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 statewide races and the officials not on the ballot in 2022. Led by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R), the state officials not up for re-election greatly out-raised those who are on the ballot. The eight non-judicial statewide elected officials not facing the voters until 2022 or 2024 collectively raised $13.8M during the last half of 2019, and they have a combined $62.3M on hand. The eight statewide incumbents on the ballot in 2020 combined to raise $1.6M, and they collectively have $4.5M on hand.

On the Ballot in 2020

Comm. Ryan Sitton

Comm. Ryan
Sitton

RRC: Comm. Ryan Sitton (R) raised $481K, spent $155K and has $2.5M on hand. Primary challenger James Wright reported no contributions or cash on hand. Chrysta Castañeda leads the four-way Democratic field with $46K in contributions followed by Kelly Stone’s $25K and former Rep. Roberto Alonzo’s (D-Dallas) $2K.

Judicial: None of the four Supreme Court incumbents on the ballot face primary opposition.

  • Chief Justice Nathan Hecht (R) raised $296K and has $532K on hand. Democrat Amy Clark Meachum raised $139K and has $119K, both outpacing her primary challenger.
  • Justice Jane Bland (R) raised $336K and has $278 on hand. Both Democrat raised just over $1K each.
  • Justice Jeff Boyd (R) raised $135K and has $563K on hand. Democrat Brandy Voss raised $101K and has $169K on hand. Democrat Staci Williams raised $55K and has $59K on hand.
  • Justice Brett Busby (R) raised $260K and has $543K on hand. Democrat Gisela Triana raised $101K and has $107K on hand. Democrat Peter Kelly raised $31K and has $51K on hand.

Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Bert Richardson (R) was out-raised by his primary opponent Gina Parker, $58K to $53K, and outspent by her, $82K to $22K. The incumbent has a narrow edge in cash on hand, $35K to $21K. Judges Kevin Yeary (R) and David Newell (R) are unopposed in the Republican primary. Neither of Yeary’s Democratic challengers reported contributions. Newell was out-raised by Democratic challenger Brandon Birmingham, $30K to $9K, and the challenger has a $25K to $1K advantage in cash on hand.

On the Ballot in 2022

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick

Lt. Gov.
Dan Patrick

Gov. Greg Abbott

Gov. Greg
Abbott

GOV: Gov. Greg Abbott (R) raised $7.8M during the last half of 2019, bringing his total for the year (which includes only the last few days of the June) to $19.9M, the largest amount any Texas elected official has ever raised in a non-election year. Abbott has raised $97M during his five years as governor, edging closer to former Gov. Rick Perry’s (R) record of $110M. Since 1995, Abbott has raised $186.5M, by far the most in state history.

His $33.6M on hand is the seventh highest total ever reported for a Texas elected official, trailing only his own higher figures. He has more than $11M more on hand than in the corresponding period four years ago and nearly $22M more than eight years ago. He has added more than $15.3M to his war chest this year. Perry reported at least $10M on hand five times as governor. Abbott has not reported a cash on hand figure south of $10M since December 31, 2010, following his re-election as attorney general.

LTGOV: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) raised $2.3M, bringing his total for 2019 to nearly $5.5M. Patrick has raised $35.4M during the past five years He has $13.4M on hand, the fifth highest total he has ever reported and the most ever reported by a statewide official not named Abbott at this point in a four-year term.

AG: Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton (R) raised just over $1M, bringing his total for 2019 to $2.4M in contributions, and he has $4.4M on hand.

COMP: Comptroller Glenn Hegar (R) raised $743K and has $7.1M on hand.

LAND: Land Comm. George P. Bush (R) raised $770K and has $1.4M on hand.

AGRIC: Agriculture Comm. Sid Miller (R) raised $160K and has $150K on hand.

RRC: Comm. Wayne Christian (R) raised $170K and has $322K on hand.

On the Ballot in 2024

RRC: Comm. Christi Craddick (R) raised $754K – exceeding Sitton, who is on the ballot this year – and has $1.9M on hand.

©2020 Texas Election Source LLC