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Texas' 7th Congressional District election (May 22, 2018 Democratic primary runoff)
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
- Early voting: Oct. 22 - Nov. 2
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 7
- Online registration: No
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: Photo ID required
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
← 2016
|
November 6, 2018 |
May 22, 2018 |
March 6, 2018 |
Pending |
John Culberson ![]() |
Cook Political Report: Toss-up[1] Sabato's Crystal Ball: Toss-up[2] Inside Elections: Tilt Republican[3] |
A runoff election involving the only Democratic U.S. House candidate from Texas opposed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) occurred on May 22, 2018. Two weeks prior to the March 6 primary for this Houston-area U.S. House seat, the DCCC released opposition research targeting writer Laura Moser (D).[4] Moser placed second in the primary behind attorney Lizzie Pannill Fletcher (D), but since neither candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, the two ran in a runoff election for the party's nomination.
The opposition research said that Moser would be a vulnerable candidate in the general election, saying that "she is a Washington insider, who begrudgingly moved to Houston to run for Congress. In fact, she wrote in the Washingtonian magazine, 'I’d rather have my teeth pulled out without anesthesia’ than live in Texas.'"[5]
The two candidates emphasized differing strategies for the general election, with Fletcher focused on winning support from voters who have mostly backed Republican candidates in the past and Moser on increasing turnout.[6]
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher defeated Laura Moser in the May 22 runoff. With 63 percent of precincts reporting, Fletcher received 68 percent of the vote to Moser's 32 percent.[7]
Seven Democratic candidates filed to run for the seat, which Democrats viewed as a potential pickup opportunity in the general election. Although the seat has been held by Republican candidates since 1966, Hillary Clinton (D) carried the district over Donald Trump (R) in the 2016 presidential election. The DCCC targeted the race in May 2017 as part of its battleground expansion strategy against the GOP.[8] Click here for media reactions to the primary election on March 6, 2018.
Ballotpedia compiled the following resources to help voters better understand this election:
- Overviews of each of the top candidates, including policy positions and campaign themes;
- Major polls, endorsements, campaign ads, campaign finance information, and satellite spending updates;
- A timeline of major events that occur over the course of the election.
Candidates
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher
An attorney who had not previously sought elected office, Fletcher had worked in international and business law in the past.[9]
In her May 2017 announcement that she would seek the Democratic nomination, Fletcher argued that sitting Rep. John Culberson (R) was not representative of the city of Houston: "I have been talking to Houstonians from across the district, and they agree it is time to replace John Culberson in Congress with someone who represents the Houston we all know: a city that welcomes newcomers from around the world, that prides itself on scientific discovery, that serves as a hub for innovation, and that takes care of its neighbors."[10] Fletcher's campaign website emphasized her stances on recovery from Hurricane Harvey, infrastructure, and the economy.[11]
Fletcher received endorsements from EMILY's List, former Rep. Chris Bell (D-TX) and Roe v. Wade attorney Sarah Weddington (D).
Laura Moser
A former journalist whose work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Slate, Moser had not previously sought elected office.
In her May 2017 announcement that she would seek the Democratic nomination, Moser argued that "It’s time to send someone to Washington who knows how it works and wants to use that knowledge to serve the people of Houston — who actually cares about the people who live here."[12] Moser's campaign website described her as a "working mom turned progressive activist turned candidate for Congress in TX-07" and referenced Daily Action, a political movement opposed to actions taken by President Trump (R) that Moser had founded following the 2016 presidential election.[13] The website described her campaign as standing "for the values of decency and respect that are the values of the majority of Americans. For the people who think that healthcare is a right and not a privilege; that the economy of the richest country in the world can benefit everyone; that a good education should be available to every child; that every worker deserves a living wage; that caring for the environment is a matter of life and death."[14]
Moser received endorsements from Our Revolution, Democracy for America and Our Revolution Texas.
