luther after winning. “The people spoke and I’m super excited.”
Months before the peak in COVID-19 cases, she defied safety guidelines to keep her Dallas salon operational, tearing up a Dallas County cease-and-desist order. She faced a $7,000 fine and a week-long jail sentence. Nearly a year later in 2021, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the county’s order was too vague and nullified the contempt of court charge against her according to the Texas Tribune.
Luther’s defiance of COVID-19 restrictions for her salon gained national attention and significant conservative support, including a half-million dollars in crowdfunding. She appeared on “The View” and led rallies across Texas. Despite receiving $18,000 in federal Paycheck Protection Program loans, which she was unsure how to use, Luther chose to keep her salon open against state orders.
“I am not going to shut the salon,” she said to the judge.
Luther’s strong opposition to salon closures during COVID-19 attracted the attention of Governor Greg Abbott’s team, which consulted her about potentially reopening salons earlier. Despite this, shortly after their discussion, Luther was jailed for violating a temporary restraining order by District Judge Eric Moyé, who had offered to take jail time off the table if she agreed not to reopen her salon until emergency orders were lifted. Luther refused, opting for jail to make a statement about the unconstitutionality of the lockdown measures according to The Tribune.
In response, Texas Republicans rallied around her. Attorney General Ken Paxton called for her release, criticizing Judge Moyé for abusing his discretion. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick even offered to pay her fine and serve house arrest in her stead. After, Governor Abbott amended his executive order to eliminate confinement as a penalty for violating COVID-19 safety restrictions, and salons were allowed to reopen a week after Luther consulted with Abbott’s team, though she remained incarcerated at that time.
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