Have a tip for our team? Email tips@thetexan.news!
The federal entries below are based on the most recent filing with the Federal Ethics Commission for the pre-general. The state entries are based on the most recent filing with the Texas Ethics Commission for the 8-day pre-general.
The decision came down along ideological lines on the court in a 6 to 3 ruling.
The filing deadline is only six days away.
Nehls first won the seat in 2020.
VanDeaver has served in the Texas House since 2015.
Vance would be one of the youngest vice presidents in American history.
Secret Service agents rushed the former president from the stage and the agency said Trump is “safe."
The post-debate poll saw a negative eight-point swing in Biden's approval rating.
TPI: R-56%
Background
The headliner is back on the ballot this year as the two major parties grapple over the next four years at the White House. President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed his Vice President Kamala Harris, who appears to have secured enough support from delegates to be nominated as the party’s candidate at the Democratic National Convention. It remains to be seen if anyone will challenge her or who her vice presidential pick would be.
On the other side, former President Donald Trump is hoping to retake the White House. He and his running mate, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), have been nominated as the Republican presidential and vice presidential candidates for the 2024 ticket.
Allred is looking to cross the U.S. Capitol rotunda in November from the House of Representatives to the Senate.
Members of the U.S. Senate are now calling for a criminal investigation following the new revelations.
Texas is the largest exporter of natural gas in the country and one of the largest in the world.
TPI: R-56%
Background
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) returns to the campaign trail for the first time since narrowly defeating Democrat Beto O’Rourke in 2018. He faced a handful of low-level candidates in the GOP primary.
Thirteen Democrats threw their hat into the ring to face Cruz, the most notable of which were Congressman Colin Allred (D-TX-32), who held a massive fundraising lead, and state Sen. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio). Allred took the nomination outright in the Democratic primary with nearly 60 percent of the vote to Gutierrez's 17 percent.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ted Cruz (R)* | $9,565,335 | $13,994,260 | $9,903,290 | $0 |
| Colin Allred (D) | $2,501,529 | $11,967,929 | $10,674,079 | $0 |
| Ted Brown (L) | $4,068 | $716 | $290 | $0 |
| Tracy Andrus (D, write-in) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
The Texas Legislature mandated weatherization for the state’s electric generators and the Railroad Commission passed a similar requirement for the gas industry.
One of the most powerful earthquakes to strike Texas in recent history has state oil and gas regulators deploying to inspect injection wells in West Texas.
During her race, Stogner has been accused of holding beliefs antithetical to her party’s while taking aim at the oil and gas establishment.
TPI: R-56%
Background
Railroad Commission Chair Christi Craddick is back on the ballot for her position in the agency tasked with regulating Texas’ oil and gas industry. On the table is another six-year term for Craddick, whose name frequently comes up in discussions about officials eyeing higher office. Five candidates filed a GOP challenge to Craddick: Jim Matlock, Petra Reyes, Christie Clark, Chris Corner, and Corey Howell. The latter four all filed back to back at the last minute on the filing deadline. Sarah Stogner, who pushed Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian to a runoff in 2022, originally filed for the race as a Republican and then with the Forward Party, but has since dropped that to run for a district attorney office.
Katherine Culbert won the Democratic nomination against Bill Burch, an engineer hired by Stogner and West Texas rancher Ashley Watt, who financed Stogner’s 2022 run, in their fight with the Railroad Commission over uncapped oil wells.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christi Craddick (R)* | $1,577,036 | $128,869 | $504,284 | $0 |
| Katherine Culbert (D) | $3,023 | $10,830 | $8,527 | $5,000 |
| Eddie Espinoza (G) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Lynn Dunlap (L) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Candidates are waging numerous legal battles against their political foes in Texas courts as the March primary election deadlines loom.
Attorney Eric Opiela filed a lawsuit to remove Devine from the GOP primary ballot on Walker’s behalf, alleging that Devine failed to secure enough valid petition signatures.
