SD8: Angela Paxton, a Plano guidance counselor and wife of Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton, filed paperwork establishing a campaign committee for a potential run for the seat being vacated by Sen. Van Taylor (R-Plano). We previously reported that she was exploring the race.
Rep. Larry
Gonzales
HD52: Rep. Larry Gonzales (R-Round Rock) announced he would not seek re-election. He was first elected to the House in 2010 and has been re-elected three times. At least two Republicans have already announced their intentions to challenge Gonzales: Round Rock nonprofit executive and state Republican Party chaplain Jeremy Story and Round Rock medical researcher Christopher Ward.
HD62: Sherman council member and creative consultant Kevin Couch formally announced his campaign for the Republican nomination against Rep. Larry Phillips (R-Sherman). We previously reported that Couch had formed a campaign committee and was considering the race. Couch was first elected to an at-large position on the city council in November 2015. Phillips has not faced a primary opponent since 2006. Van Alstyne electrical engineer and unsuccessful 2014 CD4 candidate Brent Lawson has also announced his primary challenge.
El Paso Co.: County commissioners took no action during a meeting this week to replace County Judge Veronica Escobar, who resigned to run for CD16. She will remain in office until a replacement is named, which could happen at a Commissioners Court meeting in two weeks.
Edinburg: We previously reported about a petition filed in state district court seeking to stop Mayor Richard Garcia’s campaign for a third consecutive term, which would be his fourth overall. The petition claims term limit language in the city charter prevents Garcia from seeking more than three “successive” terms. Garcia’s attorney said in a statement that the term limit provision did not go into effect until 2011 and applies beginning with the first election of the mayor and council following its passage. He argued Garcia is in fact eligible to seek two more terms.
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