Legislative Update

2022 PRIMARY ELECTION RECAP

And what’s next!

By STEPHANIE GRAVES, HAA Legislative Chair, with BRADLEY PEPPER, Vice President of Government Affairs

ELECTIONS HAVE consequences and who we elect to offices up and down the ballot will have an impact on not only our industry, but our daily lives as well. Elections are important and this year is no different.

Outside of some smaller municipal and special elections, and the Constitutional Amendments in November, last year was relatively quiet at the ballot box. As you have seen already, this year will not go so quietly. And for those who voted in the primary, you saw how many seats are up for election in 2022.

Every 10 years, the federal government conducts the Census to ascertain how many people live in the country and where they live. This helps determine the flow of federal dollars to states, counties and communities for things like education, health care, infrastructure, etc. based on population. In addition to that, though, the Census numbers apportion political power in Congress and require that states redistrict electoral districts.

In Texas, redistricting requires redrawing the political maps for the State Senate, State House of Representatives, the State Board of Education and our federal Congressional Districts. This means dividing the state’s population by the number of districts in each body and drawing districts that have roughly the same number of residents, so that each district is equal.

Although they have four-year terms, due to redistricting, every district of the State Senate and State Board of Education is up for election this year. After they are elected, the members of each body will draw straws to see who will be on the ballot in 2024, as opposed to 2026, to stagger those four-year terms moving forward. In addition, the Census results determined that Texas received two new congressional seats for the next decade, one in Houston and one in Austin.

This year will see us elect nearly every state office from governor to state representative, as well as every member of our congressional delegation. In addition, and of particular interest to us, we will vote on all county judges as well as some commissioners, judges and justices of the peace.

Last month’s Democratic and Republican primary elections were only the first in what will be a long political year. While the fields have been thinned, the next step is the primary runoffs in May followed by the general election in November.

Below is a summary of races of note.

Statewide

Governor –Governor Greg Abbott (R) won with 66.4% of the vote. He will face Beto O’Rourke (D-El Paso) in November who won with 91.3% of the vote.

Lieutenant Governor – Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R) won the primary with 74.9% of the vote. Democratic candidates Mike Collier and State Rep. Michelle Beckley will face off in the May 24 primary runoff to see who will oppose Lt. Gov. Patrick in November.

Attorney General – Embattled Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton will face Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush in the May runoff election. In the race for the Democratic nomination for attorney general, Rochelle Garza will face Joe Jaworski.

Comptroller – Incumbent Republican Glenn Hegar, seeking his third term, received 81.6% of the vote and will face either Democrat Janet T. Dudding or Angel Luis Vega in the November general election.

U.S. Congress

Congressional District 2 (North Harris County, Montgomery County) – Incumbent Republican Dan Crenshaw defeated three challengers and will face Democrat Robin Fulford in November in this solidly Republican district.

Congressional District 7 (Houston, North Fort Bend County) – In this safely Democratic district, incumbent Democrat Lizzie Fletcher was unopposed in the primary and will face the winner of the Republican primary runoff between Johnny Teague and Tim Stroud in the November general.

Congressional District 8 (Harris County, Montgomery County, San Jacinto County and Walker County) – Morgan Luttrell won the Republican primary with 52% of the vote and will face Democrat Laura Jones in the November general.

Congressional District 38 – New Seat (Memorial, West Houston, Spring Branch, Northwest Harris County) – Wesley Hunt defeated nine challengers to win the Republican primary for this seat. Hunt will face either Diana Alexander or Duncan Klussmann who face each other in the May Democratic runoff.

Texas Senate

Senate District 11 (Galveston, League City, Brazoria) – State Representative Mayes Middleton defeated three challenges in the Republican primary and isunopposed in the November general election. Senate District 15 (Houston) – Longtime incumbent Democrat and Dean of the Texas Senate, John Whitmire, faced a tougher than expected primary against first-time candidate Molly Cook, winning the Democratic primary with 57.8% of the vote.

Texas House of Representatives House District 76 – New Seat (Fort Bend County) – Democrats Suleman Lalani and Vanesia R. Johnson will face each other in the May runoff to determine who will face Republican Dan Mathews in the November general.

House District 127 – (Humble, Kingwood) –HAAPAC-endorsed Republican candidate Charles Cunningham won the Republican nomination. He isunopposed in the November general.

House District 133 – (Memorial Villages, Tan- glewood, West Houston) – Republicans Shelley Torian Barineau and Mano DeAyala received 28.4% and 27.1% of the vote respectively and will face each other in the May runoff. HAAPAC-endorsed candidate and former City of Houston Councilmember Greg Travis received 23.3%.

House District 138 – (Spring Branch, West Houston, Cypress) – HAAPAC-endorsed Republican incumbent Lacey Hull won the primary election and will face Democrat Stephanie Morales in the November general.

House District 147 – (Houston) – Jolanda Jones and Danielle Keys Bess will face each other in the Democrat primary runoff in May.

