Texas' 17th Congressional District election, 2020 (March 3 Republican primary)
- Primary date: March 3
- Primary type: Open
- Registration deadline(s): Feb. 3
- Online registration: No
- Same-day registration: No
- Early voting starts: Feb. 18
- Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): March 3 (postmarked); March 4 (received)
- Voter ID: Photo ID
- Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Pete Sessions and Renee Swann advanced past nine other candidates in the Republican Party primary for Texas' 17th Congressional District on March 3, 2020. The two competed in the runoff election on July 14, 2020. Sessions received 31.9 percent of the vote and Swann received 19.2 percent of the vote. The other candidate to receive more than 10 percent of the vote was George Hindman (18.2 percent). The winner of the runoff ran in the district's general election on November 3, 2020.
Rep. Bill Flores's (R) retirement announcement in September 2019 triggered the district's largest Republican primary in its 16-year history.[1] To see a full list of all 11 candidates that ran in the primary, click here.
Based on experience, endorsements, and spending, there were four major candidates in the race: George Hindman, Pete Sessions, Renee Swann, and Elianor Vessali. Hindman ran as a political outsider and called Washington, D.C., broken. Sessions, meanwhile, campaigned on his experience as a former Congressman and said he wanted to return to Congress to complete unfinished business. Swann campaigned on her credentials as a business owner and was endorsed by the retiring incumbent. Vessali identified herself as a "constitutional conservative" and campaigned on going to Congress to support President Trump.
At the time of the 2020 campaign, Hindman owned Keystone Aerospace, an aerospace research and development company. He previously worked for NASA training astronauts and mission controllers on computer and navigation systems.[2] Hindman's campaign website outlined his support for building a border wall, a balanced budget amendment, an amendment defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman, and limiting federal funding for facilities and organizations that provide abortions. He previously ran to represent the district in 2012 and lost to Flores in the Republican primary.
Sessions served in Congress from 1997 to 2019. Sessions campaigned on his previous voting record and said he voted in support of Trump 98% of the time from 2017 to 2018. The three items on his list of what he called "unfinished business" were removing Nancy Pelosi as Speaker, building a border wall and changing immigration policies, and balancing the federal budget without increasing taxes.[3] During his previous tenure in Congress, he represented two different districts: Texas' 32nd Congressional District (2003-2019) and Texas' 5th Congressional District (1997-2003).
Flores endorsed Swann on February 8, 2020.[4] Flores cited Swann's desire to work with President Trump and her stances on immigration and social issues as reasons for the endorsement.[5] Swann's campaign highlighted her experience as a business owner and in the healthcare industry as reasons that primary voters should choose her.
At the time of the 2020 campaign, Vessali worked in the real estate industry and resigned from the College Station City Council to run for Congress. She said that if elected, she would join the House Freedom Caucus. Her campaign website highlighted the issues of building a border wall, limiting tax and budget increases, creating a competitive healthcare market, protecting the 2nd Amendment, and defunding Planned Parenthood as her legislative priorities.[6]
The 17th District had a Cook 2017 Partisan Voter Index score of R+12, meaning this district's results were 12 percentage points more Republican than the national average in the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections. All three major race rating outlets rated the race as solid Republican. Flores won re-election by 15 percentage points in 2018. Click here to learn more about what was at stake in the general election.
Click on candidate names below to view their key messages:
 Hindman |
 Sessions |
 Swann |
 Vessali |
This page focuses on Texas' 17th Congressional District Republican primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Democratic primary and the general election, see the following pages:
- Texas' 17th Congressional District election, 2020 (March 3 Democratic primary)
- Texas' 17th Congressional District election, 2020
Election procedure changes in 2020
Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.
Texas modified its primary election process as follows:
- Election postponements: The primary runoff elections were postponed from May 26 to July 14.
- Political party events: The Republican Party of Texas convention, scheduled for July 16-18 in Houston, was cancelled. The party conducted its convention online.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Candidates and election results
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 17
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Pete Sessions | 31.6 | 21,667 |
| ✔ |  | Renee Swann | 19.0 | 13,047 |
 | George Hindman | 18.1 | 12,405 | |
 | Elianor Vessali  | 9.2 | 6,283 | |
| Scott Bland | 7.2 | 4,947 | ||
 | Trent Sutton | 5.2 | 3,593 | |
 | Todd Kent | 3.5 | 2,367 | |
 | Kristen Alamo Rowin | 1.7 | 1,183 | |
 | Laurie Godfrey McReynolds | 1.6 | 1,105 | |
| David Saucedo | 1.4 | 975 | ||
| Jeffrey Oppenheim (Unofficially withdrew) | 0.7 | 483 | ||
 | Ahmad Adnan | 0.7 | 477 | |
| Total votes: 68,532 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[7] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I'm running because I'm mad as hell at how dysfunctional our politics and government are. I'm running because I have great solutions for the problems the country faces. I am running because I want to ban money in politics, because MONEY IN POLITICS EQUALS CORRUPTION IN POLITICS. I am a moderate; I am a centrist. I want Republicans, conservatives, independents, Democrats, and liberals to vote for me. In the real world, people from different political backgrounds agree on almost 70% of the issues. In the real world, we regular people don't disagree or argue as much as they do on TV or in Congress. I'm running because I believe in compromise, want to come up with solutions and good governance, and want to put COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Texas District 17 in 2020.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "Laurie is a conservative, a Christian, a businesswoman, and leader in her community. A native Texan, she has resided in Waco for over 35 years. In 1984, at the age of 23, she began her dry cleaning and laundry business. She has been very successful since then, expanding to multiple locations across the state and providing jobs for hundreds of Texans. As recognition of her business acumen and dedication to the Lone Star State, she was appointed by Texas Representative Tom Craddick to the Small Business Compliance Assistance Panel in 2007. At the age of 45, Laurie decided to go back to school, participating in the Tarleton State University program at McLennan County College culminating in a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences. At the age of 50, Laurie further developed her skillset by earning her real estate license. She is an avid supporter of President Trump committed to Keeping America Great. Unfortunately, too many politicians in Washington are in it for themselves. This is what inspired her to run for Congress. She believes that the concerns of the people of Texas's 17th Congressional District have been ignored for too long. When Laurie is in Congress, she'll put Texas First. "
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Texas District 17 in 2020.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Biography: Hindman earned his B.S. from the Unviersity of Virginia and his M.S. from the University of Texas at Austin. He previously worked for NASA as a trainer, for Dell Computers as a project manager, and for Applied Materials designing fabrication equipment. At the time of his 2020 campaign, Hindman owned Keystone Aerospace, an aerospace research and development firm.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Texas District 17 in 2020.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "My roots in District 17 are deep. I have called Central Texas home since 1994. My father David Kent was a Hall of Fame Texas A&M tennis coach and Brazos County Republican Party Chairman. In 2005, I earned my Ph.D. in Political Science from Texas A&M. I wrote my dissertation on the American presidency and became an expert on many aspects of the political system. My professional experience has spanned the academic, political consulting and nonprofit arenas. As a dean of two American universities, I have brought diverse groups together to advance the success of university campuses. I have balanced multi-million dollar budgets. Throughout my life, I have been electing Republicans to office. I organized George H.W. Bush's 1988 campaign for President in 30 counties in Texas, including all of the counties in this Congressional district. I served as a campaign consultant for Republican State Board of Education candidates and key elected officials throughout the state. In the nonprofit arena, I founded Worldview Academy, a Christian leadership organization that reaches over 2500 teens each year across the United States. My expertise and my experience make me the most prepared person to represent your interests and values in Congress."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Texas District 17 in 2020.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "Kristen Alamo Rowin is a Christian, wife, mother, and business owner. She is a first generation American who, through hard work and persistence, has built her own American Dream. Kristen graduated with her Real Estate Certificate, at Angelina College, 2 weeks prior to graduating high school. She has been a Realtor since age 18. By the age of 25, she obtained her real estate broker's license and founded Alamo Real Estate in Waco, TX. She has always been involved in leadership roles from running a business to organizing church events; her heart is rooted in service. Kristen has entered the 2020 congressional race in Texas 17 after she felt God's call to do so. She is a fighter for the forgotten man and woman. One of her goals in 2020 is to not only win a place in Congress but to unite people over the common goal of American success. She is a constitutional conservative Republican who has vowed to fight and expose corruption, put an end to government protection of big corporations, and advance conservative values. "
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Texas District 17 in 2020.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: U.S. House of Representatives (1997-2019)
Biography: Sessions graduated from Southwestern University in 1978. After graduation, he began working for the Southwestern Bell Telephone company, which later became AT&T. Prior to his retirement to run for Congress in 1994, Sessions worked as a District Manager for AT&T.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Texas District 17 in 2020.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "My name is Trent Sutton, Master Sergeant, USMC (Ret), and I am running as a Republican to represent our 17th Congressional District in the United States Congress. . I was born and raised in a working class family. My grandmother taught Sunday School and my grandfather worked as a surveyor in the oil fields for Slumberger. I worked in TV production for a couple years after high school and then enlisted in the Marines, where I served for 21 years. When I joined the Marine Corps, I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I wore the uniform of our nation and was deployed five times to Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations around the world defending that Constitution from our enemies. After I retired, I followed my younger brother, who is now an active duty Army officer, and my son, who is now a Naval Surface Warfare Officer, to Texas A&M where I earned my Bachelors degree. I also obtained my Masters in International Affairs from the Bush School of Government and Public Service in December of 2019. My oath did not expire when I retired from active duty. I will carry it proudly for the rest of my life and that is why I am running to represent us in the United States Congress."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Texas District 17 in 2020.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Biography: Swann and her husband founded Brazos Eye Surgery of Texas in 1981. At the time of her 2020 congressional campaign, Swann served as Chief Operations Officer of the company.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Texas District 17 in 2020.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
College Station City Council (2018-2019)
Submitted Biography: "Elianor is a proud Aggie, small businesswoman, former teacher, and local leader. Elianor has deep ties to the 17th Congressional District of Texas. She's a proud alumna of Texas A&M where she served as a member of the Corps of Cadets and graduated with a degree in Biomedical Science. She then enrolled in Law School at South Texas College of Law in downtown Houston. Upon graduation in 2002, she accepted an offer with Ernst & Young, Geneva, Switzerland. After three years overseas, she realized that it was time to come back home to Texas. Always looking to serve, Elianor was elected to College Station City Council place 4 as a proud conservative in 2018. On Council, she has been a steadfast voice for everyday taxpayers, fighting to protect private property rights, limiting government regulation and voting against the tax increases that harm middle-class families. She also served on the Construction Board of Adjustments and the Planning and Zoning Commission in College Station where she has fought for efficient and limited government. Within the Republican Party, Elianor has served on the Leadership Committee of the Republican Party of Brazos County and the Executive Committee as Precinct Chair. She is also a member of the Republican Women of Brazos Valley and has served on their board."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House Texas District 17 in 2020.
