Yesterday (Wednesday) was the deadline for state officeholders and candidates to file their January semiannual campaign finance reports, disclosing contributions received and expenditures made between July 1 and December 31, or a shorter period if the campaign committee was formed after July 1.

In this report, we examine the three special runoff elections, their subsequent primary elections and contested primary races involving legislative incumbents.

With few exceptions, incumbents greatly out-raised their challengers and have significant, often exponential, advantages in cash on hand. Reps. Alma Allen (D-Houston) and Harold Dutton (D-Houston) were out-raised by their challengers, the latter entirely because of a transfer from his challenger’s city campaign account.

Special Runoff Elections

HD28 special: Democrat Eliz Markowitz out-raised Republican Gary Gates, $244K to $25K, between October 27 and December 31, but Gates outspent her, $323K to $240K. Markowitz has a $118K to $60K advantage in cash on hand. Gates increased his loan principal by nearly $500K to $1.5M. Schell Hammel, who filed in the Republican primary but not the special election, raised $4K.

HD100 special: Lorraine Birabil out-raised James Armstrong III, $35K to $11K, and outspent him, $25K to $11K. She has a $36K to $11K advantage in cash on hand. Among the eventual winner’s primary opponents, Jasmine Crockett ($34K) and Paul Stafford ($29K) led in contributions, and Stafford’s $48K in expenditures was nearly more than the field combined ($51K).

HD148 special: Democrat Anna Eastman out-raised Republican Luis LaRotta, $73K to $11K, and outspent him, $58K to $11K. She has a $34K to $4K advantage in cash on hand. Adrian Garcia ($12K) and Penny “Morales” Shaw ($12K) led the other Democrats who filed for the primary in contributions.

Contested Legislative Incumbents

SD13: Sen. Borris Miles (D-Houston) raised $53K, spent $41K and has $30K on hand. Neither of his two primary opponents raised more than $5K or has more than $1K on hand.

SD27: Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. (D-Brownsville) raised $610K and spent $750K, outpacing both of his primary rivals. State Board of Education member Ruben Cortez raised $78K and spent $28K. Sara Stapleton-Barrera raised $5K and spent $151K, but she has the edge in cash on hand over Lucio, $143K to $32K over. She increased her loan principal by about $120K to $142K.

HD2: Rep. Dan Flynn (R-Van) raised $88K and spent $72K, well ahead of his primary opponents. Doc Collins raised $9K and spent $16K. A $25K loan boosted his cash on hand total to $24K, just behind Flynn’s $27K. Bryan Slaton raised $5K and spent $2K as he seeks the seat for the third consecutive primary. He raised $86K during the corresponding period in the 2018 cycle and $67K in the 2016 cycle.

HD9: Rep. Chris Paddie (R-Marshall) out-raised primary challenger Mark Williams, $304K to $3K, and he has a $314K to $3K advantage in cash on hand.

HD30: Rep. Geanie Morrison (R-Victoria) out-raised primary challenger Vanessa Hicks-Callaway, $70K to $1K, and she has a $327K advantage in cash on hand.

HD36: Rep. Sergio Muñoz Jr. (D-Mission) out-raised Abraham Padron, $66K to $8K, but was outspent by the challenger, $63K to $38K. Muñoz has a $237K advantage in cash on hand.

HD37: Rep. Alex Dominguez (D-Brownsville) out-raised Amber Medina, $57K to $19K, and outspent her, $93K to $25K. Neither candidate has more than $10K on hand.

HD38: Rep. Eddie Lucio III (D-Brownsville) out-raised Erin Gamez, $271K to $7K, and outspent her, $155K to $20K. The incumbent has the advantage in cash on hand, $170K to $11K.

HD41: Rep. Bobby Guerra (D-Mission) out-raised Richard Gonzales, $81K to $9K, and has a $158K to $29K advantage in cash on hand.

HD59: Rep. J.D. Sheffield (R-Gatesville) out-raised his two challengers combined but faces a more than $300K deficit in cash on hand to Cody Johnson, who also outspent the incumbent. Sheffield raised $105K, spent $90K and has $92K on hand. Johnson raised $32K, spent $252K and has $397K on hand. Shelby Slawson raised $33K, spent $29K and has $52K on hand.

HD72: Rep. Drew Darby (R-San Angelo) raised $189K, and he has $899K on hand. Challenger Lynette Lucas raised less than $1K.

HD80: Rep. Tracy King (D-Batesville) out-raised Danny Valdez, $148K to $21K, and outspent him, $88K to $8K. King has the advantage in cash on hand, $296K to $10K.

HD85: Rep. Phil Stephenson (R-Wharton) raised $54K, spent $23K and has $43K on hand. His two primary opponents raised $1K and spent $4K combined.

HD116: Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio) raised $254K and spent $388K, of which $350K was a donation to the One Texas PAC. He has $167K on hand. Challenger Evan Bohl raised $1K.

HD127: Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Humble) out-raised Dwight Ford, $133K to $4K, and he has a $110K to $3K advantage in cash on hand.

HD128: Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) out-raised Robert Hoskins, $126K to $5K, and outspent him, $39K to $26K. Cain has the advantage in cash on hand, $134K to $4K.

HD130: Rep. Dennis Paul (R-Webster) out-raised Ryan Lee, $86K to $11K, and he has a $116K to $6K advantage in cash on hand.

HD131: Challenger Elvonte Patton out-raised Rep. Alma Allen (D-Houston), $43K to $11K, but the incumbent has the edge in cash on hand, $33K to $10K.

HD142: Primary challenger and Houston council member Jerry Davis out-raised Rep. Harold Dutton (D-Houston), $140K to $27K. Davis’s entire contribution total came from a transfer from his city campaign account. Davis has a $130K to $79K advantage in cash on hand. Reports from the other two primary challengers were not yet available.

HD146: Rep. Shawn Thierry (D-Houston) out-raised Ashton Woods, $14K to $1K, and she has a narrow $13K to $2K advantage in cash on hand.

HD147: Rep. Garnet Coleman (D-Houston) raised $98K, spent $130K and has $111K on hand. Reports from his two primary challengers were not yet available.

©2020 Texas Election Source LLC