Numerous legislative reforms were discussed, while the importance of judicial independence and integrity was emphasized by the state’s top justice.
Supreme Court of Texas Place 2
TPI: R-56%
Background
One of many justices who first came to the state’s highest civil court through gubernatorial appointment, Republican Justice Jimmy Blacklock was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott in early 2018 and won election to his first six-year term to the court later that fall. He is now seeking re-election to a hopeful second full term.
Judge DaSean Jones of Harris County, presently a state district judge for the 180th criminal court, defeated Randall Sarosdy in the March Democratic primary and will face off against Blacklock. Jones, a self-proclaimed socialist, narrowly won reelection in 2022, but his Republican opponent filed an election contest that is still pending in an appellate court.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jimmy Blacklock (R)* | $140,789 | $639,144 | $53,932 | $0 |
| DaSean Jones (D) | $64,228 | $41,989 | $57,543 | $0 |
Supreme Court of Texas Place 4
TPI: R-56%
Background
Justice John Devine was first elected to the Texas Supreme Court in 2012 and is now seeking re-election to serve a third term. Devine, a Republican, previously served as a state district judge in Harris County and has worked his way up the judicial ladder, having first served as an appointed special judge for the justice of the peace courts. Devine defeated GOP primary challenger Justice Brian Walker, who presently serves on the Second Court of Appeals.
One candidate has filed seeking the Democratic nomination, Judge Christine Weems, who presently serves in the 281st state district court in Harris County. Weems won the primary outright in March with no other contenders.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Devine (R)* | $30,734 | $33,293 | $43,211 | $0 |
| Christine Weems (D) | $97,219 | $184,787 | $113,203 | $75,882 |
| Matthew Sercely (L) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Supreme Court of Texas Place 6
TPI: R-56%
Background
Justice Jane Bland looks to secure a second term on the Texas Supreme Court after being appointed to the vacancy in 2019 by Gov. Greg Abbott. Bland won the 2020 general election to finish out the current term and is up for re-election for a full term this year. She’ll face Democrat Bonnie Goldstein and Libertarian David Roberson.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jane Bland (R)* | $129,061 | $464,233 | $44,031 | $0 |
| Bonnie Lee Goldstein (D) | $41,703 | $21,860 | $26,717 | $0 |
| David Roberson (L) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
All three incumbents on Texas’ highest criminal court were defeated in the Republican Primary in an effort led by Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Three judges on the state’s highest criminal court are in the political crosshairs over a ruling that stripped the Office of the Attorney General of prosecutorial powers.
With renewed criticism from Attorney General Ken Paxton, Judge Michelle Slaughter explains her reasoning in concurring with the landmark ruling from the Court of Criminal Appeals.
Court of Criminal Appeals Place 7
TPI: R-56%
Background
Republican Judge Barbera Hervey was first elected to the Court of Criminal Appeals in 2000, having previously worked as a state prosecutor. Hervey faced a challenger in the Republican primary in Gina Parker, a Baylor Law School-educated criminal defense attorney with a private practice in Waco, who defeated the incumbent outright in the primary. This is Parker’s second time running for a position on the court, having previously challenged Judge Bert Richardson in the 2020 GOP primary. She faces Democrat Nancy Mulder and Libertarian Mark Ash in the November general.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gina Parker (R) | $54,609 | $11,975 | $26,599 | $0 |
| Nancy Mulder (D) | $2,238 | $3,941 | $6,569 | $0 |
| Mark Ash (L) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Court of Criminal Appeals Place 8
TPI: R-56%
Background
Judge Michelle Slaughter was first elected to the court in 2018 and made headlines after receiving more than 4.7 million votes, more than any other contested statewide race in the midterm elections. She was defeated by challenger Lee Finley in the GOP primary, who has worked in a private practice for over 20 years. In 2022, he had an unsuccessful bid for Collin County judge but was defeated by incumbent Judge Chris Hill. Finley faces Democrat Chika Anyiam and Libertarian Stephen Kinsella in November.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Finley (R) | $12,952 | $6,493 | $13,452 | $90,000 |
| Chika Anyiam (D) | $6,093 | $1,346 | $3,970 | $65,586 |
| Stephan Kinsella (L) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge
TPI: R-56%
Background
The state’s highest court for criminal matters, the Court of Criminal Appeals, will see its presiding judge position on the ballot. Presiding Judge Sharon Keller, the longest-serving presiding judge in the court’s history, drew one opponent in the GOP primary in former Justice David Schenck, who defeated her. Schenck served one term on the state’s Fifth Court of Appeals, and unsuccessfully ran for the state Supreme Court in 2022. He faces Democrat Holly Taylor in the general election.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Schenck (R) | $53,258 | $29,054 | $38,881 | $23,820 |
| Holly Taylor (D) | $29,603 | $15,012 | $26,935 | $20,250 |
Texas Congressional Map, post-redistricting
Texas Congressional Map, pre-redistricting
The decision came down along ideological lines on the court in a 6 to 3 ruling.
