Statewide and legislative candidates facing general election opposition reported raising nearly $27M since July 1. Democrats accounted for $12.4M of that figure, and Republican candidates raised $14.6M.

Sixteen challengers out-raised their incumbent opponents for the period, including seven who out-raised the incumbent by at least $150K: Justin Berry (R) in HD47, Sharon Hirsch (D) in HD66, Lorenzo Sanchez (D) in HD67, Elizabeth Beck (D) in HD97, Will Douglas (R) in HD113, Luisa Del Rosal (R) in HD114 and Justin Ray (R) in HD135. Over the same period in 2018, just four challengers out-raised incumbents.

Twenty House races exceeded $500K in combined campaign contributions during the reporting period, including four exceeding $1M:

  • $1.22M – HD67, Lorenzo Sanchez (D) $693K, Rep. Jeff Leach (R) $532K
  • $1.08M – HD134, Rep. Sarah Davis (R) $597K, Ann Johnson (D) $481K
  • $1.05M – HD112, Brandy Chambers (D) $533K, Rep. Angie Chen Button (R) $512K
  • $1.03M – HD108, Rep. Morgan Meyer (R) $566K, Joanna Cattanach (D) $463K
  • $937K – HD121, Rep. Steve Allison (R) $495K, Celina Montoya (D) $443K
  • $908K – HD138 open, Akilah Bacy (D) $631K, Lacey Hull (R) $277K
  • $772K – HD54, Rep. Brad Buckley (R) $436K, Keke Williams (D) $336K
  • $760K – HD126, Rep. Sam Harless (R) $449K, Natali Hurtado (D) $311K
  • $731K – HD96 open, David Cook (R) $410K, Joe Drago (D) $321K
  • $697K – HD97, Beck (D) $501K, Rep. Craig Goldman (R) $196K
  • $685K – HD64, Angela Brewer (D) $362K, Rep. Lynn Stucky (R) $324K
  • $671K – HD66, Hirsch (D) $418K, Rep. Matt Shaheen (R) $254K
  • $645K – HD45, Rep. Erin Zwiener (D) $418K, Carrie Isaac (R) $228K
  • $631K – HD113, Douglas (R) $451K, Rep. Rhetta Bowers (D) $180K
  • $625K – HD135, Ray (R) $419K, Rep. Jon Rosenthal (D) $207K
  • $618K – HD26 open, Sarah DeMerchant (D) $322K, Jacey Jetton (R) $296K
  • $582K – HD92 open, Jeff Whitfield (D) $363K, Jeff Cason (R) $219K
  • $581K – HD47, Berry (R) $446K, Rep. Vikki Goodwin (D) $135K
  • $563K – HD114, Luisa Del Rosal (R) $399K, Rep. John Turner (D) $165K
  • $560K – HD132, Rep. Gina Calanni (D) $308K, Mike Schofield (R) $252K

There were no such races during this same period in 2018.

Partisan committees and Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC were the biggest players in this year’s 30-day-out reports. Nearly all individual donations are below $10K to any one candidate with the notable exception of a $150K contribution from Midland oil and gas executive Tim Dunn to Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington), who is also the recipient of the final contribution of the now-dissolved Empower Texans PAC.

Candidates’ 30-day-out reports disclose contributions received and expenditures made between July 1 (July 5 for runoff candidates) and September 24. Highlights of key candidates’ reports follow.

SD19 (Lean Democratic): Sen. Pete Flores (R-Pleasanton) out-raised Rep. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio), $628K to $199K, and the incumbent has a nearly 4-to-1 lead in cash on hand, $606K to $156K. Flores’s top contributors were Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($300K), Republican State Leadership Committee ($100K), Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($50K), Houston auto dealer Roger Elswick ($30K), Houston alcohol distributor John Nau ($20K). Gutierrez’s top contributors were Texans for Insurance Reform ($25K), Texas Trial Lawyers Assoc. PAC ($25K) and San Antonio attorney Mikal Watts ($25K).

HD26 open (Lean Republican): Democratic nominee Sarah DeMerchant narrowly out-raised Republican Jacey Jetton, $322K to $296K, and they are essentially even in cash on hand with about $90K a piece. DeMerchant’s largest contributors were the Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee ($80K) and Texans for Insurance Reform PAC ($29K). She also received $52K in unitemized contributions. Jetton’s largest contributors were Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($115K), Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($86K) and the Texas House Republican Caucus PAC ($30K).

HD28 (Lean Republican): Rep. Gary Gates (R-Rosenberg) reported $375K in contributions – Gates supplied $355K of it – and has $67K on hand. Democratic challenger Eliz Markowitz raised $108K and has $68K on hand.

