Campaign News
07/09/2020

Democratic Runoff Turnout Could Be Highest in 30 Years and Other News for July 9

Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer
TXElects

Early voting concludes tomorrow (Friday) for the July 14 primary runoff and special elections.

Through yesterday (Wednesday) – the seventh or eighth day of early voting in person depending on the county – 482K people have voted in the Democratic runoff statewide (38% by mail) and 317K have voted in the Republican runoff (30% by mail), amounting to 2.95% ad 1.94% of all registered voters, respectively. Nearly twice as many Democrats (183K) have voted by mail than Republicans (94K) so far.

Statewide Democratic turnout already exceeds the 2018 runoff, including Election Day, and also exceeds the number of votes cast in each of the 1996, 2000, 2006, 2008 and 2012 runoffs. The number of voters participating in the Democratic runoff is on pace to be the highest since 1990.

SEN: A new poll from TargetPoint finds M.J. Hegar leading Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas), 40%-33%, among “self-identified Democrats” who are “likely” to vote in the runoff. Her lead shrinks to within the margin of error, 33%-29%, when self-identified independents and Republicans – who are nonetheless likely Democratic runoff voters – are included. It was first touted by the campaign of U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R). The poll of 830 likely runoff voters was conducted by telephone and “mobile technology” on July 8. The stated margin of error is ±3.2%.

CD21: The campaign of Democratic challenger Wendy Davis said she raised $1.4M during the second quarter and will report having $2.8M on hand.

CD22 open: The campaign of Democratic nominee Sri Kulkarni said he raised $950K during the second quarter and will report having $1.1M on hand.

Republican Convention: The Republican Party of Texas has sued the city of Houston and Houston First Corporation over their decision to cancel next week’s state convention at the George R. Brown Convention Center. The suit claims Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner unlawfully canceled the event out of “ideological viewpoint discrimination” after permitting mass protests.

District Judge Larry Weiman (D) denied the party’s motion after a hearing this afternoon (Thursday), which enables the party to appeal directly to the Texas Supreme Court.

Round Rock: The city council voted to delay this year’s general and special elections to May 2021. The elections were delayed from May 2 of this year to November 3 because of COVID-19. The move effectively extends the current terms of office for Mayor Craig Morgan and council members Tammy Young (Place 1), who was not seeking re-election, and Will Peckham (Place 4) by one year. Places 3 and 5 will also be up for election in May 2021. The filing period will not be reopened because of the postponement.

©2020 Texas Election Source LLC

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#43 - Wes Benedict: Bridging Policy and Community with Texans for Reasonable Solutions
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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.

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Texas Political Spotlight
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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!

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USLege’s ‘Best in Government Affairs Awards’ Celebrates Heroes of the Texas Capitol with State’s First Peer-Nominated Government Affairs Honor
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Texas Political Spotlight
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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
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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.

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Texas Political Spotlight
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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.

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