The new Texas Sands PAC has already spread over half a million dollars across roughly three dozen primaries for the state House and Senate.
Patrick Svitek
Patrick Svitek was the primary political correspondent for The Texas Tribune. Patrick covered elections, state leaders, the Legislature and political trends across the state from 2015 until 2024. He previously worked for the Houston Chronicle's Austin bureau. Patrick graduated in 2014 from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. He is originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Redistricting, challenges from the right test Texas House GOP incumbents coming off “most conservative session ever”
The primaries are also the first major electoral test for House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, who took over the gavel more than a year ago.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Attacks fly in final days of Attorney General Ken Paxton’s primary fight
Paxton is targeting one of his challengers, Louie Gohmert, while another challenger, George P. Bush, is going after challenger Eva Guzman.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Trump’s man in Texas, has quietly amassed influence — to the detriment of fellow Republicans
Patrick urged former Gov. Rick Perry to mount a challenge to Gov. Greg Abbott, who is seeking a third term. He’s taken the already considerable power concentrated in the state’s No. 2 job to another level, forcing opponents from races and tightening his grip on the Senate.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Cryptocurrency traders’ super PACs give $2 million boost to state Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s congressional run
The support comes with less than three weeks left in the crowded primary race to success retiring U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson in her securely Democratic district in Dallas.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Texas A&M looms large in primary between GOP incumbent and challenger with strong Aggie ties
John Harvey Slocum, the son of a famous A&M football coach, is seeking to unseat state Rep. John Raney, R-College Station.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Progressive group wants to oust two House Democrats in March 1 primary
The Texans for Better Democrats Coalition is throwing its support behind Candis Houston, who is running against state Rep. Harold Dutton of Houston, and Rep. Claudia Ordaz Perez, who faces fellow El Pasoan Rep. Art Fierro.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Watch: Embattled Attorney General Ken Paxton fights for political life in GOP primary
The attorney general, who has had his own legal problems since his first year in office, is battling three GOP primary challengers: Eva Guzman, George P. Bush and Louie Gohmert.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
National GOP proxy war breaks out in crowded primary to succeed U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady
Morgan Luttrell is backed by former Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Houston and the top super PAC aligned with House GOP leadership. Christian Collins has the support of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, the campaign arm of the House Freedom Caucus and some of the most ardent pro-Trump Republicans in the House, like U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Greg Abbott edges out Beto O’Rourke’s fundraising in first head-to-head reporting period
The two were neck and neck for the first 20 days of January, but Abbott has the advantage of a massive war chest that’s more than tenfold O’Rourke’s total cash on hand.