HD45 (Lean Democratic): Rep. Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood) out-raised Republican challenger Carrie Isaac, $418K to $228K, and holds a narrow $169K to $155K advantage in cash on hand. Zwiener’s largest contributors were Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee ($134K), Flippable Texas Victory Fund ($30K) and Lone Star Project ($20K). Isaac’s largest contributors included Texas Federation for Children PAC ($23K), Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($21K), Rep. Mayes Middleton ($20K) and Midland executive John Mabee ($18K).

HD47 (Lean Democratic): Republican challenger Justin Berry out-raised Rep. Vikki Goodwin (D-Austin), $446K to $135K, but trails the incumbent in cash on hand, $202K to $76K. Berry’s largest contributors were Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($122K), Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($86K), Republican State Leadership Committee ($75K) and Republican Party of Texas ($25K).

HD52 (Lean Democratic): Republican challenger Lucio Valdez narrowly out-raised Rep. James Talarico (D-Round Rock), $158K to $148K, but the incumbent holds a 10-to-1 advantage in cash on hand, $191K to $19K. Valdez’s largest contributors were Republican State Leadership Committee ($126K) and Texans for Lawsuit Reform ($15K), representing 90% of his contributions for the period.

HD54 (Lean Republican): Rep. Brad Buckley (R-Salado) out-raised challenger Keke Williams, $436K to $336K, and has a $304K to $164K advantage in cash on hand. Details from Williams’s report were not yet available.

HD64 (Lean Republican): Democratic challenger Angela Brewer out-raised Rep. Lynn Stucky (R-Sanger), $361K to $324K, and she has a small advantage in cash on hand, $275K to $256K. Brewer’s largest contributors were Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee ($99K), Future Now Fund ($30K), Texas House Majority PAC ($30K) and Lone Star Project ($20K).

HD65 (Lean Democratic): Republican challenger Kronda Thimesch out-raised Rep. Michelle Beckley (D-Carrollton), $270K to $201K, and has a $130K to $108K advantage in cash on hand. Thimesch’s largest contributors were Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($143K), Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($15K) and Republican Party of Texas ($14K).

HD66 (Lean Democratic): Challenger Sharon Hirsch out-raised Rep. Matt Shaheen (R-Plano), $418K to $254K, and she has a slight $324K to $302K advantage in cash on hand. Hirsch’s largest contributors were Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee ($69K), Future Now Fund ($45K), Texas Values in Action Coalition ($40K), Flippable Texas Victory Fund ($20K) and Powered by People ($14K). The Texas Values in Action Coalition is not associated with Texas Values Action.

HD67 (Toss Up): Democratic challenger Lorenzo Sanchez out-raised Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Allen), $693K to $535K but trails the incumbent in cash on hand, $486K to $234K. Details from Sanchez’s report were not yet available.

HD92 open (Lean Republican): Democrat Jeff Whitfield out-raised Republican Jeff Cason, $363K to $219K, and, barring a reporting error by Cason’s campaign, has a $236K to $1K advantage in cash on hand. Cason’s largest contributors were Midland oil and gas executive Tim Dunn ($150K) and Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($24K), representing 80% of his contributions for the period. Whitfield’s largest contributors were Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee ($74K), Flippable Texas Victory Fund ($30K), Texans for Insurance Reform PAC ($26K), and Powered by People ($13K).

HD93 (Lean Republican): Challenger Lydia Bean narrowly out-raised Rep. Matt Krause (R-Fort Worth), $219K to $194K, but trails the incumbent in cash on hand, $516K to $199K. Bean’s largest contributors were Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee ($55K) and Texas Values in Action Coalition ($14K).

HD94 (Lean Republican): Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington) out-raised Alisa Simmons, $304K to $184K, but the challenger has an edge in cash on hand, $77K to $49K. Tinderholt’s largest contributors were Midland oil and gas executive Tim Dunn ($150K), Leading Texas Forward PAC ($50K), Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($25K), Empower Texans PAC ($23K) and Texas House Republican Caucus PAC ($15K). Simmons’s largest contributors were Lone Star Project ($20K) and Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee ($16K).

HD96 open (Toss Up): Republican David Cook out-raised Democrat Joe Drago, $410K to $321K, and holds a $371K to $202K advantage in cash on hand. Cook’s largest contributors were Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($107K), Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($99K), Texas House Republican Caucus PAC ($30K) and Republican State Leadership Committee ($20K). Drago’s largest contributors were Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee ($44K), Flippable Texas Victory Fund ($40K), Texas Values in Action Coalition ($36K), Rep. Chris Turner ($15K), Corazon de la Frontera ($15K) and Powered by People ($15K).

