Some good news for the Dems around the state: They lead in seven takeover races for the State House: Joe Moody (El Paso), Chris Turner (Tarrant County), Diana Maldonado (Williamson County), Robert Miklos, Carol Kent, and Bob Romano (Dallas County), and Kristi Thibaut (Harris County). They trail in the open Dem seat in Bastrop (Donnie Dippel versus Tim Kleinschmidt), they trail in the Tarrant seat they picked up in a 2007 special election (Dan Barrett) and they trail by a smaller amount in Juan Garcia’s Corpus Christi seat. Romano was not on anyone’s list as a possible pickup, so discount that one. I think Garcia will come back, and Dippel has a good shot, but it’s not looking good for Barrett. Joel Redmond in Harris County is close, Sherrie Matule not so close. Picking up five seats is within reach.
Also good news: Wendy Davis leads Sen. Chris Brimer in Tarrant County. Chris Bell is leading the special election in SD17, but he’s below 50%. Stephanie Simmons is at 14%, and her votes added to his would put him over the top. But that’s not how it works. Joan Huffman is running second, 14 points behind Bell, and Austen Furse is an embarassing fourth, just below ten percent.
Links:
SD17 special
SOS Statewide
Harris County Cumulative
Williamson County cumulative