Barring any late challenges, disqualifications, or lawsuits, what we have now is our lineup for the March primary. Most of what there is to say was covered in yesterday’s post, but here are the highlights and there is some big news.
– Pretty much all of the “not yet filed” people did indeed file. There are three notable absences that I can see, though do keep in mind that the SOS page may be behind and shouldn’t be considered final until we have confirmation. Be that as it may, two people I don’t see are Judge Elaine Palmer (215th Civil Court; no one is listed on the Dem side for this court as of Monday night) and Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen. Hold those in mind, because there are news stories about some of the other interesting bits. Until I hear otherwise, the absence of any mention of those two suggests to me there’s no news, just a not-fully-updated SOS filing page.
– News item #1: Commissioner Steve Radack retires.
Steve Radack will not seek a ninth term as Harris County commissioner for Precinct 3, vacating a powerful position he has held for three decades that Democrats hope to flip next year.
Radack, 70, said he plans to invest his time and significant campaign account into helping Republicans regain seats after disastrous elections in 2016 and 2018.
“I’m not through being involved in public service, and I felt that there’s a lot I can do to help the Republican Party,” Radack said.
[…]
Radack and Harris County’s other Republican commissioner, Jack Cagle, endorsed Spring Valley Village Mayor Tom Ramsey for the seat.
Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston, said Radack’s impending retirement speaks to the shifting county electorate, which has helped Democrats sweep every countywide race since 2016.
“It is getting harder and harder for Republicans to compete in a rapidly changing county,” Rottinghaus said.
[…]
Several candidates from both major parties have joined the race. Ramsey, City Councilwoman Brenda Stardig and former West University Place Mayor Susan Sample will run in the Republican primary. The Democratic race will feature Michael Moore, chief of staff to former Mayor Bill White, former state Rep. Kristi Thibaut, educator Diana Martinez Alexander and three other candidates.
I wish Commissioner Radack well in his retirement. And I am very much looking forward to seeing a Democrat elected to succeed him.
– News item #2: Council Member Jerry Davis will challenge State Rep. Harold Dutton in HD142.
Houston City Councilman Jerry Davis filed Monday to run as a Democrat for House District 142, a northeast Harris County seat long represented by state Rep. Harold Dutton.
Davis, who has represented District B since 2011, is prevented from seeking re-election due to Houston’s term limits. His council district overlaps part of the House district, which includes the Fifth Ward and runs east and then north to FM 1960.
The move ensures Dutton, D-Houston, will have his most challenging primary in years. He was first elected to the Legislature in 1984 and frequently has coasted to victory without primary opposition. Last cycle, he beat primary challenger Richard A. Bonton, 65 percent to 35 percent.
Bonton is running for the seat again this cycle.
I always figured CM Davis would run for something else when his time on Council ended, it was just a matter of what opportunity there would be. I’ll have more to say about this later, but for now this is an exciting race.
– News item #3:
HISD trustee @JonesJolanda filed just now to run as a Democrat for tax assessor-collector against @voteannbennett. #hounews
— Jasper Scherer (@jaspscherer) 5:50 PM – 9 December 2019
Well, I did hear that a “big name” was set to enter this race. Now we know.
– News item #4:
News: Sima Ladjevardian — Houston lawyer, prominent Democratic activist/fundraiser and former @BetoORourke adviser — is making a late entry into the primary to challenge @DanCrenshawTX. #TX02
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) 4:35 PM – 9 December 2019
And now Beto has endorsed Sima. I’ve already published one interview in CD02, and I have another in the works. I’ll figure out something for this.
– Five Democratic incumbents in Congress do not have primary opponents: Reps. Lizzie Fletcher (CD07), Vicente Gonzalez (CD15), Veronica Escobar (CD16), Sylvia Garcia (CD29), and Colin Allred (CD32). Everyone else needs to be gearing up for March. As was the case in 2018 and for the second time ever, Dems have at least one candidate in all 36 districts.
– All of the statewide offices except CCA Place 9 are contested, with several having three candidates. Already, the potential for multiple primary runoffs is high.
– According to the TDP, in the end Dems have candidates in all but one of the Senate districts that are up (only SD28 is uncontested), and they have candidates in 119 of the 150 State House races. HD23 drew a candidate, but HDs 43 and 84 apparently did not. In Harris County, only HD127 is uncontested.
– There is now a third candidate for HD148, an Emily Wolf. I cannot conclusively identify her – maybe this person? – so it’s impossible to say more than that.
– And on the Republican side, State Rep. Mike Lang in HD62 is your promised surprise retirement. Dems do have a candidate in this not-swing district.
– Looking at the Republican filings, quite a few Democratic judges have no November opposition. We have officially come full circle.
Again, remember that the SOS page may not be complete. The parties have five days to notify the SOS of their candidates. It’s possible there are still surprises lurking, to be confirmed and reported. If you’re not sure about a particular candidate, google them or find them on Facebook, to see if there’s been an announcement. I’ll have more as we go this week.
And Nile Copeland is once again running as a Republican.
Jolanda Jones as Tax Assessor? No. Just no.
Constable Rosen filed for Constable last night. I was at the HQ when he came in.
Wow, I thought Radack would go one more term before retiring.
I didn’t think his precinct would be that electorally challenging this upcoming November.
I’m not from the Houston area, but I was pleasantly thankful that Pierce Bush decided to go for CD-22, instead of CD-7. My guess is that had he decided to challenge Fletcher in CD-7 that would have made the CD-7 race a toss up and the most high-profile congressional race in the country. As is, CD-7 is probably a lean Dem race, while CD-22 is now a lean/likely Rep seat.
Ross, I second the comment. JoJo will have yet another island to get voted off of.
According to the Tribune, Zedler in HD 96 is out. Like Stickland, I don’t know whether that makes this seat easier or harder to win.
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