Doctors’ Choices Include Five Challengers in GOP Races
Texas Border Business
TEXPAC, the political arm of the Texas Medical Association, today announced the physician group’s endorsements for the March 1 party primary elections and included Sergio Muñoz, Jr., HD 36 (D).
“These men and women are the best on the ballot for our profession, for our practices, and — especially — for our patients,” said TEXPAC Board Chair Brad Holland, MD, of Waco. “They deserve the doctors’ vote.”
The list contains nine candidates for judicial posts and 134 running for the Texas Senate and House.
“Our four-step endorsement process leans heavily on the recommendations of local physician leaders,” Dr. Holland said. “It is a very small-d, democratic process.”
The endorsed candidates include seven who are running for open seats in the Texas House of Representatives, and five Republicans who are challenging incumbent elected officials in their party primary. Those five are:
- Justice Michael Massengale for the Texas Supreme Court,
- Hugh Shine for House District 55 (Bell County),
- Scott Fisher for House District 92 (Tarrant County),
- Andrew Piel for House District 94 (Tarrant County), and
- Bennett Ratliff for House District 115 (Dallas County).
Notable incumbents receiving the physicians’ support include two members of the Texas Supreme Court; House Speaker Joe Straus; Senate Finance Committee Chair Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound); House Insurance Committee Chair John Frullo (R-Lubbock); and three physician-legislators: State Reps. Greg Bonnen, MD (R-Friendswood), J.D. Sheffield, DO (R-Gatesville), and John Zerwas, MD (R-Richmond).
The TEXPAC Candidate Evaluation Committee and Board of Directors will meet this weekend to consider possible additional endorsements.
TEXPAC speaks on behalf of more than 48,000 Texas physicians and medical students, and nearly 5,000 TMA Alliance members. Organized in 1962, TEXPAC is one of the oldest political action committees in Texas. TEXPAC also is one of the largest bipartisan PACs in the state and ranks first in size among other state medical association PACs.
The TEXPAC-endorsed candidates are (names and districts underlined are open seats; those in italics are challengers facing incumbents):
Texas Supreme Court
Justice Eva Guzman
Justice Paul Green
Justice Michael Massengale
Third Court of Appeals
Justice Melissa Goodwin
Justice Cindy Olson Bourland
Sixth Court of Appeals
Chief Justice Josh R. Morriss III
10th Court of Appeals
Justice Al Scoggins
12th Court of Appeals
Justice Greg Neeley
Justice Brian Hoyle
Texas Senate
SD 4 Creighton, Brandon (R)
SD 6 Garcia, Sylvia (D)
SD 11 Taylor, Larry (R)
SD 12 Nelson, Jane (R)
SD 13 Ellis, Rodney (D)
SD 18 Kolkhorst, Lois (R)
SD 19 Uresti, Carlos (D)
SD 20 Hinojosa, Juan “Chuy” (D)
SD 21 Zaffirini, Judith (D)
SD 22 Birdwell, Brian (R)
SD 26 Menéndez, José (D)
SD 27 Lucio Jr., Eddie (D)
SD 28 Perry, Charles, (R)
SD 29 Rodriguez, José (D)
Texas House
HD 1 VanDeaver, Gary (R)
