Like Berkeley Breathed once wrote, money can’t buy you love, but it can definitely improve your negotiating position. The same can arguably be said about campaign finances and votes, and it’s as true in Travis County Legislative races as anywhere else.
With two GOP House primaries in Travis County this March, and five contested Legislative elections come November, there could be good reason for Republicans to drop money into local campaigns. However, if they don’t, it could be a sign of some candidacies being lost causes. The big modifier on making any observations at this point is, because of the number of late filing Republicans and Democrats who didn’t expect challenges, not everyone has their campaigns and their fundraising operations up to speed.
(Note: incumbents marked with *)
Senate District 14
| Candidate | Raised | Cash on hand | Outstanding loans |
| Kirk Watson* | $262,562 | $1.4 million | $0 |
| Candidate | Raised | Cash on hand | Outstanding loans |
| Mary Lou Serafine | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Not much to report here yet: Serafine’s late entry into the campaign actually meant that she probably didn’t have to file a finance report until Feb. 1, when the 30-day-before elections reports are due. Still, Watson’s figures to date, most of where were raised when he didn’t have an opponent, give him a comfortable lead.
House District 46
| Candidate | Raised | Cash on hand | Outstanding loans |
| Dawnna Dukes* | $28,846 | $23,968 | $0 |
The unchallenged incumbent can keep fundraising for 2012.
House District 47
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| Candidate | Raised | Cash on hand | Outstanding loans | David Sewell | $11,450 | $11,097 | $10,000 |
| Holly White Turner | $3,223 | $2,325 | $70,000 |
| Paul Workman | $72,914 | $68,272 | $15,000 |
Arguably the most closely watched legislative primary in Travis County. All three Republicans loaned their own campaigns a big chunk of cash, but as the candidate who has been out there longest and with the deepest local business community roots, Workman can readily afford the services of Gov. Rick Perry‘s former campaign heavy hitter Eric Bearse.
Bolton’s numbers are interesting: Her contributions are about one-third of what she raised in the same period in 2007, but she has twice the cash on hand, and November is a long way away.
House District 48
| Candidate | Raised | Cash on hand | Outstanding loans |
| Donna Howard* | $56,106 | $138,198 | $0 |
| Candidate | Raised | Cash on hand | Outstanding loans |
| Dan Neil | $6,950 | $2,626 | $0 |
With no primary, both incumbent Democrat Howard and GOP challenger Neil are looking at the long game. Expect donations later in the year from Neil’s friends at Texas GOPAC.
House District 49
| Candidate | Raised | Cash on hand | Outstanding loans |
| Elliott Naishtat* | $51,357 | $255,383 | $0 |
A man with neither a primary challenger nor Republican general election opponent, the question now is how much Naishtat will be assisting other local Democrats.
House District 50
| Candidate | Raised | Cash on hand | Outstanding loans |
| Mark Strama* | $47,630 | $87,839 | $45,000 |
Right up to filing deadline, Strama wasn’t sure whether he’d get an opponent, and because the two GOPers that have filed – Pat McGuinness and Ryan Lambert – only filed their treasurer’s report on Jan. 4, they don’t have to submit campaign finance reports until Feb. 1.
House District 51
| Candidate | Raised | Cash on hand | Outstanding loans |
| Eddie Rodriguez* | $27,902 | $10,573 | $0 |
| Candidate | Raised | Cash on hand | Outstanding loans |
| Marilyn Jackson | $2,050 | $550 | $0 |
Again, Rodriguez wasn’t expecting an opponent, so his fundraising operation has yet to get into gear. Jackson will definitely have her work cut out for her in a district that the GOP gave up on two decades ago.
This article appears in January 15 • 2010.