Nehls first won the seat in 2020.
Smith issued his dissent after the Tuesday ruling, saying the majority did not give him enough time.
{{summary}}
15th Congressional District
TPI: R-52%
Background
Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (R-TX-15) occupies the closest congressional seat on a partisan basis. The 15th Congressional District, which spans from the Rio Grande Valley up to Seguin, is rated R-52%. De La Cruz won the seat in 2022 by 8.5 points, defeating Democrat Michelle Vallejo. This year, Vallejo is back for a rematch in a race that Democrats have their eyes on flipping.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monica De La Cruz (R)* | $1,151,096 | $793,054 | $253,427 | $0 |
| Michelle Vallejo (D) | $78,158 | $239,195 | $132,720 | $100,000 |
| Arthur DiBianca (L) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
23rd Congressional District
TPI: R-55%
Background
Congressman Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23) survived a turbulent primary, being pushed to a runoff by Republican challenger Brandon Herrera and narrowly overcoming that challenge in May. Now, Gonzales faces Democrat Santos Limon. The district’s Republican leaning has only heightened over the last couple of cycles, giving Gonzales a 10-point advantage according to the R-55% partisan rating. Gonzales’ toughest campaigns are likely behind him but the district is still decently competitive.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Gonzales (R)* | $1,293,608 | $72,887 | $37,927 | $126,870 |
| Santos Limon (D) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
28th Congressional District
TPI: D-54%
Background
Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) went from being assumed as the safest of the three incumbents in the Rio Grande Valley to perhaps the most vulnerable after being indicted on bribery and money laundering charges. Cuellar has denied the accusations and is still seeking re-election. He’s fought off difficult primary challenges during the last two cycles but did not face such a fight this year.
Instead, he’ll face Republican Jay Furman, who defeated Lazaro Garza in the GOP primary. Both Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball moved Cuellar’s district from “likely” to “lean” Democratic following the indictments.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Cuellar (D)* | $267,656 | $65,927 | $12,066 | $0 |
| Jay Furman (R) | $40,895 | $259,298 | $75,214 | $334,158 |
| Bailey Cole (L) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
34th Congressional District
TPI: D-58%
Background
Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX-34) and former Congresswoman Mayra Flores (R-TX-34) will square off in a rematch in the South Texas district. Flores briefly represented the district after she won a special election in 2022 to replace retiring Congressman Filemon Vela (D-TX-34). Gonzalez previously represented the 15th Congressional District but relocated to the 34th to run on more favorable ground for Democrats. Gonzalez defeated Flores last cycle, though she outperformed the district’s partisan rating of D-58%, losing by 8 points.
The race is again in the crosshairs of national Republicans who are backing Flores to retake the seat.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vicente Gonzalez Jr. (D)* | $1,199,610 | $414,197 | $120,682 | $0 |
| Mayra Flores (R) | $566,716 | $1,035,875 | $278,764 | $0 |
| Brent Lewis (L) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
State Board of Education Map
The decision represents a reversal from the state board’s previous opposition to school choice measures last year.