Campaign themes and policy stances
Campaign themes
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher
“ |
Civil Rights We must choose to reject hate, bigotry, and racism. We must work for equality, justice, and freedom for all Americans. We saw that, too, in 2017: clergy, students, and citizens standing up to racist mobs, rejecting their ideas, and denouncing hate. We must continue to do so. And we must elect leaders who do it with us; who speak out forcefully against the hateful vision of America we have seen on display in Charlottesville and elsewhere. There is no doubt that our history is complex; we are an imperfect people with an imperfect past. Examining our society, our history, our privileges, and our biases is not always an obvious or easy process. For some, the hate and bigotry on display in Charlottesville was a shock and a wake-up call. For others, it was a demonstration of something they have been saying for some time: racism, bigotry, and hatred remain powerful forces in American life. We are called now to protect our fundamental American ideals—equality, liberty, justice, freedom, civil rights, and democracy—and to ensure that these ideals define our society. In Congress, I will work to protect the civil rights of every American. Education All children—no matter where they live—deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential. We must invest in public education and work to ensure its success. Teachers need to be able to teach. We need programs designed to close the achievement gap. We need to end the school-to-prison pipeline. We need to make sure that all of our schools offer the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) curriculum that helps build the skills our students will need for the jobs of the future and also a curriculum that encourages them to think, to create, and to find their own voices. For the college-bound population, we must address the rising costs of tuition. For those who have graduated, we must find relief from crushing student debt. For-profit colleges must be held accountable for the false promises they made. Community colleges should be expanded, and access to technical and vocational programs should be encouraged. Failures in our education system will affect every aspect of our community, from the strength of our economy to the strength of our democracy itself. Educating all of our citizens should always be our priority. During the last legislative session, John Culberson got an “F” on the National Education Association’s legislative report card, reflecting his poor record of support for public education and educators. Equality I support a federal Equality Act that would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes to ensure that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity is prohibited. Gay and transgender people – and their families – should have the same rights and protections as others in the workplace, in housing, in healthcare decisions, and in our communities. This will not be an easy fight. State legislatures (including Texas) continue to debate legislation designed to deny equal rights to gay and transgender people even after the Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex marriage is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution. These discriminatory state laws—like the proposed bathroom bill in Texas—hurt all of us, and the best way to address them is to enact federal legislation that brings our laws in line with our values. As a member of Congress, I will fight to end discrimination and to retain the rights that so many, including the LGBT community, have fought so hard to achieve. Flooding & Houston's Future Our recovery will take years, and we need to start now and rebuild wisely. To succeed, we need to plan to strengthen existing systems while implementing new infrastructure projects and smart policies. This plan would include: Improving existing structures, including the Addicks and Barker reservoirs; Considering the construction of a third reservoir in Northwest Harris County; Facilitating the immediate completion of Project Brays; Identifying additional detention areas; Revising the floodplain maps; Devising and installing a system for coastal surge protection; Incentivizing public-private partnerships; and Ensuring future federal projects are completed on time and on budget. We have learned that the increased flooding we are experiencing was not just predictable—it was actually predicted. In 1996, engineers for the Harris County Flood Control District issued a dire warning that our reservoir system was insufficient. The Army Corps of Engineers authorized five flood control projects between 1986 and 1990. Today—more than 20 years later—only one of them has been completed. In 2009, the Army Corps gave Addicks and Barker reservoirs the worst possible safety ratings and expressly designated them at an “extremely high risk of catastrophic failure.” After Tropical Storm Allison’s rains flooded the city in 2001, we developed Project Brays to protect the Texas Medical Center and those living and working along Brays Bayou. Sixteen years later, that project is far from completion. John Culberson has failed to provide the leadership we need in Congress to protect us from flooding. In 2018, we must hold him accountable for those failings. We can, and we must, finish the projects that will keep our families safe. To do this, we need an advocate in Congress, not a bystander. We need a partner in Congress who will help us secure the resources, the information, and the assistance we need to do so—one who will work with the city, the county, and all agencies and partners to make sure we do it right. Gun Safety In Congress, I will fight for common-sense gun safety measures, including: Passing a ban on all military-style assault weapons; Raising the age to buy all firearms to 21; Requiring universal background checks on all gun sales; Equipping law enforcement with the tools they need to keep guns out of the hands of individuals who are dangers to themselves and others; Eliminating bump stocks, devices that convert semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic weapons; Tightening regulations on high-capacity magazines; Closing the “boyfriend loophole” and stopping domestic abusers from owning and buying guns; Cracking down on illegal gun trafficking; and Repealing the Dickey Amendment to allow comprehensive research on gun violence and prevention. Healthcare But even though we are a leader in health care research, and cutting edge advances, many people in our community and across the country do not have access to quality healthcare. We have an obligation to make sure they do. This takes many forms, from maintaining and improving the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to defending reproductive healthcare and woman’s right to choose. The ACA was a strong first step toward making health care accessible, but we have work ahead of us to improve it. Strengthening the ACA begins with stabilizing the market. Our community relies on the healthcare industry – not just for our own care, but also for our jobs. We have the largest medical center in the world, and instability in the healthcare market means instability in Houston’s economy. Millions of Texans are enrolled under ACA. Millions more in the state lack health insurance entirely. To cripple effective and affordable health care for our citizens, the Trump Administration has held the cost-sharing reduction subsidies hostage, leading to premium increases and making healthcare less affordable. Prescription drug costs are skyrocketing. Patients are going without care. And insurance companies are raking in record profits. John Culberson has been the Trump