Considering the dominance of the Republican Party in the KETR listening area, it's a safe bet that the March 1 primary elections will determine most of the region's delegation in the 2017 Texas Legislature. Of the eight contested seats from our part of the state, only two will be sought by a Democratic candidate. In the other six, the winners of the GOP primary will be on the fast track to Austin.
Three of those eight seats feature wide-open races, as the incumbent office-holder has chosen not to run.
In the Texas Senate, veteran Kevin Eltife, who has represented District 1 since 2004, will not be on the ballot. Senate District 1 includes Lamar, Franklin and Wood counties, as well as 10 other East Texas counties. Two former state representatives are among the four Republicans running to be the new GOP nominee. Mineola attorney Bryan Hughes, currently the State Representative in House District 5, has been endorsed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate. Longview timber executive David Simpson, currently the State Representative in House District 7, is also seeking to replace Eltife. Other Republicans in the race are Lindale water-utility administrator and U.S. Army Gen. Red Brown and Queens City funeral-home executive and U.S. Navy veteran Mike Lee.
The other two Senate seats in the KETR listening area will not be on ballots this year. Bob Hall's District 2 includes Delta, Fannin, Hopkins, Hunt, Kaufman, Rains, Rockwall and Van Zandt counties, as well as eastern Dallas County suburbs. Hall's office will be up for grabs in 2020. Craig Estes, whose District 16 includes part of Collin County, will end his current term in 2018. Senate terms are six years, while House of Representatives terms are two years.
In the House, longtime State Rep. Dan Flynn of Van, a businessman and rancher, will face Royce City financial manager Bryan Slaton in the Republican race for District 2, composed of Hopkins, Hunt and Van Zandt counties.
One area Republican will be unopposed in the March 1 election. Larry Phillips has no competition for House District 62, which includes Delta, Fannin and Grayson counties.
With Hughes having set his sights on the Senate, the race for House District 5 is wide open. Holly Coggins Hayes of Mineola, Randy Davis of Emory, Phillip Hayes of Hideaway, Cole Hefner of Mount Pleasant and Jay Misenheimer of Lindale will all be on the GOP ballot. That district includes Camp, Morris, Rains, Titus and Wood counties, and also part of Smith County.
Incumbent State Rep. Gary VanDeaver of New Boston will face George Lavender of Texarkana in the Republican primary for House District 1, composed of Bowie, Franklin, Lamar and Red River counties. VanDeaver defeated Lavender in the 2014 primary. Lavender held the District 1 seat from 2011 to 2015.
In District 33, high-profile State Rep. Scott Turner of Richardson, who made a bid for Joe Strauss’ Speaker of the House position last year, will not run for re-election. That district includes Rockwall County and part of Collin County. Republicans Justin Holland of Frisco, John Keating of Frisco and Lorne Liechty of Heath are competing to be the new party nominee. The Democratic Party will also field a candidate – either Karen Jacobs of Heath or Cristin Padgett of Frisco.
Two Republican incumbents who represent parts of Collin County will be seeking re-election. Scott Sanford of McKinney will seek to represent District 70 again and will compete against Democratic nominee John Bryant, also of McKinney. The District 89 Republican nominee will be either incumbent Jodie Laubenberg of Murphy or challenger Dalton Lytle, also of Murphy. The winner of that race will face Democrat Denise Hamilton of Plano in the general election.
The District 4 race features a rematch of Republicans very much like that in District 1. Incumbent Stuart Spitzer of Athens will be on the ballot along with Lance Gooden of Terrell. In the 2014 primary, Spitzer unseated Gooden, who held the office from 2011 to 2015. District 4 includes Henderson and Kaufman counties.
Here are the Texas House and Senate races in the KETR listening area in a list format:
Senate
District 1
Lamar, Franklin, Wood, other East Texas counties
incumbent: Kevin Eltife (R) (not seeking re-election)
2016 Candidates
Republican Party
James K. "Red" Brown
Bryan Hughes
Mike Lee
David Simpson
no Democratic Party candidates
District 2
Delta, Fannin, Hopkins, Hunt, Kaufman, Rains, Rockwall, Van Zandt; eastern Dallas suburbs.
incumbent: Bob Hall (R) (term ends 2020)
District 16
eastern and northern Collin, other North Texas counties
incumbent: Craig Estes (R) (term ends 2018)
House
District 1
Lamar, Franklin; Bowie, Red River
incumbent: Gary VanDeaver (R) (seeking re-election)
2016 Candidates
Republican Party
George Lavender
Gary VanDeaver
no Democratic Party candidates
District 2
Hopkins, Hunt, Van Zandt
incumbent: Dan Flynn (R) (seeking re-election)
2016 Candidates
Republican Party
Dan Flynn
Bryan Slaton
no Democratic Party candidates
District 4
Kaufman; Henderson
incumbent: Stuart Spitzer (R) (seeking re-election)
2016 Candidates
Republican Party
Lance Gooden
Stuart Spitzer
no Democratic Party candidates
District 5
Rains, Wood; Camp, Morris, Smith (part), Titus
incumbent: Bryan Hughes (R) (not seeking re-election)
2016 Candidates
Republican Party
Holly Coggins Hayes
Randy Davis
Phillip Hayes
Cole Hefner
Jay Misenheimer
no Democratic Party candidates
District 33
Collin (part), Rockwall
incumbent: Scott Turner (R) (not seeking re-election)
2016 Candidates
Republican Party
Justin Holland
John Keating
Lorne Liechty
Democratic Party
Karen Jacobs
Cristin Padgett
District 62
Delta, Fannin; Grayson
incumbent: Larry Phillips (R) (running unopposed)
District 70
Collin (part)
incumbent: Scott Sanford (R) (seeking re-election)
2016 Candidates
Republican Party
Scott Sanford
Democratic Party
John Bryant
District 89
Collin (part)
incumbent: Jodie Laubenberg (R) (seeking re-election)
2016 Candidates
Republican Party
Jodie Laubenberg
Dalton Lytle
Democratic Party
Denise Hamilton