Endorsements
This section lists endorsements issued in this election. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.
| Republican primary endorsements | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endorsement | Adnan | Bland | Hindman | Sessions | Swann | Vessali | |
| Newspapers and editorials | |||||||
| Austin American-Statesman[8] | ✔ | ||||||
| Elected officials | |||||||
| U.S. Rep Bill Flores (R)[4] | ✔ | ||||||
| Individuals | |||||||
| State Republican Executive Committeeman Mike McCloskey[9] | ✔ | ||||||
| Former SEAL Team Six Leader Robert O'Neill[10] | ✔ | ||||||
| Organizations | |||||||
| National Rifle Association[11] | ✔ | ||||||
Timeline
2020
Campaign themes
- See also: Campaign themes
The following campaign themes and policy positions were found on candidates' campaign websites.
Ahmad Adnan
Adnan’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ | Education Starting Pay for Teachers $80,000 I WANT THE STARTING PAY FOR TEACHERS TO BE $80,000 A YEAR. Our education system is falling behind other countries. We will never have the best education system if we do not attract and retain the best, highest-quality teachers, and we can only get the best if we actually pay them what they are worth. We need to pay them $80,000 a year starting. And, this will also help change the culture. In other cultures and societies, education is valued, teachers are respected. In the U.S. they’re not. Paying teachers $80,000 per year will help change that paradigm to where people will respect the profession more, respect teachers more, and value education more. Wanna know how I’m gonna pay for the teacher raise? I WANT TO LEGALIZE, REGULATE, AND TAX CANNABIS. Just like what we do for cigarettes, that’s what I wanna do for cannabis. Also, we’ve got a boat-load of people sitting in jail and sitting in prison for having an ounce of cannabis. And, we have to spend $40,000 a year to keep them locked up for a non-violent criminal offense. That’s rediculous! We’re wasting all this money to keep them locked up, when we could actually use that money for things that help society get better. This war on drugs has been a failure on drugs. Alcohol is legal, cigarettes are legal. Opioids are legal. We have all sorts of stuff that is legal and available in our society that has much worse side effects than cannabis. It’s time for us to legalize cannabis. We can use the taxes on cannabis to help actually pay our teachers more. Our society is not going to fail because we have some people smoking weed; our society is gonna fail because we have a bunch of people that don’t know how to do 2 [plus] 2. Ban Money in Politics I WANT TO BAN MONEY IN POLITICS. Money in politics equals corruption in politics. If you want to drain the swamp, if you want to have government working for people rather than special interests, if you want to have lower prescription drug prices, if you want a simpler, better tax code, if you want to have less government spending, you have to ban money in politics. Health Care I believe in the free market and capitalism. However, I know that some folks, because they live in a rural part of the country or because they’re self-employed, may not have access to Health Insurance. And, I know that some folks have crappy health insurance coverage from work or have to pay for those expensive COBRA plans. So, for folks that don’t like the Health Insurance that they have or don’t have access to Health Insurance, I want them to be able to enroll in Medicare (a MEDICARE IF-YOU-WANT-IT PLAN). However, I do not believe in a government mandate or handouts. This plan is just a choice for you to compare with other providers, like Aetna, Humana, Blue Cross, etc. And, you can’t get this Medicare If-You-Want-It plan for free; there’s gonna be a premium. So, if you can’t get good health care anywhere else, you can enroll in this Medicare If-You-Want-It plan but you will have to pay the premium for this Medicare plan. I think this is a good centrist, middle-of-the-road approach. I think this solution is something that Republicans, conservatives, independents, Democrats, and liberals will like. Lower Prescription Drug Prices Everyone knows that you’re supposed to get discounts when you buy in bulk. Well, Medicare, the largest purchaser of prescription drugs in the U.S., is forbidden by law to negotiate drug prices. Did you know that you can go to the VA (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) and get a prescription drug for 40% less than with Medicare? The same drug! So, LET MEDICARE NEGOTIATE DRUG PRICES. This solution will save seniors, and the rest of the country, so much money on the drugs they buy. Tax Reform I want to dramatically simplify the tax system. In addition to the massive tax cut from fixing Social Security listed below, I want to update and simplify the tax code by eliminating the estate tax, commonly referred to as the death tax. A lot of people that are conservative and liberal alike will not like this tax elimination, because it is a tax cut for rich people. However I’m not done with my solution yet. In addition to eliminating the estate tax, I want to increase the income tax bracket by 2% for everybody that makes over one million dollars a year. Therefore, this plan doesn’t give a massive tax break to people that are wealthy. It actually still taxes people that are wealthy, because they’ll have to pay taxes by way of income, but eliminates an entire subset of the tax code which is the estate tax. The estate tax causes all sorts of problems and complexity for taxes and estate planning, and encourages people to use tax shelters and other tax gimmicks. So, my solution actually provides reform and simplification without really giving a cut to the wealthiest families. Keep in mind, it will be hard to update the tax code without getting rid of money in politics. Now, please see how I address income inequality… Income Inequality I want to address income inequality with four steps. First, as I mentioned before, I want to increase the tax bracket by 2% for everybody that makes over one million dollars a year. Second, I want to use the money raised by that 2% to help do infrastructure projects and high value research. Infrastructure spending creates high paying jobs. High paying jobs addresses income inequality. High value research creates industries and technology and jobs of the future. Look at what happened when the U.S. invested in the space race: all these new industries and jobs were created for decades and decades. Look at what happened when the U.S. invested in the Internet: all of these new jobs and companies were created. Third, to address income inequality, I want to improve the education system by paying teachers a starting salary of $80,000 per year. It’s hard to get a good paying job if you don’t have the education or the skills to do the job. Lastly, I want to lower the tax rate for Social Security from 6.2% to 3% and remove the taxable income cap, thereby, creating a massive tax cut for the poor, working class, and middle class. Economic Growth Massive infrastructure spending and high value research, as I mentioned above. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave our infrastructure a grade of D plus. Our airports suck, our bridges are a thousand years old, our drinking water sucks, our energy infrastructure and grid is outdated, our roads are pathetic. How is this acceptable? How is this exceptional? How can we have a growing economy when the backbone of commerce is broken? Economic growth is directly correlated with population growth. As countries get wealthier, their family size shrinks and population growth slows. The best way to keep a high rate of population growth for any wealthy country is through immigration. So, we should EMBRACE LEGAL IMMIGRATION. As I say below, secure the border, and embrace legal immigration. Environment My solution for the environment will satisfy liberals, conservatives, and independents alike. I know some people believe in global warming and some people do not. My solution below will be acceptable to both groups, and, frankly, both groups need to agree to pass legislation. First, I believe in global warming and that humans contribute. I know that people that don’t believe in global warming still care about the environment and don’t like pollution. So, let’s try to find common ground. People that don’t believe in global warming still believe in having a good economy, still want to have good paying jobs (just like the people that believe in global warming). Both groups want the U.S. to manufacture products and goods. Therefore, part of the infrastructure spending & high-value research that I outlined above for income inequality and economic growth should be used so that we can beat other countries to the technologies of the future, like solar energy panels, like battery storage, like a more efficient energy grid. China manufactures 60%-70% of the entire planet’s solar panels. Whether you believe in global warming or not, don’t you want the U.S. to have that market share? The largest wind farm just started in Africa; whose building the turbines? Denmark. Shouldn’t we be building them? Whether you believe in global warming or not, have you heard of electric vehicles? Where do you want the batteries for those cars made? I want it to be the U.S. Fix Our Dysfunctional Political System First, I want to BAN MONEY IN POLITICS. Because money in politics equals corruption in politics. Second, I want to MOVE ELECTION DAY FROM TUESDAY TO SATURDAY. Having election day still on Tuesday is so antiquated! Also, I want to have Election Day a national holiday. Many people can’t take time off from work to vote. The poor, the working class can’t afford to take a day off to vote. So, by having election day on Tuesday and not a national holiday, we have basically prohibited millions of fellow Americans from voting. Genius! (That’s sarcasm.) We always brag that we have the best democracy in the world, time for us to prove it by making it easier for people to actually vote and let their voice be heard! Third, I want to BAN GERRYMANDERING. Gerrymandering is a practice used by politicians and political parties to give them an election advantage by manipulating district boundaries. Sometimes, it’s referred to as politicians picking their voters instead of voters picking their politicians. IT’S CHEATING, BASICALLY. Immigration WE NEED TO SECURE THE BORDER, AND WE NEED TO EMBRACE LEGAL IMMIGRATION. I want the Federal government to spend more money to have more border patrol agents and to use technology like drones, cameras, robots, etc. to help prevent illegal immigration and to capture illegal drugs and criminals. I do not believe in building a wall; these strategies that I have outlined are more effective than a wall, cheaper to implement, and faster to build. I also want the Federal government to spend more money to have more judges to help process legal immigration and legal asylum cases. If their cases are good and meet the required criteria, those people should be welcomed into our society so they can start to contribute, serve, and pay taxes. That’s a wonderful thing. Legal immigrants are not criminals. If they don’t pass the criteria for asylum or immigration then they should be denied entry and sent back to the countries from where they came. We should process these cases quickly so that we don’t have all of these families in detention centers. We should not have all of these children separated from their families. This is a disgrace and is preposterous. My solutions fix these problems and are a good centrist, middle-of-the-road solution. Republicans, conservatives, independents, Democrats, and liberals would all be on board for this. Social Security I GOT A PLAN THAT WILL FIX SOCIAL SECURITY ONCE AND FOR ALL. First, I want to change the age for Social Security eligibility for everybody under the age of 40 by one year. That’s right, just one year. Second, I want to change the age for Social Security eligibility for everybody under the age of 20 by two years. That’s right, just two years. Then, thereafter, I want the age for Social Security eligibility to be updated based on people living longer, so basically inflate the age limit based on average mortality. That’s it! That’s all that is needed to solve social security. It does not affect benefits for people currently receiving Social Security or for people that are about to get Social Security. This is a great centrist, middle-of-the-road solution. Republicans, conservatives, independents, democrats, and liberals would all be on board for this. Now, if you want to have your eyes glaze over, I have one last final solution