Only a small finger of the heavily gerrymandered CD 17 reaches Travis County; the district is anchored in Waco and College Station, and is drawn to maintain Republican dominance. Incumbent Bill Flores, an oil company millionaire who essentially self-funded his victory over Chet Edwards in 2010, has handily won re-election three times.

Two inexperienced Democrats have filed for the March 6 primary. Dale Mantey is a UT doctoral candidate (public health) emphasizing jobs, livable wages, and support for agriculture. Rick Kennedy (Round Rock) is a software engineer and consultant, and is focusing on the economy, health care, and support for public schools.

This article appears in February 9 • 2018.

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Contributing writer and former news editor Michael King has reported on city and state politics for the Chronicle since 2000. He was educated at Indiana University and Yale, and from 1977 to 1985 taught at UT-Austin. He has been the editor of the Houston Press and The Texas Observer, and has reported and written widely on education, politics, and cultural subjects.