Sen. Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls) out-raised Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Frisco) better than 5-to-1 during the second half of 2017, but Fallon’s $1.8M loan balance gives the challenger a nearly 3-to-1 advantage in cash on hand and a better than 2-to-1 advantage in expenditures.
A third Republican in the race, Nocona entrepreneur Craig Carter, reported less than $1K in contributions and a $50K loan. Democrat Kevin Lopez and independent Keely Briggs have less than $1K on hand between them.
In this analysis, we focus on Estes and Fallon. Unless otherwise indicated, dollar amounts below are for the 2017-18 election cycle.
Both incumbent legislators were subject to a statutory moratorium on campaign contributions during the regular legislative session and veto period. During the last 12 days of June, Estes raised just over $25K while Fallon received a little under $3K. Neither candidate is expected to want for resources as their primary heats up.
Austin ($142K) has been the largest geographic source of campaign contributions, followed by Dallas ($73K), Fort Worth ($62K) and Wichita Falls ($55K). In three of those four cities, contributions heavily favored one candidate.
Just over $90K has been contributed from zip codes located entirely or partially within the district. Estes received nearly $80K from district zip codes, almost as much as Fallon has raised so far this election cycle. However, the challenger is close to the incumbent when it comes to the number of contributions from individuals from district zip codes. Estes has received 116 such contributions, and Fallon has received 88. Contributions from district zip codes comprised 17% of Estes’s total contributions and 13% of Fallon’s.
Fallon’s current House district has supplied more than $35K (43%) of his contributions for the cycle.
Fallon’s three biggest donors – Anthony Ewing ($20K), John Eagle ($10K) and Darlene Pendery ($10K) – have accounted for 48% of his contributions so far this cycle. Estes’s three biggest donors – Alice Walton ($50K), Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC ($15K) and Texas Land Title Assoc. PAC ($15K) – represent 18% of his contributions to date.
Sen. Estes
Wichita Falls
Businessman
Served since 2001
Largest Contributors
$50,000 – Alice Walton
$15,000 – Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC and Texas Land Title Assoc. PAC
$10,000 – Spencer Armour, AT&T Texas PAC, Danny Bartel, former Sen. John Carona (R-Dallas), Charter Communications PAC and Texas Assoc. of Realtors TREPAC
$5,879 – Texas Oil & Gas Assoc. PAC
$5,000 – Barry Andrews, Alvin Boenker III, James Dannenbaum, Vickie Durant, Energy Transfer Partners PAC, Rosalind Grover, Ray Hunt, Neel Lemmon III, ONCOR Texas PAC, Rep. Larry Phillips (R-Sherman), Dan Tomlin III, UPS PAC, Valero PAC and Venable Royalty LTD
Rep. Fallon
Frisco
Business owner
Serving third term from HD106
Largest Contributors
$20,000 – Anthony Ewing
$10,000 – John Eagle, Darlene Pendery
$5,000 – Eli Lilly PAC, Mike Terry
As we mentioned, Fallon has been his campaign’s largest source of resources. On the last day of June, Fallon loaned his campaign $1.8M, allowing him to report a $2M war chest. He spent $575K since, leaving him with just short of $1.5M on hand. His is the highest cash-on-hand total for any state office challenger, and it is the seventh highest total for any Senate candidate, trailing six incumbents and open-seat candidate Phillip Huffines ($1.7M). Estes ranks 11th out of the 14 incumbents on the ballot. Estes has no loan balance.
Carter’s $50K loan balance represents 99% of his campaign’s resources to date. He received three contributions from individuals outside the district.
©2018 Texas Election Source LLC
