Campaign News
05/22/2019

Congressional Candidate and Local Election News for May 22

TXElects

Correction: In yesterday’s report, we erroneously referred to Ron Nirenberg as a “mayoral challenger.” He is the Mayor of San Antonio. We regret the error and have corrected it.

CD8: Spring resident Jacob Osborne established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-The Woodlands) as a Democrat.

CD23: Emily’s List endorsed Democratic challenger Gina Ortiz Jones. The group also endorsed her 2018 campaign.

Cedar Park: A recount confirmed Rodney Robinson’s 2-vote victory over incumbent P5 council member Heather Jefts. On Election Day, Jefts appeared to win by 1 vote, but provisional votes flipped the race to Robinson.

Dallas: Rep. Eric Johnson (D-Dallas) tweeted that he would be a candidate for Congress in 2020 “under NO CIRCUMSTANCES.” Johnson is in the mayoral runoff against council member Scott Griggs.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Morning News endorsed challenger Dawn Blair over incumbent D4 council member Carolyn King Arnold. The paper previously endorsed challenger Karon Flewellen, who finished third in the May 4 election. The paper reiterated its prior endorsement of Paula Blackmon for the open D9 runoff.

Houston: Mayor Sylvester Turner released his first re-election ad, “Soul,” focused on Hurricane Harvey recovery.

San Antonio: The San Antonio Express-News reiterated its endorsement of Mayor Ron Nirenberg for re-election.

Weslaco: Four candidates filed for the July 16 special election to fill the uexpired term of former D4 council member Jerry Tafolla, who resigned last month after pleading guilty to a federal bribery charge. The candidates are Beto Chavez, Adrian Farias, Lupe Garcia and Roy Hernandez Jr. Tafolla defeated Garcia by 154 votes in November to win re-election. Farias ran for mayor in 2013, losing to David Suarez.

©2019 Texas Election Source LLC

🎙️We Have a Podcast! 🎙️

Bills and Business is your go-to podcast for conversations related to Texas legislation and business. Hosted by Laura Carr, Co-Founder of USLege—an AI-driven legislative tracking software—we bring you in-depth analysis on economic trends, impactful legislation, and key developments shaping Texas business.

Subscribe on Youtube and Spotify for weekly episodes!

🔍 USLege - The Only AI-First Political Tracking Solution ✨

USLege helps you track legislation and find what you need faster from bills, committee hearings, floor debates, and state agency meetings faster.

Say goodbye to tedious tasks!

You can follow USLege on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

🤝 Texas Association of Business 📈

Texas Association of Business (TAB) is the Texas State Chamber, representing companies of every size and industry. TAB’s purpose is to champion the best business climate in the world, unleashing the power of free enterprise to enhance lives for generations.

You can follow TAB on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

Table of Content
  1. 01 First
Trusted by Government Affairs Professionals and Corporate Policy Teams
Blog & Articles

Read more news

#43 - Wes Benedict: Bridging Policy and Community with Texans for Reasonable Solutions
This is some text inside of a div block.

Welcome to Episode #43 of Bills & Business. In this episode, Laura Carr, Co-Founder of USLege, sits down with Wes Benedict, Grassroots Manager at Texans for Reasonable Solutions.

Wes brings years of advocacy experience and a steady, practical approach to community engagement. The conversation explores how Texas communities can navigate political tension, build cross-partisan coalitions, and create space for meaningful dialogue in an increasingly polarized environment.

They dive into the organization’s focus on key statewide issues including housing, infrastructure, water, and the evolving relationship between local and state governments. Wes breaks down why these policies matter for both everyday Texans and the business community, and how reasonable, bipartisan solutions can move conversations forward.

The episode closes with insights on how individuals can get involved, what success looks like in grassroots policy work, and what Texans should be watching as the special session unfolds.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Bills & Business on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for more deep dives into Texas policy and business news.

📲 Follow Laura Carr

🐦 Twitter: @Laura_USLege https://x.com/Laura_USLege

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurauslege/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereallauracarr/

🛍️ ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/lauraluise?Section_title=latest-finds&tab=collections

✍️ Substack: https://lauraluise.substack.com/

🔗 Links: https://lauraluise.carrd.co/

📲 Follow USLege

✨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uslege.ai/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USLegeai

🐦 Twitter: @USLege_ai https://x.com/USLege_ai

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uslege-ai/

🎧 Subscribe to Bills & Business

🌐 Website: https://www.uslege.ai/

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BillsandBusiness

🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22ZWg9VVb2AEGqyV14osNi?si=effe3795f8414171

🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/bills-and-business-by-uslege/id1781059329

🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uslege

📲 Follow Wes Benedict

🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/Wes_Benedict

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wes-benedict/

🎬 Produced by USLege

📞 Want to see USLege in action? Schedule a demo today! https://www.uslege.ai/demo

Texas Political Spotlight
This is some text inside of a div block.

Welcome back, friends

Michael and Susan Dell’s unprecedented $6.25 billion pledge to expand federal “Trump Accounts” aims to boost long-term savings for 25 million American children. In Lubbock, Texas Tech’s new classroom restrictions on race, gender identity, and sexuality have ignited an immediate clash over academic freedom and curriculum control. And in Northeast Texas, Rep. Gary VanDeaver’s decision not to seek reelection opens a pivotal Republican primary.

We hope you enjoyed today’s read!

Stay connected with TXLege News on X and LinkedIn!

USLege’s ‘Best in Government Affairs Awards’ Celebrates Heroes of the Texas Capitol with State’s First Peer-Nominated Government Affairs Honor
This is some text inside of a div block.
Texas Political Spotlight
This is some text inside of a div block.

Welcome back, friends

Michael and Susan Dell’s unprecedented $6.25 billion pledge to expand federal “Trump Accounts” aims to boost long-term savings for 25 million American children. In Lubbock, Texas Tech’s new classroom restrictions on race, gender identity, and sexuality have ignited an immediate clash over academic freedom and curriculum control. And in Northeast Texas, Rep. Gary VanDeaver’s decision not to seek reelection opens a pivotal Republican primary.

We hope you enjoyed today’s read!

Stay connected with TXLege News on X and LinkedIn!

Texas Political Spotlight
This is some text inside of a div block.

Welcome back, friends

Texas voters approved one of the largest property tax relief packages in state history on Tuesday, raising the homestead exemption to $140,000 and granting new tax breaks for seniors, people with disabilities, and small businesses. In Austin, residents rejected Proposition Q, a plan to fund public safety, homelessness programs, and city facility initiatives through a property tax hike, forcing city leaders to rework the budget and brace for service cuts. Meanwhile, Bexar County voters narrowly passed Propositions A and B, greenlighting up to $311 million in tourism-funded support for a new downtown Spurs arena and upgrades to the Freeman Coliseum grounds.

We hope you enjoyed today’s read!

Stay connected with TXLege News on X and LinkedIn!

Texas Political Spotlight
This is some text inside of a div block.

Welcome back friends,

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, one of the most influential and controversial figures in modern American politics, has died at 84, remembered by former President George W. Bush as a “patriot” whose intellect and conviction shaped decades of U.S. policy. In Texas, the Education Agency announced a sweeping takeover of Fort Worth ISD, the state’s second-largest intervention, citing years of academic underperformance and plans to install new local managers. And in Washington, a United Airlines flight was evacuated after a bomb threat, prompting an FBI investigation that later found no explosives, allowing operations to resume safely.

We hope you enjoyed today’s read!

Stay connected with TXLege News on X and LinkedIn!