Texas' 16th Congressional District elections, 2012
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November 6, 2012 |
May 29, 2012 |
Beto O'Rourke  |
Silvestre Reyes |
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The 16th Congressional District of Texas held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012.
Beto O'Rourke (D) was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012.[1]
| Candidate Filing Deadline | Primary Election | General Election |
|---|---|---|
Primary: Texas has an open primary system, in which any registered voter can choose which party's primary to vote in, without having to be a member of that party. Texas also scheduled a primary runoff for July 31, 2012.
Voter registration: Voters had to register to vote in the primary by April 30.[2] For the July 31, 2012, the vote registration deadline was July 2. For the general election, the voter registration deadline was October 9.[3]
- See also: Texas elections, 2012
Incumbent: Heading into the election the incumbent was Silvestre Reyes (D), who was first elected in 1996.
This was the first election using district maps based on data from the 2010 Census. Texas' 16th Congressional District was located in the far western portion of the state, and included part of El Paso county.[4]
* Redistricting note: Due to legal turmoil in the redistricting process, filing deadlines were changed twice and the primary was changed once. The original filing deadline was December 12th.[5] That deadline was first moved to December 15th and then December 19th by a federal court due to delays caused by redistricting legal challenges. When a final map was issued, the December 19th deadline was once again moved to March 9 to allow candidates more time to file in light of the delays and map ambiguities. The primary date was first moved from March 6 to April 3, 2012 before finally settling on May 29.[6]
Candidates
General election candidates
May 29, 2012, primary results
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Election results
General election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  Beto O'Rourke |
65.4% | 101,403 | |
| Republican | Barbara Carrasco | 32.9% | 51,043 | |
| Libertarian | Junart Sodoy | 1.7% | 2,559 | |
| Total Votes | 155,005 | |||
| Source: Texas Secretary of State | ||||
Race background
According to Politico, Beto O'Rourke presented Reyes' first real primary threat since the incumbent was elected. O'Rourke portrayed Reyes as unresponsive and entrenched; the challenger also raised significant funding and received support from the Campaign for Primary Accountability. Reyes responded by gathering endorsements from Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, as well as pointing out O'Rourke's support of marijuana legalization.[9]
According to an article from The Washington Post, published on March 30, 2012, that noted the top 10 incumbents who could lose their primaries, Reyes was the 2nd most likely incumbent to lose his primary.[10] Competition in the primary from former El Paso City Councilman Beto O'Rourke and being targeted by the Campaign for Primary Accountability were the main reasons for his vulnerability.[10] The article even went so far as to state, "Reyes may be the Democrat most likely to lose his primary."[10]
Impact of redistricting
- See also: Redistricting in Texas
Texas' 16th Congressional District was largely unaffected by the redistricting process. The district now extends all the way east to Hudspeth County, but it lost some area in southern El Paso County. The district remained centered around El Paso and largely Democratic, although it increased in population somewhat.
