HD54 open: A recount confirmed Scott Cosper’s victory over Austin Ruiz in the May 24 runoff. Cosper’s 43-vote margin on Election Day narrowed to 39 in the recount. Cosper faces Harker Heights nurse Sandra Blankenship in the general election.
PRES: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick plans to appear with presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump at his campaign rally in The Woodlands. U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Lewisville), RRC nominee Wayne Christian and Tarrant Co. Comm. Andy Nguyen spoke at the campaign’s Dallas rally this evening.
The Texas Tribune published a handy guide to how the current Republican members of the Texas congressional delegation are supporting, or not supporting, Trump.
- Endorse/Support: Cornyn, Babin, Barton, Brady, Burgess, Conaway, Culberson, Farenthold, Hensarling. Marchant, McCaul, Neugebauer, Olson, Ratcliffe, Sessions, Smith, Weber, Williams
- Plan to Vote for Him: Carter, Flores, Gohmert*, Johnson
- Wait and See: Cruz, Hurd, Thornberry
- No: Granger
- Unknown: Poe
* Gohmert told the Tribune, “I will, I’m sure, end up voting for my party’s nominee.”
U.S. Rep. Will Hurd (R-San Antonio), running for re-election in the state’s only truly competitive district, told the Tribune, “Until [Trump] shows he can respect women and minorities and has a real national security plan, I am going to reserve my endorsement.”
CD19 nominee Jodey Arrington told the Tribune’s Patrick Svitek, “I’m committed to keeping positive about [Trump] because he’s the nominee and Hillary Clinton is not an option for me.”
Harris Co.: At least two rivals seeking to be the replacement nominee for county commissioner challenged Sen. Rodney Ellis’s (D-Houston) list of precinct chair endorsements. Houston council member Dwight Boykins questioned the list’s accuracy in a Facebook comment (Boykins has not formally declared himself a candidate because doing so may trigger state resign-to-run laws.).
Interim Co. Comm. Gene Locke said precinct chairs “tell me a different story”:
Ellis shot back at Locke on Facebook:
City of Houston: Mayor Sylvester Turner is proposing to increase the amount of money candidates for city office can raise, doubling it to $5K every two years instead of the current $2,500. Houston voters last year approved a change to the city charter to increase the length of mayor and council member terms to four years.