Campaign Chatter

Rep. Joe Driver, R-Garland, won't seek another term in the House. If you're keeping score, he's the 21st incumbent to volunteer for civilian life after 2012. Driver still faces legal issues from double-billing his campaign and the state for travel expenses — a problem that came to light in his 2010 reelection bid. And he would face a primary opponent if he stuck around; the new redistricting maps pair him with freshman Rep. Cindy Burkett, R-Mesquite.

John Raney picked up the Texas Retailers Association PAC endorsement in the special election to replace Rep. Fred Brown, R-Bryan, in HD-14. Brown quit this summer and the election to replace him is set for next month. Raney, a Republican, is also a former retailer, having founded and operated the Texas Aggieland Bookstore. Rebecca Boenigk countered with a list of former mayors of Bryan and College Station who've endorsed her candidacy. They're in a pack of candidates that also includes Republican Bob Yancy, Democrat Judy Webb LeUnes and Libertarian Joshua Baker.

Rep. Mark Shelton, R-Fort Worth, is officially running for the Texas Senate, taking on fellow Republican lawmaker Kelly Hancock of North Richland Hills. The winner will face Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, in the general election in an HD-10 that was redrawn to favor a Republican. A funny bit of towel-snapping: Hancock earlier announced his endorsement by former Fort Worth Mayor Bob Bolen from Shelton's turf; Shelton's list of supporters includes North Richland Hills Mayor Oscar Trevino. Shelton, a pediatrician, has some other big names on his side, including U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (who's also a former Fort Worth mayor) and Arlington Mayor Bob Cluck.

KP George is plotting a challenge to U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land. He's a Democrat, a financial planner, and a naturalized citizen born in India. He'll announce soon, aides say.

Former Balch Springs Mayor Cedric Davis, a Democrat, is jumping into a Texas House race in HD-110, the seat now held by Rep. Barbara Mallory Caraway, D-Dallas. The incumbent plans to give up her seat to challenge U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas.

Former Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams, now running for Congress, raised $787,387 in the third quarter and says he's got almost $1.6 million on hand.

Texans for Fiscal Responsibility will back Rep. Ken Paxton, R-McKinney, in the race for Florence Shapiro's Senate seat in Collin County. The group promoted his run for speaker of the House against Joe Straus at the beginning of the year and in the months leading up to that vote. Shapiro is retiring.

Seeking reelection: Rep. Barbara Nash, R-Arlington.