38 Texas legislative primary races to watch

In a busy primary season, races for the Texas House and Senate have drawn some of the most attention this year, with more than a dozen open seats drawing multiple candidates and incumbents across the ballot hoping to fend off spirited challengers.

Below are snapshots of some of the most interesting legislative primaries. Early voting for the March 6 primary started Feb. 20. To see all the statewide and legislative races on the ballot, click here.

R Senate District 2

Bob Hall Incumbent

Hall is one of three senators whom Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has endorsed for re-election so far.

Age

75

Profession

Business owner

Money raised in 2017-18

$828,774

Cindy Burkett

Burkett, a state representative from Sunnyvale, is a former aide to ex-state Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, who Hall unseated in 2014.

Age

59

Profession

Real estate agent

Money raised in 2017-18

$480,577

Our take on the race

The political history, money and players in this race point to it being the most competitive Senate primary this cycle involving a Republican incumbent.

R Senate District 8 Open race

Phillip Huffines

Huffines is the twin brother of state Sen. Don Huffines, R-Dallas.

Age

59

Profession

Co-owner of Huffines Communities, a real estate company; former chairman of the Dallas County GOP

Money raised in 2017-18

$3,237,466 (includes a $2 million loan from candidate)

Angela Paxton

Paxton is the wife of Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has guaranteed a $2 million loan to his wife's campaign.

Age

54

Profession

Former guidance counselor

Money raised in 2017-18

$2,617,112 (includes a $2 million loan)

Our take on the race

Both candidates’ conservative credentials are well-known, so this pricey race is likely to come down to other, more personal differences.

D Senate District 10

Beverly Powell

Democrat Wendy Davis, who formerly held the seat, has endorsed Powell, who is a former member of the Burleson Independent School District’s board.

Age

66

Profession

Real estate developer

Money raised in 2017-18

$202,774

Allison Campolo

Campolo is a former Bernie Sanders supporter who is running as a “fresh face” that can shake up the Democratic Party’s status quo.

Age

30

Profession

Research scientist

Money raised in 2017-18

$54,684

Our take on the race

Of the 31 state senate districts, Senate District 10 is the closest to a swing district. In 2016, Donald Trump just barely beat Hillary Clinton there, giving hope to Democrats that they could unseat state Sen. Konni Burton, R-Colleyville, with the right candidate. Endorsements from people like Davis and U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, show party leaders view Powell as their best shot.

R Senate District 17

Joan Huffman Incumbent

After she authored bills in recent sessions that would have ended most union paycheck deductions, multiple firefighter associations have handed over hefty donations to her primary challenger.

Age

61

Profession

Former prosecutor and criminal district court judge

Money raised in 2017-18

$346,117

Kristin Tassin

Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Tassin to a state committee on special education in December, though he still endorsed Huffman for re-election.

Age

46

Profession

President of Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees; attorney

Money raised in 2017-18

$213,095 (includes a $50,000 loan)

Our take on the race

This matchup has focused heavily on public education. Tassin said in September that Huffman was “no friend to education." Huffman’s spokesman shot back, saying he assumed Tassin planned to run as a Democrat given a voting history that included the Democratic primary in 2008.

R Senate District 30

Craig Estes Incumbent

A 17-year incumbent, Estes has won his GOP primary contests over the last decade by at least 30 points. He currently chairs the Senate Natural Resources Committee.

Age

64

Profession

Business owner

Money raised in 2017-18

$560,302

Pat Fallon

Fallon, a state representative from Frisco, has the backing of more than two dozen GOP members of the Texas House.

Age

50

Profession

Business owner

Money raised in 2017-18

$1,929,862 (includes a $1,816,000 loan from the candidate)

Craig Carter

Carter is from the small Texas town of Nocona and is running on his job-creation record there, having overseen the revitalization of the once abandoned Nocona Boot Company factory building.

Age

38

Profession

Business owner

Money raised in 2017-18

$92,000 (includes $90,500 in loans from the candidate)

Our take on the race

This race turned bitterer in February after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick reported a $17,000 in-kind donation to Fallon for polling in the race, a move Estes described as “nothing more than a bribe to hire a yes man in the Texas Senate, a puppet.” Fallon has worked to paint Estes as having held the seat for so long that he’s fallen out of touch with voters. Carter, the outsider in the race, has struggled to keep pace in fundraising with his well-financed competitors.

R Senate District 31

Mike Canon

When Canon made his previous bid for the same Senate seat in 2014, he lost to the incumbent, Kel Seliger, by 5 percentage points.

Age

71

Profession

Attorney; former mayor of Midland

Money raised in 2017-18

$216,866

Victor Leal

Leal is a former board member of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, the Austin-based conservative think tank.

Age

55

Profession

Business owner

Money raised in 2017-18

$173,075 (includes a $25,000 loan from the candidate)

Kel Seliger Incumbent

Seliger, a former mayor of Amarillo,  was the only Republican in the Senate who did not formally back Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in his bid for re-election in October.

