# Election News for November 12 | USLege

> Texas election updates for November 12, 2017. Gov. Greg Abbott files for re-election, Adrian Ocegueda establishes campaign committee, and more.

Canonical: https://www.uslege.ai/news/election-news-for-november-12

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# Election News for November 12

TXElects November 12, 2017

This article is preserved from the TXElects archive. For current coverage, read [The Political Spotlight](/newsletters).

**Filing** for a place on the 2018 ballot began Saturday and continues until 6 p.m. local time on December 11. In general, we will not list individual filings here unless they represent the first formal action taken by a candidate. Please see our [Crib Sheets](https://www.uslege.ai/cribsheets) for current filing status.

**GOV:** Retired San Antonio educator Grady Yarbrough, the 2016 Democratic nominee for Railroad Commission, filed for governor. Yarbrough won the primary runoff over Cody Garrett after finishing first in a three-way primary that eliminated former Rep. Lon Burnam (D-Fort Worth). Yarbrough lost the 2012 Democratic primary runoff for U.S. Senate to former Rep. Paul Sadler (R-Henderson), 63%-37%, and lost the 1994 Democratic primary for state treasurer to incumbent Martha Whitehead, 66%-34%. Yarbrough also unsuccessfully sought the Republican nominations for land commissioner in 1986 and 1990, losing both in runoffs (36% and 33%, respectively).

Meanwhile, Dallas financial analyst Adrian Ocegueda established a campaign committee for a potential challenge of Gov. Greg Abbott (R) as a Democrat. Also, Abbott filed for re-election on Saturday,

**SD8 open:** Dallas Co. Republican Chair Phillip Huffines announced he would resign as of the party’s November 20 executive meeting. Huffines is seeking the seat being vacated by Sen. Van Taylor (R-Plano).

**HD4:** Seven Points pastor Eston Williams announced he would challenge Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Terrell) as a Democrat.

**HD45 open:** Cypress Mill resident Amber Elissa Pearce established a campaign committee for a potential run for the seat being vacated by Rep. Jason Isaac (R-Dripping Springs). We were unable to determine her occupation or partisan affiliation definitively.

**HD126 open:** Spring auto dealer Sam Harless, husband of former Rep. Patricia Harless (R-Spring), established a campaign committee to seek the seat being vacated by Rep. Kevin Roberts (R-Houston) as a Republican. We previously reported that Harless [announced his candidacy](https://web.archive.org/web/20240614211739/https://txelects.wpengine.com/legislative-and-congressional-candidate-news-for-november-8/).

**HD136:** Austin businessman and Williamson Co. Democratic Party Chair John Bucy re-established his campaign committee for a potential challenge of Rep. Tony Dale (R-Cedar Park) as a Democrat. Bucy lost the 2014 general election to Dale, 54%-41%.

**State Race TBD:** Lufkin resident LaShawn Finley established a campaign committee for a potential state race but did not indicate an office sought. Social media activity suggests she will run as a Democrat. Lufkin is located in SD3, represented by Sen. Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville); HD57, represented by Rep. Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin); and ED9, represented by member Keven Ellis (R-Lufkin). Nichols and Ashby are up for re-election in 2018. Ellis is not for re-election until 2020.

**SEN:** Former LaMarque Mayor Geraldine Sam filed to challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R) in the primary. Sam went to the 2016 Republican National Convention as a Cruz delegate but switched to Donald Trump. Sam was elected the first African-American mayor of La Marque in 2009 but was recalled in 2011 by a 66%-34% vote.

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![Grady Yarbrough](/assets/news/0186c4698419_68ef94d6a12258ab88cf7a79_grady_yarbrough.jpg)

Grady Yarbrough

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_©2017 Texas Election Source LLC_

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