Administration’s eager accomplice in trying to take health care away from the people who need it most. Culberson voted to repeal or defund the Affordable Care Act more than 20 times knowing it would cause residents in the district with pre-existing conditions and many others to lose their healthcare coverage. It is time to devote real and serious attention to addressing the pressing health care needs of Houstonians and all Americans, not recklessly dismantling the system with no alternative plan in place, as the Republican Congress has sought to do at every turn. Immigration There is no doubt that we need to fix our immigration system. It will not be easy to do. But instead of meaningfully addressing it, Congress has played politics for decades, using scare tactics to win elections instead of doing what’s best for our country. We need comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship. It should be thoughtful, practical, and fair. It should include strengthening our border security and cracking down on employers who break the law. It should not include building a wall between us and our state’s top trading partner. It is past time to protect Dreamers and pass the DREAM Act. Congress needs to act immediately to stop the Trump administration from separating families and breaking the promises we made to Dreamers. Jobs & Economy We should embrace Houston’s role as the energy leader, while continuing to diversify our economy. This starts by leading the way in developing clean-energy technology. Many of the most talented and experienced energy professionals in the world work here. We need to take the best advantage of that fact. We cannot allow the next generation of energy jobs to be created elsewhere. We are home to scientific, medical, and technological innovation. Baylor, Rice, and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center are just a few examples of world-class research institutions here making a real impact on our world. We should be fostering growth to attract more hi-tech and biotech research jobs to the area. This means everything from promoting investment in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields, to directing grants and subsidies toward the incredible work being done in the diverse industries throughout Harris County. We must invest in our schools and encourage vocational training and re-training that helps people connect their interests and skills with good jobs. National Security & Foreign Policy The Trump administration has dismantled the U.S. State Department, alienated our allies, and abandoned the leadership role the United States has historically played. This destructive behavior is about more than how we look to others—it is about the safety of American citizens. Taunting volatile nations does nothing but place our national security in jeopardy. Targeting people based on race or religious affiliation violates our Constitution and distracts from real threats to our safety. Congress must act to fill the policy and diplomatic vacuum the administration has created. Qualified individuals, without regard to partisan interest or affiliation, must fill critical roles, and we must restore funding to under-resourced outposts at home and abroad. We must work to repair our reputation and secure our alliances. And we must maintain our focus on stopping terrorist and other threats around the globe, including providing law enforcement the resources and training needed to prevent terrorism. We must prioritize support for our men and women who serve us in our military. Our troops put their lives on the line every day, and they deserve a government that honors them and the sacrifices they make for us all. This includes taking all necessary steps to protect them abroad and making sure that they are supported at home. We must ensure their access to quality healthcare, educational opportunities, claim resolution, and housing. Social Security & Medicare We have an absolute obligation to keep these promises and protect Social Security and Medicare. I will oppose efforts to privatize Social Security and Medicare, and I will oppose efforts to cut benefits for seniors or the disabled. To ensure the long-term viability of these programs we need to make government work more efficiently by cutting wasteful spending, fraud, and abuse, but not by cutting these programs. Instead of protecting Social Security and Medicare programs, Culberson has voted to allow Congress to privatize them. Transportation & Infrastructure But our infrastructure has not kept up with our growth. From 2000 to 2010, the greater Houston area grew by more than 1.2 million people, and it is still growing. But our roads and transit system have not grown at the same pace, which makes it harder to transport goods, commute to work, and attract new businesses. Improving transportation in Houston is one of my top priorities. We need to partner with cities, counties, and METRO to bring additional resources and improvements to our region. We need an advocate for policies that both maintain and expand our region’s mobility infrastructure. And we need to make sure that Houston receives its fair share of transportation funding to move our citizens across the region. John Culberson has failed to be a partner in this effort. Even worse, his record shows that he has actively worked against expanding transportation options in Houston. It’s time for a change. Voting Rights Instead, Republican-dominated state legislatures (including Texas) keep passing laws that restrict or suppress voting by traditional Democratic voters in hopes of stacking the deck for future elections. These laws are designed to appear as if they do not discriminate: requiring a photo I.D., denying access to translators, and making voter registration more difficult by closing DMV locations in certain districts. But they do discriminate, and our courts have struck down these laws as unconstitutional because they intentionally discriminate against voters on the basis of race or have the effect of doing so. Partisan and racial gerrymandering have the same discriminatory effect. In practice, gerrymandering violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and it burdens our First Amendment rights of association and speech. Even still, it dominates our political system, disenfranchising voters and silencing their voices. We must fight for a better system to determine our representation, eliminate partisan bias, and work for an equitable voting process. This means championing a full restoration of the Voting Rights Act, challenging discriminatory voter identification laws, legalizing same-day registration or implementing universal automatic registration, and expanding early voting and vote-by-mail options. In Congress, I will be committed to protecting voting rights, not restricting them. Women's Health Access to reproductive healthcare is essential to all Americans’ ability to control their lives. It is a matter of health. It is a matter of economics. It is a matter of justice. And it is not negotiable. Protecting women’s access to safe and affordable health care is one of my top priorities. I have been an advocate for this issue for more than 25 years. When I was in high school, I stood outside a Houston Planned Parenthood clinic in the August heat to stop protestors who threatened to chain themselves to the doors and prevent women from entering the clinic. After college, I co-founded Planned Parenthood Young Leaders to build a new generation of supporters for this important community partner. I will stand firmly against Donald Trump, John Culberson, and the Republicans in Congress who continue to attack Planned Parenthood. I will work to protect the Title X Family Planning Program and access to affordable reproductive health services. I will support policies to encourage access to contraception. And I will always stand up for the right to choose.[15] |
