Today (Monday) was the deadline to file for partisan nomination or independent candidacy for statewide, legislative, congressional and county offices on the 2022 general election ballot. Our Crib Sheets have the latest known status of more than 1,000 candidates for statewide, legislative and congressional offices. It will take at least a week for all filings to be reported, so expect additional challengers and open-seat candidates will emerge despite today’s deadline.

GOV (Likely R): There are always surprises on deadline day, and the first one came when Rick Perry filed to challenge Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in the primary. Of course, it was not former Gov. Rick Perry (R) despite the identical name. Quorum Report’s Scott Braddock confirmed fairly quickly that he is instead Springtown resident Rick Lynn Perry (no relation). Tony McDonald, who was the general counsel to Empower Texans, is Perry’s campaign treasurer, according to the Texas Tribune’s Patrick Svitek.

HD14 (Likely R): Rep. John Raney (R-Bryan) drew a late challenge from John Harvey Slocum, son of the former Texas A&M football coach. Slocum had been considering the race.

HD19 open (Safe R): Gillespie Co. Sheriff Buddy Mills (R) endorsed Ellen Troxclair.

HD23 open (Likely R): Galveston attorney and former legislative aide Patrick Gurski filed in the Republican primary for the seat being vacated by Rep. Mayes Middleton (R-Wallisville). Gurski was chief of staff to former Rep. Dwayne Bohac (R-Houston).

HD45 (Likely D): Rep. Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood) picked up two primary challengers in San Marcos educator and self-proclaimed mermaid Jessica Mejia, who previously announced, and Kyle resident Tía Angie Villescaz, a former candidate for Hays County Democratic chair.

HD75 (Safe D): Rep. Mary Gonzalez (D-Clint) drew a last-day primary challenger in former Socorro council member Rene Rodriguez.

HD79 (Safe D): Rep. Claudia Ordaz Perez (D-El Paso) filed for re-election, setting up this redistricting cycle’s only race among paired incumbents against Rep. Art Fierro (D-El Paso).

HD88 (Safe R): Pampa hydrocarbon trucking company owner Ted Hutto filed to challenge Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian) in the Republican primary. Another potential challenger’s application was rejected.

HD100 open (Safe D): Former Dallas council member Sandra Crenshaw filed to take another swing at the seat. She has lost to each of the last three people to represent the district. She lost the 2020 Democratic primary eventually won by Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Dallas), a 2019 special election eventually won by former Rep. Loraine Birabil (D-Dallas) and the 2018 Democratic primary to former Rep. Eric Johnson (D-Dallas).

HD142 (Safe D): Rep. Harold Dutton (D-Houston) drew a late primary challenger in Aldine educator Candis Houston. Unlike one or more of Dutton’s 2020 challengers, she is a real person.

CD7 (Likely D): U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-Houston) appeared to dodge a primary challenger when Centrell Reed switched to open CD38 (Safe R), but Houston healthcare executive Muhammad Javed filed in the Democratic primary today.

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