that’s AWESOME. There’s the tax for Social Security. It is 6.2%. It comes out of your paycheck. However most people don’t know that there’s an income limit to the tax. Its 6.2% up to approximately $140,000 of income. Why do I bring this up? Well, if you make $50,000, you pay 6.2% on all $50,000. If you make one million dollars, you only pay 6.2% for the first $140,000. Did you know that?! So, for people that make over $1,000,000 per year, the amount that they pay for social security is actually 0.9%! That means the poor, the working class, and the middle class pay much more for Social Security as a percentage of their income than people that are super rich. That’s horribly unfair. So, what I want to do is actually lower the Social Security tax for EVERYONE from 6.2% to 3% and remove the income limit. This will be the biggest tax cut in the history of the U.S. for the working class and middle class. And, it will also make the system much more fair. Government Spending I want to cut government spending, but unlike other politicians that don’t actually have the courage to mention what they wanna cut, I will. I WANT TO CUT $100 BILLION A YEAR FROM THE BUDGET FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. Keep in mind there’s a difference between the Department of Defense and the military. The Department of Defense’s budget is $750 billion a year; the troops get $150 billion of that a year. That doesn’t include the $270 billion for Veterans Affairs. So, where does the remaining $600 billion ($750 billion total – $150 for the troops) go? Obviously, some of it goes to bases, research, the war on terror. However, a lot of it goes to a huge bureaucracy. A lot of it goes to contractors, special interests, and private companies. This is what President Eisenhower called “the military-industrial complex” and warned the country about in his farewell address in 1961. Did you know that George Washington in his farewell address in 1796 said that an overgrown military is a threat to liberty? Do you think politicians keep spending this money because the Department of Defense wants it? No, the Department has actually told Congress to cut many programs. So, why do the politicians continue: because they get money from the defense contractors from lobbying! Aren’t we tired of these endless wars? Aren’t we tired of being the policeman for the world? Instead of spending all of this money on combat jets we won’t use, tanks we don’t need, a larger than needed bureaucracy, we should use that money for cancer research, for Alzheimer’s research, for reducing the deficit. Therefore, my plan supports the troops and doesn’t reduce how much money they receive, improves our priorities, and reduces our deficit. Keep in mind that this solution will be hard to implement unless we ban money in politics. Miscellaneous Issues I want to have permanent Daylight Savings Time. It should have a positive effect on health and productivity. Isn’t it about time to ditch this antiquated system? I want the U.S. to move to metric. As of 2019, the only other countries not using metric are Myanmar and Liberia. Really?! Is that the company we want to keep? Science, health, engineering, and the military use the metric system. Why is the country still on an outdated system of units? There is global competition for technology and people. We’re just giving ourselves a disadvantage. I want to have required courses in High School for civics/government and financial literacy. So, many people are unfamiliar with how our government works. And, so many people are unfamiliar with financial concepts from doing your taxes, to compounding, to debt management. We have to change this deficiency! Separation of Church & State RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE SEPARATE. The U.S. is a representative democracy, which is Greek for rule by people, not a theocracy, which is rule by religion. Politicians should be respectful of other religions and inclusive. I’m not voting for a politician to be a preacher, I’m voting for them to be a legislator. I’m voting for them based on their solutions for education, health care, economic growth, and political corruption. The First Amendment has freedom of religion, so you can be whatever religion you want to be and you are welcome here. We want you to thrive, regardless of religion. If you’re thinking of immigrating to the U.S., you are welcome here, regardless of religion. We want you to thrive. 23% of the country doesn’t even have a religion. And, they are welcome here, too. Guns I respect the Second Amendment & don’t want to take away your guns. However, people that are on the terrorist no-fly list, people that are convicted criminals, and people that are convicted domestic abusers should not be able to get guns. Currently, there are transactions allowed where they can buy guns. I want to prohibit that. Second, we should have a better health care system that covers mental health care. Political Correctness Political correctness has gone too far in our society. I think we’re changing our society into a bunch of over-sensitive, entitled, participation trophy wusses. Adversity breeds success. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. We need to bring these values back into our society. I don’t know how to accomplish this task through legislation, but I want you to know where I stand. If You Want to Vote for My Opponent Go right ahead. But, if you see your health care costs rise, see income inequality get worse, see who you voted for just blame the opposing political party, see them take care of their donors and not you, don’t say I didn’t warn you. [13] |
” |
| —Ahmad Adnan[14] | ||
Scott Bland
Bland’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
When something is broken, you fix it. If you need it, you build it. That’s what my dad taught me when he founded our family’s construction company nearly five decades ago. So when I came back to Texas after serving as a Special Agent for the United States Secret Service, I was honored to take over the family business. At Jim Bland Construction in Waco, we’ve renovated and created homes for hundreds of families across Central Texas. It was never just about building homes. It was about creating jobs and building a better community in a place that has given my family so much. But now, Washington liberals’ big government plans threaten to put small businesses like mine out of business. Our conservative, Texas values are under attack, and we have politicians hell-bent on impeaching our President instead of laser focused on creating jobs and ending the illegal immigration crisis. Our way of life in Texas is on the line, and it’s clear Washington needs fixing. That’s why I’m stepping up to run for Congress. I’m no stranger to fighting for this community. As a board member for NeighborWorks and the former President of the Heart of Texas Builders Association, I’ve had the opportunity to help create affordable new housing in the Waco area. I’ve seen what it looks like to have businesses, and community members come together to help lift families up, instead of relying on government handouts that fall short. Raising my two children here, I feel a responsibility to secure a strong future. Our educational system has done a disservice by teaching our kids their only path is a four-year college degree, when in reality, there’s a skills gap breeding other paths to success. That’s why I’ve fought for more awareness and access to technical education. In 2016, I worked with the Greater Waco Advanced Manufacturing Academy to create a Construction Sciences Academy that gives our students in the Waco area an opportunity to learn the construction industry. Congressman Flores has been a tremendous leader in this fight. His recent retirement has left big shoes to fill but I’m ready to go to Washington to continue his fight for our community and our conservative values. I’ll work with President Trump to push back against socialists’ agenda and help American industries like manufacturing boom. And yes, as the owner of my family’s construction company, I will teach career politicians a thing or two about building a wall. President Trump’s election reminded us why we need more conservative fighters in Washington with real world experience. I’ll bring the perspective of an outsider and a small business owner to get things done. My dad always said when something has good bones, you build on that foundation. Freedom, economic opportunity, and the dream-big, work-hard mindset are what built this country. It’s the foundation that gave my family, and generations of Americans everything. There’s nothing more worth fighting for. I’m ready to defend our conservative values and way of life in Washington. I hope you’ll join me in building a brighter future for Texas. [13] |
” |
| —Scott Bland[15] | ||
Laurie Godfrey McReynolds
McReynolds’ campaign website stated the following:
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EDUCATION ABORTION REPEAL OBAMACARE TAXES GOVERNMENT SPENDING 2ND AMENDMENT IMMIGRATION |
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| —Laurie Godfrey McReynolds[16] | ||
George Hindman
Hindman’s campaign website stated the following:
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Immigration Budget and Fiscal Responsibility Defense and National Security Traditional Family Values and Sanctity of Life Constitutional Rights Agriculture, Energy and the Environment |
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| —George Hindman[17] | ||
Todd Kent
Kent’s campaign website stated the following:
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Excess Federal Regulations Americans are paying a significant portion of their income to cover the costs of government regulations. According to the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s annual report on regulation, every US household pays over $14,000 annually to cover government regulations. The report calls this a “hidden tax” that amounts to “20 percent of the average pre-tax household budget.” I will fight costly regulations that needlessly drain a family’s finances. Protect Small Farms I believe more needs to be done to support the small farms across this district and in Texas. The most recent farm bill has been called a reverse “Robin Hood” program by the conservative Heritage Foundation. Large corporations receive the great share of subsidies, while the small farmer receives little help. According to the Congressional Research Service, “almost all of the farm program support (94 percent) goes to just six commodities (corn, wheat, soybeans, cotton, rice, and peanuts),” which only account for 28% of all agricultural production. As your Congressman, I will fight for farmers in our district. Rural Healthcare Rural healthcare is important to Central Texas. Over 100 rural hospitals have closed since 2010 and hundreds more are in danger of closing across the country. Dr. Nancy Dickey, president of the Rural and Community Health Institute at Texas A&M, summarizes the problem. “The distance that ambulances have to travel to patients after a hospital closes, as well as the limited number of ambulances in rural counties, means that residents there may have to wait for care after a car accident, heart attack or other health emergency.” Congress needs to create the necessary legislation that will allow failing hospitals to transform themselves into more sustainable operations that can continue to serve their communities. I will work to make this a priority in the next Congress. Regain a Republican majority Regain a Republican majority in the House of Representatives by electing proven leaders who can expand the party and affect policy change In the last election cycle, Republicans lost 41 seats and the majority in the House of Representatives. Democrats now control the policy agenda. The problem is worse than you might think. According to Pew Research, on generic Congressional ballot polls, Democrats lead Republicans in every demographic except for voters 65+. According to Gallup polls, 70% of voters disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job. As Republicans, we must regain our relevance by demonstrating leadership with innovative ideas and creative solutions. We have to move forward in a way that can win over younger voters with the ideas of individual liberty and limited government without alienating them. We must win back the trust of Americans by addressing the fundamental issues affecting our country. As Republicans, we are losing our political future by not adequately addressing contentious issues such as the environment, immigration, and health care. I am a leader that has successfully built