The filing period begins Saturday for candidates seeking partisan nomination or intending to run as an independent candidate for the 2022 general election.

Partisan candidates seeking offices and districts with territories located entirely within a single county must file with their county party. Offices and districts with territories located in more than one county must file with their state party. All filings will eventually be reported to the Secretary of State, but the process is not automatic. We track state and local party websites and social media for their latest filings as well as watch the Secretary of State’s lists.

The filing deadline is December 13.

LTGOV (Lean R): The Texas Apartment Assoc. PAC endorsed Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R).

RRC (Likely R): Former Texas Democratic Party chief strategist Like Warford announced he would challenge Comm. Wayne Christian (R).

HD1 (Safe R): Former Rep. George Lavender (R-Texarkana) announced he would seek a second rematch against Rep. Gary VanDeaver (R-New Boston). Lavender was seeking a third term when VanDeaver defeated him, 54%-46%, in the 2014 Republican primary. Lavender unsuccessfully challenged VanDeaver in the 2016 primary, losing 62%-38%.

HD54 (Lean R): Harker Heights community organizer Jonathan Hildner announced he would challenge Rep. Brad Buckley (R-Salado) as a Democrat. Hildner had been running against U.S. Rep. John Carter (R-Round Rock) until redistricting made it “a drastically different race.” He suspended his congressional campaign in late October.

HD98 (Safe R): Grapevine communications executive and Republican precinct chair Mitchell Ryan announced he would challenge Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake).

HD126 (Likely R): Rep. Sam Harless (R-Spring) announced he will seek re-election.

HD127 open (Likely R): Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC endorsed Charles Cunningham (R) for the seat being vacated by Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Humble).

HD138 (Likely R): Houston attorney and former Harris Co. Asst. Dist. Atty. Nora Stephanie Morales established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of Rep. Lacey Hull (R-Houston) as a Democrat.

Houston: The city council set a January 25 special election to fill the unexpired term of council member Greg Travis, who is running for open HD133 (Likely R).