” |
—Elizabeth Pannill Fletcher for Congress[16] |
Laura Moser
“ |
Family We must embrace and directly support real family values: not the fake rhetoric that for too long has passed as family values. Among them: Assuring all families have access to health care by fighting for a single-payer system that covers all Americans Easing the tax burden on middle-class families, not just on the wealthy Fostering small & family-run businesses Easing access to child care Providing for paid family leave when a baby arrives, a child falls ill, or an aging parent experiences a medical emergency Protecting marriage equality Community It’s time to find consensus on the things that most of us agree on: Instead of walls and deportations, we must pass comprehensive immigration reform, offering a secure future to longtime residents, especially those who came here as children We need to invest in education, starting in early childhood We must protect public health, which includes everything from preventing pollution to getting serious about hazards like chronic flooding and keeping our communities safe from gun violence We need to prepare communities to better withstand natural disasters and invest in infrastructure improvements that minimize the man-made ones We must expand public transit options to connect Houstonians and help the city grow responsibly Security You can read about the CREATE Plan, Laura Moser’s new vision for Houston, which includes specific actions to address climate change. It’s time to find consensus on the things that most of us agree on: Strengthen our diplomatic and economic resources to help find alternatives to endless wars Protect our economic and military security by instituting a pay-as-you-go policy for increases in military spending Invest in cyber-security by requiring that businesses that hold individuals’ most confidential data institute the strictest levels of protection Provide health and income security to vulnerable populations Address the extremes of income equality that leave more and more full-time workers living in poverty every year Rejoin the 195-nation Paris climate accord in recognition of the threat climate change poses both to our national security and–as the horrors of Hurricane Harvey have reminded us–the very existence of our city Promote innovative solutions to Houston’s flooding, as have been adopted in cities as diverse as Amsterdam, Tokyo, Miami, and Baltimore Repair and replace critical, aging infrastructure Work toward gun-safety legislation It’s time to treat the gun violence epidemic as a legitimate public health crisis: Pass universal background checks and red flag laws Close the boyfriend loophole to address domestic violence involving guns Overturn the ban on gun violence prevention research Raise the minimum age to purchase guns and ammunition to 21 End the sale of assault-style weapons, high-capacity magazines, bump stocks and other modifiers Freedom Decent Americans are standing up to say that we need to strengthen, not weaken, our Constitution. Let’s start off by: Enforcing civil rights protections Protecting affordable access to birth control and expanding a woman’s right to choose Ensuring unfettered access to the ballot Rejecting the Muslim ban Reforming our criminal justice system and federal sentencing guidelines Keeping internet-access open Fairness Decent Americans believe in fairness in law- and policy-making and believe that tough ethical standards serve everyone. Polls show that most of us agree on: Equal treatment under the law regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity Access to quality education regardless of zip code The rights of women and people with pre-existing conditions to the same healthcare as everyone else Equal pay for equal work Every person’s right to vote Additional assistance to people with disabilities Sensible campaign-finance reform A better VA healthcare system, with improved access through integrating VA care with community care Entrepreneurialism Most Houstonians agree we can: Invest in transportation, broadband, infrastructure, and other resources entrepreneurs need to create thriving small businesses Provide tax credits for research and development Ensure that tax reform helps small businesses and families thrive Close anti-competitive corporate tax loopholes and lobbyist-written tax giveaways Innovate to ensure that Houston remains the world capital of energy in a changing economy: We should become the Silicon Valley of energy development, including green energy development Assure workers a living wage Honesty Let’s start off by: Confronting the realities of climate change, and helping Houston make–and profit from–the inevitable transition from a fossil-fuel economy to an “all-of-the-above” energy solution Tackling the education-achievement gap among racial groups Addressing the pay gap between men and women Reimagining work in an increasingly automated society Recognizing the challenges America faces in a diverse, rapidly changing world[15] |
” |
—Laura Moser for Congress[17] |
Policy positions
Below are the top candidates' policy positions, taken from their campaign websites as well as media and campaign appearances. Policy positions are sorted by issue but do not necessarily match up one-to-one. In cases where two candidates have different positions on the same issue, their policy statements on that issue are bolded.
Economy
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher
- Supports increased funding for renewable energy.
- Supports increased funding for the science and technology sectors.
- Supports increased funding for vocational training programs.[18]
Laura Moser
- Supports programs which she argues would increase the proportion of small and family-run businesses.[19]
- Supports more stringent data security requirements for corporations that hold individuals' personal information.[20]
- Supports increased funding for transportation and infrastructure.
- Supports issuing tax credits for research and development firms.
- Supports modifications to the tax code which she argues would benefit families and small businesses.
- Opposes provisions in the tax code which she argues favor large corporations.
- Supports efforts to attract energy development firms to Houston.[21]
Education
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher
- Supports measures aimed at decreasing differing educational performance among K-12 students of different demographic groups.
- Supports increased emphasis on science, technology, education, and math.
- Supports decreased tuition costs.
- Supports programs that she argues would reduce student loan debt.
- Supports increased funding for community colleges.
- Supports increased funding for vocational programs.[22]
Laura Moser
- Supports increased funding for education, particularly early childhood education.[23]
- Supports measures which she argues would make the quality of education vary less from school to school.[24]
Election law
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher
- Supports enforcement of all clauses of the Voting Rights Act.
- Opposes voter identification laws.
- Supports same-day voter registration or automatic voter registration.
- Supports measures that would increase access to voting early and by mail.[25]
Houston-area flood infrastructure
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher
- Supports strengthening the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs.
- Supports the construction of a third reservoir in northwest Harris County.
- Supports the completion of Project Brays.
