Filing for a place on the 2018 continues until 6 p.m. local time on December 11. Please see our Crib Sheets for candidates’ filing status.

Rep. Carol Alvarado

Rep. Carol Alvarado

HD145: Rep. Carol Alvarado (D-Houston) announced she would seek re-election, passing on open CD29 seat. In an email to supporters, Alvarado said she follow through on “the encouragement that many of you have given me about laying the groundwork for a campaign for a possible vacancy in Senate District 6” should Sen. Sylvia Garcia (D-Houston) win the CD29 race. Alvarado lost the 2013 special runoff election for SD6 to Garcia, 53%-47%.

GOV: Houston investor and entrepreneur Andrew White has scheduled a December 7 announcement outside the Houston elementary school bearing the name of his father, former Gov. Mark White (D).

CCA8 open: Texas Right to Life PAC endorsed Michelle Slaughter for the open Republican nomination.

SD30: Texas Right to Life PAC endorsed Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Frisco) over Sen. Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls). Meanwhile, Denton council member Keely Briggs announced she would run as an independent. She was first elected to the council in 2015 and re-elected this year.

SD31: Texas Alliance for Life PAC endorsed Sen. Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo).

HD8 open: Oakwood cattle raiser Wesley Ratcliff filed as a Democrat for the seat being vacated by Rep, Byron Cook (R-Corsicana).

HD14: Bryan attorney Rick Davis announced he would challenge Rep. John Raney (R-College Station) in the Republican primary. He is a former district judge (JD272) and Brazos Co. Court at Law judge. He is the third Republican challenger to enter the race, joining College Station transportation business owner Sarah Laningham and College Station recent college graduate Jeston Texeira.

HD88: Hart council member Ezekiel Barron established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian) as a Democrat. He would be the first Democrat to seek the seat since former Rep. Warren Chisum (R-Pampa) last ran as a Democrat in 1994. Barron considered running for the open CD19 seat in 2016 but did not appear on the ballot.

HD115: Dallas attorney Rockwell “Rock” Bower filed to seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Rep. Matt Rinaldi (R-Irving). We originally reported he had established a campaign committee to run in HD114 against Rep. Jason Villalba (R-Dallas), and Ethics Commission reports showed this as his office sought until late September, which coincides with the launch of his campaign’s current Facebook page. We missed that change in designation. Our Crib Sheets now show Bower in the HD115 race.

HD138: Gov. Greg Abbott (R) endorsed Rep. Dwayne Bohac (R-Houston).

SEN: North Richland Hills technology consultant Thomas Dillingham announced he would challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R) in the Republican primary. He is the second North Richland Hills resident to enter the race this month, joining broadcast executive Bruce Jacobson.

CD6 open: Arlington architect Deborah Gagliardi filed as a Republican for the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Joe Barton (R-Ennis). She ran for city council in 2006 or 07.

CD21 open: Al Poteet filed as a Republican for the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-San Antonio). We were unable to identify him conclusively.

CD29 open: Retiring U.S. Rep. Gene Green (D-Houston) endorsed Sen. Sylvia Garcia (D-Houston) to succeed him.

Longview: Businessman Wray Wade filed for the February 3 special election to fill an unexpired term on the council triggered by Kasha Williams’s decision to run for Gregg Co. commissioner. Wade lost to Williams in a 2011 council election. The only other candidate to file so far is church pastor Lonnie Murphy, who is Wade’s brother-in-law. The filing deadline is Monday.

Round Rock: Early voting is underway for the December 16 special election to fill the unexpired council term of Kris Whitfield. Commerical lender Hollis Bone, IT project manager Hilda Montgomery and printing company owner John Montgomery (no relation) are in the race. A runoff would be required if no one receives a majority vote.

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