HISD and HCC elections are the main event this November, and as we approach the start of early voting, we can now look at the 30-day campaign finance reports for the candidates. Here’s what things look like in HISD.
Elizabeth Santos, District I
Janette Garza Lindner, District I
Matias Kopinsky, District I
Sue Deigaard, District V
Maria Benzon, District V
Caroline Walter, District V
Holly Maria Flynn Vilaseca, District VI
Kendall Baker, District VI
Greg Degeyter, District VI
Anne Sung, District VII
Bridget Wade, District VII
Dwight Jefferson, District VII
Mac Walker, District VII
Myrna Guidry, District IX
Gerry Monroe, District IX
Joshua Rosales, District IX
Dist Candidate Raised Spent Loan On Hand
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I Santos 23,383 7,319 0 18,733
I Lindner 60,385 12,809 0 44,500
I Kopinsky 3,492 2,905 0 1,619
V Deigaard 31,565 15,662 0 42,728
V Benzon 6,297 2,555 0 3,741
V Walter 14,792 8,535 0 8,977
VI Vilaseca 42,632 12,792 0 52,853
VI Baker 8,370 6,604 0 1,765
VI Degeyter 1,703 2,887 2,900 1,703
VII Sung 64,506 18,888 0 61,419
VII Wade 78,655 58,612 7,000 142,906
VII Jefferson 712 16,008 17,000 0
VII Walker 64,776 4,263 0 58,412
IX Guidry 10,000 11,864 7,500 5,636
IX Monroe 25,500 15,429 10,000 120
IX Rosales 1,702 1,818 1,786 1,669
The July reports are here. Incumbents not up for election do not have to file 30 day or 8 day reports, so we’ll next hear from them in January. Not everyone listed here had a July report, so for some people this is all we have.
This is one of those non-city election years, and with all that’s going on nationally and in Austin I don’t know how much people are even aware of these races, let along how much they’re paying attention to them. I live in District I and I do see a fair number of yard signs, for all three candidates. With the pandemic and work from home I’m not out and about much, and as such I have no idea what things might look like in other districts. Are you seeing any signs of activity where you live, if you have an HISD race on your ballot? Please leave a comment and let me know.
I’m a little surprised there isn’t more money in the District V race. Sue Deigaard raised almost the exact same amount as she did last period – I actually went and double checked to make sure I wasn’t looking at the wrong report. I might have expected Maria Benzon, who is being supported by the teachers’ union, to have raised more. I know they’re going to spend some money on her behalf (and on behalf of their other candidates), but I still expected to see some of that in her report. As for Caroline Walter, one of the anti-mask candidates on the ballot, I will note that she got $2,500 from Cal and Hannah McNair. Those of you that haven’t given up on the Texans yet, make of that what you will.
District VII is the race with the most money in it. Bridget Wade had a nice followup to her huge July haul, Anne Sung stepped it up from July, and Mac Walker did well. Dwight Jefferson is the odd one out, but there’s always someone who doesn’t raise much. I’m told that Wade is advertising on TV, and indeed her report shows $30K for “cable/OTT media buy”. Anyone out there seen one of her ads?
In District VI, perennial candidate/loser Kendall Baker got most of his money from himself (he listed a $5000 self-contribution), plus $2000 from Hannah McNair. She sure can pick ’em. Gerry Monroe got $10K from the Conservative Republicans of Harris County, and $10K from Steven Hotze. I sure hope Democrats are paying attention in District IX, because this is Myrna Guidry’s first time on the ballot, and we sure don’t need someone like Gerry Monroe on the Board. He also reported a $50K in kind donation from Aubrey Taylor Communications for “political newspaper advertisements”, which is hilarious and ridiculous on multiple levels. Oh, and a $500 contribution from Hannah McNair.
So that’s the basic landscape at this time. I’ll do a post on the 30 day HCC reports, and will look at the 8 day reports when they come out. As always, let me know what you think.
Any chance for some discussion of the constitutional amendment propositions on the ballot? Or district VIII? Especially Props 2, 4 and 5. I have a mail ballot that needs to go out into our now-even-slower mail morass pretty soon.
I live in Lindale Park. That is District 1. We have signs for all three candidates but the most for Lindner. She came through the neighborhood and knocked on doors a couple of weeks ago. I see she is supported by PAC money. It takes awhile to find the information that the PAC is Teach for America, charter school type support.