organizations both in the US and internationally. I can broaden our Republican base and build coalitions that can change the course of our party’s future. I have worked in higher education and politics, the very institutions that we badly need to reach if we are going to regain a majority. I can successfully engage voters, build the party, and articulate a message that educates and unifies. Healthcare Stop the rising cost of health care. Obamacare promised lower costs and affordable health insurance premiums. The truth is that costs continue to rise and are not slowing down. As Republicans, we cannot hide from the growing problem or we will be stuck with the massive-government approaches offered by the Democrats. There are no easy answers, but we must take the lead in crafting innovative policy solutions. The average annual premium for family health insurance is almost $20,000 and, together with high deductibles, copays, and other expenses, families are feeling a serious financial burden. We need legislation that reduces government intervention and regulation. The more government tries to intervene, the less competition in the health marketplace. For that reason, the solution to the problem is not Democratic Presidential candidates Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders’ $20 trillion “Medicare for all” plan. This government program would eliminate your freedom to choose your own healthcare and lead to a reduction in quality. Federal Debt Stop unsustainable spending. As of December 2019, the Total Outstanding Public Debt is over 23 trillion dollars. Just like when a family gets into debt, when a nation’s debt gets too large, it is not sustainable. We all should be troubled that our growing national debt will create problems for future generations. Sadly, both Republicans and Democrats are guilty of overspending. We need leaders in Congress with the courage to stop our decline into financial insecurity. The growing debt increases the amount of interest that must be paid out to creditors, reduces the ability of the government to deal with financial crises, and threatens the long-term viability of programs that support our seniors such as Social Security and Medicare. Immigration We have to control our borders. It is a critical national security problem when we do not know who is entering our country. We need to use all measures—human, technological and a wall-- to secure our borders to prevent unlawful entrance into the US. I oppose sanctuary cities and their efforts to resist the work of federal immigration officials. We must modernize and simplify the process for those who apply for legal immigration. I believe the most important criteria for legal immigration is the aspiration to become an American. We must limit legal immigration to applicants who desire to assimilate into this country and contribute to what makes America great. Future of Jobs Safeguarding the future of work. In America today, more people are working and the unemployment rate has reached historic lows. This is great news for families. Even with this great news, Republicans must continue to strengthen the economic prospects for our nations’ families by addressing critical issues affecting workers in our communities. Although the size of paychecks has continued to rise over the past four decades, the purchasing power of workers’ earnings has not kept up. Workers are making more, but they are not able to buy more. One reason is the rising cost of employer-provided healthcare which keeps employers from raising employee wages. Also, the world of work is changing and will create disruptions in our communities on a grand scale. Recent innovations in artificial intelligence and automation (robotics) are going to change employment, not only across the country, but in Texas. According to Oxford Economics’ June 2019 report, Texas is one of the five most vulnerable states for job loss from automation. Republicans must act now to avoid an employment crisis that harms Central Texans. 2nd Amendment I am a supporter of the 2nd Amendment and the individual’s right to own a weapon. A reduction in the number of guns will not curb gun violence. I would vigorously oppose government gun confiscation legislation. Reducing gun violence can only happen by expanding mental health programs and strengthening family structures. 100% Pro-Life If we believe that God is the Creator of life, we absolutely cannot compromise on this issue. We need to encourage alternatives like adoption, and we need to find ways to support women in crisis pregnancies. My wife and I have supported pro-life causes for years. She has worked as a counselor at a Crisis Pregnancy Center and served on their board. Christian Leader My faith is foundational to my beliefs about life and government. I have served as a leader in my local church, worked on the staff of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and co-founded a nationwide Christian leadership camp called Worldview Academy. [13] |
” |
| —Todd Kent[18] | ||
Kristen Alamo Rowin
Rowin’s campaign website stated the following:
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2nd Amendment "The Constitution preserves the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation where the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." -James Madison Application: "Shall not be infringed" leaves no room for exception. Requiring licenses of people who legally purchase a firearm is unconstitutional. I fully support "Stand Your Ground" and Castle doctrine. We should be encouraging gun ownership for a safer America. National Security A country without borders is no country at all. If we cannot vet people entering our country how can we preserve our safety? This topic has been so politicized when the truth of the matter is that all Americans should advocate for strong and safe borders. The problems are not just at our southern border. We must vet all people entering our country. We must ensure that Americans are protected on all fronts - at the border, within our country, and online. We must also ensure our relationships with other countries are of mutual benefit. Application: We must have secure borders and a wall system will aid in securing them. Being smart in our foreign relations to ensure deals are fair and balanced. We should not be offering foreign aid to countries that don't support our ideals and that are not standing with us. Cannabis/Medical Freedom/ Healthcare More accessible healthcare will be achievable in a free market, not a mandated one. Free market and competition drives prices down. Big pharma transparency will allow a better educated consumer to make the right decision for their family. Requiring prices to be posted so consumers can shop, encouraging affordable options like direct primary care for those with or without insurance, and educating consumers about all options such a Health Savings Accounts will garner positive change in our system by putting the consumer before big pharma profits. I support the use of medicinal cannabis. It is a natural, God given plant that has been shown to help people with varying ailments. Furthermore, I believe in medical freedom for all Americans. The government has no business mandating your healthcare. Application: I am in support of the use of cannabis for medical purposes only. There are some changes that must occur to protect the people from big pharma. Requiring easy to read, upfront pricing, driving prescription cost down by using the capitalist, free market system of competition, and establishing and expanding new models of care such as direct primary care. You may be reading this and not even know what direct primary care is and that is part of the problem. Informing the consumer is essential for assisting them in making informed decisions.
Economy Bringing jobs to America and Texas should be one of our main focuses that unite us all. Regulations imposed by those who don't understand the market they legislate and high taxes kill both small and big business. Texas has continually done a phenomenal job at attracting industry and business with their pro business tax structure. I will continue to encourage expansion and economic prosperity in Texas. Socialism has never been proven to work and encourages less innovation, productivity, and growth. I will stand strong against the promotion and advancement of these ideals. Application: Capitalism and free market creates opportunity and competition for businesses to drive down prices for consumers. Decreased taxes allows for growth and expansion for businesses resulting in hiring more employees, raising wages, and economic growth. Parental Rights/School Choice Parents know what is best for their child and should not have to worry about government overreach or interference. I support School Choice and believe that parents have all say in their child's schooling, well being, and health. I will stand with parents against any and all government overreach, intrusion, and mandates. Pro Life and Pro Traditional Marriage Life begins at conception as a baby continues to grow in its mother's womb. Abortion has been labeled as a "woman's right to choose" when in reality we are discussing matters of life and death. I will always stand for the protection of innocent life. A country that does not value or respect life is truly a lost one. Encouraging alternatives to abortion and making adoption affordable and accessible are ways to further promote saving lives. I love all of my fellow Americans, including those who identify as LGBT. I do not agree with their choice to try and redefine marriage. I believe there is one definition of marriage and that it is a union between one man and one woman. I will stand firm in protection of the value and sanctity of marriage.
Climate Change Climate change has continued to be an idea promoted by those who profit from spreading these ideals. There is no logic behind the mass hysteria and promotion of climate change as a grave concern. In fact, their own historical data proves that earth has cycles of heating and cooling. Per https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/, "most of these climate changes are attributed to very small variations in Earth’s orbit that change the amount of solar energy our planet receives." On this same site, scientists are said to "agree that climate-warming trends over the past century are extremely likely due to human activities." They cannot say definitively that human activity has caused warming but rather that it is "likely" and yet they want to legislate this idea that cannot be established as fact. I will not support the advancement or promotion of this flawed ideology. [13] |
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| —Kristen Alamo Rowin[19] | ||
David Saucedo
Saucedo’s campaign website stated the following:
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Education The Economy & Wealth Retention Healthcare |
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| —David Saucedo[20] | ||
Pete Sessions
Sessions' campaign website stated the following:
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A Waco native and faithful Christian, Pete Sessions is a pro-life conservative who once represented much of our congressional district. In Congress, Pete Sessions defended our gun rights, protected our religious liberty, and stood with President Trump to build the border wall. Pete was also part of the House Republican team in the late 1990s that balanced the budget four years in a row. Proven Conservative Principles Last year, House Democrats passed a bill that would deny rights of parents to stop their minor children obtaining sex-change operations or hormone treatments. Curricula in many school districts are teaching children that transgender lifestyles are “normal.” Pete will stop laws that take away parental rights. Pro-Life While in Congress, Pete had a 100% lifetime voting record with National Right to Life. Pro-Farmer and Rancher Texas Farm Bureau gave Pete a 100% lifetime voting record. Pro-Second Amendment Pete is a lifetime member of the Texas Rifle Association and maintained a solid “A” rating from the NRA for his votes in Congress. Proven Conservative Leadership While in Congress, Pete had the following lifetime voting records: ✔ National Federation of Independent Business: 100% ✔ Texas Farm Bureau: 100% ✔ National Right to Life: 100% ✔ NumbersUSA: “A” Rating ✔ National Rifle Association: “A” Rating ✔ American Conservative Union: 94% ✔ Spirit of Enterprise, Chamber of Commerce Award: 91% From 2017 through 2018, Pete supported President Trump 98% of the time. Pete wants to go back to Congress to complete some unfinished business.
