SD14 special: Rep. Eddie Rodriguez (D-Austin) has scheduled a Saturday morning “announcement regarding my decision whether to run” for the seat being vacated by Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin). In our experience, no one schedules an event to announce they’re not running. Also, the Travis Co. Commissioners Court agenda for its Tuesday meeting includes an item to “consider and take appropriate action on … accepting resignation of County Judge and the appointment” of an interim County Judge, indicating Travis Co. Judge Srah Eckhardt may also have an announcement soon.
SEN: EMILY’S List endorsed M.J. Hegar in the Democratic runoff against Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas).
CD3: Tanner Do, the third-place finisher in the Democratic primary, endorsed Sean McCaffity for the runoff over Lulu Seikaly. Do received 12% of the vote. The runoff winner will face U.S. Rep. Van Taylor (R-Plano).
CD24 open: 2018 Democratic nominee and 2020 third-place finisher Jan McDowell endorsed Candace Valenzuela in the runoff against Kim Olson. McDowell received 10% of the vote. The runoff winner will face former Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne.
Straight-party Voting: The Texas Democratic Party and others filed a federal lawsuit (PDF) seeking to block a state law that ended single-punch, straight-party voting. “The severe burdens of increased polling-place lines caused by [House Bill] 25 will uniquely and disparately impact minority voters,” the lawsuit asserts, adding that it “will also cause significantly more Texans, particularly minority voters, to fail to complete their ballots.” The bill, which was passed in 2017, takes effect on September 1. A modern record 70% of Texans used the single-punch, straight-party voting option in 2018.
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