Countdown to Election Day: 125 Days

At the “C” Club, we’re on a mission to build a stronger, more prosperous Houston through fiscal responsibility, principled leadership, and effective governance. We do this by identifying and supporting quality candidates who share our values and possess the tenacity to fight for them in elected office.

Phase One of this mission is complete. The “C” Club backed dozens of candidates throughout the Republican Primary and Runoff. With nominees chosen and both state party conventions in the books, the General Election will be here in no time. With that, we wanted to provide a quick layout of the political map in Texas and Harris County.

The national and state Democratic apparatus are once again clamoring that they are going to flip Texas blue this cycle. Bad news first. The current political environment is challenging for conservatives. A lot can change in the next 125 days, however, and regardless of voters’ perceptions on the Republican Party or the economy, the Democratic Party’s brand is underwater. Texas Republicans can have a very successful election cycle if we unite, mobilize, compete financially, and take nothing for granted.

Here’s a look at some of the marquee battles this fall:

Senate: Ken Paxton (R) vs. James Talarico (D)

Democrats are openly arguing this is their best chance in years: The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has called Texas a real pickup opportunity, and recent polling shows Paxton and Talarico essentially tied.

For all of the extreme things he has said, Talarico is still formidable. He has a large social media following, is raising massive amounts of money, and recent polling shows him performing better than Beto O’Rourke was at this point in 2018.

Governor: Greg Abbott (R) vs. Gina Hinojosa (D)

Governor Abbott is facing off against Democrat Gina Hinojosa, a five-term Austin state representative and former Austin ISD school board president. Hinojosa has built her campaign around public education and opposition to school vouchers. Abbott is expected to have a significant financial advantage in this contest and has pledged to invest millions into winning Harris County.

Lieutenant Governor: Dan Patrick (R) vs. Vikki Goodwin (D)

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick is seeking a fourth term against Democrat Vikki Goodwin, who won the Democratic runoff in May.

Vikki Goodwin is an Austin-area state representative and former real estate broker who has served in the Texas House since 2019. Goodwin represents western Travis County and has focused her campaign on opposition to school choice, water rights, and healthcare.

Attorney General: Mayes Middleton (R) vs. Nathan Johnson (D)

Mayes Middleton is up against Nathan Johnson in the battle for the open AG seat. Nathan Johnson is a Dallas state senator, attorney, mediator, and former commercial litigator who flipped a Republican-held Senate seat in 2018.

Congressional Races

The fight for control of the U.S. House is running directly through Texas. National Democrats have targeted two key South Texas seats: TX-15, where Rep. Monica De La Cruz faces Democrat Bobby Pulido, and the open TX-35 seat, where Republican Carlos De La Cruz is running in a district Democrats insist remains competitive despite Republican-favored redistricting.

Republicans, meanwhile, are playing offense. The NRCC is targeting Democratic-held South Texas districts TX-28 and TX-34, while also seeking to capitalize on newly redrawn districts in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio by targeting TX-09, TX-32, and TX-35.

State Legislative Races

National Democrats are also investing heavily down ballot, with the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee targeting 15 Texas House seats and one Texas Senate seat as part of a broader effort to narrow the Republican majority in Austin. Notably, the target list includes Houston-area Republicans Rep. Lacey Hull and Rep. Mano DeAyala, underscoring Democrats’ belief that suburban Houston remains one of the state’s most important political battlegrounds.

Harris County Judge: Orlando Sanchez (R) vs. Letitia Plummer (D)

Republicans nominated Orlando Sanchez, a former Houston City Council member and Harris County Treasurer who has won tough races and built a reputation as a disciplined, fiscal conservative.

Democrats nominated Letitia Plummer after an upset runoff victory over former Houston Mayor Annise Parker. Plummer is the most extreme nominee to ever run for this seat. She has supported the defund the police movement, openly admits she wants to release criminals from prison, and backs dangerous Green New Deal-style policies.

In case you missed it:

• Houston Public Media: Gov. Greg Abbott calls for Texas energy regulators to rein in data centers
• The Hill: The Texas screwworm cases are a wake-up call for US biosecurity
• Houston Public Media: NHL exploring Texas expansion in Houston or Austin
• Fox Business: Dell shareholders approve legal move from Delaware to Texas

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Onward and upward,

The “C” Club of Houston