State candidates with primary opposition were required to file their 8-day-out campaign finance reports yesterday (Monday). Much of the drama found in these reports in recent election cycles was missing this year. In 2018, candidates for the House and Senate raised $13.9M during this period of time. This year, they raised $5.4M.

Part of this is due to the limited number of hotly contested primary races, but the absence of Empower Texans PAC, which has historically placed large bets on Republican races during this time period. Empower Texans PAC spent $1.4M during this period for 2018, up from $1.0M in 2016 and $708K in 2014. The PAC has not filed a report since its January semiannual, which we take to mean that the PAC has not made any political contributions since January 1. Some of the PAC’s largest donors have made individual contributions. The PAC has also endorsed far fewer state candidates this year than in recent years. It endorsed in just six House races, down from 39 in 2018.

The top fundraisers for the period were Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. ($446K), Rep. J.D. Sheffield ($204K), HD92 open seat candidate Jim Griffin ($188K), Rep. Geanie Morrison ($178K), HD60 open seat candidate Jon Francis ($174K), Rep. Jared Patterson ($171K), Rep. Tracy King ($168K), HD10 open seat candidate Jake Ellzey ($145K), Rep. Eddie Lucio III ($144K) and HD132 open seat candidate Angelica Garcia ($136K).

The top legislative spenders for the period were HD59 challenger Cody Johnson ($501K), Francis ($372K), Sen. Lucio ($335K), King ($233K), Sheffield ($224K), Rep. Gary Gates ($171K), HD134 Democratic candidate Ann Johnson ($155K), Rep. Lucio ($140K), SD19 open seat candidate Xochil Peña Rodriguez ($139K) and HD108 Democratic candidate Shawn Terry ($137K).

Our Crib Sheets have been updated for all reports available today (Tuesday). Highlights of the reports from the three-, four- and five-star rated primary races follows.

Xochil Peña Rodriguez

Xochil Peña Rodriguez

Rep. Roland Gutierrez

Rep. Roland
Gutierrez

SD19: Rep. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio) out-raised Xochil Peña Rodriguez, $65K to $27K, but she outspent him, $139K to $102K, for the period. Rodriguez increased her loan principal to $184K from $125K. Freddy Ramirez reported $1K in contributions. Belinda Shvetz has not filed a report since January.

SD27: Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. (D-Brownsville) out-raised State Board of Education member Ruben Cortez, $446K to $31K, and outspent him, $335K to $20K. Lucio’s largest contributors for the period included Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($92K), McAllen investor Dan Duncan ($25K), Austin executive Alan Hassenflu ($25K), Austin executive Robert Lanham Jr. ($25K), Austin executive Kahled Salem ($25K) and Florence, Ala. homebuilder Richard Weekley ($25K). Sara Stapleton-Barrera’s report was not yet available. She reported no contributions in her 30-day-out report.

HD2: Rep. Dan Flynn (R-Van) out-raised Bryan Slaton, $136K to $33K, but was outspent by the challenger, $132K to $110K. More than 90% of Slaton’s contribution total came from owners of the Odessa-based Saulsbury Industries. Doc Collins raised $5K and spent $49K after increasing his loan principal to $75K from $25K.

HD10 open: Jake Ellzey out-raised Ryan Pitts, $145K to $44K, but was outspent, $105K to $49K. Ellzey’s largest contributors were Gov. Greg Abbott’s campaign ($42K), Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($34K) and Texas Alliance for Life PAC ($15K). Pitts’s largest contributor was former Rep. Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie). A third candidate has not filed reports since January.

HD25 open: Troy Brimage, the top fundraiser to date in the race, did not have a report available online. He reported $193K in contributions and $130K in expenditures in his 30-day-out report. Cody Vasut raised $56K and spent $40K. Vasut’s largest contributor was Lake Jackson retiree William Samuel. Most of his contributors were small donors ($200 or less), mostly from cities wholly or partially within the district. Ro’Vin Garrett raised $43K and spent $27K. Rhonda Seth raised $5K and spent $15K. Mitch Thames raised $3K and spent $5K.

HD26 open: Jacey Jetton out-raised his two challengers combined, $88K to $14K, and outspent them combined, $82K to $8K. Jetton’s largest contributors were Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($25K), Gov. Greg Abbott’s campaign ($24K) and Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($15K).

HD37: Rep. Alex Dominguez (D-Brownsville) out-raised Amber Medina, $131K to $13K, and outspent her, $90K to $22K.

HD45: Carrie Isaac out-raised Bud Wymore, $59K to $26K, and outspent him, $86K to $74K. Isaac’s largest contributors were Dripping Springs software executive Hank Seale ($10K), Rep. Mayes Middleston personally ($9K), Texas Charter Schools Now PAC ($7.5K) and Rep. Cole Hefner’s campaign ($7K). Austin Talley raised and spent $2K.

HD47: Surprisingly little money is flowing into the race to challenge Rep. Vikki Goodwin (D-Austin). Four candidates combined to raise $74K with Aaron Reitz’s report not being available. Justin Berry led the field with $36K in contributions, followed by Jennifer Fleck ($17K) and Jenny Roan Forgey ($16K). Just over half of Berry’s contribution total came from Austin Police Assoc. PAC. Forgey spent more than the field, absent Reitz, combined.

