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United States Senate election in Texas, 2020 (July 14 Democratic primary runoff)

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U.S. Senate, Texas
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Democratic primary
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Election details
Filing deadline: December 9, 2019
Primary: March 3, 2020
Primary runoff: July 14, 2020
General: November 3, 2020
Pre-election incumbent:
John Cornyn (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Texas
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Cook Political Report: Lean Republican
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Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
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Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2020
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Texas elections, 2020
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U.S. Senate elections, 2020
U.S. House elections, 2020

M.J. Hegar defeated Royce West in a primary runoff for U.S. Senate from Texas on July 14, 2020. Hegar received 52% of the vote to West's 48%.

Hegar, a former search and rescue and medevac pilot with the U.S. Army, ran for the U.S. House in 2018, losing to incumbent John Carter (R) 50.6% to 47.7%. Hegar said she embodied the Texas values of strength, courage, and independence, and would counter partisan gridlock. Hegar's endorsers included the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, End Citizens United, and the Austin American-Statesman.

West, who had, at the time of the election, served in the state senate since 1992, said he had a long legislative record, citing election governance, abortion, education, and healthcare as areas of particular concern. His endorsers included four of his state senate colleagues, the Texas Working Families Party, and 16 state house members.[1]

Both West and Hegar shifted their focus towards online campaigning, including virtual town halls, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.[2][3] Hegar's campaign released a statement outlining their response to the pandemic, including a suspension of all in-person events and the launch of a new online volunteer program. West's campaign issued a series of press releases responding to events, including a statement criticizing Gov. Greg Abbott's (R) plan to reopen the state, saying that sufficient testing had not been ordered to manage the pandemic.

The runoff was called after none of the 12 candidates in the March 3 primary received a majority of the vote. Hegar led with 22.3% to West's 14.5%.

As of July 13, 2020, two outlets rated the general election Likely Republican and one rated it Leans Republican. No Democratic candidate has won a statewide election in Texas since 1994. In 2020, Democrats sought control of the U.S. Senate, which had, at the time of the election, a 53-45 Republican majority. Click here to learn more about what's at stake in the general election.

Click on candidate names below to view their key messages:


Hegar
West

Click here for coverage of the March 3 primary.

This page focuses on Texas' United States Senate Democratic primary runoff. For more in-depth information on the Republican primary and the general election, see the following pages:

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 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

Primary runoff

Democratic primary runoff election

Democratic primary runoff for U.S. Senate Texas

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Mary Jennings Hegar
Mary Jennings Hegar
 
52.2
 
502,516
Image of Royce West
Royce West
 
47.8
 
459,457

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 961,973
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = 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.

Primary

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Texas

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Mary Jennings Hegar
Mary Jennings Hegar
 
22.3
 
417,160
✔
Image of Royce West
Royce West
 
14.7
 
274,074
Image of Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez
Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez
 
13.2
 
246,659
Image of Annie Garcia
Annie Garcia Candidate Connection
 
10.3
 
191,900
Image of Amanda Edwards
Amanda Edwards
 
10.1
 
189,624
Image of Chris Bell
Chris Bell
 
8.5
 
159,751
Image of Sema Hernandez
Sema Hernandez Candidate Connection
 
7.4
 
137,892
Image of Michael Cooper
Michael Cooper
 
4.9
 
92,463
Image of Victor Harris
Victor Harris Candidate Connection
 
3.2
 
59,710
Image of Adrian Ocegueda
Adrian Ocegueda
 
2.2
 
41,566
Image of Jack Daniel Foster Jr.
Jack Daniel Foster Jr. Candidate Connection
 
1.7
 
31,718
Image of D.R. Hunter
D.R. Hunter
 
1.4
 
26,902

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,869,419
Candidate Connection = 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.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

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.[4] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.

Mary Jennings Hegar

Image of Mary Jennings Hegar

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  After graduating from the University of Texas, Hegar joined the U.S. Air Force. Trained as a combat search and rescue and medevac pilot, Hegar served three tours in Afghanistan. She was awarded the Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross. Hegar ran for the U.S. House in 2018.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Hegar said that she was a fighter and would embody the Texas values of strength, courage, and independence in the Senate.

Hegar said she was running to end partisan gridlock in the Senate and to ensure that legislation could be passed again.