Pete Sessions is asking for your vote to complete the “unfinished” business. [13] |
” |
| —Pete Sessions[3] | ||
Trent Sutton
Sutton’s campaign website stated the following:
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Forward The voters of TX-17 will have the opportunity to elect a new Republican nominee on March 3rd, 2020. My campaign for U.S. Congress is about more than me running for office – it’s an opportunity for the citizens of TX-17 to continue to have a strong voice in the United States House of Representatives. As a United States Marine, I have spent over two decades living, struggling, and fighting for this country. When Congressman Flores made his announcement, I was planning to return to public service with the mission of strengthening the nexus of domestic and international policy. With the overwhelming support of my family, friends, peers, and mentors at The Bush School of Government and Public Service, I made the decision to ask TX-17 for the opportunity to serve as its representative in our nation’s capital. I believe citizen legislators must take the reins to focus on the issues within the community. I want the entire district to prosper, regardless of political ideology, race, creed, or religion. Our campaign stands for something new and different. A breath of fresh air for “The Beltway.”. We have an opportunity to electrify our jobs market, bolster diverse educational options, and ensure everyone has access to the health care they need without government intervention. Congress must give citizens a fair break on taxation so that we can do better for ourselves and our families. To many of us, a few hundred dollars a month can make all the difference. We are a hard-working district with all the grit and know-how to get things done. With our shared values and decency we can persevere and continue moving this district forward. I have proven that I am willing and able to serve the people of this district. It has been my distinct honor to do so for over 21 years as a United States Marine. My son currently serves as a commissioned officer in the United States Navy. So, when it comes to service, the Sutton family puts our money where our mouth is. The only way my campaign works is through grassroots support. I look forward to bringing my ideas to the table, alongside other high caliber candidates in the district, and hearing the issues affecting you as the voter. My name is Trent Sutton, and I’m proud to be running to represent the fine citizens of Texas’ 17th Congressional District. Economy The United States was built on the principles of hard work and free enterprise. The federal government should facilitate economic growth rather than stifle it with burdensome regulation and interference. Doing so would provide for broader employment opportunities across multiple sectors, reducing the need for expensive social programs. To protect our nation’s economy, I will promise to reign in our national debt, flatten taxes, cut spending, and balance our federal budget. 2. Socialism Throughout history, Socialism has never worked and I will stand firm against the implementation of any programs which seek to bridge inequality gaps via government oversight and wealth redistribution. 3. Poverty & Welfare Welfare programs are a necessity to maintain people from falling into despair. However, they should be helping hand up and not a hand out. Stringently adhered to stipulations to receive benefits should be put in place to limit people’s reliance on said programs and to ensure they are actively striving to pick themselves up by their bootstraps. A long-term solution is bolstering the availability and quality of educational opportunities. Rather than focusing on social welfare on adults, additional resources should be placed into providing the resources for children to be successful in primary, secondary, and vocational education. This will benefit the United States as those youth mature because they will possess the skills necessary to succeed in adulthood. Federal funding should be provided to assist state and local initiatives rather than to dictate them. National Debt Healthcare We should provide states the resources to seek free market solutions in Medicaid coverage through a private bidding process. Similar forces should be applied to Medicare and competitive bidding could save taxpayers an enormous amount of money. Due to Medicare’s share of the healthcare market, we would see delivery systems transformed throughout the sector and provide significant cost savings nationwide. Our focus should be constraining the growth of cost. National Security America’s priority for maintaining international security should be preventing resurgent and revisionist powers such as China and Russia from disrupting the current global dynamic. To do so, the United States must take defensive actions to bolster its partnerships with allies in Europe and East / Central Asia which serve as regional counters to near-peer adversaries. It is also important to be mindful of the threats to our digital infrastructure and intellectual property theft. 2. Domestic Challenges For far too long political partisanship and the socio-economic divides within the nation have continued to become increasingly stark. This division has created a dangerous situation where we, as Americans, are losing our national identity. The loss of a national identity makes governance increasingly difficult and has spillover effects to our foreign policy, which in turn lessens our international standing and security posture. Standing together, as Americans, means standing stronger on the world stage. Immigration We must stop illegal immigration. The dilemma of those who entered illegally, but otherwise have been law-abiding citizens, is a more difficult situation. In many cases, their removal would cause more harm than good by disrupting the labor force and separating family ties. However, I absolutely do not condone continued violation of the law at our Southern Border and from the overstay of visas. Concerning “dreamers,” the sins of the parents are not the sins of the child. We must find a balance between granting clemency and ensuring those who, and by extension, their dependents, are not rewarded for their transgressions. The meritocracy based pathway to legal working status would be worth considering but only packaged in a comprehensive plan that solves the greater problem. A more robust guest worker program is also needed. One that provides necessary labor but also accounts for all entrants. 2. Border Security President Donald Trump has promised the American people that he would build a wall to secure our border. I will stand with President Trump, and vote to fund the building of that wall. I view border security and national defense as the same. To secure our country, we must provide the entities charged with its protection the tools necessary to do so. Providing that is one of the principal functions of the Government. We also need better technology and infrastructure at our nation’s border. It is time for Congress to deliver results for the American people. 2nd Amendment Pro-Life |
” |
| —Trent Sutton[21] | ||
Renee Swann
Swann’s campaign website stated the following:
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As a small business owner, a proud conservative, and a Texas job creator, what I see happening in this great country is deeply troubling. It is the rise of socialism: a misguided belief that government should take control of our lives, jobs, and our futures. It is shocking to see that anyone who enjoys the freedoms and liberties preserved in our Constitution would bend a knee and surrender themselves to an all-powerful federal government. We have a generational responsibility to fight to make sure that never happens. I am ready for the fight. And I have the experience and commitment to make sure we win it. I grew up around people who were roughnecks, farmers, and served in the military. They were folks who had little, worked hard and often gave more than they ever took. What I learned from my grandfather, my parents, and what Russell and I passed down to the four men we raised, are the virtues of individual responsibility, having a commitment to your family, your community, and the greatest country in the history of mankind. We were also taught that integrity and honoring your word were never to be compromised. Thirty-eight years ago, my husband Russell and I had a vision of building what became Brazos Eye Surgery of Texas, because we wanted to be somewhere that had a sense of community, of neighbor helping neighbor, and families growing up together. That’s what it was like for me as a child in Odessa. West Texas folks have a lot of grit and can be strong willed and strongly opinionated, but even when there were political disagreements, we never lost our sense of community and caring for each other. I’m offering myself as a servant to the people of the 17th Congressional District because I believe we need more people who are committed to being citizen legislators – serving for a period of time, focusing ONLY on the needs of those they represent, representing their values and then coming home to pass the leadership on to someone else. We and our Central Texas and Brazos Valley neighbors deserve to be represented by folks who truly understand our interests, our hopes, and our challenges. People who work hard, have been brave enough to build businesses, cared for others in our communities, raised their families alongside ours, and who understand that the voices of the people of Central Texas and the Brazos Valley are the ones that really matter. |
” |
| —Renee Swann[22] | ||
Elianor Vessali
Vessali’s campaign website stated the following:
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Refocus Congress Congress is out of control. The Radical Left is using the power of Congress to overturn the 2016 election because they hate President Trump. And while they waste time and money forcing impeachment, they refuse to secure our border and get the government out of the way to allow the Texas economy to thrive. Secure The Border Congress’ utter failure to fix the crisis at the southern border is a mark against the entire institution. In Congress, Elianor will fight with President Trump to build the wall on the southern border, increase border security, reform legal immigration towards merit, and deport criminal aliens that harm innocent Americans every day. Keep Taxes Low As a small businesswoman, Elianor knows that we have to get the government out of our way to ensure that the Texas economy continues to thrive. As a member of the College Station City Council, she fought to protect private property rights and was the only member of council to vote against tax and budget increases. Reform Broken Healthcare Obamacare was always designed to put us on the path to socialized medicine, but the radical proposals from the left would destroy the quality of American healthcare and would only hurt low and middle income families. Elianor will fight to restore healthcare freedom for all Americans to allow the healthcare industry to work like a competitive market. Defend The Constitution It’s hard to find a part of the Constitution the left likes. They want to abolish everything from free speech to the electoral college. Elianor believes in the Constitution and knows that those willing to defend it are the greatest threat to the entrenched Swamp. Stand For The Second Amendment Elianor knows the Second Amendment is the one that protects the rest. In Congress she’ll stand up to liberal gun control schemes that would do nothing to make Americans safer. She believes “shall not be infringed” means what it says. Protect Unborn Life Democrats used to claim they wanted abortion to be “safe, legal and rare.” Now they want it to be government-funded and allowed until or even after birth. It’s a sickening new low. We must defund Planned Parenthood once and for all and stand up for the most defenseless among us. Support Texas Families By geography and spirit, CD-17 represents the heart of Texas. It’s home to two of the nation’s leading institutions of higher education as well as the plentiful energy resources that have made America energy independent. But most importantly, it’s bound by hard-working families united by the very common-sense conservative values that the left seeks to destroy. In Congress, Elianor will vigorously defend Texas families from the Radical Left. Let Farmers and Ranchers Thrive CD-17 is home to thousands of Texans who do the hard work to feed this great nation. We have to make sure the federal government stays out of their way as they do their important work. In Congress Elianor will fight to keep big government regulations off of our farmers and ranchers’ backs while also ensuring we have fair trade that doesn’t give other countries an unfair advantage. [13] |
” |
| —Elianor Vessali[6] | ||
Campaign advertisements
This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.
