Early voting in person concluded today. Turnout in the state’s 15 most populous counties creeped past 2% by the end of yesterday. Through the first 11 days of early voting, less than 200K people voted in those counties out of 9.8M registered voters. This is less than half the number of people who voted through 11 days of early voting in 2015. Tuesday is the general election. We will have live coverage beginning at 7 p.m. that evening.
Filing for federal, state and county offices on the ballot in 2018 begins a week from tomorrow.
SD25: Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) tweeted that she has “no plans to seek” the CD21 seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-San Antonio) and is “firmly committed to serving the people of Texas in the Texas Senate.” Meanwhile, San Antonio resident and Democratic precinct chair Jack Guerra established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of Campbell.
Jay
Leeson
Rep. Dustin
Burrows
HD83: Lubbock businessman and radio host Jay Leeson tweeted that he picked up a candidate packet for HD83 from the Lubbock Co. Republican Party headquarters, signaling a potential primary challenge of Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock). Leeson considered challenging Burrows in 2016 but ultimately did not enter the race. Meanwhile, Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) endorsed Burrows.
HD84: Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) endorsed Rep. John Frullo (R-Lubbock).
HD89 open: Plano resident and 2016 Democratic nominee Denise Hamilton re-established her campaign committee for a potential race for the seat being vacated by Rep. Jodie Laubenberg (R-Wylie). We previously reported that Hamilton had established an ActBlue fundraising page and web site for the race. She received 33% of the vote against Laubenberg in 2016.
HD113 open: Garland businessman and combat veteran Charlie Lauersdorf announced he would seek the seat being vacated by Rep. Cindy Burkett (R-Sunnyvale) as a Republican. We previously reported that he formed a campaign committee for the race.
HD121 open: San Antonio attorney Adrian Spears established a campaign committee for a potential race for the seat being vacated by Speaker Joe Straus (R-San Antonio). Spears campaigned for Bexar Co. Court at Law No. 10 as a Democrat in 2014 but did not appear on the primary ballot.
CD6: U.S. Rep. Joe Barton (R-Ennis) announced he would seek re-election.
CD21 open: Speaker Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) is “not interested” in running for the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-San Antonio), according to spokesman Jason Embry.
Nueces Co.: Corpus Christi attorney and Port of Corpus Christi board member Barbara Canales announced she would run for county judge as a Democrat. Incumbent Loyd Neal (R) is not seeking re-election. Canales unsuccessfully sought the open SD20 seat in 2002, losing to then-Rep. Chuy Hinojosa (D-Brownsville) in the Democratic primary runoff. Nueces Co. Comm. Mike Pusley previously announced he would run as a Republican.
Webb Co.: County Judge Tano Tijierina (D) announced he would seek re-election.
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