Image by Fred Guerrier Congressional candidate Laura Moser and family

Laura Moser, a Jewish writer and anti-Trump activist, booked a spot in a Democratic primary runoff in a Houston area Congressional seat.

Moser, who has contributed to the Forward, came in second place in a free-for-all race to face incumbent Republican John Culberson, who is considered a top national target as Democrats seek to retake the House of Representatives in the midterm elections.

With almost all precincts reporting, Moser had 24% of the vote. Rival Lizzie Fletcher had 29%.

Moser was ahead of two other challengers, Jason Westin and Alex Triantaphyllis

The top two vote-getters will square off in a May run-off to determine who will take on Culberson in the 7th District that stretches west from Houston into wealthy suburbs.

Long a GOP stronghold, the district turned sharply against Donald Trump in 2016, leading Democrats to eye it as a prime pick-up possibility in November.

The Democratic establishment took the controversial step of blasting Moser as a “Washington insider,” noting that she only returned to her hometown in the area to run for the seat. Progressives said the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee should stay out of intramural primary fights and stick to supporting the eventual winner in the fall.