Races To Watch In Texas
In Texas, early voting is officially underway. On the presidential level, Texas is not considered one of the major battleground states. But in 2020 Donald Trump won the state by 5.6 points against Joe Biden. That was the closest margin in decades. With Vice President Kamala Harris now at the top of the Democratic ticket, it’s possible that margin gets even closer.
Ted Cruz is running for re-election in the Senate against Congressman Colin Allred from Dallas. In 2018 he endured a competitive race against Beto O’Rourke, who came within 222,000 votes of beating Cruz. Last week they had a heated debate where Allred attacked Cruz for both his extremist positions on abortion (which also jeopardizes IVF) and his role in the January 6 Insurrection.
The Texas Democratic Party has been running a new strategy with Allred, fittingly titled the Texas Offense given his former status as a professional football player. The coordinated campaign between the state party and Allred’s team has been implemented throughout the state, with many grassroots efforts attracting more volunteers or potential voters than the party has seen in years.
Outside of the presidential and senate races, there are also several important statewide offices up during election season. There are positions open on both the Texas Supreme Court and the Criminal Court of Appeals. The recent stay of the execution of Robert Roberson put a renewed focus on the two distinct legal jurisdictions.
The Texas Supreme Court also entered the spotlight after they dismissed a challenge in the case Zurawski v. Texas, where plaintiffs were seeking to clarity medical exceptions to the state’s near-total abortion ban. Earlier this year former congressional candidate and Under-Secretary of the U.S. Air Force Gina Ortiz Jones launched the Find Out PAC. The PAC is looking to oust three members of the Texas Supreme Court, Jimmy Blacklock, John Devine and Jane Bland, who are up for re-election this November.
One of the commissioners of the Railroad Commission of Texas, which has nothing to do with trains, is also up for re-election. Incumbent Christi Craddick is facing Democratic challenger Katherine Culbert for a seat on the three-member commission, which oversees the state’s oil and gas industry.
On the congressional level all eyes will be on TX-15 and a rematch between Michelle Vallejo and current Republican incumbent Monica de la Cruz. Another congressional rematch is also occurring in TX-34 between current Democratic incumbent Vicente Gonzalez and Mayra Flores (who briefly held a seat before it was redistricted). Vallejo and Gonzalez have touted abortion as a major issue during their campaigns and called out their opponents as extremists who would be a vote for a national abortion ban as well as restrictions on IVF.
Abortion and IVF have also been major topics in the competitive state house races, like the one between current State Rep. John Lujan (HD-118) and challenger Kristian Carranza. In an interview with Texas Public Radio, Lujan said he supported the state’s abortion ban, which has no exceptions for rape or incest. He also said that if he had a daughter, he would prefer her to carry out a pregnancy conceived through rape. Democrats are also targeting two house races in north Texas (HD-108 and HD-112) with Elizabeth Ginsberg and Averie Bishop. Republicans are also mounting a challenge to State Rep. Mihaela Plesa (HD-70) in Collin County. Plesa became the first Democrat to represent Collin County in years when she won her house seat in 2022.
There are also plenty of important local votes. Amarillo will be voting on an ordinance that is essentially an abortion travel ban. Constructed by Jonathan Mitchell, who was the mastermind of Senate Bill 8, this ordinance would “forbid the use of roads or highways” to be used by anybody transporting someone seeking an abortion out of state. Enforcement would come from civil lawsuits like they kind utilized in SB 8. Several other small counties in Texas – including Lubbock – have passed similar ordinances though many scholars note that they are legally dubious even in states with strict abortion bans like Texas.
In Dallas there are three charter amendments, which have been branded the HERO Initiative, that would paralyze city government. The Texas Observer recently published a story about how the charter amendments have been bankrolled by billionaire Monty Bennett (who does not live in Dallas).
Many observers will also be closely watching Tarrant County for their results on Election Night. Tarrant County, which includes Fort Worth, narrowly voted for Joe Biden in 2020, but swung hard back to the right in 2022 when they elected Timothy O’Hare as the County Commissioner. There are several local races throughout Tarrant County, including commissioner seats and district judges up for grabs. There is also a race for Sheriff between incumbent Bill Waybourn, who has faced increased scrutiny over deaths at Tarrant County jails, and Patrick Moses. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram recommended the Democratic challenger Moses.
