With two exceptions, Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR) recommended candidates won outright or enter the Tuesday, May 24 runoff elections between the top two vote-getters. Representative Debbie Riddle (District 150) lost in the Republican Primary to Valoree Swanson. HAR member Jay Mac Sanders lost his bid for Montgomery County Commissioner Precinct 3 in the Republican Primary to Commissioner James Noack.
In the chart below are the names of the HAR recommended candidates (in bold) along with their challengers. These are the names which will appear on the Tuesday, November 8 General Election ballot.
Round Two, Tuesday, May 24 Runoff Elections
Runoff elections are held when no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote. The Tuesday, May 24, runoff election will include four races for the Texas House of Representatives.
In District 18 (currently held by Representative John Otto) and District 139 (formerly held by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner), HAR did not recommend a candidate in the Primary Election. HAR members serving on the Political Affairs Advisory Group (PAAG), chaired by John Nichols, will revisit House Districts 139 and 150 on April 11. The Montgomery County Political Affairs Advisory Leadership, chaired by Deborah Spangler, will join the PAAG on April 12 to conduct candidate interviews for the District 18 race, which includes Liberty, San Jacinto, and Walker Counties.
We thank Representative Otto and Mayor Turner for their dedicated service in the state legislature. Their doors were always open to us.
District 18
Keith Strahan (R) (28.1%)
Ernest Bailes (R) (25.8%)
HAR did not conduct interviews in this race. No Democrats are running, so whoever wins the Runoff will serve as the next Representative.
District 139
Kimberly Willis (D) (31.9%)
Jarvis Johnson (D) (28.7%)
The PAAG interviewed the four candidates running in this race and did not make a recommendation, deciding to wait until the Runoff Election to see whom voters preferred. No Republicans are running, so whoever wins the runoff will serve as the next Representative.
HAR recommended candidates Representatives Ron Reynolds and Wayne Smith go to Round Two and face challengers in the Tuesday, May 24 runoff election.
District 27
Ron Reynolds* (D) (48.5%)
Angelique Bartholomew (D) (24.1%)
Whoever wins the runoff will face Ken Bryant (R) in the General Election.
District 128
Wayne Smith* (R) (43.6%)
Briscoe Cain (R) (48%)
Opportunity Race for Chairman Wayne Smith of Baytown
Representative Wayne Smith, an engineer, serves as Chairman of the Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee, a committee assignment very important to REALTORS®. A REALTOR® Champion, Chairman Smith’s re-election received TAR Opportunity Race support. Briscoe Cain, an attorney and Deer Park native, made an unsuccessful bid for House District 129 in 2014. There are no Democrats running for this position, so whoever wins the runoff will serve as the Representative for District 128.
Unopposed Candidates in the Tuesday, November 8 General Election
Below are the HAR recommended candidates who face no opposition in the Tuesday, November 8 General Election. We congratulate them on their election victories and look forward to working with them in the years ahead.
U.S. Congress
District 8: Kevin Brady* (R)
District 36: Brian Babin* (R)
Texas Senate
District 4: Brandon Creighton* (R)
District 6: Sylvia Garcia* (D)
District 11: Larry Taylor* (R)
District 13: Rodney Ellis* (D)
District 18: Lois Kolkhorst* (R)
Texas House of Representatives
District 3: Cecil Bell, Jr. * (R)
District 15: Mark Keough* (R)
District 16: Will Metcalf* (R)
District 24: Greg Bonnen* (R)
District 25: Dennis Bonnen* (R)
District 28: John Zerwas* (R)
District 127: Dan Huberty* (R)
District 129: Dennis Paul* (R)
District 130: Tom Oliverson (R)
District 131: Alma Allen* (D)
District 132: Mike Schofield* (R)
District 133: Jim Murphy* (R)
District 138: Dwayne Bohac* (R)
District 140: Armando Walle* (D)
District 141: Senfronia Thompson* (D)
District 142: Harold Dutton* (D)
District 143: Ana Hernandez* (D)
District 145: Carol Alvarado* (D)
District 146: Borris Miles* (D)
District 148: Jessica Farrar* (D)
* Indicates incumbent
The Tuesday, March 1 Primary Election brought a record 4.2 million voters to the polls, but Texas still ranks near the bottom in voter participation according to a recent Texas Tribune comparison of states.
HAR members have access to some of the best talent and resources available to assist them in the political process. On behalf of HAR’s Governmental Affairs Department, we say thank you to all our members and volunteers who spend their time and share their knowledge with us. We could not do it without you!