Age

64

Profession

Co-owner and executive vice-president of a steel service center

Money raised in 2017-18

$665,851

Our take on the race

Seliger is perhaps the most moderate Republican in the upper chamber, and he is facing two challengers coming from his right. However, he has significantly outraised both of his primary opponents.

R House District 2

Dan Flynn Incumbent

A member of the House since 2003, Flynn last year authored the “American Laws for American Courts” bill, which the governor signed into law. The measure, he said, combats the encroachment of Sharia into Texas’ judicial system.

Age

74 (he turns 75 on Feb. 21)

Profession

Operates a small ranch operation

Money raised in 2017-18

$148,562

Bryan Slaton

This is round two for Slaton, who challenged Flynn from the right in the 2016 Republican primary.

Age

40

Profession

Works at his family business, Slaton Financial Services

Money raised in 2017-18

$120,736

Our take on the race

Flynn’s previous win over Slaton was one of the year’s closest primaries, with a margin of fewer than 600 votes of nearly 30,000 cast. Flynn, recalling how close the last race was, said he’s hired a political consultant this cycle for the first time. Slaton has some notable endorsements to tout, including from Texas Right to Life and Empower Texans.

R House District 4 Open race

Keith Bell

Bell has served for two decades on the Forney ISD School Board and is currently the board’s president.

Age

55

Profession

Electrical contractor

Money raised in 2017-18

$190,475 (includes $160,000 in loans from the candidate)

Stuart Spitzer

Spitzer has held this seat before. He unseated current state Rep. Lance Gooden in 2014, then lost to Gooden in 2016.

Age

50

Profession

Former surgeon

Money raised in 2017-18

$148,563

Ashley McKee

McKee serves as vice president of the Eustace ISD School Board. Her fundraising includes a $10,000 donation from Dallas businessman Monty Bennett.

Age

42

Profession

Attorney

Money raised in 2017-18

$37,043

Earl Brunner

Brunner briefly entered the open Republican primary for Texas’ 5th Congressional District but dropped out of that race in December in favor of seeking a seat in the state House.

Age

58

Profession

Retired Army colonel

Money raised in 2017-18

$15,425 (includes a $15,021 loan from the candidate)

Our take on the race

Spitzer has been in this race before — losing, winning and then losing again to Terrell Republican Lance Gooden, the incumbent. That background and his fundraising should give him a boost, but with three other candidates and Bell’s large loans to his campaign, this primary could be headed to a runoff.

R House District 8 Open race

Thomas McNutt

McNutt, who narrowly lost the GOP primary for this seat in 2016, faced heat that cycle over his family business having a history of hiring unauthorized workers — even as his campaign touted its tough stance on illegal immigration.

Age

28

Profession

Vice president of Collin Street Bakery

Money raised in 2017-18

$480,792

Cody Harris

Harris has earned endorsements from the Texas Association of Realtors and the Texas Farm Bureau.

Age

34

Profession

Real estate broker

Money raised in 2017-18

$154,986 (includes a $5,000 loan from the candidate)

Linda Timmerman

Timmerman served on two state boards as an appointee of former Gov. Rick Perry.

Age

71

Profession

Retired; former community college administrator

Money raised in 2017-18

$68,130 (includes a $30,000 loan from the candidate)

Our take on the race

Since longtime state Rep. Byron Cook announced last fall he wouldn’t seek a ninth term, this has looked like McNutt’s race to lose. Along with running for the seat in the past, he entered the race this time around well ahead of Harris and Timmerman and has earned some prominent endorsements.

R House District 13 Open race

Ben Leman

As chairman and co-founder of Texans Against High-Speed Rail, Leman has come out strongly against a private company’s effort to build a Dallas-Houston bullet train that he says would infringe on Texans’ private property rights.

Age

41

Profession

Former Grimes County Judge

Money raised in 2017-18

$122,825 (includes a $100,000 loan from the candidate)

Daniel McCarthy

McCarthy’s campaign has emphasized his past service as a Marine.

Age

31

Profession

Paralegal

Money raised in 2017-18

$300

David Stall

Along with his wife, Stall founded CorridorWatch, one of the more prominent groups that protested the Trans-Texas Corridor, an ultimately abandoned plan for a 4,000-mile network of privately operated toll roads envisioned by former Gov. Rick Perry in 2001.

Age

59

Profession

City manager of Shoreacres

Money raised in 2017-18

$8,235

Jill Wolfskill

Wolfskill said at a candidate forum in January that if elected she’d seek to align herself with three members of the conservative Texas House Freedom Caucus: Reps. Briscoe Cain, Matt Rinaldi and Jonathan Stickland.

Age

60

Profession

Co-owner of James Industries, Inc., an energy industry supplier

Money raised in 2017-18

$103,021

Marc Young

Young entered the Republican primary race for Congressional District 34 back in 2012, but dropped out before the election. He also protested the Trans-Texas Corridor, which he said would have crossed his farm under five possible routes.

