Texas Senate District 30 extends from the Red River and Wichita Falls down through North Texas into the suburban and exurban areas of Dallas and Fort Worth including as far southwest as Stephenville and Dublin. Strong conservative Pat Fallon, the current senator, has been given the nomination of Republicans in Texas’ 4th Congressional District to replace Rep. John Ratcliff in D.C. which opens up SD30.
On Sunday (8/23/2020) Governor Abbott set not just a special election to fill the seat but an “emergency special election” in which filing to appear on the ballot will end this Friday and election day will be on 29 September. The reasoning for the governor setting such a quick date is that if the results in SD30 have the effect of opening up a House or Representatives seat there has to be time for a special election there also. There is a good chance four elections would need to be held before the legislature convenes in January – two specials, open to all candidates, and then two runoffs.
House District 68 state Representative Drew Springer of Muenster is running for the post and is unquestionably the leading candidate. Springer enters the race with Senator Fallon’s endorsement as well as top leaders of the conservative Freedom Caucus in the Texas House.
Celebrity of the moment Shelley Luther has announced a run and Denton’s mayor, Chris Watts, is expected to enter the race. There will be others no doubt as it’s a special election in which there is no party nomination and Republicans and Democrats all appear on the ballot together.
The winner, and it would be nice to have one without a runoff, will serve out the balance of the term which goes to January 2023 meaning that winner will be back on the party primary ballot in the next cycle two years from now.
Texas Senate District 30 “Emergency Special Election” – when & why.
On Sunday (8/23/2020) Governor Abbott set not just a special election to fill the seat but an “emergency special election” in which filing to appear on the ballot will end this Friday and election day will be on 29 September. The reasoning for the governor setting such a quick date is that if the results in SD30 have the effect of opening up a House or Representatives seat there has to be time for a special election there also. There is a good chance four elections would need to be held before the legislature convenes in January – two specials, open to all candidates, and then two runoffs.
House District 68 state Representative Drew Springer of Muenster is running for the post and is unquestionably the leading candidate. Springer enters the race with Senator Fallon’s endorsement as well as top leaders of the conservative Freedom Caucus in the Texas House.
Celebrity of the moment Shelley Luther has announced a run and Denton’s mayor, Chris Watts, is expected to enter the race. There will be others no doubt as it’s a special election in which there is no party nomination and Republicans and Democrats all appear on the ballot together.
The winner, and it would be nice to have one without a runoff, will serve out the balance of the term which goes to January 2023 meaning that winner will be back on the party primary ballot in the next cycle two years from now.