HD59: Rep. J.D. Sheffield (R-Gatesville) out-raised Shelby Slawson, $204K to $64K, and Cody Johnson reported no contributions. However, Johnson outspent Sheffield, $501K to $224K, fueled by his $1M loan principal. Slawson spent $110K after increasing her loan principal to $108K from $50K. Sheffield’s largest contributors for the period were Texas Medical Assoc. TEXPAC ($105K), AFSCME Texas Correctional Officers PAC ($10K) and Medical Defense PAC ($10K). Slawson’s largest contributors were North Texas PAC for Trust, Honesty and Integrity ($27K), Comanche commercial real estate developer Frank Peinado ($10K) and Flower Mound retiree Darlene Pendery ($10K).

Glenn Rogers

Glenn
Rogers

Jon Francis

Jon
Francis

HD60 open: Jon Francis out-raised Glenn Rogers, $174K to $97K, and outspent him, $372K to $158K. Francis’s largest contributor was father-in-law Farris Wilks ($150K), bringing the Wilks brothers’ total investment in the race to at least $650K, which is 81% of Francis’s total contributions for the cycle. Rogers’s largest contributors were Texas Farm Bureau AGFUND ($20K), Texas Assoc. of Realtors TREPAC ($10K), Palestine rancher James Nail III ($5K) and Texas Parent PAC ($5K).

HD65: On the Republican side, Kronda Thimesch out-raised Nancy Cline, $65K to $9K, and outspent her, $49K to $33K.

HD74 open: Just $125K has been raised by the three Democratic candidates combined for the election cycle. Rowland Garza led the field with $26K in contributions, but he was outspent by Eddie Morales, $126K to $15K. Morales increased his loan principal to $215K from $150K.

HD92 open: Jim Griffin out-raised Jeff Cason, $188K to $37K, but was narrowly outspent, $120K to $113K. Cason’s largest contributors were owners of the Odessa-based Saulsbury Industries ($31K) and Midland oil and gas investor Kyle Stallings ($5K), collectively comprising 95% of Cason’s contribution total for the period. Griffin’s largest contributors were Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($115K), Texas Alliance for Life PAC ($13K), North Richland Hills developer Harlan Crow ($10K), Bedford executive Lonnie Ledbetter ($10K) and Texas Forever Forward PAC ($10K). Taylor Gillig raised $2K and spent $10K.

HD100: Rep. Lorraine Birabil (D-Dallas) out-raised Paul Stafford, $56K to $26K, and outspent him, $45K to $37K. Two other candidates combined raised less than $1K and spent less than $2K. Two other candidates’ reports were not yet available.

HD106: Rep. Jared Patterson (R-Frisco) out-raised James Trombley, $171K to $41K, and outspent him $109K to $73K. Flower Mound retiree Darlene Pendery contributed $40K to Trombley, accounting for 97% of his contribution total for the period. She has provided $128K out of Trombley’s $138K contribution total for the cycle.

HD108: Joanna Cattanach out-raised Shawn Terry, $29K to $15K, in the Democratic race to challenge Rep. Morgan Meyer (R-Dallas), but Terry outspent her, $137K to $76K. Tom Ervin raised $7K and spent $13K.

HD119: The three candidates seeking to succeed Rep. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio) combined to raised $28K, bringing their collective total for the cycle to $53K. Liz Campos narrowly out-raised Jennifer Ramos, $14K to $12K, and narrowly outspent her, $15K to $14K. Sean Villasana raised $2K and spent $4K.

HD128: Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) out-raised Robert Hoskins, $108K to $37K, and outspent him, $108K to $20K.

Mike Schofield

Mike
Schofield

Angelica Garcia

Angelica
Garcia

HD132: Angelica Garcia out-raised former Rep. Mike Schofield (R-Katy), $136K to $24K, but was outspent by the former incumbent, $123K to $19K. Some of that gap is covered by in-kind advertising. Garcia’s largest contributors for the period were Associated Republicans of Texas PAC ($73K), Gov. Greg Abbott’s campaign ($26K) and Hispanic Republicans of Texas PAC ($7K).

HD138 open: Lacey Hull raised $116K, more than $110K more than either of her rivals, and she spent $79K. On the Democratic side, Josh Wallenstein out-raised Akilah Bacy, $17K to $8K, and outspent her, $65K to $9K.

HD142: Rep. Harold Dutton (D-Houston) raised $120K and spent $46K. Houston council member Jerry Davis’s report was not available, and the other two candidates have never filed a report.

HD147: Rep. Garnet Coleman (D-Houston) raised $102K and spent $33K. Aurelia Wagner raised less than $2K and spent less one hundred dollars. Colin Ross has never filed a report.

HD148: Rep. Anna Eastman (D-Houston) raised $52K, nearly double the rest of the field (less Cynthia Reyes-Revilla, whose report was not available), and she spent $33K. Penny “Morales” Shaw raised $11K and spent $23K. Adrian Garcia (no relation to the Harris Co. commissioner with the same name) raised $11K and spent $6K.

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