Age

65

Profession

Farmer/rancher

Money raised in 2017-18

$5,211 (includes $3,125 in loans)

Our take on the race

Aside from Leman’s large loan to himself, Wolfskill has raised the most money in the race by far. Add to that an endorsement from prominent anti-abortion group Texas Right to Life and she looks like a likely frontrunner. She’s also got a staffing advantage in Emily Horne, a Texas Right to Life legislative associate who left her post to become Wolfskill’s campaign manager.

R House District 15 Open race

Steve Toth

A former state representative and self-described “firebrand conservative,” Toth is also an ordained minister.

Age

57

Profession

Small-business owner

Money raised in 2017-18

$121,744

Jackie Waters

A sixth-generation Texan, Waters spent 29 years working for elementary schools in Conroe and says she’s running because District 15 needs a “strong, reliable, conservative voice” and a representative who is “utterly dedicated to District 15.”

Age

57

Profession

Small-business owner; former teacher

Money raised in 2017-18

$76,408 (includes a $50,000 loan)

Our take on the race

Mark Keough, a Republican from The Woodlands, is vacating the seat to run for Montgomery County Judge and has endorsed Toth, his predecessor in the House, to replace him. That, combined with Toth’s fundraising lead, suggests he’s the likely frontrunner in the race.

R House District 23

Wayne Faircloth Incumbent

Faircloth, first elected in 2014, is the first Republican to serve the district since Reconstruction. His predecessor, Craig Eiland, held the seat for 20 years.

Age

64

Profession

Insurance agent

Money raised in 2017-18

$296,454

Mayes Middleton

Gov. Greg Abbott endorsed Middleton over the incumbent on Jan. 9.

Age

36

Profession

President of Middleton Oil Company, an independent oil and gas company in Southeast Texas

Money raised in 2017-18

$1,136,527 (Includes a $985,000 loan from the candidate)

Our take on the race

Middleton's endorsement from Abbott, plus the healthy amount of cash he reported having heading into 2018, creates a race that's poised to be competitive.

D House District 27

Ron Reynolds Incumbent

He may be serving a jail sentence during the next Texas legislative session.

Age

44

Profession

Lawyer (currently suspended by the State Bar of Texas)

Money raised in 2017-18

$25,883

Wilvin Carter

He is a criminal defense lawyer who ran unsuccessfully against Fort Bend County’s Republican district attorney in 2014.

Age

41

Profession

Attorney

Money raised in 2017-18

$23,571

Our take on the race

Reynolds recently filed his first campaign reports in years. He is currently appealing a 2015 conviction and one-year jail sentence stemming from a years-long battle over misdemeanor charges of illegally soliciting clients as a personal injury lawyer. But even after his conviction, he still managed to win his last Democratic primary in a runoff.

D House District 31

Ryan Guillen Incumbent

First elected in 2002, Guillen is one of the more senior members among Democrats in the Texas House. As a former “Craddick D” — the name given to Democrats who supported former Republican Speaker Tom Craddick — he is considered a moderate on several issues. He was the lone Democrat endorsed by the Texas State Rifle Association, which gave Guillen an A+ rating.

Age

40

Profession

Rancher; small-business owner; consultant

Money raised in 2017-18

$131,746

Ana Lisa Garza

Her brother is a district court judge — and a Republican, which could bode well if GOP voters choose to cross over to back her in the Democratic primary instead.

Age

54

Profession

Attorney; retired state district judge

Money raised in 2017-18

$108,530

Our take on the race

Guillen hasn’t faced a significant challenge since his first election victory 16 years ago. As a veteran lawmaker, he has seniority, but Garza is arguing it’s time for a fresh face. While Garza has some name recognition and managed to raise more than $100,000 in just three months, Guillen reported earlier this month having more than $1 million on hand.

D House District 37

Rene O. Oliveira Incumbent

Oliveira was first elected in 1981 and is the fifth-most senior member of the 150-member Texas House of Representatives. He’s an ally of outgoing House Speaker Joe Straus and has chaired the Business & Industry; Ways & Means; Economic Development; and Land & Resource Management committees.

Age

62

Profession

Attorney

Money raised in 2017-18

$163,164

Alejandro “Alex” Dominguez

Dominguez tried to unseat Oliveira in 2012 but earned less than 40 percent of the vote. He told local media he hopes that his tenure as Cameron County commissioner has boosted his name identification and his chances this time around.

Age

46

Profession

Attorney; educator; former Cameron County commissioner

Money raised in 2017-18

$6,518 (includes a $3,500 loan from the candidate)

Arturo Alonzo

Alonzo did not respond to a request for an interview. He has not filed any campaign finance reports but has a crowdfunding page that shows more than $4,000 raised. According to his campaign biography, he previously worked in the Legislature and is an Iraq War veteran.

Profession

Small-business owner, former legislative staffer and former deputy sheriff

Money raised in 2017-18

No reports filed with Texas Ethics Commission.

