A few things we wanted to share with you today:
RRC2: Commissioner David Porter announced he would seek re-election. The only known challenger so far is Robert Cody Garrett of Del Valle, who filed his CTA in late April.
SD22: Sen. Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) announced he would seek re-election.
SD24: Open carry advocate CJ Grisham of Temple announced via Facebook that he plans to run for Sen. Troy Fraser’s (R-Horseshoe Bay) open seat. Already in the race are Lakeway ophthalmologist Dawn Buckingham, Bee Cave resident Jon Cobb, Fredericksburg resident Gary Brent Mayes and former San Antonio council member Reed Williams.
HD73: Boerne attorney Chris Byrd filed a CTA to challenge Rep. Doug Miller (R-New Braunfels). Last year, Byrd was a guest speaker at a Boerne Tea Party Patriots meeting to discuss proposed legislation to prohibit the usage of Sharia law in state courtrooms.
HD101: Former Rep. Linda Harper-Brown (R-Irving) is considering a rematch against Rep. Rodney Anderson (R-Grand Prairie). She reported no contributions, $608 in cash on hand and a more than $50K loan balance in her July semiannual campaign finance report.
HD144: Pasadena council member Cody Wheeler filed a CTA to challenge Rep. Gilbert Peña (R-Pasadena). Wheeler was re-elected to his District D seat in 2015 despite negative attack ads funded by a PAC (Citizens to Keep Pasadena Strong) with ties to Pasadena Mayor Johnny Isbell. Political affiliation is not requested by Ethics Commission forms. Based on his city council campaign web site and recent contribution history, it appears he will be running as a Democrat. A July 16 tweet inviting donors to a local union hall still uses his council campaign logo.
All known candidates, whether they have filed a CTA or not, are listed in our Crib Sheets.
PRES: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and former Gov. Rick Perry both sit at 4% and in the top 10 among the field of candidates for the Republican nomination, according to a new ABC News/Washington Post poll. The top five are Donald Trump (24%), Scott Walker (13%), Jeb Bush (12%), Mike Huckabee (8%) and Marco Rubio (7%). “Very conservative” voters favor Walker (25%), Trump (17%) and Huckabee (15%). Cruz is the top pick of 7% of “very conservative” voters; Perry is at 3%.
