SEN: North Richland Hills television executive Bruce Jacobson Jr. announced he would challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R) in the primary. We previously reported that he was “prayerfully considering” the race.
CD2 open: Houston businessman David Balat filed in the Republican primary for the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Ted Poe (R-Humble). Balat had been a candidate in CD7 but switched to this race today.
CD15: Selma pastor Tim Westley filed for a rematch of the 2016 general election against U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-McAllen), who defeated Westley, 57%-38%. Westley won the 2016 Republican primary runoff over former Rio Grande City Mayor Ruben Villarreal, 52%-48%, despite being outspent more than 6-to-1.
CD16 open: El Paso hotelier and gubernatorial appointee Alia Garcia-Ureste established a campaign committee for a potential run for the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-El Paso) as a Republican. Former Gov. Rick Perry appointed Garcia-Ureste to the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission in 2014, and Gov. Greg Abbott reappointed her in 2016.
CD18: Houston counselor Richard Johnson filed to challenge U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Houston) in the Democratic primary. Johnson was chief of staff to Rep. Jarvis Johnson (D-Houston) during the 2017 legislative session. Richard Johnson ran unsuccessfully for Harris Co. Dept. of Education trustee in 2012 as a Republican (37%) and included former Rep. Debbie Riddle (R-Spring) and Steven Hotze, head of Conservative Republicans of Texas, among his endorsers. For this race against Jackson Lee, Johnson touted the endorsement of boxing legend George Foreman.
CD21 open: Boerne medical supplier Matt McCall, who unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith in the 2014 (34%) and 2016 (29%) Republican primaries, filed for the seat Smith is vacating. Meanwhile, Austin educator and author Ricardo Turullols-Bonilla established a campaign committee for a potential run for CD21 as an independent.
©2017 Texas Election Source LLC
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