Our take on the race

Oliveira is a senior member in the House and the dean of the Rio Grande Valley delegation. His opponents are arguing that his veteran status means he is comfortable among the Austin elite and no longer interested in working to solve the Rio Grande Valley’s chief problems, such as poverty and lack of quality health care and educational opportunities.

R House District 45 Open race

Ken Strange

Strange is on the board of the Wimberley Independent School District. He also has the backing of many local law enforcement officials, including the sheriff and district attorney of Hays County, according to his campaign website.

Age

58

Profession

Director of Wimberley Emergency Medical Services

Money raised in 2017-18

$38,385 (includes a $10,000 loan from the candidate)

Amber Pearce

Pearce, a private school choice supporter, has the largest war chest in this primary. The bulk of her campaign funds came from a $125,000 donation from Pearce's Diamond P. Farm and Ranch, LLC, according to Texas Ethics Commission records.

Age

43

Profession

Co-owner and vice-president of an oil and gas business

Money raised in 2017-18

$142,205 (includes $15,600 in loans from the candidate)

Naomi Narvaiz

Narvaiz, a member of the Texas GOP’s State Republican Executive Committee, describes herself as a hard-charging, politically incorrect conservative activist. As an appointee to the San Marcos school district's Student Health Advisory Council, she drew criticism last year for comments on social media saying that undocumented students should be deported and expressing disdain for "homosexual" school groups.

Age

50

Profession

Citizen activist

Money raised in 2017-18

$9,110

Austin Talley

Talley, who is an eighth-generation Texan, said his No. 1 issue is limiting property tax growth.

Age

39

Profession

Defense contractor

Money raised in 2017-18

$2,625

Our take on the race

When Jason Isaac vacated this seat to run for Congress, it made space for a crowded GOP primary that is likely to require a runoff. Pearce’s significant personal investment in her campaign makes her formidable, but both Strange and Narvaiz have prominent local ties, making for a wide-open race. A fifth candidate, Amy Akers, did not respond to request for an interview and appears to have dropped out of the race.

D House District 46

Dawnna Dukes Incumbent

Dukes drew widespread criticism after posting poor attendance during the previous legislative session and facing criminal corruption charges, but the Travis County District Attorney's office dropped those charges last year after admitting it had bungled the case.

Age

54

Profession

Consultant

Money raised in 2017-18

$831,736 (includes $829,486 in loans)

Sheryl Cole

Cole, a former Austin City Council member, has the backing of several prominent local Democrats, including state Sen. Kirk Watson, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett and Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt.

Age

53

Profession

Attorney

Money raised in 2017-18

$133,323

Chito Vela

Vela is billing himself as the "real progressive" in the race as he attempts to run to the left of Cole. Among other proposals, he supports legalizing and taxing marijuana to fund public schools.

Age

43

Profession

Criminal defense and immigration attorney

Money raised in 2017-18

$51,494 (includes a $13,000 loan)

Ana Cortez

Cortez says she is a survivor of sexual assault and has made that a focus of her campaign, vowing to support legislation "that will end sexual assaults and handle sexual assault cases quickly and fairly."

Age

38

Profession

Business owner and member of the Manor Independent School District Board of Trustees

Money raised in 2017-18

$22,538 (includes $20,425 in loans)

Casey McKinney

McKinney has made slowing gentrification in East Austin a focus of her campaign.

Age

Declined to say

Profession

Businesswoman, community activist

Money raised in 2017-18

$6,237 (includes a $5,000 donation from the candidate)

Warren Baker

Baker did not respond to inquiries from The Texas Tribune.

Profession

Money raised in 2017-18

No reports filed with Texas Ethics Commission.

Our take on the race

Dukes announced in late 2016 that she would retire from her post amid a criminal investigation, prompting a wave of candidates to run in a special election to replace her. But just weeks later, she reversed her decision — and prosecutors dropped the criminal charges against her later in 2017. Now, Dukes' campaign is deeply in debt as she fends off multiple Democratic challengers who have been building campaign infrastructure for nearly two years.

D House District 47

Candace Aylor

Aylor was endorsed by Our Revolution Texas, a coalition of Bernie Sanders supporters, and she is one of at least 48 openly LGBTQ candidates in Texas this election cycle.

Age

44

Profession

Recovery room nurse

Money raised in 2017-18

$0

Elaina Fowler

Fowler previously served as chief of staff to state Rep. Helen Giddings and a policy aide to Austin Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole.

Age

42

Profession

Executive director of a labor union

Money raised in 2017-18

$10,898 (includes a $2,482 loan)

Vikki Goodwin

Goodwin was endorsed by Central Austin Democrats and South Austin Democrats.

Age

50

Profession

Real estate broker

Money raised in 2017-18

$97,873 (includes $55,000 in loans from the candidate)

Will Simpson

Simpson has made his opposition to gerrymandering and his support for Texas putting a nonpartisan panel in charge of redistricting key to his platform.

Age

52

Profession

Technology executive

Money raised in 2017-18

$19,822 (includes $10,000 in loans from the candidate)

Sheri Soltes

Soltes is a former civil trial attorney, and she has been endorsed by Circle C Area Democrats.