HD97 (Lean Republican): Democratic challenger Elizabeth Beck out-raised Rep. Craig Goldman (R-Fort Worth), $501K to $196K, but trails the incumbent, $636K to $263K, in cash on hand. Beck’s largest contributors were Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee ($69K), Future Now Fund ($55K), Flippable Texas Victory Fund ($50K), Texas Values in Action Coalition ($48K) and Texas House Majority PAC ($30K).

HD102 (Lean Democratic): Former Rep. Linda Koop (R-Dallas) out-raised Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos (D-Dallas), $261K to $139K, but the incumbent has a $98K to $59K edge in cash on hand. Koop’s largest contributors were Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($96K), Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($66K) and Republican State Leadership Committee ($20K).

HD108 (Lean Democratic): Rep. Morgan Meyer (R-Dallas) out-raised Democratic challenger Joanna Cattanach, $566K to $463K, and he has a $648K to $334 advantage in cash on hand. Meyer’s largest contributors were Republican State Leadership Committee ($110K), Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($103K), Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($69K), Leading Texas Forward PAC ($50K) and Farmers Employee and Agent PAC ($20K). Details from Cattanach’s report were not yet available.

HD112 (Toss Up): Democratic challenger Brandy Chambers narrowly out-raised Rep. Angie Chen Button (R-Garland), $533K to $512K, but the incumbent has a huge $954K to $217K advantage in cash on hand. Button’s largest contributors were Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($144K), Leading Texas Forward PAC ($75K), Republican Party of Texas ($39K) and Dallas investor Harlan Crow ($20K). Details from Chambers’s report were not yet available.

HD113 (Lean Democratic): Douglas’s largest contributors were Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($101K), Republican State Leadership Committee ($77K) and Protect Our Police PAC ($50K).

HD114 (Likely Democratic): Republican challenger Luisa Del Rosal out-raised Rep. John Turner (D-Dallas), $399K to $165K, but trails the incumbent, $457K to $268K, in cash on hand. Del Rosal’s largest contributors were Republican State Leadership Committee ($175K), Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($81K) and Dallas investor Harlan Crow ($25K).

HD121 (Lean Republican): Rep. Steve Allison (R-San Antonio) out-raised Democratic challenger Celina Montoya, $495K to $443K, but trails her, $326K to $22K, in cash on hand. Allison’s largest contributors were Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($140K), Leading Texas Forward PAC ($76K), Republican State Leadership Committee ($44K), Republican Party of Texas ($25K) and Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($20K). Details from Montoya’s report were not yet available.

HD126 (Lean Republican): Rep. Sam Harless (R-Spring) out-raised Democratic challenger Natali Hurtado, $449K to $311K, and holds a $290K to $210K advantage in cash on hand. Harless’s largest contributors were Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($84K), Republican State Leadership Committee ($70K), Leading Texas Forward PAC ($68K), Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($21K) and Texas House Republican Caucus PAC ($15K). Hurtado’s largest contributors were Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee ($48K) and Flippable Texas Victory Fund ($30K).

HD132 (Lean Democratic): Rep. Gina Calanni (D-Katy) out-raised former Rep. Mike Schofield (R-Katy), $308K to $252K, and she has a $235K to $98K advantage in cash on hand. Schofield’s largest contributors were Texans for Lawsuit Reform ($147K) and Houston Realty Business Coalition PAC ($20K).

HD134 (Lean Democratic): Rep. Sarah Davis (R-Houston) out-raised Democratic challenger Ann Johnson, $597K to $481K, but is slightly behind in cash on hand, $315K to $300K. Davis’s largest contributors were Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($153K), Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($132K), Leading Texas Forward PAC ($84K), C Club PAC ($40K) and Texas House Republican Caucus PAC ($15K). Details from Johnson’s report were not yet available.

HD135 (Lean Democratic): Republican challenger Justin Ray doubled up Rep. Jon Rosenthal (D-Houston), out-raising him, $419K to $207K, but Rosenthal’s $111K on hand is double the challenger’s $53K. Ray’s largest contributors were Texans for Lawsuit Reform ($169K), Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($145K), Republican State Leadership Committee ($21K) and Republican Party of Texas ($14K).

HD138 open (Lean Democratic): Democratic nominee Akilah Bacy out-raised Republican Lacey Hull, $631K to $277K, and she holds a $354K to $85K advantage in cash on hand. Hull’s largest contributors were Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($136K), Texas House Republican Caucus PAC ($30K), Houston Realty Business Coalition PAC ($20K) and Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($19K). Details from Bacy’s report were not yet available.

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