Early voting continues for the May 1 general and special elections and runs through April 27.

CD6 special: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R) has not endorsed a candidate to succeed the late U.S. Rep. Ron Wright (R-Arlington), but he has come out against Rep. Jake Ellzey (R-Waxahachie), according to the Texas Tribune’s Patrick Svitek. In a statement to the Tribune, Cruz said would not be “a strong conservative voice in Congress.” Cruz cited Ellzey receiving “financial support from never-Trumpers” as a reason for opposing him.

That attack echoes Club for Growth Action’s highlighting a $250 contribution to Ellzey from Bill Kristol, a frequent critic of President Trump, in 2018. Club for Growth Action has spent at least $160K opposing Ellzey.

At the time, Ellzey was running for open CD6, losing to Wright in the Republican runoff. Ironically, Kristol is supporting a different candidate in this special election: Michael Wood. He is campaigning as an anti-Trump conservative.

In a tweet, Ellzey said he is “a lifelong Republican, and I supported President Trump and his America First policies.”

Austin: Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) campaign released a digital ad expressing his support of Proposition B, which would restore a policy of banning homeless individuals from camping in public places.

Legislation: Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) received permission from the House to suspend the five-day posting rule today (Tuesday) in order to add House Bill 330 and House Bill 3645 to the Election Committee’s agenda for its hearing tomorrow (Wednesday) morning.

As drafted, House Bill 330 by Cain would, among other provisions:

  • Creates and enhances various criminal penalties in connection with provisional ballots, voter assistance and voter registration, including making several offenses a state jail felony
  • Require a supermajority vote and a minimum 20% turnout in order to approve a bond
  • Require political subdivisions in larger counties to use county election offices to administer their elections; and
  • Establish new procedures and requirements for in-person early voting triggered if five or more voters living in a residential care facility requested absentee ballots.

House Bill 3645 by Cain would appear to prohibit a voter from casting a ballot for a federal election in Texas if they have already voted in another state’s federal election scheduled for the same day.

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