Good morning, 

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Tuesday, December 10, 2019
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• And they’re off! The filing period for the Republican and Democratic 2020 election primaries ended yesterday.
      
• At 3 p.m. today, Texas Scorecard’s managing editor Brandon Waltens will chat with Texans for Fiscal Responsibility's Cary Cheshire about the highlights, matchups, and takeaways from the candidate filings. Join them for the live video conversation on Empower Texans’ Facebook page.
      

• No filing news will give you whiplash like House District 60. That’s the seat occupied by Republican Mike Lang, the chairman of what’s left of the Texas House Freedom Caucus. This summer he announced for re-election; nothing unusual there. A few weeks later he made the surprise announcement he was giving up the House seat and instead running for Hood County commissioner. Then, a few days after that—never mind!—he switched back to the state rep. race. Well, late yesterday afternoon he again switched to running for county commissioner—and tossing the race for representation of HD 60 into a bit of chaos.
      

• Tony McDonald points out state law provides a five-day extension of the filing deadline when an incumbent withdraws their candidacy late in the process. That means candidates wishing in run for HD 60 now have a few more days to enter the race.
     

• A property tax election no one knows about? In a new commentary, real estate agent Chandler Crouch explains how the current election for members of the Tarrant County Appraisal District takes place, who votes, and the important effect it has on all taxpayers.
     

• The cultural and political “elites have learned nothing,” writes Rachel Bovard of the Conservative Partnership Institute in a new commentary. The 2020 election is shaping up to be a referendum on who will rule: the people who cast their votes from all around the country... or the self-appointed demigods who are nothing if not appalled by anything resembling the popular will.
      
• Contrary to some politicians’ self-congratulatory narratives, Texas has dropped from the 4th most pro-life state to the 13th... and that ranking came out before the GOP-controlled legislature’s “huge missed opportunities” in the 2019 session. “Is anyone proud of this trajectory?” asked Texas Right to Life’s John Seago on Twitter. 
     
• U.S. Rep. Ron Wright (R-Fort Worth) has introduced federal legislation banning “telemedicine” abortions. More details here. 

• In a bombshell revelation last week, the government-run real estate redevelopment project in Tarrant County—run by the son of Republican U.S. Rep. Kay Granger—announced it is running out of money and risks coming to a complete halt by the end of the year unless more funding is secured. Robert Montoya has the details.
     
• Hold on to your wallet...
      
• Yesterday’s Texas Minute featured a quick look at the men and women honored at the 2019 Conservative Leaders Gala. By popular request, we’ve uploaded to YouTube the nomination videos honoring the award recipients.