Age

58

Profession

Founder and owner of a nonprofit

Money raised in 2017-18

$16,890

Our take on the race

State Rep. Paul Workman, R-Austin, is the only Republican representing part of liberal Travis County in the Texas House, and Democrats see a chance to flip the district. In 2016, Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton in the district by less than 200 votes. The Democrats vying for the seat insist they are avoiding slinging mud so that their supporters can unite behind the nominee.

R House District 47

Jay Wiley

Wiley, who ran against and lost to Workman in 2014 for the same seat, has been endorsed by conservative groups including the Young Conservatives of Texas and Texans for Fiscal Responsibility.

Age

41

Profession

Small business owner

Money raised in 2017-18

$143,589 (includes $36,365 in loans)

Paul Workman Incumbent

Workman has served in the Legislature since 2011. Gov. Greg Abbott has endorsed him in his bid for re-election.

Age

66

Profession

Construction consultant

Money raised in 2017-18

$260,266

Patty Vredevelt

Vredevelt told the Tribune she was motivated to run because of past votes Workman has made regarding abortion access and property tax reform that she disagreed with.

Age

70

Profession

Registered nurse, retired

Money raised in 2017-18

$750

Our take on the race

Both challengers are hitting Workman from the right, promising a more conservative voting record if elected. Workman has argued that someone with his legislative experience needs to hold onto the the only house seat in liberal Travis County that a Republican can feasibly win in order to counteract “Austin and its socialist policies.”

R House District 52 Open race

Cynthia Flores

Flores, who works for the Round Rock Area Serving Center, a food bank and thrift store, has the backing of both outgoing state Rep. Larry Gonzales and Gov. Greg Abbott.

Age

52

Profession

Case manager

Money raised in 2017-18

$92,078 (includes a $100 loan from the candidate)

Jeremy Story

Story is the president of Campus Renewal, a group that aims to "transform college campuses for Christ," according to its website.

Age

42

Profession

Nonprofit executive

Money raised in 2017-18

$11,939 (includes a $30 loan)

Christopher L. Ward

Ward describes himself as a self-funded candidate on a mission to address rising property taxes.

Age

42

Profession

Clinical researcher

Money raised in 2017-18

$17,280 (most of it donated by the candidate to himself)

Our take on the race

Given her lead in fundraising and the support of Gonzales, Abbott and some prominent conservative groups, this appears to be Flores’ race to lose.

R House District 55

CJ Grisham

Grisham founded the nonprofit Open Carry Texas and has the endorsement of the conservative group Texans for Fiscal Responsibility.

Age

43

Profession

Retired Army first sergeant

Money raised in 2017-18

$48,023

Brandon Hall

Hall was endorsed by Texans Right to Life and Concerned Christian Citizens, a local group that formed after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized gay marriage.

Age

42

Profession

Pastor; software engineer

Money raised in 2017-18

$45,731

Hugh D. Shine Incumbent

House Speaker Joe Straus backed Shine’s campaign for re-election, as did the National Rifle Association and the Texas Alliance for Life.

Age

65

Profession

Financial adviser

Money raised in 2017-18

$251,768

Our take on the race

Both Hall and Grisham have labeled Shine a “liberal Republican,” citing his ties to Straus. All three candidates are emphasizing their similar stances on abortion, property taxes and border security. But Grisham has recently faced heat for Facebook posts suggesting violent responses to excessive force by police.

R House District 60

Mike Lang Incumbent

Lang, a member of the conservative Texas House Freedom Caucus, was endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott on Dec. 5, 2017. More than half of his fundraising last year comes from a $100,000 donation from billionaires Jo Ann and Farris Wilks of Cisco.

Age

55

Profession

Retired law enforcement officer

Money raised in 2017-18

$259,465

Jim Largent

Largent launched his bid against Lang on Dec. 11, 2017, the last day candidates running for office in the state could file for candidacy.

Age

52

Profession

Granbury ISD superintendent

Money raised in 2017-18

$70,431

Gregory Risse

Risse did not respond to multiple inquiries from the Tribune.

Profession

Retired teacher and army veteran

Money raised in 2017-18

Has not filed a report

Our take on the race

This has been among the more heated GOP primaries this cycle. All 10 of the precinct chairs on the Hood County GOP's executive committee recently backed a “no confidence” resolution against Largent, county chairman Jim Logan said. Largent has made his opposition to private school vouchers a central plank of his campaign.

R House District 62 Open race

Kevin Couch

Couch, a former Sherman city councilman, has made his support for term limits on legislators a central plank of his campaign.

Age

30

Profession

Marketing consultant

Money raised in 2017-18

$26,765

Brent Lawson

Lawson did not respond to a request for an interview.

Profession

Electrical engineer

Money raised in 2017-18

$18,816 (includes $5,100 in loans from the candidate)

Reggie Smith

Smith is former chairman of the Grayson County Republican Party. He did not respond to a request for an interview.

