Special Elections
DeSoto: Nicole Raphiel appears to have won a special election by 5 votes over Van Stripling. Fewer than 2% of voters turned out for the election to fill an unexpired council term.
Longview: Barber school owner Wray Wade appears to have beaten his brother-in-law, pastor Lonnie Murphy, by 24 votes in a special election for an unexpired council term. Murphy had a 37-vote edge in early ballots, but Wade carried Election Day by 61 votes. The city council will canvass the results on Monday.
State Campaign News
Campaign finance reports are due Monday for state candidates (and local, where required) who face primary opposition. Monday is also the deadline to register to vote for the March 6 primary election.
GOV: The Houston Chronicle endorsed Andrew White in the Democratic primary.
SD8 open: The Phillip Huffines campaign released a new ad focusing on illegal immigration.
SD10: The Fort Worth Star-Telegram endorsed Beverly Powell in the Democratic primary to face Sen. Konni Burton (R-Colleyville).
SD30: The Pat Fallon campaign released a new ad, “Conservative Fighter,” touting his policy positions on illegal immigration, Second Amendment rights and war memorials.
Meanwhile, the Wise County Messenger’s Racey Burden recapped a recent, testy debate between Sen. Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls) and his primary challenger, Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Frisco). The candidates traded barbs over Fallon’s trip to Mexico that overlapped a portion of a special session, Estes’s use of campaign funds, accusations of voting with Democrats, support (or lack thereof) for sanctuary city legislation and other policy matters.
HD134: The Houston Chronicle endorsed Rep. Sarah Davis (R-Houston). Primary challenger Susanna Dokupil did not meet with the editorial board and, in an open letter posted to her campaign’s Facebook page, said she was not interested in the paper’s endorsement.
Federal Campaign News
SEN: Republican challenger Bruce Jacobson Jr. reported raising just under $50K and has $21K on hand. Republican challenger Stefano de Stefano has repaid a $500K loan he made to his campaign, reducing his cash on hand to $14K from $543K. He reported raising $6K during the fourth quarter of 2017.
CD7: The Laura Moser campaign released an ad that will run during tomorrow’s Super Bowl broadcast in Houston, which features the candidate visting with school children.
CD16 open: The Veronica Escobar campaign released a new ad highlighting her upbringing and record as El Paso County Judge.
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