In her campaign kickoff video, Hegar said her campaign was driven by volunteers who "wanted to help build a better government and elect new leaders who listen to people and not donors or special interest groups".

Show sources

Sources: Mary Jennings Hegar's 2020 campaign website, "Home," accessed February 11, 2020, Politico, "MJ Hegar sees path to victory in Texas — and it looks like Ted Cruz’s," October 23, 2019, Youtube, "(Re)Introduction," April 23, 2019; Mary Jennings Hegar's 2020 campaign website, "Meet MJ," accessed February 11, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Texas in 2020.

Royce West

Image of Royce West

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: Texas State Senate (Assumed office: 1992)

Biography:  West obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington and his law degree from the University of Houston. At the time of the 2020 campaign, West was an attorney in private practice and the managing partner of West & Associates, L.L.P.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

West said that he had the most legislative experience of any candidate in the race and that he would be the most effective opponent to President Trump.

West said he had a history of fighting on behalf of Texans, mentioning election governance, abortion, education, and healthcare as areas of particular concern.

West said that he had worked to elect Democrats to offices at all levels all across Texas and that he had a history of leadership within the party, including as convention chairman and as a member of the state party's executive committee and of the Democratic National Committee.

Show sources

Sources: Royce West's 2020 campaign website, "Home," accessed February 11, 2020, Youtube, "Royce West: I have a message for Trump," January 17, 2020; Royce West's 2020 campaign website, "About Royce West," accessed February 11, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Texas in 2020.


Noteworthy primary endorsements

This section includes noteworthy endorsements issued in the primary, added as we learn about them. Click here to read how we define noteworthy primary endorsements. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Runoff endorsements

Endorsements made after the March 3 primary and ahead of the July 14 runoff are shown in the table below. The "Previous endorsee" column shows when a runoff endorsement came from a person or group that endorsed a different candidate in the primary election.

If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Democratic primary runoff endorsements
Endorsement Hegar West Previous endorsee
Newspapers and editorials
The Austin Chronicle[5] ✔ Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez
The Dallas Morning News[6] ✔ Amanda Edwards
San Antonio Express-News[7] ✔ Amanda Edwards
Elected officials
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)[8] ✔ --
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas)[9] ✔ Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez
Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.)[10] ✔ --
Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas)[11] ✔ --
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas)[12] ✔ --
Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.)[13] ✔ --
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.)[14] ✔ --
Individuals
Former Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun (D-Ill.)[15] ✔ --
Former 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg (D)[16] ✔ --
Former 2020 senatorial candidate Chris Bell (D)[17] ✔ --
Former 2020 senatorial candidate Michael Cooper (D)[18] ✔ --
Former 2020 senatorial candidate Amanda Edwards (D)[19] ✔ --
Former 2020 senatorial candidate Sema Hernandez (D)[19] ✔ --
Former 2020 senatorial candidate Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez (D)[20] ✔ --
Organizations
Brady PAC[21] ✔ --
Communications Workers of America[22] ✔ --
Congressional Black Caucus[19] ✔ --
Democracy for America[19] ✔ --
EMILY's List[23] ✔ --
Everytown for Gun Safety[24] ✔ --
NARAL Pro-Choice America[25] ✔ --
Planned Parenthood Action Fund[26] ✔ --
United Steelworkers[27] ✔ --
Working Families Party[28] ✔ Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez

Primary endorsements

This section lists endorsements issued in this election. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Democratic primary endorsements
Endorsement Bell Cooper Edwards Foster Garcia Harris Hegar Hernandez Hunter Ocegueda Tzintzún Ramirez West
Newspapers and editorials
The Austin American-Statesman[29] ✔
The Austin Chronicle[30] ✔
The Dallas Morning News[31] ✔ ✔
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram[32] ✔
The Houston Chronicle[33] ✔
The San Antonio Express-News[34] ✔
Elected officials
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas)[35] ✔
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.)[36] ✔
Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Texas)[37] ✔
Dallas County Commissioner Elba Garcia (D)[38] ✔
Dallas County Treasurer Pauline Medrano (D)[39] ✔
Organizations
350 Action[40] ✔
Center for Popular Democracy Action[41] ✔
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee[42] ✔
End Citizens United[43] ✔
Giffords PAC[44] ✔
Latino Victory Fund[45] ✔
VoteVets[46] ✔
Working Families Party[47] ✔


Timeline

2020

2019

Campaign themes

See also: Campaign themes

Mary Jennings Hegar

Hegar's campaign website stated the following:

“

Health Care
The rising cost of health care is the number one issue I hear about from Texans on the campaign trail. Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the nation, and that’s unacceptable. Our current system is one of sky-high costs and inefficiencies. We must create a public option to make Medicare available for all those who want it. The best health care I’ve ever had was when I was on military-provided Tricare, similar to Medicare, and I believe that kind of high-quality care should be made available to all Americans. Every child should be covered, period.

