Democratic races for lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller head to runoffs

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square

Democratic races for lieutenant governor, attorney general, and comptroller of public accounts are heading to a runoff election after the March 1 primary election, according to election results published by the Secretary of State’s Office. Some candidates have never been elected to public office.

The top two Democratic candidates for lieutenant are businessman Mike Collier and state Rep. Michelle Beckley who received 41% and 30% of the vote, respectively, in a three-candidate race.

Collier, a lifelong businessman, energy expert, and former auditor, is running because “our fundamental rights are hanging by a thread, with a knife hovering over them.” His platform includes prioritizing funding public schools, fixing the Texas grid, increasing taxes on corporations, fighting climate change, creating good paying jobs with benefits, reforming the criminal justice system, legalizing marijuana, and returning competence to the office of lieutenant governor. Property and sales taxes continue to increase, he argues because corporations aren’t “paying their fair share.”

Beckley, a small business owner who’s served two terms in the Texas House representing District 65 in northwest Dallas, is running because she “was tired of the BS in Austin.” Her platform includes fixing the Texas electricity grid, expanding Medicaid, and “fully funding” Texas public schools. Beckley lists her priorities along with related bills she filed while in the legislature, among other issues.

Both have received a wide range of endorsements. Whoever wins will face off against incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is running for reelection.

The top two Democratic candidates for attorney general are attorneys Rochelle Mercedes Garza and Joe Jaworski, who received 43% and 19.6% of the vote, respectively, in a five-candidate race.

Garza, a 5th generation Texan from the Rio Grande Valley, is a civil rights attorney and an expecting mother. She is running because “our state is under attack by politicians who have passed some of the most restrictive laws in the country and sided with special interests over Texans.” Her platform includes ending Texas’ immigration lawsuits against the Biden administration and border enforcement efforts, ending the state’s COVID-19-related lawsuits against Texas schools, cities and counties, dismantling the AG’s election integrity unit, and “restoring abortion access as a moral imperative and an issue of racial, economic, and gender justice,” among other issues.

Jaworski, attorney and former mayor of Galveston, is running “to restore integrity to public service in Texas.” He pledges to “never file embarrassing frivolous litigation in any court” and to “never embarrass Texas in The Supreme Court of the United States.” He supports the Affordable Care Act and expanding Medicaid, plans to create a Civil Rights Division, to fight against SB 8 (the Texas heartbeat bill), which he argues is unconstitutional, although the Supreme Court upheld it, and will replace the existing election integrity unit with a “voter access division.”

Whoever wins the runoff will face the winner of the Republican Attorney General runoff election, either incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton or former Land Commissioner George P. Bush.

The top two candidates for Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts are Janet Dudding and Angel Louis Vega, who received 46% and 34% of the vote, respectively, in a three-candidate race.

A certified public accountant, Dudding says, “Texas deserves someone managing our money who understands everyday Texans. We also need someone who understands smart spending. Right now we’re overpaying for services that don’t offer any real benefits. We’re paying $100 [million] MORE in state taxes to DENY comprehensive mental healthcare. We’re letting our property taxes pick up the tab when indigent care becomes crisis care. We’re letting corporations skate on property tax giveaways.” Dudding has received numerous endorsements.

Vega, a Puerto Rican business strategist, executive advisor, and professional development coach, says his vision for comptroller is to “serve our communities with integrity, compassion, commitment, and a sense of urgency make decisions looking for the best interest of the people of Texas, not the special interest groups, manage the state’s budget with efficiency and transparency,” among others.

Whoever wins will face incumbent Comptroller Glenn Hegar, who is running for reelection.

The top two candidates for General Land Office are Sandragrace Martinez and Jay Kleberg, who received 32% and 25.88% of the vote, respectively, in a four-candidate race.

Martinez says her “academic standing and diplomas in clinical Mental-Health, 20 years running for Municipal Offices and political networking within San Antonio” and her “Psychology and Zoom expertise” will be “critical in leading the current staff and Boards at the GLO.”

She’s been endorsed by LULAC (the League of United Latin American Citizens), which provides a range of services to illegal immigrants. She says, “We want to thank LULAC for their wonderful acceptance, as we share in the beliefs of your mission.”

Kleberg, of the historic King Ranch, is the former associate director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation and co-founder and managing director of Explore Ranches. His platform includes land conservation, championing a “diversified portfolio of renewable energy such as geothermal, wind, solar and offshore hydrogen production,” and promoting energy innovation that leads to economic growth and good-paying jobs.

He’s been endorsed by numerous state lawmakers and organizations. One of Texas’ most famous ranches, the King Ranch, among other things, is known for its extensive conservation efforts to preserve an area of land the size of Rhode Island.

Whoever wins will face the winner of the Republican GLO runoff election, either state Sen. Dr. Dawn Buckingham or Dr. Tim Westley.