The 16th District was re-drawn after the 2010 Census. The new district is composed of the following percentages of voters of the old congressional districts.[11][12]
- 98 percent from the 16th Congressional District
- 2 percent from the 23rd Congressional District
District partisanship
FairVote's Monopoly Politics 2012
- See also: FairVote's Monopoly Politics 2012
In 2012, FairVote did a study on partisanship in the congressional districts, giving each a percentage ranking (D/R) based on the new 2012 maps and comparing that to the old 2010 maps. Texas' 16th District became more Republican as a result of redistricting.[13]
- 2012: 61D / 39R
- 2010: 62D / 38R
Cook Political Report's PVI
In 2012, Cook Political Report released its updated figures on the Partisan Voter Index, which measures each congressional district's partisanship relative to the rest of the country. Texas' 16th Congressional District has a PVI of D+9, which is the 112th most Democratic district in the country. In 2008, this district was won by Barack Obama (D), 65-35 percent over John McCain (R). In 2004, John Kerry (D) won the district 55-45 percent over George W. Bush.[14]
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Campaign issues
- Marijuana legalization
Reyes staunchly opposed the legalization of marijuana. He stated "My opponent seems to think that recreational use of marijuana is okay with him, and that's the group he hangs around with -- but it's not for me, it's not for my grandkids." He also added, "I don't want to live in a community where people think that it's okay to light up a joint and parade around elementary schools and junior highs."[15]
O'Rourke on the other hand advocated legalization of marijuana as a means to gather revenue and more importantly, to hurt the drug cartels. He stated that despite attacks, he is "not backing off my position. I have the courage of my conviction. It is clear to me that what we're doing is a failure." He added, "You have 10,000 people killed in the most brutal fashion in Ciudad Juarez (Mexico) in the last 10 years, without a single word from the congressman about what we can do to change the dynamic and stop the bloodshed." Marijuana is "the cornerstone of the cartel economy."[15]
Campaign finance
As of March 31, 2012, Reyes had a significant advantage over O'Rourke in fundraising, having raised $915,378 to O'Rourke's $379,296. The data also showed that Barbara Carrasco had raised $74,301.[16]
Of the money raised by Reyes, roughly half of it came from PAC contributions, while the other half was from individual contributors. In contrast, 97% of the funds raised by O'Rourke came from individual contributions. Carrasco's campaign was largely self-financed.[16]
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Silvestre Reyes |
Beto O'Rourke |
Barbara Carrasco |
PAC targeting
Incumbent Silvestre Reyes was targeted by the Super PAC Campaign for Primary Accountability in the 16th District Democratic primary. The PAC targeted Reyes because he had served for a long time, his constituents were dissatisfied, and there was a capable challenger.[17]
A Reyes spokesperson criticized the Campaign for Primary Accountability's implicit support of primary Reyes challenger Beto O'Rourke, pointing out that Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor had contributed to the PAC for its efforts in a Republican primary in Illinois.[18]
Campaign contributions
Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2012 elections season. Below are candidate reports.
Beto O'Rourke
| Beto O'Rourke (2012) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| April Quarterly[19] | April 15, 2012 | $188,319.27 | $130,119.79 | $(95,874.93) | $222,564.13 | ||||
| Pre-Primary[20] | May 17, 2012 | $222,564.13 | $22,322.66 | $(184,341.25) | $60,545.54 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $152,442.45 | $(280,216.18) | ||||||||
Barbara Carrasco
| Barbara Carrasco (2012) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
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| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| April Quarterly[21] | April 13, 2012 | $51,111.81 | $9,836 | $(8,076.49) | $52,871.32 | ||||
| Pre-Primary[22] | May 16, 2012 | $52,871.32 | $1,375 | $(1,442.79) | $52,803.53 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $11,211 | $(9,519.28) | ||||||||
District history
| Candidate ballot access |
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2010
On November 2, 2010, Silvestre Reyes won re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating Tim Besco (R), Bill Collins (L), and Tim Collins (Write-in).[23]
| U.S. House of Representatives General Election, Texas Congressional District 16, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Silvestre Reyes Incumbent |
58.1% | 49,301 | |
| Republican | Tim Besco | 36.6% | 31,051 | |
| Libertarian | Bill Collins | 5.1% | 4,319 | |
| Write-in | Tim Collins | 0.3% | 221 | |
| Total Votes | 84,892 | |||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Silvestre Reyes won re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating Ben Mendoza (I) and Mette Baker (L).[24]
| U.S. House of Representatives General Election, Texas Congressional District 16, 2008 | ||||
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| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Silvestre Reyes Incumbent |
82.1% | 130,375 | |
| Independent | Ben Mendoza | 10.3% | 16,348 | |
| Libertarian | Mette Baker | 7.6% | 12,000 | |