We can and must protect the progress made by the Affordable Care Act while making much-needed improvements. We cannot go back to the past when insurance companies were able to discriminate against those with preexisting conditions or sell junk plans that leave folks vulnerable when serious health issues or injuries occur.

As your senator, I will stand up for Texans against special interests who put profits over people. Far too many folks here in Texas struggle to afford their prescriptions. I will advocate for measures to lower the cost of prescription drugs like allowing Medicare to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies. Additionally, I believe we must hold Big Pharma interests accountable for their part in the opioid epidemic that has ravaged so many communities here in Texas and beyond.

I will oppose any effort to privatize, dismantle or undercut Medicare, including raising the eligibility age. Medicare and Social Security are not entitlements – they are promises made to every American. I will also oppose any “age tax” insurance companies seek to impose against older Americans.

Women's Health
I support federal law codifying Roe v. Wade so that reproductive rights are not subject to the whims of an increasingly partisan court system. It’s unacceptable that in 2019 a woman’s right to make medical decisions about her own body is under assault. I have had two difficult pregnancies, and I am grateful that during that time the government wasn’t standing between me and my doctor during very personal discussions. Politicians should not legislate a woman’s most intimate decisions.

Texans suffer from one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the developed world. We must support organizations that are providing our communities with sorely needed women’s health care services. I am opposed to efforts to shutter clinics that provide critical care to women all over Texas, especially in rural areas where loss of access to these clinics often means loss of health care.

We must provide support for women and families by increasing access to sex education, affordable over-the-counter contraception, and cost-effective childcare.

Immigration
For decades, career politicians have refused to fix our broken immigration system, and the consequences of their finger-pointing and inaction directly affect our day-to-day lives in Texas. We need to roll up our sleeves, collaborate with our border communities on solutions, and bring some common sense to the issue.

That means starting with permanently ending child separation, ensuring asylum seekers are not treated as criminals and their claims are properly processed, securing the border with effective procedures and technologies instead of wasting billions on an ineffective wall that would require robbing our military construction budget while seizing land from Texans, and building a path to citizenship for undocumented residents that prioritizes our security and reflects our core values as Americans — such as human dignity and our respect for the right of mankind to the pursuit of happiness.

The increasing spread of anti-immigrant, white nationalist ideology is a serious threat to our safety, as proven by the shooting in El Paso that targeted Hispanic members of our community. I took an oath to support and defend our constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic, so I want to be crystal clear: we must mobilize against this epidemic of domestic terrorism here at home. I will always stand against this type of hateful rhetoric that has real consequences, and will call on elected leaders who amplify white nationalist rhetoric and racist dog-whistles to take ownership of the impact of their words and reverse course.

Environment & Climate Change
As the mother of two little boys, climate change is one of the top reasons I decided to run for Senate. Climate change is one of the greatest threats to the health and safety of our communities, the world we are leaving for the next generation, and our national security. We cannot wait any longer to take action.

In Texas, we are witnessing firsthand the effects of climate change. We’ve seen devastating hurricanes like Harvey, and multiple catastrophic, “500-year” floods in a matter of a few years. The status quo is not sustainable.

We must set aggressive goals for the expansion of clean, renewable energy, and invest in clean energy manufacturing and sustainable transportation. Texas has the opportunity to be America’s leader in wind and solar energy, and we should use our natural, renewable resources to create jobs here in our state.

We also must modernize our energy grid so it is equipped to handle increased load during peak usage.

Education
Every child, regardless of where they come from or how much money their family makes, should have access to an affordable and quality education. I will advocate for Texas public schools and teachers, because I believe an investment in strong public schools is an investment in our nation’s future. Teachers, educators, and school staff deserve to be treated with respect and to be paid salaries worthy of the critical service they provide to society.