HD 7 Dean, Jay (R)
HD 8 Cook, Byron (R)
HD 9 Paddie, Chris (R)
HD 10 Wray, John (R)
HD 11 Clardy, Travis (R)
HD 12 Kacal, Kyle (R)
HD 13 Schubert, Leighton (R)
HD 14 Raney, John (R)
HD 16 Metcalf, Will (R)
HD 17 Cyrier, John (R)
HD 20 Farney, Marsha (R)
HD 21 Phelan, Dade (R)
HD 22 Deshotel, Joe (D)
HD 23 Faircloth, Wayne (R)
HD 24 Bonnen, MD, Greg (R)
HD 25 Bonnen, Dennis (R)
HD 26 Miller, Rick (R)
HD 27 Reynolds, Ron (D)
HD 28 Zerwas, MD, John (R)
HD 29 Thompson, Ed (R)
HD 30 Morrison, Geanie (R)
HD 31 Guillen, Ryan (D)
HD 32 Hunter, Todd (R)
HD 34 Herrero, Abel (D)
HD 35 Longoria, Oscar (D)
HD 36 Muñoz, Sergio (D)
HD 37 Oliviera, René (D)
HD 38 Lucio III, Eddie (D)
HD 39 Martinez, Armando (D)
HD 40 Canales, Terry (D)
HD 41 Guerra, Bobby (D)
HD 42 Raymond, Richard (D)
HD 43 Lozano, J.M. (R)
HD 44 Kuempel, John (R)
HD 45 Isaac, Jason (R)
HD 46 Dukes, Dawnna (D)
HD 47 Workman, Paul (R)
HD 48 Howard, Donna (D)
HD 50 Israel, Celia (D)
HD 51 Rodriguez, Eddie (D)
HD 52 Gonzales, Larry (R)
HD 53 Murr, Andrew (R)
HD 54 Cosper, Scott (R)
HD 55 Shine, Hugh (R)
HD 56 Anderson, Doc (R)
HD 57 Ashby, Trenton (R)
HD 58 Burns, DeWayne (R)
HD 59 Sheffield, MD, J.D. (R)
HD 60 Downing, Kevin (R)
HD 61 King, Phil (R)
HD 62 Phillips, Larry (R)
HD 63 Parker, Tan (R)
HD 65 Simmons, Ron (R)
HD 68 Springer, Drew (R)
HD 72 Darby, Drew (R)
HD 73 Miller, Doug (R)
HD 74 Nevarez, Poncho (D)
HD 75 Gonzalez, Mary (D)
HD 76 Blanco, Cesar (D)
HD 77 Lopez, Adolfo (D)
HD 78 Moody, Joe (D)
HD 79 Pickett, Joe (D)
HD 80 King, Tracy (D)
HD 81 Landgraf, Brooks (R)
HD 82 Craddick, Tom (R)
HD 84 Frullo, John (R)
HD 85 Stephenson, Phil (R)
HD 86 Smithee, John (R)
HD 87 Price, Four (R)
HD 88 King, Ken (R)
HD 89 Laubenberg, Jodie (R)
HD 90 Romero, Ramon (D)
HD 92 Fisher, Scott (R)
HD 94 Piel, Andrew (R)
HD 95 Collier, Nicole (D)
HD 97 Goldman, Craig (R)
HD 98 Capriglione, Giovanni (R)
HD 99 Geren, Charlie (R)
HD 100 Johnson, Eric (D)
HD 101 Turner, Chris (D)
HD 102 Koop, Linda (R)
HD 103 Anchia, Rafael (D)
HD 104 Alonzo, Roberto (D)
HD 107 Sheets, Kenneth (R)
HD 108 Meyer, Morgan (R)
HD 109 Giddings, Helen (D)
HD 110 Rose, Toni (D)
HD 111 Davis, Yvonne (D)
HD 112 Button, Angie (R)
HD 113 Burkett, Cindy (R)
HD 114 Villalba, Jason (R)
HD 115 Ratliff, Bennett (R)
HD 117 Galindo, Rick (R)
HD 118 Uresti, Tomas (D)
HD 119 Gutierrez, Roland (D)
HD 121 Straus, Joe (R)
HD 122 Larson, Lyle (R)
HD 123 Bernal, Diego (D)
HD 124 Minjarez, Ina (D)
HD 125 Rodriguez, Justin (D)
HD 127 Huberty, Dan (R)
HD 128 Smith, Wayne (R)
HD 129 Paul, Dennis (R)
HD 130 Oliverson, MD, Tom (R)
HD 131 Allen, Alma (D)
HD 132 Schofield, Mike (R)
HD 133 Murphy, Jim (R)
HD 134 Davis, Sarah (R)
HD 136 Dale, Tony (R)
HD 137 Wu, Gene (D)
HD 138 Bohac, Dwayne (R)
HD 140 Walle, Armando (D)
HD 141 Thompson, Senfronia (D)
HD 142 Dutton, Harold (D)
HD 143 Hernandez, Ana (D)
HD 145 Alvarado, Carol (D)
HD 146 Miles, Borris (D)
HD 147 Coleman, Garnet (D)
HD 148 Farrar, Jessica (D)
HD 149 Vo, Hubert (D)
HD 150 Riddle, Debbie (R)