Updated December 12 to identify AGRIC candidate Jim Hogan.
The deadline to file for a place on the 2018 ballot has passed. Attorney General Ken Paxton and Comptroller Glenn Hegar appear to have no primary challengers. Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Barbara Hervey filed today, but Supreme Court Justice Don Willett did not, as his U.S. Senate confirmation process has passed a critical step. The other retiree is State Board of Education member Erika Beltran (D-Dallas), who did not appear to file for re-election.
The following statewide elected officials and State Board of Education members have confirmed filed primary opponents:
- Greg Abbott faces Larry SECEDE Kilgore and Barbara Krueger
- Gov. Dan Patrick faces Rockwall public relations executive Scott Milder
- Land Comm. George P. Bush faces former Land Comm. Jerry Patterson, Alvord surveyor Davey Edwards and Garland self-described Alamo historian Rick Range
- Agriculture Comm. Sid Miller faces Austin attorney and lobbyist Trey Blocker and an individual named Jim Hogan
- Railroad Comm. Christi Craddick faces San Antonio media strategist Weston Martinez
- Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller faces longtime Court of Appeals Justice David Bridges; and
- SBOE members Lawrence Allen Jr., Ruben Cortez Jr., Pat Hardy and Marisa Perez-Diaz.
Additional primary opponents may emerge, but it is highly unlikely because these offices’ candidates must file with the state parties, and they have seemingly reported all such filings.
GOV: An individual named Barbara Krueger filed to challenge Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in the Republican primary. We were unable to identify her conclusively, beyond being an Austin Westwood High graduate.
LTGOV: Former Rep. Allen Vaught (D-Dallas) said he would not seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R). Vaught re-established his campaign committee for the race in January, but Mike Collier’s entry into the race seemed to dampen his enthusiasm for the race. At the time, Vaught said he did not want a contested primary.
LAND: San Antonio computer programmer Tex Morgan filed in the Democratic primary to challenge Comm. George P. Bush (R). Morgan has served on the VIA Metropolitan Transit board of trustees since he was appointed by the San Antonio council in 2014.
AGRIC: An individual named Jim Hogan filed in the Republican primary to challenge Comm. Sid Miller (R). We were unable to identify him conclusively. In 2014, an identically named individual won the Democratic nomination for this office without spending any money or campaigning. Actually, he is the same Jim Hogan who won the Democratic nomination in 2014.
RRC: Houston resident Chris Spellmon filed in the Democratic primary to challenge Comm. Christi Craddick (R). Spellmon unsuccessfully ran for chair of the Harris Co. Democratic Party earlier this year.
ED2: Mathis resident Michelle Arevalo Davila filed to challenge board member Ruben Cortez Jr. in the Democratic primary. An individual named Tad Hasse filed in the Republican primary. We were unable to identify them conclusively.
ED4: Houston resident Steven Chambers filed to challenge board member Lawrence Allen Jr. in the Democratic primary. We were unable to identify him conclusively.
ED11: Dallas business developer Cheryl Surber filed to challenge board member Pat Hardy (R-Fort Worth) in the Republican primary.
ED13: Board member Erika Beltran (D-Dallas) announced she would not seek re-election. Beltran endorsed Aicha Davis, the only Democratic candidate to file in the race.
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