Far too many Texans struggle from crippling student loan debt. We must put an end to the government profiting off loans by lowering interest rates on student debt, while also ensuring all higher education — from apprenticeship programs to vocational training to degree programs — is more affordable for current and future students. Texans I’ve spoken to have told me that the requirement for an immediate start to repayment of student loans upon graduation or disenrollment has led to underemployment. Every student loan should have a grace period of at least several months during which the loan does not accrue interest, and that period should be paused if the individual enrolls in another course of training like pursuing a certificate or vocation.

While a college degree is one avenue for achieving financial security, we also need to encourage support for and investment in vocational programs. Vocational programs expand trades sectors, which often provide secure, high-paying union jobs. Those working in these jobs have always been and will continue to be the backbone of our nation and the driving force toward improving our country’s infrastructure.

Jobs & the Economy
I believe the country and our economy are stronger when our workers and their families are strong. Growing up, my mom worked three jobs just to pay the bills, and too many Texans face the same struggles today. That’s not the American dream. We need to raise wages and work to lower the cost of housing to ensure workers can provide for their families, and use tax credits and incentives to support small businesses instead of giving tax breaks to companies that ship their jobs overseas.

My stepfather, who raised me as his own, was killed in a workplace accident. Because of the safety standards won by the labor movement, fewer families have to go through that devastation. I am grateful for the hard-fought victories of the labor movement that have created safer and fairer workplaces, and will protect that progress as a senator — I’ll always support the rights of workers to unionize and collectively bargain for safe and healthy working conditions, fair wages, and to secure benefits and pensions. In addition, I will fight efforts to cut pensions, Social Security, and Medicare.

I believe in the promise of our country and the American dream, and that’s why it’s important to acknowledge that the scales have shifted to favor the rich and powerful over the working families that are left to contend with obscene medical costs, high rent and bills, student loan debt, and more. I opposed the 2017 tax cuts for big corporations and the wealthiest Americans, and would vote against any legislation that benefits corporations and the extremely wealthy while hurting working families trying to make ends meet.

Military & Veterans
As a United States Air Force veteran who served three tours of duty in Afghanistan, I understand what our military and their families go through in a way that most politicians in DC can’t. We have a responsibility to the next generation that will wear our uniform: to give them the most stable global environment we possibly can.

I will support responsible national security policies that recognize the value of seeking diplomatic solutions and employing strategic use of humanitarian assistance and trade negotiations, while insisting we reserve the deployment of American troops as a last resort. I believe a healthy State Department is our military’s first line of defense, and our relationships with our allies are fragile and critical to maintain.

In addition, I know firsthand how difficult the transition back into civilian life can be. As your senator, I will always seek to make good on our promise to our service members by ensuring they receive quality health care, housing assistance, and help starting careers or businesses as they return from serving our country. I will stand against efforts to privatize the VA while supporting initiatives to streamline services for veterans to get better care when they need it. With record-high suicide rates and deployments than can strain family relationships, it’s critical we provide adequate mental health care to address the unique struggles of those who serve.

My military service informs my view on government. When I think about my fellow soldiers who were with me the day my helicopter was shot down by the Taliban and how we worked together to complete our mission and get to safety, I think about how our government could take some cues from what we learn in the military. Unity, teamwork, and a shared mission is the only way to succeed.

Gun Violence
Multiple mass shootings have devastated Texas in recent years, and I believe it is well past time to take action to finally end the epidemic of gun violence.

We must pass common-sense gun safety legislation to require background checks on every single gun sale, including closing the gun show loophole — a proposal that a recent Washington Post-ABC News survey found was supported by 88% of gun owners.

We must also stop the sale of assault weapons to the public, pass red flag laws limiting access to firearms for domestic abusers — including closing the “boyfriend loophole” — and those who would commit acts of domestic terrorism, and fully fund the CDC to reverse the damage of the decades-long ban on gun violence research.

I am also calling for state and local officials to end open carry. The reasons gun owners like me have for wanting to protect our Second Amendment rights — chief among them protecting our families — are not served by open carry. Open carry itself is an assault on every bystander within range, as we feel the need to flee and cover our children without the freedom to call law enforcement for help. We must empower people to “see something, say something.”

