The filing deadline for a spot on the 2018 primary ballot has passed, but the candidate rosters are not yet finalized. The parties had until today to submit their final certified candidate lists to the Secretary of State.
CD27 open: James Dickey, the Republican Party of Texas Chair, moved to dismiss his lawsuit against the Texas Secretary of State seeking, in effect, to have U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold’s (R-Corpus Christi) name removed from the primary ballot. His motion was granted without objection from the state. It was unclear whether the party would include or omit Farenthold’s name from its certified candidate list. Farenthold formally withdrew from the race after the statutory deadline to have his name removed from the ballot. Leaving his name off the certified candidate list could open up the primary result to a legal challenge.
Ruth Jones McClendon
HD120: Former Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon (D-San Antonio) has passed away. She represented HD120 from 1997 until her resignation in 2016.
In a statement, Speaker Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) called her “a tireless fighter for justice …, a person of principle and decency.” On Facebook, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio) said, “She was a powerful public servant who used her voice to lift up communities that were too often ignored.”
She was 74.
HD123: Democratic candidate Robert Escobedo withdrew from the race. Rep. Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio) is now unopposed for re-election, absent an independent or write-in candidacy. Independents had to file declarations of intent by December 11. Write-in candidates’ filing deadline is not until August 20.
El Paso Co.: Richard Gonzalez, the Democratic challenger to County Clerk Delia Briones (D), was disqualified because his filing fee check was returned by the bank. Gonzalez filed with a personal check on December 11, the last day of the filing period. When the check was returned, his application became incomplete, and he was no longer eligible to be put on the primary ballot. First elected in 2006, Briones is now unopposed for re-election.
Virginia: A recount gave a Democratic legislative candidate a 1-vote victory that resulted in a 50-50 tie in that state’s House of Delegates. Republicans held a 66-34 advantage going into the November general election. After Election Day, the Republican incumbent led by 10 votes. She becomes the 12th female Democratic challenger to defeat a male Virginia Republican incumbent or open-seat candidate this year. In Texas, at least 41 Democratic women are running for seats against male Republican legislative incumbents.
It is the second time in fairly recent Virginia history that a Democrat overcame a slender vote deficit to win a recount by 1 vote. The feat earned Jim Scott the nickname “Landslide Jim.”
©2017 Texas Election Source LLC
