SD8: Angela Paxton, a Plano guidance counselor and wife of Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton, announced she would seek the seat being vacated by Sen. Van Taylor (R-Plano). We previously reported that she had established a campaign committee for the race.
Angela
Paxton
Phillip
Huffines
“After much prayer, I’m excited to step forward with overwhelming support and encouragement from my family; long-time friends; district, regional and statewide conservative leaders; elected officials; precinct chairs and citizens,” she said in a statement posted to her campaign’s web site.
Twelve current House members (including most of the Collin Co. delegation), eight Collin Co. elected officials, two current mayors and six council members have endorsed her, according to a list posted to her web site (pdf). Conservative leaders Cathie Adams and Jonathan Saenz are included on the list.
She faces Dallas Co. Republican Party chair Phillip Huffines, brother of Sen. Don Huffines (R-Dallas), who has also rolled out a series of endorsements from local and state conservatives, including Rep. Jonathan Stickland (R-Bedford), Farris Wilks and Steven Hotze.
In a statement, Huffines welcomed Paxton to the race. “My campaign has been working hard for the last five months knocking on thousands of doors, talking to voters and earning their support,” he said. “I look forward to continuing to spread my conservative message.”
SD30: Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Frisco) announced he would challenge Sen. Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls) in the Republican primary in an interview with the Weatherford Democrat. He has been considering the race for some time, and his announcement was expected.
Sen. Craig
Estes
Rep. Pat
Fallon
Fallon was first elected in 2012 and has been re-elected twice. Estes was first elected in a 2001 special runoff election and has been re-elected five times.
Fallon reported having $2M on hand as of June 30, largely the result of a $1.8M loan to his campaign. Estes reported having $424K on hand.
Fallon said he has the support of 25 state representatives, including four serving a portion of SD30: Reps. Mike Lang (R-Granbury), Jeff Leach (R-Plano), Scott Sanford (R-McKInney) and Ron Simmons (R-Lewisville). Estes had the support of five representatives serving a portion of SD30 when he announced his re-election bid in June: Reps. James Frank (R-Wichita Falls), Jodie Laubenberg (R-Wylie), Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound), Larry Phillips (R-Sherman) and Lynn Stucky (R-Denton). Parker and Stucky have become neutral now that Fallon is in the race, reported the Texas Tribune’s Patrick Svitek.
Several candidates had already taken a formal step toward running for Fallon’s seat, including CoServ electric cooperative board member Clint Bedsole and former Sachse council member Jared Patterson.
Fallon is the second sitting House member to announce a challenge of an incumbent senator in as many days, joining Rep. Cindy Burkett (R-Sunnyvale), who is challenging Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood).
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