CD6 special: Early voting concludes tomorrow (Friday) for Tuesday’s special runoff election.
In Tarrant Co., in-person turnout rose again today (Thursday), bringing the four-day total of in-person and absentee voters to nearly 10K (2.8% of registered voters). In Ellis Co., 200 more people voted in person today than yesterday. Through four days, just over 4,500 people have voted in person or by mail (3.8% of registered voters). In Navarro Co., turnout is likely over 1K voters so far – it was 820 as of the end of yesterday – which would be about 3.5% of registered voters there. District-wide, more than 15K votes have already been cast, which is slightly more than the two candidates received in early voting for the May 1 special election.
The Susan Wright (R) campaign released the results of an internal poll (PDF) her leading Rep. Jake Ellzey (R-Waxahachie), 44%-34%, with 12% undecided (and 10% unaccounted for in these results). Wright’s lead is barely outside the poll’s ±4.9% margin of error. It’s also smaller than her lead in a June poll conducted by the same firm, which found her leading, 49%-34%.
The poll memo notes that Wright’s lead expands to 54%-33% among “those who rate their enthusiasm in voting an 8-10.” Crosstabs were not provided. The poll of 400 “likely” runoff voters who voted in the May 1 special election was conducted via landline and mobile numbers and was in the field July 19-21.
GOV: U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) endorsed primary challenger Don Huffines (R), who chaired Paul’s 2016 presidential campaign in Texas. Paul campaigned with Huffines in 2014 when he was challenging then-Sen. John Carona (R-Dallas) in the Republican primary.
RRC: Arlington Green Party activist Hunter Crow established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of Comm. Wayne Christian (R). Crow unsuccessfully ran for Arlington council in 2020 (15%), a seat on the Tarrant Co. College board in 2019 (21%) and twice for Arlington ISD in 2018 (23%) and 2017 (39%).
HD6: Tyler IT specialist Cody Grace established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of Rep. Matt Schaefer (R-Tyler), likely as a Democrat.
HD92: Bedford political podcaster Dennis Sherrard established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of Rep. Jeff Cason (R-Bedford) as a Democrat.
HD131: Houston resident James Guillory established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of Rep. Alma Allen (D-Houston). We were unable to identify him conclusively.
Republican Targets: The Associated Republicans of Texas PAC released a list of eight additional Democrat-held seats it would target next year:
- HD45, currently held by Rep. Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood)
- HD47, currently held by Rep. Vikki Goodwin (D-Austin)
- HD52, currently held by Rep. James Talarico (D-Round Rock)
- HD65 open, being vacated by Rep. Michelle Beckley (D-Carrollton)
- HD113, currently held by Rep. Rhetta Bowers (D-Rowlett)
- HD114 open, being vacated by Rep. John Turner (D-Dallas)
- HD135, currently held by Rep. Jon Rosenthal (D-Houston); and
- HD144, currently held by Rep. Mary Ann Perez (D-Houston).
The 2020 Republican nominees for HD45, HD47, HD65, HD113 and HD135 have already announced they would run again.
Last month, the PAC announced it was targeting six South and West Texas seats.
Tarrant Co.: Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker endorsed her predecessor and former boss Betsy Price for County Judge.
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