The State Board of Education has only rejected most charter applicants on the agenda once before, at last year’s meeting.
Here are all the votes that the current SBOE members have taken to approve proposed charters in the past three years.
Texas Senate Map
Republican lawmakers want to rein in rogue counties, while Democrats look toward easier registration and ranked-choice voting.
A terrible, no good, very bad night for Texas Democrats.
The South Texas seat adds one more Republican state senator to the existing supermajority.
{{summary}}
Senate District 27
TPI: D-52%
Background
The only competitive seat in the Texas Senate sits in South Texas. Sen. Morgan LaMantia’s (D-South Padre Island) district runs from Corpus Christi down to the Rio Grande Valley. The freshman senator kept a low profile in her first session last year but now faces another difficult general election as Republicans eye it as the only real potential flip in that chamber.
Republican Adam Hinojosa is back for a rematch against LaMantia. 659 votes separated the two last cycle, and the matchup has the makings of an expensive clash as Republicans rally behind Hinojosa and Democrats rush to defend LaMantia.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan LaMantia (D)* | $82,495 | $2,409,168 | $249,358 | $10,415,000 |
| Adam Hinojosa (R) | $66,715 | $1,593,585 | $1,371,235 | $89,025 |
| Robin Vargas (G) | $847 | $152 | $461 | $0 |
Texas House Map
Republican lawmakers want to rein in rogue counties, while Democrats look toward easier registration and ranked-choice voting.
The Democratic-leaning district is likely to move toward GOP-leaning following Republicans' landslide election across the state.
Both races were close, but the two Republicans avoided razor-thin margins on Tuesday.
{{summary}}
House District 34
TPI: D-54%
Background
Rep. Abel Herrero (D-Robstown) is a more moderate Democrat who is not seeking another term in a district that favors his own party. With a rating of D-54% on The Texan’s Texas Partisan Index, Democrats have an advantage but cannot take the seat for granted as South Texas now often trends toward Republicans. Democrat Solomon Ortiz, Jr. hopes to retain the seat for the minority party, while Republican Denise Villalobos and outside GOP groups aim to flip it.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solomon Ortiz Jr. (D) | $17,889 | $175,834 | $195,793 | $35,000 |
| Denise Villalobos (R) | $142,421 | $459,547 | $640,006 | $0 |
House District 37
TPI: D-51%
Background
Rep. Janie Lopez (R-San Benito) has a challenging road ahead in a Democratic-leaning district where she narrowly defeated Luis Villarreal Jr. in 2022. Lopez was one of the many Republicans who voted in favor of the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton and also voted against an amendment to strip a school voucher proposal from an education bill in the fourth special session. While voting for Paxton’s impeachment could have proven a vulnerability for her in a primary, no Republican challenged her.
She’ll face Democrat Jonathan Gracia, a former justice of the peace in Cameron County, in November. Rated D-51%, the district is truly up for grabs.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janie Lopez (R)* | $88,577 | $250,644 | $1,566,082 | $0 |
| Jonathan Gracia (D) | $20,972 | $125,507 | $180,525 | $243,600 |
House District 52
TPI: R-55%
Background
State Rep. Caroline Harris Davila’s (R-Round Rock) first term in the Texas House was a turbulent one, between the feuding of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont), Paxton’s impeachment, and the school choice fight. A lot is up in the air for the Texas House and its leadership, but before that happens Harris Davila must secure a second term.
Having won in 2022 by 12 points, she’ll face Democrat Jennie Birkholz in November.