Harris County

County Judge– Incumbent Democratic County Judge Lina Hidalgo will not face a runoff. Alexandra del Moral Mealer led with 29.66% of the vote, followed by Vidal Martinez with 25.58%. Mealer and Martinez will faceeach other in the May runoff.

County Commissioner Precinct 2 – HAAPAC endorsed incumbent Commissioner Adrian Garcia defeated two challengers in the Democratic primary. In the Republican primary, Jack Morman and Jerry Mouton will face each other in the May runoff.

County Commissioner Precinct 4 – Republican incumbent Commissioner Jack Cagle was unopposed in the primary. For the chance to oppose him in November, Civil Court at Law No. 4

Judge Leslie Briones and Ben Chou will face each other in the May runoff.

Civil Court at Law No.4 – M. K. Monica Singh received 41% of the vote with Treasea Treviño following at 31%. HAAPAC-endorsed Judge David Patronella received 28% and he was unsuccessful in this race. Singh and Treviño will be in the May runoff, with the winner facing Republican nominee Brian Staley in the November general election.

Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Place 2 – Democrats Sonia Lopez and Steve Duble were the leading vote getters, topping HAAPAC-endorsed candidate Ron Campana. They face each other in the primary runoff and there is no Republican challenger in November.

Justice of the Peace Precinct 2, Place 2 – In the race to replace longtime Judge George Risner, Dolores Lozano defeated HAAPAC-endorsed candidate Blair McClure in the Democratic primary. There is no Republican challenger in November.

Justice of the Peace Precinct 3, Place 2 – HAAPAC-endorsed incumbent Judge Lucia Bates defeated two challengers. Republican candidate Denise Graves will face Bates in the November election.

Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, Place 2 – Incumbent Republican Judge Laryssa Korduba was unopposed in the primary and does not face a general election opponent.

Justice of the Peace Precinct 5, Place 2 – The HAAPAC was involved with both the Republican and Democratic primaries. In the Democratic primary, HAAPAC-endorsed candidate Roderick D. Rodgers won the primary. In the Republican primary, Bob Wolfe garnered more than 50% of the vote and defeated HAAPAC-endorsed candidate Bret Kisluk. Rodgers and Wolfe will face each other in the November general election.

Justice of the Peace Precinct 6, Place 2 – HAAPAC-endorsed incumbent Democratic Judge Angela Rodriguez defeated primary challenger Luis Garza. Judge Rodriguez is unopposed in the general election.

Montgomery County

County Judge – HAAPAC-endorsed Republican incumbent Judge Mark Keough won with 66% of the vote. Judge Keough is unopposed in the general election.

County Commissioner Precinct 2 – HAAPACendorsed Republican incumbent Commissioner Charlie Riley won with 56% of the vote. Commissioner Riley is unopposed in the general election.

County Commissioner Precinct 4 – Matt Gray defeated HAAPAC-endorsed incumbent Commissioner James Metts with 53% of the vote in the Republican primary. He is unopposed in the November general election.

Fort Bend County

County Judge – HAAPAC-endorsed incumbent Democratic Judge KP George received 70% of the vote. In the Republican primary, former Constable Trevor Nehls garnered 92% of the vote. They will face each other in November.

County Commissioner Precinct 2 – HAAPACendorsed Democratic incumbent Grady Prestage received 50.31% of the vote. In the Republican primary, Melissa Wilson received 57.39% of the vote. Wilson will face Commissioner Prestage in the November general.

County Commissioner Precinct 4 – Ray Aguilar ran unopposed in the Republican primary. Neeta Sane and Dexter McCoy will face off in the Democratic primary in May, with the winner facing Aguilar in the November general.

Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Place 1 – HAAPAC-endorsed incumbent Republican Judge Kelly Crow defeated challenger John Minchew, 65% to 35%. Judge Crow is unopposed in the general election.

Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Place 2 – Former City of Fulshear Councilmember and attorney Tricia Krenek was unopposed in the Republican primary and is unopposed in the general.

Justice of the Peace Precinct 2, Place 2 – In the Democratic primary, Roderick Garner defeated HAAPAC-endorsed incumbent Judge Mark Gibson with 54% of the vote. He will face Jaison Joseph in the general election.

Brazoria County

County Judge – County Judge Matt Sebesta was unopposed in the primary. In November, Judge Sebesta will face Jim Mooney, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

County Commissioner Precinct 2 – Incumbent Republican Commissioner Ryan Cade defeated City of Manvel Councilmember Dan Davis, 64% to 36% in the primary. Commissioner Cade is unopposed in the general.

County Commissioner Precinct 4 – Incumbent Republican County Commissioner David Linder was unopposed in the Republican primary and is unopposed in the November election.

Justice of the Peace 4, Place 2 – HAAPACendorsed incumbent Sherry Kersh received 66% of the vote over challenger Chase Burgin. Judge Kersh is unopposed in November.

If you have a regulatory problem or question, call the HAA main line at 713-595-0300 and ask for Government Affairs. If a particular code requirement or issue concerns you, let us know by emailing Bradley at bpepper@haaonline.org.