Profession

Attorney

Money raised in 2017-18

$102,670 (includes $26,800 in loans)

Our take on the race

Sherman Republican Larry Phillips announced in September that he was giving up the seat he has held since 2003. Most of the district’s voters are in Grayson County, where Smith was, until recently, the GOP chair and has led in fundraising.

R House District 73

Kyle Biedermann Incumbent

Biedermann is a member of the conservative Texas House Freedom Caucus.

Age

58

Profession

Business owner

Money raised in 2017-18

$182,250

Dave Campbell

Campbell, who only announced his bid in December, outraised Biedermann during the last half of 2017.

Age

66

Profession

Fredericksburg ISD School Board member; business owner

Money raised in 2017-18

$125,604

Our take on the race

With competitive fundraising and the backing of some motivated public education groups, Campbell has emerged as a frontrunner to unseat one of the 12 members of the conservative Texas House Freedom Caucus.

R House District 87

Four Price Incumbent

Price has long been discussed as a potential successor to retiring House Speaker Joe Straus, and he said in November he could be interested in the job.

Age

50

Profession

In-house attorney at Amarillo National Bank

Money raised in 2017-18

$415,091

Drew Brassfield

Brassfield released a robocall in November that claimed Price is on the "Democrats' wish list" for speaker because he voted against a controversial amendment to an immigration bill last year that ultimately passed. The amendment expanded the bill to allow police officers to question a person’s immigration status during a detainment.

Age

37

Profession

City manager for Fritch

Money raised in 2017-18

$37,329 (includes a $50 loan from the candidate)

Our take on the race

Price is a well-funded incumbent with name recognition in his district. But Brassfield, who has drawn the support of groups like the Texas Home School Coalition, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility and Young Conservatives of Texas, is planning to highlight elements of Price’s voting record to paint him as a moderate.

R House District 98

Giovanni Capriglione Incumbent

Capriglione won the seat in 2012 by running to the right of Vicki Truitt, who had held it for 14 years.

Age

34

Profession

President and owner of Texas Adventure Capital, LLC, a private equity firm

Money raised in 2017-18

$304,924 (includes a $15,958 loan from the candidate)

Armin Mizani

Several conservative organizations that originally backed Capriglione for the seat are now supporting Mizani, in part because of Capriglione’s support in recent years of House Speaker Joe Straus.

Age

30

Profession

Attorney; Keller city councilman

Money raised in 2017-18

$130,589 (includes a $3,500 loan from the candidate)

Our take on the race

This race has taken on an unusually personal tone, with the NE Tarrant Tea Party and Capriglione’s former consultant both publicly apologizing for having helped him first win the seat years earlier. Both sides have accused each other of misleading attacks, but it’s not clear how all of the mudslinging is sitting with voters.

R House District 99

Charlie Geren Incumbent

Geren, chairman of the House Administration Committee, is a longtime ally of Speaker Joe Straus, which has made him a repeated target of some conservative activists. It’s unclear what effect Straus’ retirement would have on Geren’s powerful perch in the chamber if he wins re-election.

Age

68

Profession

Restaurant owner

Money raised in 2017-18

$299,845

Bo French

Before challenging Geren for the first time in 2016, French was best known as a former business partner of famous Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, though he ran into controversy after Kyle’s widow sued French and another partner, arguing that they pushed her out of the company. French denied the charge, and the suit was later dropped.

Age

48

Profession

Investor/business

Money raised in 2017-18

$375,829 (includes a $3,500 loan from the candidate)

Our take on the race

This is the second matchup between French and Geren — who easily won the last primary with 58.2 percent of the vote — but little appears to have changed in the dynamics of the race. Geren began the year with a huge cash advantage, but French narrowed that gap in recent weeks, thanks in part to a $200,000 donation from Empower Texans, a conservative group.

R House District 106 Open race

Jared Patterson

Patterson has drawn endorsements from dozens of officials in the district, including seven mayors.

Age

34

Profession

Director of energy services for Rapid Power Management

Money raised in 2017-18

$122,291 (includes a $10,000 loan from the candidate)

Clint Bedsole

Bedsole has emphasized his opposition to private school vouchers as an issue in the race.

Age

45

Profession

Owner of Epic Carts LLC

Money raised in 2017-18

$119,442 (includes $29,433 in loans)

Our take on the race

Both Patterson and Bedsole are vying to replace Republican Pat Fallon, who is challenging state Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls. Patterson’s support from conservative groups like the Young Conservatives of Texas and Empower Texans may prove more impactful than in other races as both candidates have drawn their share of local endorsements and are not far apart in fundraising.

D House District 109 Open race

Christopher Graham

Graham did not respond to requests for interviews from the Tribune.

No photo available

Profession

Money raised in 2017-18

Has not filed a report

Deshaundra Lockhart Jones

In her pitch to voters, Jones has emphasized her experience during three terms on the DeSoto City Council.

