GOV: Houston council member Dwight Boykins has scheduled a “special announcement” for Sunday morning. He has been exploring a run for the Democratic nomination to challenge Gov. Greg Abbott (R).
COMP: Austin culinary entrepreneur Joi Chevalier established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of Comptroller Glenn Hegar (R). We were unable to determine her political affiliation conclusively.
Jerry
Patterson
Comm. George P. Bush
LAND: Former Land Comm. Jerry Patterson is expected to would challenge Land Comm. George P. Bush in the Republican primary. Patterson advised that he has scheduled a “special announcement” for Monday morning.
Patterson was elected to the office in 2002, 2006 and 2010. In 2014, he finished a distant fourth in the Republican primary for lieutenant governor, receiving 12% of the vote. A former state senator, Patterson unsuccessfully ran for the office in 1998, losing the Republican primary to political newcomer David Dewhurst, 51%-42%.
Two other Republicans – Alvord surveyor Davey Edwards and Garland historian Rick Range – have already filed for the race.
SD5: Round Rock contract manager Meg Walsh filed in the Democratic primary to challenge Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown). She formed a campaign committee in July.
SD8 open: Plano attorney Mark Phariss filed in the Democratic primary for the seat being vacated by Sen. Van Taylor (R-Plano). Phariss was one of the parties seeking to overturn the state’s ban on same-sex marriages.
HD5: Lindale attorney Bill Liebbe established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of Rep. Cole Hefner (R-Mount Pleasant), likely as a Democrat.
HD13 open: We have several bits of candidate news for this rapidly developing open-seat race:
- Iola rancher and Grimes County Judge Ben Leman (R) has resigned to run for the seat being vacated by Rep. Leighton Schubert (R-Caldwell). In a news release, Leman said be begins the campaign with $100K on hand.
- Shoreacres municipal administrator and Fayette Co. Republican chair David Stall filed in the Republican primary.
- Sealy rancher Marc Young also filed in the Republican primary. Young ran unsuccessfully for Austin Co. Republican chair in 2016 (34%).
- Houston financial advisor and former gubernatorial appointee Rick Figueroa is considering the race. He ran unsuccessfully for state Republican party chair earlier this year, losing to James Dickey by one vote.
Rep. Leighton Schubert (R-Caldwell) has formally withdrawn from the Republican primary. Had he waited until Monday, the filing deadline would have been extended for five days pursuant to Sec. 172.054(a)(2), Election Code. As it stands, the deadline remains Monday at 6 p.m.
HD15 open: The Woodlands attorney and law school professor Lorena Perez McGill filed as a Democrat for the seat being vacated by Rep. Mark Keough (R-The Woodlands).
HD24: League City attorney and physician John Y. Phelps filed as a Democrat to challenge Rep. Greg Bonnen (R-Friendswood).
HD45 open: San Marcos educator Rebecca Bell-Metereau filed as a Democrat for the seat being vacated by Rep. Jason Isaac (R-Dripping Springs). She ran unsuccessfully for the State Board of Education against board member Ken Mercer (R-San Antonio) in 2010 (36%), 2012 (43%) and 2016 (46%).
HD63: Flower Mound writer Laura Haines established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of Rep. Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound) as a Democrat.
HD71: Abilene resident Sam Hatton established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of Rep. Stan Lambert (R-Abilene) as a Democrat.
HD88: Perryton energy executive Richard Beyea filed in the Republican primary to challenge Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian).
HD93: Fort Worth business consultant Nisha Mathews filed in the Democratic primary to challenge Rep. Matt Krause (R-Fort Worth).
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