- Supports revisions to floodplain maps.
- Supports the construction of a coastal surge protection system.
- Supports the use of public-private partnerships.[26]
Laura Moser
- Supports programs which she argues would reduce the damage caused by natural disasters.[23]
- Supports the drafting of a long-term flood management plan with input from municipal, local, state, and federal officials as well as environmental specialists.
- Supports the immediate construction of flood management infrastructure.
- Supports mandated disclosure of flood risks for home buyers in the area.
- Supports buying out residents of flood-prone areas.
- Supports increased funding for Houston-area flood management.
- Supports the expansion of nearby bayous.
- Supports the addition of new retention ponds and reservoirs.[27]
Immigration
February 13, 2018: In 2018, nonprofit executive Alex Triantaphyllis (D), who was seeking the Democratic nomination to represent Texas' 7th Congressional District, claimed on his website that "In recent years, nearly half of all Fortune 500 companies have been founded by immigrants or their children."
Was Triantaphyllis correct?
Read Ballotpedia's fact check »
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher
- Supports allowing immigrants residing in the country without legal permission to be granted a pathway towards citizenship.
- Supports increased security along the border.
- Supports increased penalties for employers who knowingly hire employees who do not have legal permission to reside in the country.
- Opposed to the construction of a wall on the Mexican border.
- Supports the preservation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.[28]
Laura Moser
- Opposes the construction of a wall along the Mexican border.
- Opposes deportation of immigrants residing in the country without legal permission.
- Supports the passage of an immigration measure which would allow immigrants who have resided in the country for an extended period of time without legal permission to obtain legal permission to remain, with particular emphasis on those immigrants who arrived before adulthood.[23]
- Opposes restrictions on travel from certain majority-Muslim countries proposed by President Trump (R).[29]
Healthcare
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher
- Opposes efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act without implementing a replacement plan.[30]
Laura Moser
- Supports a single-payer healthcare system.[19]
- Opposes measures which she argues would limit access to healthcare based on pre-existing conditions.[24]
Medicare and Social Security
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher
- Opposes the privatization of Social Security and Medicare.
- Opposes measures that she argues would decrease the benefits received by Social Security and Medicare recipients.[31]
Social issues
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher
- Supports a federal Equality Act that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.[32]
- Opposes reductions in funding to Planned Parenthood.
- Opposes reductions in funding to the Title X Family Planning program.
- Supports increased access to contraceptives.
- Opposes efforts to reduce access to abortion.[33]
Laura Moser
- Opposes measures which she argues would restrict access to the Internet.[29]
- Supports measures which she argues would eliminate gender as a factor in determining compensation.[24]
- Supports paid family leave for workers with a sick or newborn child or a medical emergency involving an elderly parent.
- Opposes efforts to retract legal recognition of LGBT marriages.[19]
- Supports measures which she argues would reduce disparities in income.
- Supports stricter firearms regulations.[20]
- Supports increased access to contraceptives.
- Opposes efforts to reduce access to abortion.
Transportation
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher
- Supports coordination among local governments to increase funding for Houston-area infrastructure.
- Supports increased transportation funding for the Houston area.[34]
Laura Moser
- Supports programs which she argues would foster the development of additional methods of public transit in the Houston area.[23]
Campaign finance
The table below contains data from FEC Quarterly April 2018 reports. It includes only candidates who have reported at least $10,000 in campaign contributions as of March 31, 2018.[35]
Endorsements
Democratic candidate endorsements | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Endorsement | Date | Fletcher | Moser | |||
Federal officials | ||||||
Former Rep. Chris Bell (D-TX)[36] | Unknown | ✔ | ||||
State figures | ||||||
Former state Rep. Sarah Weddington (D)[36] | Unknown | ✔ | ||||
Local figures | ||||||
Houston Mayor pro tem Ellen Cohen[36] | Unknown | ✔ | ||||
Organizations | ||||||
Houston GLBT Political Caucus[37] | April 4, 2018 | ✔ | ||||
Our Revolution[38] | March 1, 2018 | ✔ | ||||
Our Revolution Texas[39] | February 23, 2018 | ✔ | ||||
Houston Chronicle[40][41] | February 8, 2018 and May 10, 2018 | ✔ | ||||
National Nurses United[42] | January 25, 2018 | ✔ | ||||
EMILY's List[43] | November 14, 2017 | ✔ | ||||
Democracy for America[44] | June 30, 2017 | ✔ | ||||
Off the Sidelines PAC[36] | Unknown | ✔ |
Campaign tactics and strategies
Campaign advertisements
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher
Support
|
|
|
Laura Moser
Support
|
|
|
Online presence
May 15, 2018
The following social media statistics were compiled on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | Followers | Likes | Comments on Last Ten Posts | Followers | Following | Tweets |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
3,057 | 2,875 | 6 | 3,537 | 758 | 636 |
![]() |
8,715 | 8,347 | 49 | 42,272 | 2,866 | 7,488 |
February 25, 2018
The following social media statistics were compiled on February 25, 2018.
