The campaign of Rep. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio) teased that it has scheduled a “BIG Campaign Announcement” for Saturday at its new campaign office in San Antonio. He is widely expected to announce a challenge of Sen. Pete Flores (R-San Antonio). Gutierrez unsuccessfully sought the seat in a 2018 special election necessitated by the resignation of former Sen. Carlos Uresti (D-San Antonio). Gutierrez came in third with 24%, missing the runoff between eventual winner Flores (34%) and former U.S. Rep. Pete Gallego (29%).
Relative to the state, the precincts comprising SD19 have been slowly becoming more friendly to Republicans in general elections, moving from 15 points bluer than the state as a whole in 2002 to just 9 points bluer in 2018. The average statewide Democratic candidate received 55% of the vote, measured head-to-head against the Republicans, in 2018, and U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-El Paso) carried the district over U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R), 57%-42%, and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Lupe Valdez edged out Gov. Greg Abbott (R), 50%-48%. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) carried the district over Donald Trump (R), 53%-42%.
San Antonio business development manager and former council member Jennifer Ramos, who was an aide to Gutierrez when he was a San Antonio council member, and San Antonio business owner Liz Campos, Uresti’s former chief of staff, have already established campaign committees for Gutierrez’s House seat (HD119).
Early voting concludes tomorrow for the November 5 constitutional amendment, general and special elections.
One Texas PAC: Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio) announced his One Texas PAC would aim “to bring a Democratic majority to the Texas House of Representatives.” Martinez Fischer said he would match the first $100K in contributions. Martinez Fischer first registered the PAC in 2012. Over its history, it has collected nearly $475K in contributions but just $10K since 2015.
HD4: Chandler resident Douglas Earnest re-established his campaign committee for a potential challenge of Rep. Keith Bell (R-Forney). Earnest launched a write-in candidacy for the seat in 2018 but ultimately opted not to run. It is unclear if he will again run as a write-in or an independent, or if he will seek a partisan nomination.
HD14: Gov. Greg Abbott (R) endorsed Rep. John Raney (R-College Station) for re-election.
HD29: Pearland home health care manager Travis Boldt established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of Rep. Ed Thompson (R-Pearland). Social media posts suggest he would run as a Democrat.
HD68: Gainesville history professor and attorney Patsy Ledbetter established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of Rep. Drew Springer (R-Muenster) as a Democrat.
TBD: Corpus Christi communications company owner Judith Cutright established a state campaign committee but did not appear to indicate which office she may seek. Cutright ran unsuccessfully for CD27 in a 2018 special election (<1%) as an independent.
CD22 open: The Kathaleen Wall (R) campaign released a new ad, “Give Glory to God, Then Come Back Home” focused on her faith and its role in key policy positions.
CD36: Jasper resident and former council member Rashad Lewis established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of U.S. Rep. Brian Babin (R-Woodville) as a Democrat. Lewis was elected to the council in 2017 as a write-in- candidate. He then lost a 2019 race for mayor (44%).
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