Scott Bland
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George Hindman
Supporting Hindman
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Opposing Swann
Pete Sessions
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Trent Sutton
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Elianor Vessali
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Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
If you are aware of polls conducted in this race, please email us.
Campaign finance
The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmad Adnan | Republican Party | $10,679 | $6,824 | $3,855 | As of March 31, 2020 |
| Scott Bland | Republican Party | $181,706 | $181,706 | $0 | As of April 11, 2020 |
| Laurie Godfrey McReynolds | Republican Party | $18,145 | $18,145 | $0 | As of April 15, 2020 |
| George Hindman | Republican Party | $877,767 | $877,767 | $0 | As of December 31, 2020 |
| Todd Kent | Republican Party | $40,360 | $39,334 | $-3,507 | As of December 31, 2020 |
| Jeffrey Oppenheim | Republican Party | $125,711 | $125,711 | $0 | As of December 31, 2019 |
| Kristen Alamo Rowin | Republican Party | $665 | $8,482 | $-7,817 | As of February 12, 2020 |
| David Saucedo | Republican Party | $8,030 | $6,571 | $-190 | As of February 12, 2020 |
| Pete Sessions | Republican Party | $1,485,909 | $1,696,588 | $165,990 | As of December 31, 2020 |
| Trent Sutton | Republican Party | $110,964 | $110,710 | $254 | As of December 31, 2020 |
| Renee Swann | Republican Party | $1,082,996 | $1,082,996 | $0 | As of September 11, 2020 |
| Elianor Vessali | Republican Party | $296,588 | $296,588 | $0 | As of March 31, 2020 |
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Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2020. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
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Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[23][24][25]
This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.
Debates and forums
February 20, 2020
Ten candidates attended a forum at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame in Waco, Texas. They discussed healthcare, national debt, immigration, social security, religion and government, term limits, and abortion. The only candidate not in attendance was Ahmad Adnan. For a full video of the forum, click here.[12]
February 5, 2020
Ten of the 11 candidates attended a debate at Midway High School in Waco, Texas. The only candidate not in attendance was George Hindman.[26]
January 25, 2020
KBTX and KWTX hosted a candidate forum at Texas A&M University attended by all eleven candidates.[27]
January 15, 2020
Grassroots 2020 hosted a candidate forum attended by nine candidates. Adnan and Sessions did not attend. The candidates discussed immigration, healthcare, college campuses and free speech, and abortion.[28]
Primaries in Texas
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Texas utilizes an open primary system. Voters do not have to register with a party in advance in order to participate in that party's primary. The voter must sign a pledge stating the following (the language below is taken directly from state statutes)[29]
| “ | The following pledge shall be placed on the primary election ballot above the listing of candidates' names: 'I am a (insert appropriate political party) and understand that I am ineligible to vote or participate in another political party's primary election or convention during this voting year.'[13] | ” |
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Runoff elections in Texas
In Texas, a primary election candidate for congressional, state, or county office must receive a majority of the vote (more than 50%) to be declared the winner. If no candidate wins the requisite majority, a runoff election is held between the top two vote-getters.[30]
As of 2020, the Texas Secretary of State office stated, "There is no requirement to have previously voted in the general primary election in order to participate in the subsequent primary runoff election. Therefore, if a qualified voter did not vote in the general primary election, they are still eligible to vote in the primary runoff election." The office also stated that "if a voter votes in the primary of one party, they will only be able to vote in that party’s primary runoff election. ... After being affiliated with a party, a voter is not able to change or cancel their party affiliation until the end of the calendar year."[31]
What was at stake in the general election?
U.S. House elections were held on November 3, 2020, and coincided with the 2020 presidential election. All 435 House districts were up for election, and the results determined control of the U.S. House in the 117th Congress.
At the time of the election, Democrats had a 232-197 advantage over Republicans. There was one Libertarian member, and there were five vacancies. Republicans needed to gain a net 21 seats to win control of the House. Democrats needed to gain seats or lose fewer than 14 net seats to keep their majority.
In the 2018 midterm election, Democrats had a net gain of 40 seats, winning a 235-200 majority in the House. Heading into the 2018 election, Republicans had a 235-193 majority with seven vacancies.
In the 25 previous House elections that coincided with a presidential election, the president's party had gained House seats in 16 elections and lost seats in nine. In years where the president's party won districts, the average gain was 18. In years where the president's party lost districts, the average loss was 27. Click here for more information on presidential partisanship and down-ballot outcomes.
General election race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:
- Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
- Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
- Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[32]
- Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.
Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[33][34][35]
| Race ratings: Texas' 17th Congressional District election, 2020 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| November 3, 2020 | October 27, 2020 | October 20, 2020 | October 13, 2020 | ||||||
| The Cook Political Report | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | |||||
| Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | Solid Republican | |||||
| Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe Republican | Safe Republican | Safe Republican | Safe Republican | |||||
| Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season. | |||||||||
District analysis
- See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
- See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores
The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+12, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 12 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Texas' 17th Congressional District the 113th most Republican nationally.[36]
FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 0.97. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 0.97 points toward that party.[37]
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
One of 254 Texas counties—0.4 percent—is a Pivot County. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Jefferson County, Texas | 0.48% | 1.61% | 2.25% | ||||
In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Texas with 52.2 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 43.2 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Texas cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 66.7 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Texas supported Democratic candidates slightly more often than Republicans, 53.3 to 46.7 percent. The state, however, favored Republicans in every presidential election between 2000 and 2016.
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Texas. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[38][39]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 54 out of 150 state House districts in Texas with an average margin of victory of 37.4 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 65 out of 150 state House districts in Texas with an average margin of victory of 36.4 points. Clinton won 10 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 96 out of 150 state House districts in Texas with an average margin of victory of 36.2 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 85 out of 150 state House districts in Texas with an average margin of victory of 34.5 points. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 26.82% | 72.17% | R+45.3 | 22.76% | 75.13% | R+52.4 | R |
| 2 | 20.93% | 77.91% | R+57 | 17.59% | 79.78% | R+62.2 | R |