Age

47

Profession

Insurance company owner; DeSoto city councilwoman

Money raised in 2017-18

$6,327

Carl Sherman

Sherman, the former mayor of DeSoto, has been endorsed by the current incumbent, state Rep. Helen Giddings.

Age

51

Profession

City manager of Hutchins; senior pastor for the Church of Christ

Money raised in 2017-18

$11,998 (includes a loan of $271)

Victoria Walton

Walton said she is the founder of a nonprofit focused on helping domestic violence victims.

Age

60

Profession

Small-business owner

Money raised in 2017-18

$0

Our take on the race

Giddings had held this seat for nearly 25 years when she announced her retirement in November. Her endorsement of Sherman could prove pivotal, but with three other candidates, and Lockhart Jones’ visibility in DeSoto, this primary could be headed to a runoff.

R House District 113 Open race

Jim Phaup

Phaup is mayor of Sunnyvale, a small, rural town in the district north of Mesquite.

Age

64

Profession

President of Sanden International, which builds automotive air conditioning compressors

Money raised in 2017-18

$53,262 (includes $45,962 in loans from the candidate)

Jonathan Boos

Boos is the former president of the Dallas County Young Republicans and previously served on the Republican Party of Texas’ State Republican Executive Committee.

Age

33

Profession

Small-business owner

Money raised in 2017-18

$162,129 (includes $60,000 in loans from the candidate)

Charles Lauersdorf

Lauersdorf spent 15 years in the Marine Corps, including three tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan, according to his campaign website.

Age

35

Profession

Owner of a real estate photography firm

Money raised in 2017-18

$23,740 (includes $11,000 in loans from the candidate)

Our take on the race

Boos, who previously tried to unseat Burkett in this district, has had a cash advantage in this three-way race and has drawn endorsements of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility and Texas Right to Life. But the other candidates have their own constituencies, suggesting that none may draw enough support to keep this race from heading to a runoff.

R House District 114

Jason Villalba Incumbent

The Dallas Morning News’ editorial board endorsed Villalba for a fourth term, citing in part his opposition to the Texas Senate’s “bathroom bill.” Villalba was one of the few Republicans who vocally opposed the measure — a move that likely further cemented conservative activists’ ire toward him.

Age

46

Profession

Attorney

Money raised in 2017-18

$252,232

Lisa Luby Ryan

In 2009, Luby Ryan originally considered a run for former state Rep. Dan Branch’s Dallas-based seat when Branch was considering running for Texas attorney general but stood down once it became clear Branch would not vacate his seat.

Age

57

Profession

Interior designer

Money raised in 2017-18

$275,204 (includes a $50,000 loan)

Our take on the race

This could be a tight race. Luby Ryan is attempting to position herself to the right of Villalba and has picked up two endorsements — from Empower Texans and the Texas Right to Life PAC — that could play well for her among GOP primary voters. She’s proven to be a good fundraiser and had more cash on hand than Villalba headed into the final stretch.

D House District 115

Julie Johnson

In the second half of 2017, Johnson raked in 10 times the amount of money than Republican incumbent Matt Rinaldi did. She has been active in Democratic politics for years and served as a precinct chair.

Age

51

Profession

Attorney

Money raised in 2017-18

$236,532

Rock Bower

Bower appears to be a political newcomer and is largely self-funded, though he has raised several thousand dollars in small donations.

Age

31

Profession

Attorney

Money raised in 2017-18

$16,651 (includes a loan of $423)

Our take on the race

Despite the contested primary, both candidates have largely focused their messaging on defeating Rinaldi, who was almost unseated in 2016 when Hillary Clinton carried the district. Democrats are eying this North Texas district as a possible pickup but will need a strong candidate for the general. Considering her fundraising abilities and long-standing party ties, Johnson looks like the likely frontrunner.

D House District 116

Diana Arévalo Incumbent

During her first term in the state legislature, Arévalo responded to reports of sexual harassment in the Capitol by announcing that her offices could serve as safe zones for victims.

Age

36

Profession

Executive director of an after-school affordable music education program

Money raised in 2017-18

$76,425

Trey Martinez Fischer

As Arévalo’s predecessor in HD-116, Martinez Fischer earned the moniker “Prince of POO,” for his use of “points of order” to cause strategic procedural delays during House floor debates.

Age

47

Profession

Attorney

Money raised in 2017-18

$136,821

Our take on the race

Though Arévalo currently holds the seat, Martinez Fischer is running as a de facto incumbent. He’s recently outraised her, and several of Arévalo’s House colleagues are publicly supporting the return of Martinez Fischer, who represented the district for 16 years.

D House District 118

Tomas Uresti Incumbent

Tomas Uresti’s brother, Carlos, is a state senator in the middle of a trial fighting charges of fraud and money laundering. Tomas Uresti’s cell phone was reportedly tapped by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for several weeks in 2015, while he was running for the House seat.

Age

57

Profession

Legal assistant

Money raised in 2017-18

$45,617 (includes $10,230 in loans)

Leo Pacheco

Pacheco, a former chair of the Bexar County Democratic Party, lost in a straw poll to Uresti by a 40 percentage point margin in November 2017.

