A deluge of spending and assault advertisements are abruptly raining down on two San Antonio-area state legislative races that beforehand weren’t getting a lot consideration.
Marketing campaign finance studies protecting Jan. 23 by way of Feb. 21 had been due Monday, detailing cash raised and spent by campaigns and out of doors teams within the month main as much as early voting.
They confirmed state and nationwide PACs pouring cash right into a GOP major on the South Facet, the place Republicans are selecting between a college voucher architect and a trial lawyer as their nominee to exchange state Rep. John Lujan (R-San Antonio).
In the meantime in one other district, longtime Democratic state Rep. Liz Campos (D-San Antonio is spending large to fend off a 25-year-old challenger whose household has deep political connections, and may benefit from the surge of latest Democratic major voters turning out to vote.
Within the Republican major, the latest studies confirmed a shock uptick in spending for Jorge Borrego, a 30-year-old former suppose tank scholar who helped craft Gov. Greg Abbott’s landmark Schooling Financial savings Account program within the final legislative session.
Borrego labored on schooling coverage on the Austin-based suppose tank Texas Public Coverage Basis, and is now considered one of three Republicans looking for their get together’s nomination in Home District 118.
Meet the candidates working to signify San Antonio within the Texas Legislature.
That race as soon as appeared all however sewn up for lawyer Desi Martinez, who Lujan recruited to run for his previous seat, however who now faces a barrage of assault from Borrego’s deep-pocketed supporters.
A nationwide faculty alternative group, AFC Victory Fund, is on TV with advertisements depicting Martinez on an Obama-era hope poster, and criticizing him for having run as a Democrat up to now.
Martinez’s marketing campaign stated he does assist faculty vouchers — a defining challenge in final cycle’s GOP primaries — however one which’s hardly been mentioned this cycle since they had been accredited within the final session.
Related assaults are flying from the statewide group Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR), which accounted for the overwhelming majority of Borrego’s shocking $360,000 haul on the newest marketing campaign finance studies. TLR is spending large to elect candidates who assist tort reform, and opposing trial lawyer candidates from throughout the Republican Social gathering.
Now Borrego is getting assist from Abbott, who will marketing campaign alongside him at Texas Pleasure Barbecue on Thursday morning.
In the meantime Martinez’s marketing campaign is scrambling to play protection in opposition to a candidate who didn’t appear significantly threatening a couple of months in the past.
“It’s unprecedented,” stated Republican advisor Greg Brockhouse, who helps Martinez’s marketing campaign. “Jorge Borrego moved into the district simply to run, he didn’t have a really huge historical past locally … the money is coming not from residents or voters, however particular pursuits. … It’s wealthy guys out of Austin who wish to purchase a seat.”
Data present that Borrego owns a house in School Station, which was listed as his deal with as lately as final October. However the candidate says he hasn’t lived there for a few years, and commuted from San Antonio to Austin whereas working on the suppose tank in Austin.
“I moved right here once I was 18 to go to UTSA,” Borrego advised the Report. “I met my spouse who was a fifth era to be born right here in San Antonio, and I’ve referred to as San Antonio residence for over 12 years now. My youngsters had been born right here and baptized right here.”
The uncommon swing seat
Because it stands, Lujan, is the one Republican to ever win Texas Home District 118 — one of many few really aggressive seats on the state legislative map.
The politically average former firefighter fended off greater than $1 million in assaults from Democrats making an attempt to flip it again in 2024, and after deciding to run for Congress this 12 months, took nice pains to discover a candidate he believed may maintain his previous seat.
Martinez runs the uncommon Southside legislation agency, the place he’s been capable of give hundreds of thousands to charitable causes as tax write-offs from his enterprise. And in a blue stronghold that’s solely lately shifted proper, his story of switching events made him a compelling recruit.
Lujan launched Martinez to GOP leaders within the Texas Home, and opened up a shared marketing campaign workplace to arrange for his or her tough November elections.
However in a major the place TLR has made tort reform the primary challenge, Brockhouse stated that even native GOP leaders couldn’t discuss the group out of opposing a candidate leaders hoped would give the get together its finest shot in November.
Martinez went from main the money race to bringing in solely about half as a lot as Borrego between Jan. 23 and Feb. 21. Whereas Borrego received assist from state and nationwide PACs, Martinez leaned exhausting on in-kind contribution from the proprietor of the Missions’ Open Air Market and San Antonio trial attorneys David Volk and Jeff Davis.