Candidate | Followers | Likes | Comments on Last Ten Posts | Followers | Following | Tweets |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
2,611 | 2,468 | 16 | 1,496 | 894 | 411 |
![]() |
7,646 | 7,329 | 27 | 38,546 | 2,679 | 6,413 |
Tweets by Lizzie Pannill Fletcher Tweets by Laura Moser
Noteworthy events
DCCC opposition research on Laura Moser
On February 22, 2018, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee released opposition research it had conducted on former journalist Laura Moser (D). The opposition research release contained the following statement:
“ |
Democratic voters need to hear that Laura Moser is not going to change Washington. She is a Washington insider, who begrudgingly moved to Houston to run for Congress. In fact, she wrote in the Washingtonian magazine, “I’d rather have my teeth pulled out without anesthesia” than live in Texas. As of January 2018, she claimed Washington, DC to be her primary residence in order to get a tax break. And she has paid her husband’s Washington, DC political consulting firm over $50,000 from campaign contributions; meaning 1 of every 6 dollars raised has gone to her husband’s DC company.[15] |
” |
—Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee[4] |
In a statement, DCCC communications director Meredith Kelly argued that the research released by the committee would have been uncovered and used against Moser in the general election in the event that she advance past the primary: "Laura Moser’s outright disgust for life in Texas disqualifies her as a general election candidate and would rob voters of their opportunity to flip Texas’s 7th in November."[45] The Moser campaign countered by arguing that "these kind of tactics are why people hate politics. The days where party bosses picked the candidates in their smoke filled rooms are over. DC needs to let Houston vote."[46]
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Texas' 7th Congressional District, 2018 Democratic primary | |||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Poll | Lizzie Pannill Fletcher (D) | Laura Moser (D) | Jason Westin (D) | Alex Triantaphyllis (D) | James Cargas (D) | Joshua Butler (D) | Ivan Sanchez (D) | Undecided | Margin of error | Sample size | |||||||||
Congressional Leadership Fund (March 1, 2018) | 28% | 17% | 14% | 13% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 25% | +/-3.63 | 726 | |||||||||
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org. |
Election results
U.S. House, Texas District 7 Democratic Primary Runoff, 2018 | ||
---|---|---|
Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
![]() |
67.94% | 9,888 |
Laura Moser | 32.06% | 4,666 |
Total Votes | 14,554 | |
Source: Politico These election results are unofficial and will be updated after official vote totals are made available. |
Media coverage
Media reaction to primary outcome
This section provides an overview of media reactions to the election's result. Selected articles are presented as a jumping-off point for deeper exploration of media coverage and as an overview of narratives that emerged surrounding the election.
- Abby Livingston, The Texas Tribune (March 6, 2018)
- "The runoff is likely to be a brutal fight that will viscerally divide west Houston – but also the national Democratic Party. The House Democratic campaign arm took the rare step of unloading a heap of opposition research against Moser in the middle of early voting in a bid to keep her out of the runoff. Democrats locally and nationally have expressed doubts about Moser's electability in a general election, worrying that she is too liberal to carry the swing district, among other concerns."[47]
- Lisa Hagen, The Hill (March 7, 2018)
- "The episode has infuriated progressive groups that believe the DCCC targeted Moser to stymie a progressive candidate, reopening the national divide between the two wings of the Democratic Party.
- Even some national party leaders have questioned the DCCC’s move. Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said that he “wouldn’t have” attacked Moser and the party should instead focus on the issues.
- But some argue that a more moderate candidate raises Democrats’ prospects in toppling Culberson. And when the Houston Chronicle endorsed two other candidates in the race, the editorial board cautioned that while Moser has an energetic base, 'even Democrats who like her question whether she's too liberal to win this historically Republican district.'"[48]
- Emily Goodin and Rachel Scott, ABC News (March 7, 2018)
- "Rice political science professor Mark Jones believes the DCCC’s intervention may have backfired because it identified Moser as the most progressive candidate in the race.
- 'In an electorate where many people were voting as much to cast a vote against President Trump as to choose a nominee, Moser served as a great vehicle for that protest,' he said.
- Additionally, voters have demonstrated in the past they don’t like national parties to tell them how to vote."[49]
- Josh Voorhees, Slate (March 7, 2018)
- "But it was the DCCC attack that turned her into a cause célèbre on the left. Sanders-aligned Our Revolution quickly came to her defense with an endorsement of its own, which opened a national small-donor spigot that fueled Moser’s campaign in the closing days of the race. She says she raised more than $100,000 in the six days following the attack, a significant slice of which, the campaign proudly trumpeted, came from small donors outside of her district."[50]
- Ella Nilsen, Vox (March 7, 2018)
- "The DCCC desperately wants to flip the Seventh Congressional District, currently held by Culberson, a Republican. Though the Seventh District has been held by the GOP since the 1960s, it was one of three districts whose residents voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 (the other two are the 23rd Congressional District and the 32nd Congressional District). Democrats are optimistic that they can flip it in November.
- The DCCC views Moser as too risky to run against the Republican incumbent in the general election but also recognizes she is someone who has enough of a following and money to possibly get into the runoff. Hence, the release of the memo."[51]
Timeline
Republican district won by Hillary Clinton
This district was one of 25 Republican-held U.S. House districts that Hillary Clinton (D) won in the 2016 presidential election.[52] Nearly all were expected to be among the House's most competitive elections in 2018.