Fundraising| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline Harris Davila (R)* | $352,576 | $649,627 | $1,003,938 | $0 |
| Jennie Birkholz (D) | $27,009 | $72,337 | $57,826 | $0 |
House District 70
TPI: D-52%
Background
After finishing her freshman year as a Texas legislator, state Rep. Mihaela Plesa (D-Dallas) will face Republican Steven Kinard, a director of Bitcoin mining analytics at the Texas Blockchain Council. Plesa narrowly won the seat against Jamee Jolly by less than 1,000 votes during the general election in 2022, meaning the district could be a potential flip for Republicans in 2024. This district has a Texas Partisan Index rating of D-52%, but unlike districts in South Texas increasingly favoring Republicans, it’s been trending toward Democrats.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mihaela Plesa (D)* | $124,057 | $258,881 | $346,618 | $25,000 |
| Steve Kinard (R) | $18,539 | $58,988 | $35,605 | $0 |
House District 74
TPI: D-53%
Background
State Rep. Eddie Morales (D-Eagle Pass) is among the most moderate members of the Texas House Democratic Caucus and his district is rated D-53%. Morales won fairly comfortably last cycle and now faces Republican Robert Garza in November. The district is the largest in the state geographically, stretching from past Del Rio across the Mexican border to the outskirts of El Paso.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eddie Morales, Jr. (D)* | $141,098 | $152,772 | $121,890 | $215,000 |
| Robert Garza (R) | $34,860 | $47,860 | $481,450 | $1,000 |
House District 80
TPI: R-51%
Background
Uvalde businessman and Democratic Rep. Tracy King (D-Batesville) announced he would not be seeking re-election after two decades in the Texas House. The purple district quickly filled with challengers, with six candidates already announced.
Democrat Cecilia Castellano will face Republican Don McLaughlin after two crowded primaries. McLaughlin retired from his position as mayor of Uvalde to run for the district; he was first elected mayor in 2014 and made headlines calling Beto O’Rourke a “sick son of a b—” during a press conference after the shooting at Robb Elementary School that killed 19 students and two teachers. Among those Castellano defeated in the Democratic primary was Rosie Cuellar, Congressman Cuellar’s sister.
This district has a Texas Partisan Index rating of R-51%.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Don McLaughlin (R) | $41,632 | $370,917 | $546,417 | $65,000 |
| Cecila Castellano (D) | $21,458 | $90,325 | $45,441 | $170,000 |
House District 112
TPI: R-53%
Background
State Rep. Angie Chen Button (R-Richardson) has faced multiple difficult general elections over the last few cycles. Her Dallas district is rated R-53% and was one of the few GOP-held districts that tightened following redistricting. This year she faces Democrat Averie Bishop, a pageant queen with a large social media following. The race will be one of the top to watch on November 5.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angie Chen Button (R)* | $577,334 | $656,075 | $1,612,739 | $0 |
| Averie Bishop (D) | $25,915 | $483,626 | $417,402 | $0 |
House District 118
TPI: EVEN
Background
The most tenuous seat for Republicans this cycle is state Rep. John Lujan’s (R-San Antonio) in Bexar County. Lujan won it in a special election in 2021 after former state Rep. Leo Pacheco (D-San Antonio) retired, flipping it to Republicans. Lujan won by 285 votes in 2022 and faces Democrat Kristian Carranza this year. It’ll be tough for Republicans to keep the seat, as it’s a true purple seat rated dead even.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Lujan (R)* | $246,714 | $919,801 | $1,476,822 | $0 |
| Kristian Carranza (D) | $190,928 | $1,541,741 | $1,619,637 | $0 |
House District 121
TPI: R-54%
Background
Republican Marc LaHood unseated incumbent state Rep. Steve Allison (R-San Antonio) in the contentious GOP primary. Gov. Greg Abbott and other outside groups backed LaHood and followed it up with lots of money in ads and mailers. Now, LaHood faces a difficult general election in the district rated R-54%, challenged by Democrat Laurel Swift in November.
Fundraising
| Candidate | Cash-on-Hand | Expenditures | Contributions | Outstanding Loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marc LaHood (R) | $75,998 | $468,854 | $1,186,642 | $35,500 |
| Laurel Jordan Swift (R) | $24,407 | $282,285 | $277,768 | $60,000 |

