Good morning!

Here is a primary-focused Texas Minute for Thursday, March 3, 2022.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Note: The primary election runoff is Tuesday, May 24, 2022.

Taylor Withdraws From Congressional Runoff

• After receiving less than 48 percent of the vote in Tuesday night’s Republican primary election, U.S. Rep. Van Taylor has declined to enter the runoff election following revelations of an extramarital affair. Taylor has handed the nomination to the second-place finisher, former Collin County Judge Keith Self. Brandon Waltens has the story.

      
• In an email on Wednesday afternoon to supporters, Taylor admitted to the affair and announced his decision to leave the race.
   
• “About a year ago, I made a horrible mistake that has caused deep hurt and pain among those I love most in this world. I had an affair, it was wrong, and it was the greatest failure of my life,” wrote Taylor. “I want to apologize for the pain I have caused with my indiscretion, most of all to my wife Anne and our three daughters. For months, Anne and I have been working to repair the scars left by my actions. I am unworthy, but eternally thankful for her love and forgiveness.”
   

• Taylor drew four primary challengers this year after conservative voters began questioning the incumbent’s commitment to their priorities, saying he changed after going to Washington. As a member of the Texas Legislature Taylor was considered among the most conservative lawmakers, but in D.C. he earned the nickname “Mr. Bipartisan.”
    

• This was an honorable way for Mr. Taylor to leave politics and deal with a personal mistake. By stepping away, he is offering an example to be emulated. It’s frustrating that so many others in public office don’t have the same sense of integrity, humility, and even shame, when confronted with their failings. 

Christian, Stogner In RRC Race

• The governing agency overseeing the state’s oil and gas industry is headed by three commissioners elected statewide in staggered 6-year terms. Incumbent Wayne Christian – looking for a third term – must first overcome a runoff challenge by attorney Sarah Stogner. Sydnie Henry has the report.
       

• She gained notoriety and international public attention by posing (mostly nude) atop an oil jack pump for a social media ad. Stogner has since complained that the blowback amounts to “slut shaming” and detracts from the issues she seeks to address, such as pollution and winterizing the natural gas components of the Texas power grid.
   

• Christian earned 47.1 percent of the vote, compared to Stogner’s 15.2 percent. Three other candidates split the remainder – including 11.9 percent to Marvin Summers, who died before early voting got underway.

      
• I think I speak for everyone when I say, “Yikes…”

Legislative Runoffs 

Sydnie Henry breaks down the 17 state legislative races heading for a GOP runoff, including one open-seat senate race and a dozen open-seat house races.

Incumbent Woes
Four incumbent members of the Texas House have found themselves in the uncomfortable position of being unable to avoid a runoff. In three of the four races, the incumbent’s vote allowing Democrats to chair important committees became a hot topic following the actions of quorum-busting Democrats. The races include…

• House District 91. Incumbent State Rep. Stephanie Klick (R–Fort Worth) received support from the establishment but anger from the grassroots for killing legislation that would prohibit child gender mutilation. Klick will face David Lowe in the runoff election.
      
• House District 12. Rated as the most liberal Republican in the House, incumbent Rep. Kyle Kacal (College Station), will face off against Ben Bius. The district includes all of Robertson, Madison, Walker, Grimes, and Washington counties with part of Brazos County. Ironically, Kacal was instrumental in recruiting a challenge to his fellow liberal Republican John Raney in the neighboring Brazos County house district (14), but Raney easily won re-election against the son of a former Texas A&M football coach.
      
• House District 60. Incumbent State Rep. Glenn Rogers (R–Mineral Wells) will face conservative activist Mike Olcott. The redrawn district covers Stephens, Palo Pinto, and Parker counties. Olcott was a founder of Parker County Conservatives and has been a fixture in local activism. Meanwhile, Rogers’ freshman session saw him rated in the bottom quarter of Republican representatives by various conservative groups.
      
• House District 85. State Rep. Phil Stephenson (R–Wharton) has quietly become one of the lowest-rated lawmakers by conservative groups, for actions such as signing off on the Democrats’ plan to expand Medicaid. He now faces former Waller County Commissioner Stan Kitzman in May.

Open-Seat Senate Runoff

• Senate District 24. The sprawling slice of central Texas covers all or part of 13 counties. Former State Sen. Pete Flores will face off against Raul Reyes. Both men waged a mail campaign, with each posing as the most conservative candidate.

Open-Seat House Runoffs

• The open-seat House races include district 12, 17, 19, 23, 52, 61, 63, 70, 73, 84, 93, 122, and 133. A couple interesting standouts.
   
• House District 122, in Bexar County, was home to one of the Legislature’s most liberal Republicans: Lyle Larson. His hand-picked successor, Adam Blanchard, didn’t even make the runoff. Significantly, Blanchard had mostly embraced the “moderate” label – given his fundraising work for a quorum-busting Democrat and acceptance of an endorsement from a pro-amnesty D.C.-based group. Voters sent State Republican Executive Committeeman Mark Dorazio and former Austin City Councilwoman Elisa Chan to the runoff.
   
• House District 19 is one of those “moving” districts. Originally centered in deep east Texas, the number was moved to a carve-out of some hill country due to population shifts. Former Austin City Councilwoman Ellen Troxclair and Austin-area policeman Justin Berry were advanced to the runoff.
     
• House District 52 in Williamson County saw the old guard and old money repudiated, with the establishment’s preferred candidate finishing third behind former legislative staffer Caroline Harris and tech entrepreneur / Republican activist Patrick McGuiness.

Sparks Wins Crowded Open-Seat Race For Senate

• Midland businessman Kevin Sparks overcame a crowded field for the open-seat Senate District 31 race to replacing retiring liberal Republican Kel Seliger of Amarillo. Thomas Warren has the details.
     

• Sparks was long viewed as the frontrunner in the four-candidate field that also included former Canyon ISD trustee Tim Reid, former Coahoma ISD trustee Stormy Bradley, and Amarillo attorney Jesse Quackenbush. Sparks earned the endorsements of former President Donald Trump, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and Texas Right to Life, boosting his standing as the race’s leading contender for months.

     

• Sparks will not face a Democrat or third-party opponent in November and is expected to win the seat unopposed in the general election.

Energized In The RGV

• Voters in the Rio Grande Valley turned out in record numbers for the Republican primary. David Vasquez reports Democrats had a comparatively depressed turnout. This could be early signs validating national political watchers’ predictions of a GOP wave in November.

Republicans Give Serious Push To Ballot’s Policy Questions

• Nearly 2 million voters overwhelmingly said “yes” to all 10 issue statements on the GOP ballot, approving of them by at least 75 percent – and five of them by 90-plus percent. As Jacob Asmussen reports, party delegates to the Republican convention often use the results while they deliberate the party’s platform and set their priority to-do list for the Republican-controlled Legislature.

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