| Total Votes | 158,723 | |||
2006
On November 7, 2006, Silvestre Reyes won re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating Gordon Strickland (L).[25]
| U.S. House of Representatives General Election, Texas Congressional District 16, 2006 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Silvestre Reyes Incumbent |
78.7% | 61,116 | |
| Libertarian | Gordon Strickland | 21.3% | 16,572 | |
| Total Votes | 77,688 | |||
2004
On November 2, 2004, Silvestre Reyes won re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating David Brigham (R) and Brad Clardy (L) .[26]
| U.S. House of Representatives General Election, Texas Congressional District 16, 2004 | ||||
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| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Silvestre Reyes Incumbent |
67.5% | 108,577 | |
| Republican | David Brigham | 31.1% | 49,972 | |
| Libertarian | Brad Clardy | 1.4% | 2,224 | |
| Total Votes | 160,773 | |||
2002
On November 5, 2002, Silvestre Reyes won re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives, running unopposed.[27]
| U.S. House of Representatives General Election, Texas Congressional District 16, 2002 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Silvestre Reyes Incumbent |
100% | 72,383 | |
| Total Votes | 72,383 | |||
2000
On November 7, 2000, Silvestre Reyes won re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating Daniel Power (R) and Dan Moser (L).[28]
| U.S. House of Representatives General Election, Texas Congressional District 16, 2000 | ||||
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| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Silvestre Reyes Incumbent |
68.3% | 92,649 | |
| Republican | Daniel Power | 30.2% | 40,921 | |
| Libertarian | Dan Moser | 1.5% | 2,080 | |
| Total Votes | 135,650 | |||
1998
On November 3, 1998, Silvestre Reyes won re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating Stu Nance (L) and Lorenzo Morales (I).[29]
| U.S. House of Representatives General Election, Texas Congressional District 16, 1998 | ||||
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| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Silvestre Reyes Incumbent |
87.9% | 67,486 | |
| Libertarian | Stu Nance | 6.9% | 5,329 | |
| Independent | Lorenzo Morales | 5.1% | 3,952 | |
| Total Votes | 76,767 | |||
See also
- United States House of Representatives elections in Texas, 2012
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2012
- United States Senate elections in Texas, 2012
External links
- Texas Democrats - candidate list (dead link)
- Texas GOP - candidate list
- Texas Libertarian Party - candidate list (dead link)
- Texas Green Party - candidate list
- Texas Secretary of State - Independent candidate list (dead link)
Footnotes
- ↑ ABC News, "2012 General Election Results," accessed November 6, 2012
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2012 Primary Election Calendar," accessed July 27, 2012
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "You Must Register By...," accessed July 27, 2012
- ↑ Texas Redistricting Map, "Map" accessed July 24, 2012
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2012 Election Dates," accessed July 15, 2011
- ↑ Washington Post, "Federal court orders May 29 primary date for Texas in redistricting case
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 El Paso Times, "Beto O'Rourke to challenge Reyes for Congress", September 1, 2011
- ↑ Democratic candidate list
- ↑ Politico, "5 incumbents facing primary fight," May 3, 2012
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 The Washington Post, "The next Jean Schmidt? The top 10 House incumbents who could lose their primaries" accessed April 1, 2012
- ↑ Moonshadow Mobile's CensusViewer, "Texas's congressional districts 2001-2011 comparison"
- ↑ Labels & Lists, "VoterMapping software voter counts"
- ↑ FairVote, "2011 Redistricting and 2012 Elections in Texas," September 2012
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "Partisan Voting Index Districts of the 113th Congress: 2004 & 2008" accessed October 2012
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Huffington Post, "Rep. Silvestre Reyes, Challenger Beto O'Rourke Square Off Over Drug War In Fierce Texas Primary," April 19, 2012
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 OpenSecrets.org, Texas' 16th Congressional District 2012 race," accessed April 19, 2012
- ↑ Houston Chronicle blog, "Houston-based super PAC targeting more Texas incumbents," April 8, 2012
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Eric Cantor Chaos: Campaign For Primary Accountability Donation Becomes Texas Democratic Issue," April 11, 2012
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Beto O'Rourke April Quarterly," accessed July 17, 2012
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Beto O'Rourke Pre-Primary," accessed July 17, 2012
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Barbara Carrasco April Quarterly," accessed July 17, 2012
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Barbara Carrasco Pre-Primary," accessed July 17, 2012
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 2008," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 2006"
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2004"
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 2002"
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2000"
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 3, 1998"