| 3 | 22.26% | 76.65% | R+54.4 | 21.37% | 75.80% | R+54.4 | R |
| 4 | 25.04% | 73.93% | R+48.9 | 22.70% | 74.70% | R+52 | R |
| 5 | 23.75% | 75.33% | R+51.6 | 20.20% | 77.72% | R+57.5 | R |
| 6 | 28.44% | 70.49% | R+42 | 28.89% | 67.98% | R+39.1 | R |
| 7 | 27.14% | 71.97% | R+44.8 | 24.48% | 73.09% | R+48.6 | R |
| 8 | 24.96% | 74.07% | R+49.1 | 21.12% | 76.63% | R+55.5 | R |
| 9 | 27.47% | 71.73% | R+44.3 | 22.23% | 76.13% | R+53.9 | R |
| 10 | 25.56% | 73.21% | R+47.7 | 25.20% | 71.62% | R+46.4 | R |
| 11 | 26.75% | 72.23% | R+45.5 | 24.48% | 72.79% | R+48.3 | R |
| 12 | 36.06% | 62.67% | R+26.6 | 32.54% | 64.35% | R+31.8 | R |
| 13 | 22.71% | 76.25% | R+53.5 | 20.47% | 77.18% | R+56.7 | R |
| 14 | 34.77% | 62.91% | R+28.1 | 38.79% | 54.03% | R+15.2 | R |
| 15 | 21.79% | 76.77% | R+55 | 28.86% | 66.69% | R+37.8 | R |
| 16 | 18.22% | 80.76% | R+62.5 | 18.80% | 78.35% | R+59.5 | R |
| 17 | 37.30% | 60.79% | R+23.5 | 33.92% | 62.02% | R+28.1 | R |
| 18 | 27.18% | 71.69% | R+44.5 | 23.96% | 73.47% | R+49.5 | R |
| 19 | 22.22% | 76.79% | R+54.6 | 17.21% | 81.00% | R+63.8 | R |
| 20 | 26.22% | 72.13% | R+45.9 | 25.81% | 70.27% | R+44.5 | R |
| 21 | 23.92% | 74.97% | R+51.1 | 21.50% | 76.09% | R+54.6 | R |
| 22 | 66.82% | 32.57% | D+34.3 | 65.95% | 31.80% | D+34.1 | D |
| 23 | 44.24% | 54.56% | R+10.3 | 40.89% | 55.86% | R+15 | R |
| 24 | 25.11% | 73.48% | R+48.4 | 27.42% | 68.20% | R+40.8 | R |
| 25 | 28.74% | 69.92% | R+41.2 | 27.55% | 69.14% | R+41.6 | R |
| 26 | 35.86% | 62.95% | R+27.1 | 45.81% | 50.71% | R+4.9 | R |
| 27 | 68.80% | 30.44% | D+38.4 | 70.03% | 27.23% | D+42.8 | D |
| 28 | 34.81% | 64.22% | R+29.4 | 43.01% | 53.21% | R+10.2 | R |
| 29 | 35.44% | 63.32% | R+27.9 | 41.21% | 54.83% | R+13.6 | R |
| 30 | 30.24% | 68.64% | R+38.4 | 26.80% | 70.36% | R+43.6 | R |
| 31 | 61.89% | 37.31% | D+24.6 | 55.47% | 42.31% | D+13.2 | D |
| 32 | 41.43% | 56.92% | R+15.5 | 42.04% | 53.45% | R+11.4 | R |
| 33 | 26.49% | 72.25% | R+45.8 | 31.27% | 64.67% | R+33.4 | R |
| 34 | 54.64% | 44.24% | D+10.4 | 53.40% | 43.18% | D+10.2 | D |
| 35 | 66.43% | 32.71% | D+33.7 | 63.43% | 33.59% | D+29.8 | D |
| 36 | 74.73% | 24.41% | D+50.3 | 73.70% | 23.21% | D+50.5 | D |
| 37 | 69.28% | 29.75% | D+39.5 | 68.98% | 27.77% | D+41.2 | D |
| 38 | 66.13% | 32.95% | D+33.2 | 65.76% | 30.74% | D+35 | D |
| 39 | 74.02% | 25.10% | D+48.9 | 70.48% | 26.40% | D+44.1 | D |
| 40 | 75.32% | 23.68% | D+51.6 | 70.73% | 25.91% | D+44.8 | D |
| 41 | 56.64% | 42.35% | D+14.3 | 59.53% | 36.87% | D+22.7 | D |
| 42 | 75.54% | 23.57% | D+52 | 73.73% | 23.49% | D+50.2 | D |
| 43 | 46.96% | 52.09% | R+5.1 | 43.79% | 53.10% | R+9.3 | R |
| 44 | 30.83% | 67.97% | R+37.1 | 30.22% | 65.99% | R+35.8 | R |
| 45 | 41.83% | 55.19% | R+13.4 | 44.53% | 49.14% | R+4.6 | R |
| 46 | 76.62% | 20.14% | D+56.5 | 78.16% | 16.34% | D+61.8 | D |
| 47 | 39.32% | 58.05% | R+18.7 | 46.98% | 47.16% | R+0.2 | R |
| 48 | 56.86% | 39.56% | D+17.3 | 65.17% | 28.12% | D+37 | D |
| 49 | 70.19% | 24.89% | D+45.3 | 76.63% | 16.65% | D+60 | D |
| 50 | 57.79% | 38.81% | D+19 | 63.38% | 30.05% | D+33.3 | D |
| 51 | 78.49% | 17.43% | D+61.1 | 79.52% | 14.04% | D+65.5 | D |
| 52 | 42.57% | 54.91% | R+12.3 | 46.12% | 47.56% | R+1.4 | R |
| 53 | 22.29% | 76.50% | R+54.2 | 20.74% | 76.30% | R+55.6 | R |
| 54 | 45.85% | 53.04% | R+7.2 | 44.07% | 51.07% | R+7 | R |
| 55 | 33.08% | 65.48% | R+32.4 | 31.96% | 63.28% | R+31.3 | R |
| 56 | 29.70% | 69.02% | R+39.3 | 31.16% | 64.82% | R+33.7 | R |
| 57 | 25.97% | 73.09% | R+47.1 | 22.50% | 75.69% | R+53.2 | R |
| 58 | 21.12% | 77.52% | R+56.4 | 18.84% | 77.90% | R+59.1 | R |
| 59 | 21.36% | 77.31% | R+56 | 19.19% | 77.44% | R+58.2 | R |
| 60 | 15.70% | 83.09% | R+67.4 | 13.33% | 84.19% | R+70.9 | R |
| 61 | 16.19% | 82.54% | R+66.3 | 14.49% | 82.74% | R+68.3 | R |
| 62 | 24.72% | 73.77% | R+49.1 | 20.89% | 76.05% | R+55.2 | R |
| 63 | 26.39% | 72.13% | R+45.7 | 30.22% | 65.26% | R+35 | R |
| 64 | 37.33% | 60.30% | R+23 | 40.00% | 54.49% | R+14.5 | R |
| 65 | 40.84% | 57.52% | R+16.7 | 46.51% | 48.62% | R+2.1 | R |
| 66 | 37.46% | 61.15% | R+23.7 | 46.24% | 49.45% | R+3.2 | R |
| 67 | 37.26% | 61.08% | R+23.8 | 44.69% | 50.41% | R+5.7 | R |
| 68 | 17.78% | 81.15% | R+63.4 | 14.23% | 83.37% | R+69.1 | R |
| 69 | 23.27% | 75.20% | R+51.9 | 20.26% | 76.12% | R+55.9 | R |
| 70 | 29.25% | 69.37% | R+40.1 | 32.82% | 62.78% | R+30 | R |
| 71 | 22.84% | 75.76% | R+52.9 | 21.49% | 74.23% | R+52.7 | R |
| 72 | 23.33% | 75.26% | R+51.9 | 21.45% | 74.81% | R+53.4 | R |
| 73 | 20.22% | 78.37% | R+58.2 | 21.25% | 75.11% | R+53.9 | R |
| 74 | 56.99% | 41.57% | D+15.4 | 56.27% | 39.58% | D+16.7 | D |
| 75 | 72.33% | 26.62% | D+45.7 | 73.74% | 21.38% | D+52.4 | D |
| 76 | 76.91% | 21.86% | D+55.1 | 77.93% | 17.86% | D+60.1 | D |
| 77 | 64.07% | 34.29% | D+29.8 | 68.79% | 25.97% | D+42.8 | D |
| 78 | 54.41% | 44.15% | D+10.3 | 59.28% | 35.16% | D+24.1 | D |
| 79 | 64.73% | 34.12% | D+30.6 | 68.62% | 26.73% | D+41.9 | D |
| 80 | 68.25% | 30.91% | D+37.3 | 65.06% | 32.31% | D+32.7 | D |
| 81 | 24.20% | 74.66% | R+50.5 | 26.33% | 70.49% | R+44.2 | R |
| 82 | 19.38% | 79.31% | R+59.9 | 20.58% | 75.76% | R+55.2 | R |
| 83 | 21.27% | 77.50% | R+56.2 | 19.94% | 76.49% | R+56.5 | R |
| 84 | 34.95% | 63.28% | R+28.3 | 35.12% | 59.58% | R+24.5 | R |
| 85 | 37.99% | 61.03% | R+23 | 41.09% | 56.10% | R+15 | R |
| 86 | 16.18% | 82.55% | R+66.4 | 16.16% | 80.17% | R+64 | R |
| 87 | 22.12% | 76.56% | R+54.4 | 21.74% | 74.43% | R+52.7 | R |
| 88 | 19.06% | 79.89% | R+60.8 | 16.48% | 80.59% | R+64.1 | R |
| 89 | 31.79% | 66.67% | R+34.9 | 36.08% | 59.03% | R+23 | R |
| 90 | 73.70% | 25.21% | D+48.5 | 74.97% | 21.48% | D+53.5 | D |
| 91 | 30.45% | 67.90% | R+37.5 | 32.14% | 63.08% | R+30.9 | R |
| 92 | 37.22% | 61.08% | R+23.9 | 40.54% | 54.66% | R+14.1 | R |
| 93 | 38.26% | 60.21% | R+21.9 | 40.40% | 54.84% | R+14.4 | R |
| 94 | 38.10% | 60.29% | R+22.2 | 40.87% | 54.30% | R+13.4 | R |
| 95 | 76.11% | 22.99% | D+53.1 | 74.24% | 22.89% | D+51.4 | D |
| 96 | 40.22% | 58.60% | R+18.4 | 42.55% | 53.74% | R+11.2 | R |
| 97 | 38.92% | 59.59% | R+20.7 | 42.59% | 52.42% | R+9.8 | R |
| 98 | 23.57% | 75.01% | R+51.4 | 28.91% | 66.33% | R+37.4 | R |
| 99 | 30.70% | 67.69% | R+37 | 32.12% | 63.36% | R+31.2 | R |
| 100 | 77.89% | 21.07% | D+56.8 | 77.24% | 19.30% | D+57.9 | D |
| 101 | 64.01% | 34.87% | D+29.1 | 66.06% | 30.36% | D+35.7 | D |
| 102 | 45.32% | 53.02% | R+7.7 | 52.27% | 42.74% | D+9.5 | R |
| 103 | 69.87% | 28.77% | D+41.1 | 73.55% | 22.33% | D+51.2 | D |
| 104 | 72.70% | 26.36% | D+46.3 | 75.60% | 20.85% | D+54.7 | D |
| 105 | 46.48% | 52.14% | R+5.7 | 52.13% | 43.60% | D+8.5 | R |
| 106 | 30.86% | 67.69% | R+36.8 | 35.83% | 59.70% | R+23.9 | R |
| 107 | 46.89% | 51.83% | R+4.9 | 52.37% | 43.40% | D+9 | D |
| 108 | 39.31% | 58.99% | R+19.7 | 50.32% | 44.01% | D+6.3 | R |
| 109 | 81.75% | 17.68% | D+64.1 | 81.55% | 16.42% | D+65.1 | D |
| 110 | 88.74% | 10.77% | D+78 | 86.76% | 11.25% | D+75.5 | D |
| 111 | 77.24% | 22.06% | D+55.2 | 77.40% | 20.17% | D+57.2 | D |
| 112 | 43.50% | 55.03% | R+11.5 | 48.28% | 47.10% | D+1.2 | R |
| 113 | 46.31% | 52.53% | R+6.2 | 49.13% | 47.23% | D+1.9 | R |
| 114 | 43.48% | 55.23% | R+11.7 | 52.14% | 43.21% | D+8.9 | R |
| 115 | 43.23% | 55.27% | R+12 | 51.54% | 43.64% | D+7.9 | R |
| 116 | 60.53% | 37.80% | D+22.7 | 63.73% | 31.10% | D+32.6 | D |
| 117 | 51.99% | 46.85% | D+5.1 | 53.23% | 42.14% | D+11.1 | D |
| 118 | 55.33% | 43.41% | D+11.9 | 55.58% | 40.41% | D+15.2 | D |
| 119 | 60.26% | 38.58% | D+21.7 | 60.13% | 36.08% | D+24.1 | D |
| 120 | 64.75% | 34.11% | D+30.6 | 63.51% | 32.10% | D+31.4 | D |
| 121 | 37.61% | 60.88% | R+23.3 | 43.42% | 51.69% | R+8.3 | R |
| 122 | 30.87% | 67.87% | R+37 | 37.75% | 57.87% | R+20.1 | R |
| 123 | 61.36% | 36.80% | D+24.6 | 65.02% | 30.27% | D+34.7 | D |
| 124 | 60.94% | 37.65% | D+23.3 | 62.19% | 33.04% | D+29.1 | D |
| 125 | 59.11% | 39.59% | D+19.5 | 61.62% | 33.69% | D+27.9 | D |
| 126 | 36.72% | 62.08% | R+25.4 | 43.00% | 52.94% | R+9.9 | R |
| 127 | 29.60% | 69.21% | R+39.6 | 34.90% | 61.23% | R+26.3 | R |
| 128 | 26.59% | 72.37% | R+45.8 | 28.77% | 68.15% | R+39.4 | R |
| 129 | 33.88% | 64.47% | R+30.6 | 40.06% | 55.33% | R+15.3 | R |
| 130 | 22.81% | 75.91% | R+53.1 | 27.96% | 68.06% | R+40.1 | R |
| 131 | 83.65% | 15.69% | D+68 | 84.29% | 13.35% | D+70.9 | D |
| 132 | 39.77% | 58.92% | R+19.2 | 45.68% | 50.04% | R+4.4 | R |
| 133 | 30.41% | 68.14% | R+37.7 | 41.12% | 54.52% | R+13.4 | R |
| 134 | 41.74% | 56.39% | R+14.7 | 55.09% | 39.61% | D+15.5 | R |
| 135 | 39.86% | 58.83% | R+19 | 46.82% | 48.89% | R+2.1 | R |
| 136 | 41.43% | 55.34% | R+13.9 | 47.69% | 45.16% | D+2.5 | R |
| 137 | 63.91% | 34.49% | D+29.4 | 67.00% | 28.92% | D+38.1 | D |
