Texas down-ballot statewide offices

[TX Conservative Dem]

Lieutenant Governor: 3-term incumbent Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst (R) is facing off against Tea Party favorite, State Senator Dan Patrick (R-Houston) in the May 27th runoff and it's already getting more nastier as Dewhurst is running negative TV Advertising across the entire state, calling out Patrick for not paying his business taxes, etc.,

Winner of this showdown faces State Senator Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio) in November.

State Attorney General-OPEN: State Senator Ken Paxton (R-McKinney) vs. State Rep. Dan Branch (R-Dallas) facing off in the GOP runoff and whoever wins, faces Sam Houston (D) in the fall.

Agriculture Commissioner: Runoffs in both political parties: GOP runoff between former State Reps. Tommy Merritt (R-Longview) and Sid Miller (R-Stephenville) and the Democratic runoff between country music singer Kinky Friedman (D) and Jim Hogan (D).

The seat is being vacated by outgoing 2-term Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples (R), who was unsuccessful in his bid for Lieutenant Governor.

Railroad Commissioner, Place 1-OPEN: GOP runoff between former State Rep. Wayne Christian (R-Center) and Ryan Sitton (R). The winner of this runoff will face off against former Fort Bend County Democratic Party Chairman Steve Brown (D) in November.

Other statewide offices already heading towards November: United States Senator (Cornyn vs. whoever is the Dem nominee), Governor-OPEN (Abbott vs. Davis), Comptroller-OPEN (Collier vs. Hegar: Collier running TV ads right now), Chief Justice, Texas Supreme Court (Hecht vs. Moody), Justice, Texas Supreme Court Place 6 (Brown vs. Meyers), Justice, Texas Supreme Court Place 7 (Boyd vs. Benavides), Justice, Texas Supreme Court Place 8 (Johnson virtually unopposed with no Democratic opponent), Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals-Place 3 (Richardson vs. Granberg), Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals-Place 4 (Yeary has no Democratic opponent), Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals-Place 9 (Newell also has no Democratic opponent).

[Indy Texas]

Dan Patrick is not a tea-party favorite.

What is he, then?

[TX Conservative Dem]

Patrick is using his anti-immigration crusade to the 2nd most powerful statewide office in Texas.

[Indy Texas]

I'm getting interested in what's happening in the comptroller's race.

Collier, the Democrat, has been spending a lot of money on ad buys and billboards. I haven't seen anything for Glenn Hegar - no billboards, no ads, not even yard signs or bumper stickers.

Collier has been attacking him relentlessly on his support for a higher state sales tax and he isn't doing anything to respond.

As for the LiteGuv race, I read an article earlier this week in which someone from the Chamber of Commerce spoke very negatively of Dan Patrick. If the business community stays out of that race or backs Van de Putte, it could be very damning for Patrick and a bigger sign that the Texas GOP really may have gone too far.

[badgate]

I really like Collier. He would be great for the 29th or 18th congressional district, if either of those Clinton-era incumbents retire soon, or something city-wide in Houston (Mayor, or city comptroller if there is a position like that).

If he went the House route, by the time Democrats take back the majority he could be in a position to chair Budget, given his financial acumen.

[TX Conservative Dem]

Is Collier from Houston?

Wouldn't shock me if he ran for Mayor in 2015, which would position him for statewide office again in 2018.

[Indy Texas]

Is Collier from Houston?

Wouldn't shock me if he ran for Mayor in 2015, which would position him for statewide office again in 2018.

He lives in Kingwood, which is the random exurban appendage of Houston that the city annexed in the '90s and that most people forget is even part of the city. He can't launch a mayoral bid from there because he'll have no base of support. Houston politicians ignore Kingwood because it's so far away from the rest of the city and it's hardcore Republican. So Collier's own neighborhood won't support him because he's a Democrat and the core neighborhoods won't support him because he's not from there.

[badgate]

Is Collier from Houston?

Wouldn't shock me if he ran for Mayor in 2015, which would position him for statewide office again in 2018.

He lives in Kingwood, which is the random exurban appendage of Houston that the city annexed in the '90s and that most people forget is even part of the city. He can't launch a mayoral bid from there because he'll have no base of support. Houston politicians ignore Kingwood because it's so far away from the rest of the city and it's hardcore Republican. So Collier's own neighborhood won't support him because he's a Democrat and the core neighborhoods won't support him because he's not from there.

That's assuming he started the Mayoral campaign with no name rec.

By 2015 he will be coming off a statewide campaign, will have higher recognition, especially in his hometown of "Houston" (quotations because of the annexed thing).

You know your city's politics better than I, but I'm pretty incredulous to the idea that "core neighborhoods" won't support him because "he's not from there."

[TX Conservative Dem]

Collier running these TV spots statewide is a good strategy for him, but expect Hegar to strike back and hard when the time comes.