Redistricting: The U.S. Supreme Court will not consider the Texas Democratic Party’s partisan gerrymandering case for “want of jurisdiction.” The claim was separate from two Texas racial gerrymandering cases the high court has already agreed to hear this spring.
The filing period for local offices on the May 5 uniform election ballot begins tomorrow and runs until February 16. Sixty of the state’s 100 most populous cities have at least one office up for election.
January semiannual reports, covering contributions received and expenditures made during the last six months of 2017, were due today for state officeholders and candidates (and local candidates, where required). Most will not become available until sometime tomorrow, but we have some results to report for key races. We will be pouring over these reports and updating our Crib Sheets over the next few days.
LTGOV: The campaign of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) announced he raised more than $2.5M during the second half of 2017, and he has $18.1M on hand, the most ever reported by a Texas lieutenant governor or candidate for the office, breaking Patrick’s record of $16.3M set in July.
AG: The campaign of Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton (R) announced he raised $774K during the second half of 2017, and he has $5.7M on hand. He has no primary opponent. We previously reported that Democratic challenger Justin Nelson’s campaign received $911K in contributions, apparently out-raising Paxton, but Nelson’s figure includes $500K from the candidate.
LAND: Former Land Comm. Jerry Patterson reported raising nearly $90K, and he has more than $95K on hand for his primary challenge of Comm. George P. Bush (R). His largest contributors were Odessa businessman Dick Saulsbury ($25K), El Paso businessman Stanley Jobe ($15K), Houston attorney Susan Rouse ($11K) and Dallas dentist Bob Morgan ($10K). Bush’s report is not yet available online.
SD10: Democratic challenger Beverly Powell narrowly out-raised Sen. Konni Burton (R-Colleyville), $140K to $133K, but Burton has a $365K to $70K advantage in cash on hand. Burton is unopposed in the primary. Powell faces Allison Campolo, whose report is not yet available.
SD17: Challenger Kristin Tassin reported raising $90K, and she has $61K on hand for her primary challenge of Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston). She also loaned her campaign $50K. Her largest contribution, $25K, came from the Houston Fire Fighters Political Action Fund, and the Texas Parent PAC contributed $5K. Huffman’s report is not yet available online.
HD6: Former Rep. Ted Kamel (R-Tyler) reported raising just over $1K, and he has $1K on hand for his primary challenge of Rep. Matt Schaefer (R-Tyler). Kamel loaned his campaign $19K. Schaefer’s report is not yet available online. Meanwhile, Democratic candidate Yolanda Prince has been declared ineligible.
HD9: Garrett Boersma reported raising $36K, and he has nearly $40K on hand for his primary challenge of Rep. Chris Paddie (R-Marshall). Most of Boersma’s contributions were local small donors. Empower Texans PAC ($10K) was his largest contributor. Paddie’s report is not yet available online.
HD11: Danny Ward reported raising just over $11K, and he has $3K on hand for his primary challenge of Rep. Travis Clardy (R-Nacogdoches). Ward received a $5K contribution from Texas Right to Life PAC and $2.5K from Empower Texans PAC. Clardy’s report is not yet available online.
HD15 open: Former Rep. Steve Toth (R-The Woodlands) reported raising $61K, and he has $69K on hand as he seeks his former seat, which is being vacated by Rep. Mark Keough (R-The Woodlands). Keough contributed $500 to Toth’s campaign. Toth received $8K from Texas Right to Life PAC and $5K each from Empower Texans PAC, Rep. Jonathan Stickland (R-Bedford) and The Woodlands attorney Eric Yollick.
HD55: C.J. Grisham reported raising $36K, and he has $23K on hand for his challenge of Rep. Hugh Shine (R-Temple). About 84% of his contributions came from zip codes outside the district. Grisham’s largest contributors were $10K each from Empower Texans PAC and Rep. Jonathan Stickland (R-Bedford). The reports of Shine and additional challenger Brandon Hall are not yet available online.
HD60: Rep. Mike Lang (R-Granbury) out-raised challenger Jim Largent, $76K to $30K, and he has a $164K to $29K advantage in cash on hand. The report of challenger Greg Risse is not yet available online.
Drew
Brassfield
Rep. Four
Price
HD87: Rep. Four Price (R-Amarillo) out-raised challenger Drew Brassfield, $330K to $34K, and he has a $653K to $34K advantage in cash on hand. Brassfield received $10K each from Empower Texans PAC and the Texas Right to Life PAC and $5K from Flower Mound retiree Darlene Pendery.
HD88: Richard Beyea reported $20K in contributions from six Perryton donors and loaned his campaign $200K for his primary challenge of Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian). The reports from King and additional primary challenger Jason Huddleston are not yet available online. Huddleston has been endorsed by several movement conservative groups.
HD106 open: Jared Patterson reported raising $99K, and he has $73K on hand as he seeks the seat being vacated by Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Frisco). Patterson’s largest contributors include Texas Right to Life PAC ($12.5K), Empower Texans PAC ($10K) and Flower Mound retiree Darlene Pendery ($10K).
HD115: Democratic challenger Julie Johnson reported $205K in contributions, and she has $161K on hand for a contested primary and potential general election race against Rep. Matt Rinaldi (R-Irving). Her biggest contributors include Dallas investor Morgan Cox ($15K), Lone Star Project ($12.5K), Annie’s List ($10K), Addison physician Susan Moster ($10K) and the Texas Equity PAC ($7.5K). The reports from Rinaldi and Rockwell Bower, the other Democrat in the race, are not yet available online.
©2018 Texas Election Source LLC