Click on the table below to see the full list of districts.
Click here to see the 13 Democratic-held U.S. House districts that Donald Trump (R) won.
Race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Race ratings: Texas' 7th Congressional District election, 2018 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
October 30, 2018 | October 23, 2018 | October 16, 2018 | October 9, 2018 | ||||||
The Cook Political Report | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | |||||
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Tilt Republican | Tilt Republican | Tilt Republican | Tilt Republican | |||||
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | |||||
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks 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+7, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 7 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Texas' 7th Congressional District the 177th most Republican nationally.[57]
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 1.11. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 1.11 points toward that party.[58]
State overview
Partisan control
This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Texas heading into the 2018 elections.
Congressional delegation
- Republicans held both U.S. Senate seats in Texas.
- Republicans held 25 of 36 U.S. House seats in Texas, and Democrats held 11.
State executives
- As of May 2018, Republicans held six of 11 state executive positions and five positions were held by nonpartisan officials.
- The governor of Texas was Republican Greg Abbott.
State legislature
- Republicans controlled both chambers of the Texas State Legislature. They had a 93-55 majority in the state House and a 21-10 majority in the state Senate.
Trifecta status
- Texas was a Republican trifecta, meaning that the Republican Party held the governorship, a majority in the state Senate, and a majority in the state House.
2018 elections
- See also: Texas elections, 2018
Texas held elections for the following positions in 2018:
- The Class 1 U.S. Senate seat held by Ted Cruz (R)
- All 36 U.S. House seats
- Governor
- Five lower state executive positions
- 15 of 31 state Senate seats
- All 150 state House seats
- Local judicial offices
- Local school boards
- Municipal elections in Arlington, Austin, Bexar County, Collin County, Corpus Christi, Dallas County, Denton County, El Paso County, Fort Bend County, Garland, Harris County, Irving, Laredo, Lubbock, Lubbock County, Nueces County, Tarrant County, Travis County, Webb County, and Williamson County
Demographics
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. |
As of July 2016, Texas had a population of approximately 27,862,596 people, and its three largest cities were Houston (pop. est. 2.3 million), San Antonio (pop. est. 1.5 million), and Dallas (pop. est. 1.3 million).[59][60]
State election history
This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Texas from 2000 to 2016.
Historical elections
Presidential elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Texas every year from 2000 to 2016.
Election results (President of the United States), Texas 2000-2016[61][62] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
2016 | ![]() |
52.23% | ![]() |
43.24% | 8.99% |
2012 | ![]() |
57.17% | ![]() |
41.38% | 15.79% |
2008 | ![]() |
55.45% | ![]() |
43.68% | 11.77% |
2004 | ![]() |
61.09% | ![]() |
38.22% | 22.87% |
2000 | ![]() |
59.30% | ![]() |
37.98% | 21.32% |
U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Texas from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.
Election results (U.S. Senator), Texas 2000-2016[63] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
2014[64] | ![]() |
61.56% | ![]() |
34.36% | 27.20% |
2012[65] | ![]() |
56.46% | ![]() |
40.62% | 15.84% |
2008[66] | ![]() |
54.82% | ![]() |
42.84% | 11.98% |
2006[67] | ![]() |
61.69% | ![]() |
36.04% | 25.65% |
2002[68] | ![]() |
55.30% | ![]() |
43.33% | 11.97% |
2000[69] | ![]() |
65.04% | ![]() |
32.35% | 32.69% |
Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2014
This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2014. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Texas.
Election results (Governor), Texas 2000-2016[70] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
2014 | ![]() |
59.27% | ![]() |
38.90% | 20.37% |
2010 | ![]() |
54.97% | ![]() |
42.30% | 12.67% |
2006 | ![]() |
39.03% | ![]() |
29.79% | 9.24% |
2002 | ![]() |
57.81% | ![]() |
39.96% | 17.85% |
Congressional delegation, 2000-2016
This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Texas in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.
Trifectas, 1992-2017
A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.