“[TLR is] muddying the waters on one single challenge,” Brockhouse stated. “They’re pumping money in to actually scare voters, and the entire message is in opposition to Desi Martinez, solely as a result of he’s a lawyer.”
TLR CEO Ryan Patrick stated in an announcement that his group likes Borrego as a result of he understands their points, and “is dedicated to insurance policies that promote accountability within the courts and encourage job creation throughout Texas.”
The winner of the GOP major will face Democrat Kristian Carranza, who misplaced to Lujan by roughly 3.5 factors in 2024. State and nationwide Democratic teams are already planning to focus on the race once more in 2026.
Democrats rattled by new voters
In a distinct late-breaking major, the latest marketing campaign finance studies indicated Campos is spending large in opposition to a little-known Democratic major challenger.
Campos has represented the Southwest facet since 2020. Her opponent, Ryan Ayala, is a 25-year-old lawyer and first-time candidate.
However opposition to Trump has fueled an increase of first-time Democratic major voters, and Campos’ marketing campaign is now leaving nothing to probability.
She introduced in $180,000 and spent $115,000 within the month earlier than early voting, based on the latest studies.
Adverts from her marketing campaign depict suckling piglets on mailers that say Ayala’s household of lobbyists and political insiders have helped their very own household companies profit from public contracts.
One other advert, despatched by way of textual content message on Tuesday, says that Bexar County political advisor Joann Ramon is utilizing her grandson, Ayala, to realize political energy on the Southside.
Ayala rejected each criticisms, saying Campos is making the race private to distract from the legislature’s lack of motion on points voters care about.
“I ran as a result of I wished to assist my neighborhood out, however now it’s was a smear marketing campaign,” Ayala advised the Report. “They don’t have anything to smear [me] as a result of I’m solely 25 and I’m simply beginning out, in order that they’re going after my household.”
Ayala has put roughly $100,000 into his personal race, a mix of non-public and household cash. He spent $52,000 within the last stretch, and is working advertisements that decision Campos a lapdog of Texas GOP leaders.
Campos responded with an announcement Tuesday saying that she’s taken no cash from Republicans.
Her greatest contributors embrace $54,000 from a PAC aligned with Las Vegas Sands, which needs to legalize on line casino playing in Texas. She additionally introduced in $10,000 from a pro-charter faculty PAC and $20,000 from the Texas Trial Attorneys Affiliation.
Texas Home District 122
State Rep. Mark Dorazio (R-San Antonio), a member of the GOP’s conservative wing, can be in an unexpectedly costly major in Texas Home District 122. He raised $96,000 and spent $320,000 within the month earlier than early voting.
He faces a problem from Republican Willie Ng, a safety firm proprietor, who can be getting large assist from tort reform supporters and teams in favor of on line casino playing. He raised $365,000 and spent $150,000.
Texas Home District 121
State Rep. Marc LaHood (R-San Antonio) introduced in $712,000, spent about $600,000 and reported about $350,000 available. He collected large checks from the PAC aligned with Las Vegas Sands, Home Speaker Dustin Burrows and trial legislation companies.
This race has lengthy been costly and attention-grabbing, however the spending has really slowed within the last stretch, as TLR’s new management seems to be backing off uphill races in opposition to incumbents.
LaHood’s GOP major challenger, Terrell Hills enterprise advisor David McArthur, raised $125,000, spent $140,000 and reported $33,000 available.
Texas Home District 125
Within the race to exchange retiring state Rep. Ray Lopez (D-San Antonio), SAISD lecturers’ union chief Adrian Reyna is pulling away from the pack in fundraising. Reyna raised about $15,000 and spent $20,000 on the latest studies.
Lopez’s chief of workers Donovon Rodriguez raised $2,700 and spent about $800. The opposite two Democrats, former Bexar County Constable Michelle Barrientes Vela and realtor Carlos Antonio Raymond, raised and spent little or no.
Texas Home District 120
State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D-San Antonio) raised $65,000, spent $20,000 and reported roughly $110,000 available.
She’s in a three-way Democratic major the place her greatest challenger Jordan Brown raised $20,000, spent about $30,000 and reported $6,000 available.
Texas Home District 117
State Rep. Phil Cortez (D-San Antonio) massively outraised his Democratic challenger, bringing in $62,000, spending $90,000 and reporting one other $90,000 available.
Lawyer Robert Mihara introduced in $2,600, spent $13,000 and reported $4,000 available.
