TEXAS HOUSE RACES TO WATCH CASH

H-E-B Chief Intervenes in Texas House Battle
with Democrats as Major Initial Beneficiaries

By Mike Hailey
Capitol Inside Editor
October 28, 2020

A Texas business icon who's been one of the largest donors to Republicans here has rallied behind more than a dozen Democrats in swing races for the state House that the current minority party has an excellent shot at flipping in the general election next week.

H-E-B owner Charles Butt gave a glimpse this week on how he plans to spend $10 million that he pumped in the past month into a new political action committee that contributed to 10 freshman House Democrats who the GOP is targeting at the polls six days from now.

The Charles Butt Public Education PAC also donated a handful of Democratic nominees who are running in open contests for the Legislature's lower chamber or challenging incumbent House Republicans at the polls next week.

But the group that the chief executive at the massive supermarket chain created in August offset some of the funding for Democrats in top target House races with contributions to a pair of Republicans who are top targets in re-election fights against Democratic challengers in a monumental battle for control of the Capitol's west wing.

The Butt PAC dished out $25,000 to Democratic State Rep. Roland Gutierrez of San Antonio for a bid to oust rookie Republican State Senator Pete Flores in his first bid for a full term after an underdog win in a special election two years ago. But the new group gave the same amount to GOP State Rep. Drew Springer of Muenster for a special Senate runoff election in December when he will square off with Dallas beauty shop owner and lockdown rebel Shelley Luther in overtime.

The pro-public school PAC contributed $5,000 apiece to a pair of powerful Republicans - State Senators Jane Nelson of Flower Mound and Larry Taylor of Friendswood - for battles with Democrats that could be within reach if the blue wave that President Donald Trump is fueling turns into a full-scale tsunami as it has the potential to be.

But the H-E-B boss could have his most significant impact with his intervention in the battle for the majority in a Texas House that will go blue if Democrats pick up nine seats or more at the ballot box next week after wrestling a dozen from the GOP in 2018. The Republicans currently control 83 House seats compared to 67 that Democrats occupy heading into the election.

The Democrats appear to have the inside track in their quest to reclaim control of the west wing for the first time in 18 years. While GOP State Reps. Steve Allison of San Antonio and Lynn Stucky of Denton received $10,000 and $5,000 from the Butt PAC in the past month, the Democrats probably can expect to be the major beneficiaries of its generosity based on the initial activity.

The H-E-B president's PAC contributed $10,000 apiece to Democrats Akilah Bacy of Houston and Jeff Whitfield of Euless in open races for House seats that they appear to be favorites to win in duels with GOP foes Lacey Hull and Jeff Cason respectively. Democratic challengers Alisa Simmons of Arlington, Sharon Hirsch of Plano and Eliz Markowitz of Katy each scored $5,000 from Butt's new group in bids for the seats that Republican State Reps. Tony Tinderholt, Matt Shaheen and Gary Gates of Rosenberg are attempting to defend as major targets for the Democrats.

The public school group also came to the aid of Democrats who flipped seats two years ago with contributions to State Reps. Gina Calanni of Katy, Vicki Goodwin of Austin, Ana-Maria Ramos of Dallas, Jon Rosenthal of Houston, John Turner of Dallas and Erin Zwiener of Driftwood for fights with GOP challengers in contests that could go either way on election day despite the incumbents as favorites to various degrees.

Freshmen Democratic State Reps. Rhetta Bowers of Rowlett, John Bucy of Austin, Julie Johnson of Dallas and James Talarico of Round Rock also reported donations in recent weeks from the Butt PAC as well for races in districts where the incumbents expect to win easily. All of the Democrats in competitive contests for the lower chamber received $5,000 apiece from the group with the exception of Zwiener and Johnson who accepted $10,000 each.

H-E-B is the state's largest privately held corporation and arguably its most beloved. Based in the Alamo City, the grocery store chain that has more than 100,000 employees has been the most influential Texas business on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis with a behind-the-scenes push for the statewide mask mandate that Governor Greg Abbott imposed in July.