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 |
See also
- United States House of Representatives elections in Texas, 2018
- United States House elections in Texas (March 6, 2018 Democratic primaries)
- Texas' 7th Congressional District election (March 6, 2018 Republican primary)
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ The Cook Political Report, "2018 House Race Ratings," accessed December 6, 2017
- ↑ Sabato's Crystal Ball, "2018 House," accessed December 6, 2017
- ↑ Inside Elections, "House Ratings," accessed December 6, 2017
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, "Laura Moser," accessed February 25, 2018
- ↑ Vox, "The DCCC’s scorched-earth campaign against Texas Democrat Laura Moser backfired," March 7, 2018
- ↑ Politico, "Democrats clash over party’s direction in key Texas race," May 19, 2018
- ↑ The New York Times, "Texas Primary Runoff Election Results," May 22, 2018
- ↑ '"Scribd, "MEMO Charging Forward DCCC Announces Battlefield Expansion," May 22, 2017
- ↑ Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for U.S. Congress, "Meet Lizzie Fletcher," accessed January 28, 2018
- ↑ Houston Chronicle, "Two more campaigns launched in CD07," May 14, 2017
- ↑ Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for U.S. Congress, "Home," accessed January 28, 2018
- ↑ Houston Chronicle, "Two more campaigns launched in CD07," May 14, 2017
- ↑ Laura Moser for Congress, "Home," accessed February 25, 2018
- ↑ Laura Moser for Congress, "Values," accessed February 25, 2018
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for Congress, "Issues," accessed May 15, 2018
- ↑ Moser for Congress, "Values," accessed May 15, 2018
- ↑ Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for U.S. Congress, "Jobs & Economy," accessed January 28, 2018
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Moser for Congress, "Family," accessed February 25, 2018
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Moser for Congress, "Security," accessed February 25, 2018
- ↑ Moser for Congress, "Entrepreneurialism," accessed February 25, 2018
- ↑ Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for U.S. Congres, "Education," accessed February 11, 2018
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 Moser for Congress, "Community," accessed February 25, 2018
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Moser for Congress, "Fairness," accessed February 25, 2018
- ↑ Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for U.S. Congress, "Voting Rights," accessed February 11, 2018
- ↑ Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, "Flooding & Houston's Future," accessed February 11, 2018
- ↑ Moser for Congress, "Announcing the CREATE Plan, Laura Moser’s new vision for Houston," January 24, 2018
- ↑ Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for U.S. Congress, "Immigration," accessed January 28, 2018
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Moser for Congress, "Freedom," accessed February 25, 2018
- ↑ Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for U.S. Congress, "Healthcare," accessed January 28, 2018
- ↑ Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for U.S. Congress, "Social Security & Medicare," accessed February 11, 2018
- ↑ Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for U.S. Congress, "Equality," accessed February 11, 2018
- ↑ Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for U.S. Congress, "Women's Health," accessed February 11, 2018
- ↑ Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for U.S. Congress, "Transportation & Infrastructure," January 28, 2018
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Texas - House District 7, Compare candidate financial totals," accessed May 15, 2018
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 Lizzie Pannill Fletcher for U.S. Congress, "Supporters," accessed January 28, 2017
- ↑ OutSmart Magazine, "HOUSTON GLBT POLITICAL CAUCUS BACKS LIZZIE PANNILL FLETCHER FOR CONGRESS," April 5, 2018
- ↑ The Hill, "Sanders allies endorse Texas candidate attacked by DCCC," March 1, 2018
- ↑ Facebook, "Our Revolution Texas," February 23, 2018
- ↑ Houston Chronicle, "For Congress: Jason Westin or Lizzie Pannill Fletcher," February 8, 2018
- ↑ Houston Chronicle, "Vote for Roberts, Aronoff and Fletcher in Houston’s primary runoffs for Congress. [Endorsement," May 10, 2018]
- ↑ National Nurses United, "National Nurses United Endorses Laura Moser and Derrick Crowe for Congress," January 25, 2018
- ↑ Twitter, "Lizzie Pannill Fletcher," November 14, 2017
- ↑ Daily Kos, "WI-01, TX-07 & CA-21: Democracy For America Endorses These 3 Dems To Help Take Back The House," June 30, 2017
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Progressives rage at DCCC after it attacks Texas candidate for ‘begrudgingly’ moving to Houston," February 23, 2018
- ↑ Vox, "The DCCC is torching a Texas Democrat they’re afraid will win the primary," February 23, 2018
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Despite national Democrats' efforts, Laura Moser makes primary runoff in bid for Houston U.S. House seat," March 6, 2018
- ↑ The Hill, "Texas Dem attacked by DCCC makes primary runoff for Culberson's seat," March 7, 2018
- ↑ ABC News, "National Democrats stick with aggressive primary strategy despite Texas results," March 7, 2018
- ↑ Slate, "National Democrats Went Nuclear on a Progressive Challenger in Texas. She Survived." March 7, 2018
- ↑ Vox, "The DCCC’s scorched-earth campaign against Texas Democrat Laura Moser backfired," March 7, 2018
- ↑ This figure includes Pennsylvania districts that were redrawn by the state Supreme Court in early 2018 and districts that flipped in special elections.
- ↑ The new 1st district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 8th District held by Fitzpatrick. Click here to read more.
- ↑ The new 5th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 7th District held by Meehan. Click here to read more.
- ↑ The new 6th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 6th District held by Costello. Click here to read more.
- ↑ The new 7th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 15th District held by Dent. Click here to read more.
- ↑ 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
- ↑ United States Census Bureau, "QuickFacts Texas," accessed December 12, 2017
- ↑ United States Census Bureau, "QuickFacts Houston; San Antonio; Dallas," accessed December 13, 2017
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2012 Election Results for the U.S. President, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives," accessed December 13, 2017
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Official 2016 Presidential General Election Results," January 30, 2017
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Federal Elections 2014: Election Results for the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives," accessed December 13, 2017
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2014 Official Election Results for United States Senate," accessed December 13, 2017
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2012 Official Election Results for United States Senate," accessed December 13, 2017
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2008 Official Election Results for United States Senate," accessed December 13, 2017
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2006 Official Election Results for United States Senate," accessed December 13, 2017
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2002 Official Election Results for United States Senate," accessed December 13, 2017
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2000 Official Election Results for United States Senate," accessed December 13, 2017
- ↑ Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections, "Texas Election Results," accessed December 13, 2017