Age

60

Profession

Human resources specialist at Palo Alto College; adjunct professor at San Antonio College

Money raised in 2017-18

$15,150 (includes a $5,750 loan from the candidate)

Our take on the race

Tomas’ brother Carlos, a state senator, has been embroiled in a fraud lawsuit and has been publicly accused of sexual misconduct. (He has said those allegations are unfounded.) But the Uresti in the lower chamber doesn’t seem shaken; he significantly outraised both his primary challenger and the Republican vying for the seat, John Lujan.

R House District 121 Open race

Steve Allison

Allison served on the Alamo Heights School Board for 12 years, including a three-term tenure as president.

Age

71

Profession

Attorney

Money raised in 2017-18

$159,743 (includes $100,000 in loans from the candidate)

Matt Beebe

Beebe unsuccessfully challenged Straus in 2012 and 2014.

Age

44

Profession

Small business owner

Money raised in 2017-18

$56,655 (includes a $2,000 loan)

Carlton Soules

Soules, a former member of the San Antonio City Council, was a leader in the successful effort several years ago to kill San Antonio’s streetcar project.

Age

51

Profession

Consultant

Money raised in 2017-18

$53,800 (includes a $35,000 loan from the candidate)

Adrian Spears

Spears’ grandfather was chief judge of the Western District of Texas, and his father was assistant district attorney for Bexar County.

Age

42

Profession

Attorney

Money raised in 2017-18

$12,408 (includes a $4,157 loan from the candidate)

Marc K. Whyte

Whyte has outraised all his competitors in contributions so far in the race.

Age

37

Profession

Attorney

Money raised in 2017-18

$118,242

Charlotte Williamson

Williamson has worked on a number of GOP campaigns over the years, including for the seat’s current incumbent, Joe Straus.

Age

37

Profession

Small business owner

Money raised in 2017-18

$101,650 (includes $101,000 in loans from the candidate)

Our take on the race

It’s hard to tell who exactly will make it to a likely runoff — Allison and Whyte represent the more moderate wing of the field, while Beebe is running as the most conservative.

R House District 122

Lyle Larson Incumbent

Larson, the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, said he’s is running for re-election to bring more attention to water policy in Texas, including creating a regulatory framework to de-salanize aquifers across the state.

Age

58

Profession

Small business owner

Money raised in 2017-18

$234,018

Chris Fails

Gov. Greg Abbott has endorsed Fails, who did not respond to a request for an interview.

Profession

Mayor of Hollywood Park; co-owner of Alamo Shooting Sports, a Hollywood Park gun store

Money raised in 2017-18

$69,542

Our take on the race

Larson is arguably Abbott's most outspoken critic among Republicans in the lower chamber. Abbott’s decision to endorse his opponent has drawn more attention to the race, but Larson entered the home stretch with more than $500,000 in his campaign coffers, compared to about $25,000 for Fails.

R House District 126 Open race

Sam Harless

Harless is the husband of former Rep. Patricia Harless, who previously held the seat, and has drawn endorsements from the Associated Republicans of Texas and the Texas Association of Business’ political arm.

Age

55

Profession

Co-owner of Fred Fincher Motors, a car dealership

Money raised in 2017-18

$138,690 (includes a $30,000 loan)

Kevin Fulton

Fulton’s campaign has been endorsed by former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, along with conservative groups like Empower Texans and Texas Right to Life.

Age

46

Profession

Attorney

Money raised in 2017-18

$78,475 (includes a loan of $19,050 from the candidate)

Gail Stanart

Stanart is the wife of Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart and is a member of the Texas GOP’s Senate Republican Executive Committee. She did not respond to a request for an interview.

Profession

Money raised in 2017-18

$25,376 (includes $13,000 in loans from the candidate)

Our take on the race

This seat is currently held by Houston Republican Kevin Roberts, who is running for an open seat in Congress. Both Harless and Stanart have spouses well known in the community, and Fulton is drawing support from Tea Party-friendly groups, giving all three candidates a potential path to victory.

R House District 134

Sarah Davis Incumbent

Davis, who has represented the district since 2011, has drawn attention over the years for her opposition to measures restricting abortion that were widely supported by her party.

Age

41

Profession

Attorney

Money raised in 2017-18

$433,150

Susanna Dokupil

Gov. Greg Abbott has endorsed Dokupil and spent heavily on ads to boost her campaign.

Age

45

Profession

Chief Executive Officer of Paladin Strategies, a communications firm

Money raised in 2017-18

$405,106

Our take on the race

This race has emerged as a high-profile test of both Gov. Greg Abbott’s political prowess and what it means to be a Republican in Texas. In 2016, Hillary Clinton had a 15-point advantage over Trump in this district, prompting speculation that the seat could be competitive in November if the more conservative Dokupil wins the primary. Davis and Abbott have sparred in recent weeks over her actions in the Legislature related to hurricane aid, abortion and ethics.