Abbott Gives Small Sums for Fall Fights
for House Compared to Primary Largess

Capitol Inside
October 9, 2024

Governor Greg Abbott and his allies in the GOP establishment poured more money in recent months into campaigns for two Republicans who are trying to flip Texas House districts on the border than they spent on a pair of South Texas representatives who Democrats expect to oust in November.

GOP challenger Robert Garza of Del Rio raised almost $285,000 in the past three months for a bid for the seat that Democratic State Rep. Eddie Morales of Eagle Pass is seeking again House District 74 based on a report he filed with the Texas Ethics Commission this week.

Morales fell short of six figures for the same span of time with contributions of $99,671 from July 1 to the close of the reporting period on September 26. Garza has rounded up nearly $456,000 for the HD 74 quest in the 2024 election cycle - more than double the amount that Morales has generated with $217,000 in a bid for a third term in the Legislature's lower chamber.

Republican Don McLaughlin of Uvalde reported raising $432,000 in the past three months for an open race in a border area in House District 80 - a seat that veteran Democratic State Rep. Tracy King is giving up without a re-election race this year. Democrat Cecilia Castellano of Von Army rounded up less than $56,000 during the same period of time for the HD 80 contest.

State Reps. John Lujan of San Antonio and Janie Lopez of San Benito raised $386,000 and $304,000 respectively during the three-month span in bids for the seats that Democrats have their best shot to wrestle from the GOP at the polls this fall.

Capitol Inside has the districts that Lujan and Lopez are fighting to defend ranked as leans Democrat less than four weeks before the general election on November 5. The seats that Garza and McLaughlin are seeking are rated here as leans Democrat as well.

Contributions from the Associated Republicans of Texas PAC and the governor accounted for more than two-thirds of the Garza haul during the same period. ART

Abbott donated more than $60,000 to Garza between July and September 26 while giving McLaughlin more than $41,000 during the same time. ART contributed almost $145,000 to Garza during the period that ended five weeks before the vote. .

The governor spent a small fraction on House races for the general election compared to the record largess he had on display in the primaries this year when he private school choice was the only issue that he viewed as a priority based on cumulative actions.

An examination of TEC records shows that Abbott spent more of his own campaign cash on general election campaigns for the House this fall than he had in the past nonetheless. Abbott contributed $49,000 and $46,000 to Lujan and Lopez respectively in the past three months while giving slightly more to State Reps. Caroline Harris Davila of Round Rock and Morgan Meyer of Dallas.

The governor dished out nearly $54,000 to GOP hopeful Denise Villalobos of Corpus Christi for an open fight in House District 34 where former House Democrat Solomon Ortiz Jr. appears to be a solid favorite to win. Abbott donated almost $18,000 to challenger Steve Kinard of Richardson for a House District 70 contest that freshman Democratic State Rep. Mihaela Plesa of Dallas appears poised to win barring unforeseen developments.

Republican State Reps. Ben Bumgarner of Flower Mound and Lacey Hull of Houston both received $10,000 from the governor in September for polling in their first re-election races.