| 138 | 39.30% | 59.18% | R+19.9 | 47.85% | 47.78% | D+0.1 | R |
| 139 | 75.62% | 23.61% | D+52 | 76.12% | 20.61% | D+55.5 | D |
| 140 | 70.10% | 28.98% | D+41.1 | 75.09% | 21.87% | D+53.2 | D |
| 141 | 87.41% | 12.07% | D+75.3 | 85.19% | 12.59% | D+72.6 | D |
| 142 | 77.41% | 21.97% | D+55.4 | 76.20% | 20.97% | D+55.2 | D |
| 143 | 67.18% | 31.86% | D+35.3 | 71.02% | 26.02% | D+45 | D |
| 144 | 50.77% | 47.88% | D+2.9 | 57.75% | 38.37% | D+19.4 | D |
| 145 | 60.26% | 38.28% | D+22 | 66.92% | 28.72% | D+38.2 | D |
| 146 | 78.82% | 20.05% | D+58.8 | 79.43% | 17.32% | D+62.1 | D |
| 147 | 78.07% | 20.30% | D+57.8 | 78.99% | 16.78% | D+62.2 | D |
| 148 | 56.59% | 41.08% | D+15.5 | 63.82% | 30.50% | D+33.3 | D |
| 149 | 58.76% | 40.12% | D+18.6 | 64.25% | 32.50% | D+31.8 | D |
| 150 | 30.28% | 68.55% | R+38.3 | 36.63% | 59.18% | R+22.6 | R |
| Total | 41.40% | 57.19% | R+15.8 | 43.48% | 52.53% | R+9.1 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
District election history
2018
General election
General election for U.S. House Texas District 17
Incumbent Bill Flores defeated Rick Kennedy and Peter Churchman in the general election for U.S. House Texas District 17 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Bill Flores (R) | 56.8 | 134,841 |
 | Rick Kennedy (D) | 41.3 | 98,070 | |
 | Peter Churchman (L) | 1.9 | 4,440 | |
| Total votes: 237,351 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 17
Rick Kennedy defeated Dale Mantey in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Texas District 17 on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Rick Kennedy | 63.3 | 14,343 |
 | Dale Mantey | 36.7 | 8,300 | |
| Total votes: 22,643 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 17
Incumbent Bill Flores advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Texas District 17 on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Bill Flores | 100.0 | 44,388 |
| Total votes: 44,388 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Bill Flores (R) defeated William Matta (D) and Clark Patterson (L) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Flores defeated Ralph Patterson and Kaleb Sims in the Republican primary on March 1, 2016.[40][41]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Bill Flores Incumbent |
60.8% | 149,417 | |
| Democratic | William Matta | 35.2% | 86,603 | |
| Libertarian | Clark Patterson | 4% | 9,708 | |
| Total Votes | 245,728 | |||
| Source: Texas Secretary of State | ||||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bill Flores Incumbent |
72.4% | 60,502 | ||
| Ralph Patterson | 18.4% | 15,411 | ||
| Kaleb Sims | 9.1% | 7,634 | ||
| Total Votes | 83,547 | |||
| Source: Texas Secretary of State |
||||
2014
The 17th Congressional District of Texas held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Bill Flores (R) defeated Nick Haynes (D) and Shawn Michael Hamilton (L) in the general election.
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Bill Flores Incumbent |
64.6% | 85,807 | |
| Democratic | Nick Haynes | 32.4% | 43,049 | |
| Libertarian | Shawn Michael Hamilton | 3% | 4,009 | |
| Total Votes | 132,865 | |||
| Source: Texas Secretary of State | ||||
State profile
- See also: Texas and Texas elections, 2019
Partisan data
The information in this section was current as of January 22, 2020
Presidential voting pattern
- Texas voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Congressional delegation
- Following the 2018 elections, both U.S. senators from Texas were Republicans.
- Twenty-three of Texas' 36 U.S. representatives were Republicans and 13 were Democrats.
State executives
- Republicans held six of Texas' nine state executive offices. The other three offices were nonpartisan.
- Texas' governor was Republican Greg Abbott.
State legislature
- Republicans controlled the Texas State Senate with a 19-12 majority.
- Republicans controlled the Texas House of Representatives with a 83-67 majority.
Texas Party Control: 1992-2025
Three years of Democratic trifectas • Twenty-three years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
|
|
| Demographic data for Texas | ||
|---|---|---|
| Texas | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 27,429,639 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 261,232 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 74.9% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 11.9% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 4.2% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.5% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 38.4% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 81.9% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 27.6% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $53,207 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 19.9% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Texas. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
See also
- Texas' 17th Congressional District election, 2020 (March 3 Democratic primary)
- Texas' 17th Congressional District election, 2020
- United States House elections in Texas, 2020 (March 3 Democratic primaries)
- United States House elections in Texas, 2020 (March 3 Republican primaries)
- United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2020
- United States House Republican Party primaries, 2020
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2020
- U.S. House battlegrounds, 2020
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ KBTX, "The District 17 congressional candidate forum hosted by KBTX and KWTX," February 4, 2020
- ↑ George Hindman 2020 campaign website, "About," accessed February 5, 2020
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Pete Sessions 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed February 5, 2020
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 My High Plains, "U.S. Rep. Bill Flores makes endorsement in crowded Republican primary to succeed him," February 10, 2020
- ↑ KWTX, "Congressman Bill Flores endorses Renee Swann as successor to District 17 seat," February 8, 2020
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Elianor Vessali 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed February 5, 2020
- ↑ Candidate Connection surveys completed before September 26, 2019, were not used to generate candidate profiles. In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Austin American-Statesman, "Endorsement: Mann, Oliver, Kennedy join our Democratic picks for Congress," February 14, 2020
- ↑ Facebook, "Renee Swann for Congress on February 6, 2020," accessed May 13, 2020
- ↑ Pete Sessions 2020 campaign website, "Former Navy SEAL Team Six Leader Robert O'Neill Supports Pete Sessions for Congress," February 5, 2020
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Twitter, "Pete Sessions on February 13, 2020," accessed February 20, 2020
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Fox44, "U.S. District 17 Republican Candidates speak out at McLennan County Republicans Club Forum," February 20, 2020
- ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Ahmad Adnan 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed February 5, 2020
- ↑ Scott Bland 2020 campaign website, "Build the Wall and a Brighter Future. Why I’m running for Congress," accessed February 5, 2020
- ↑ Laurie Godfrey McReynolds 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed February 5, 2020
- ↑ George Hindman 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed February 5, 2020
- ↑ Todd Kent 2020 campaign website, "Key Issues," accessed February 5, 2020
- ↑ Kristen Alamo Rowin 2020 campaign website, "Policy," accessed February 5, 2020
- ↑ David Saucedo 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed February 5, 2020
- ↑ Trent Sutton 2020 campaign website, "Policy," accessed February 5, 2020
- ↑ Renee Swann 2020 campaign website, "Why I'm Running," accessed February 5, 2020
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
- ↑ KWTX, "District 17 Republican candidates participate in local debate," February 5, 2020
- ↑ KWTX, "District 17 candidates participate in forum hosted by KWTX and KBTX," January 25, 2020
- ↑ The Eagle, "GOP field for District 17 faces off," January 15, 2020
- ↑ Texas Statutes, "Section 172.086," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ Texas Legislature, "Chapter 172. Primary Elections," accessed July 10, 2020
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Election Advisory No. 2020-05," February 11, 2020
- ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
- ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2016 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County," accessed December 15, 2015
- ↑ The New York Times, "Texas Primary Results," March 1, 2016
