Tomorrow (Tuesday) is Election Day across the state.
In HD118 (Special), former Rep. John Lujan (R-San Antonio) faces Frank Ramirez (D) for the unexpired term of former Rep. Leo Pacheco (D-San Antonio). Lujan is seeking his second special election win for the seat and, if he wins, faces a considerably easier path to winning a full term than in 2016. Early turnout was around 7% – nearly the same as the September 28 special election including Election Day.
Statewide, voters will decide the fate of eight constitutional amendments. Since 1971, voters have approved 300 amendments to the state constitution, of which 260 were approved in odd-year elections. Since 2000, voters have approved 116 of the 122 amendments presented to them in odd-numbered years (95%)
Several municipalities are holding elections for mayor and/or council positions including College Station, Edinburg, Mesquite, Midland, San Marcos, Sherman, Texarkana, Wichita Falls and The Woodlands. Bond proposals and other propositions, such as Austin’s citizen-initiated proposition on police staffing, are on the ballot in jurisdictions across the state.
Our live coverage will begin at 7 p.m. CT on our website and our Twitter feed.
AG (Lean R): Brownsville attorney Rochelle Garza announced she would challenge Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton (R) as a Democrat. Garza had been running for Congress in what was open CD34, but U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-McAllen) is now running for re-election in that district. Galveston attorney Joe Jaworski and McKinney attorney Lee Merritt are already in the race for the Democratic nomination.
SC9 (Likely R): Gov. Greg Abbott (R) appointed Austin attorney Evan Young to fill the seat of former Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman (R). Young will be on the ballot for a full term in 2022 if he chose to seek it. Fifth Court of Appeals Justice David Schenck (R) has previously announced plans to run for the seat.
SD10 (Likely R): Reps. DeWayne Burns (R-Cleburne), David Cook (R-Mansfield), Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth) and Craig Goldman (R-Fort Worth) endorsed Rep. Phil King (R-Weatherford) over Sen. Beverly Powell (D-Burleson).
HD13 open (Safe R): Former U.S. Rep. Bill Flores (R-Bryan) endorsed former Hill County Clerk Angelia Orr (R).
HD79 (Safe D): Rep. Claudia Ordaz Perez (D-El Paso) announced she would challenge Rep. Art Fierro (D-El Paso). Ordaz Perez was paired with Rep. Lina Ortega (D-El Paso) in the House redistricting plan.
HD91 (Likely R): Former Haltom City council member Anthony Reed established a campaign committee for a potential primary challenge of Rep. Stephanie Klick (R-Fort Worth). Reed served on the council from 2009 to 2012. He was a community organizer for the Debra Medina (R) gubernatorial campaign in 2010 and an early supporter of Jonathan Stickland’s (R-Bedford) run for then-open HD92 in 2012. In 2020, he was a field staffer for Jeff Cason’s (R-Bedford) run for open HD92.
He is at least the third Republican to take a formal step toward challenging Klick, joining North Richland Hills Republican activist David Lowe and Richland Hills youth developer David Silvey.
CD15 open (Toss Up): McAllen attorney Roberto Haddad established a campaign committee for a potential run as a Democrat for the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-McAllen) who is running for adjacent CD34. Haddad is a former legislative counsel to former U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-Mercedes).
Harris County: Attorney Vidal Martinez (R) announced he would challenge County Judge Lina Hidalgo (D). Humble ISD trustee Martina Lemond Dixon (R) is already in the race.
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