The gun violence epidemic in this country reaches beyond the tragic mass shootings into our homes through domestic violence, accidental shootings, and suicides. As your senator, I will use my perspective as a mother, responsible gun owner, and combat veteran in my work to pass urgently-needed legislation to protect our communities.

Clean Government
Whenever someone tells me they don’t understand why a bill passed or decision was made in Washington, I always tell them to follow the money. That’s because far too many of our elected leaders make decisions about what legislation to support or oppose based on who is writing the biggest campaign checks — from the gun lobby to private prisons to Big Pharma — instead of what is best for their constituents.

Americans are sick and tired of watching DC politicians put special interest donors and political games over the needs of the people. It is time to clean up our broken system and return the power back to people. That’s why I am refusing to accept any corporate PAC money and am proud to be endorsed by End Citizens United.

Once elected, I will make it a priority to overturn partisan gerrymandering schemes that further polarize our politics, fight the increasingly-common voter suppression tactics designed to keep people from exercising their right to participate in our democracy, and pass comprehensive campaign finance and ethics reforms that ensure Washington is accountable to the voters — and no one else.[65][66]

”

Royce West

West's campaign website stated the following:

“

Healthcare
This nation is facing a healthcare crisis — and Texans have been hit hard by outrageous insurance premiums, deductibles, and pharmaceutical prices that are sometimes triple the cost compared to other nations.

We must stand together, as a nation, and say that healthcare is a basic human right, not a privilege reserved for only those who can afford it.

That’s why, for decades, in the Texas Senate, I have fought to expand Medicaid to our most vulnerable neighbors. No matter your circumstance, our nation benefits from healthy and productive people.

I sponsored a bill in 2018 to expand Medicaid eligibility to our military heroes. Veterans and their families have earned high-quality healthcare, but we must do better, and take action to help cover the over 40 million Americans without coverage.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was a monumental step for the American healthcare system, but it didn’t go far enough. Costs are still too high, and patients had limited options for doctors. Texas left millions without coverage by refusing Medicaid expansion.

That’s why we need to invest in making the ACA work for everybody–this needs to be a funding priority in 2020. We need to ensure that everyone who wants to enroll in the ACA can do so, without forcing others to forfeit their employer sponsored insurance.

Healthcare, like reproductive freedom, must be a choice.

While we work to ensure affordable, quality healthcare for all people–it is imperative that mental health services don’t fall through the cracks. We must continue educating people on the importance of mental health and include those services with basic healthcare packages.

Introducing the importance of mental health to our children is a clear step we must take as a country. I authored multiple bills in the Texas Senate to not only include mental health services in our schools, but to also add mental health care as part of our curriculum.

We have to look at the full person, body and mind, when discussing the future of the American healthcare system. As your next Senator, I will face this healthcare crisis head on and fight to ensure every Texan receives the affordable care we all deserve.

Education – Higher Education
Increasing the accessibility of higher education has been the hallmark of my career. But there’s so much more we need to be doing for our students from preschool to college.

When students feel more burdened by their education than empowered, that is a big problem. Tuition is too high and student loan interest rates make it nearly impossible to even pay off your debt. We must offer debt relief programs for the millions of Texans who are unable to invest in buying a home or vehicle due to the burden of their debt.

We need to invest in Community Colleges, offering free tuition for low income students. The path from a Community College into a 4-year institution is complicated and uneven, and it is imperative to make that pathway easier to navigate for students.

I truly believe that everyone deserves the best education, and I’ve fought for 30 years for access to a high-quality education.

I was instrumental in bringing the University of North Texas to southern Dallas, so people could get a 4-year degree close to home. I also worked tirelessly to create the UNT School of Law in Downtown Dallas – the cities first and only public law school. These institutions are going to transform lives and the community

Education – K-12
Investing in K-12 education is one of my top priorities.

In the Texas state legislature, and in the voting booth, Democrats have put pressure on Republicans to finally do the right thing and pour more funding into our children’s public education.

Finally, after years of fighting, Republicans tried to placate things by passing an overhaul. It’s a good start, but don’t be fooled—we have to stay on top of this issue.

For years, politicians talked about the achievement gap and how to close it, but every time we went back to session, the gap stayed the same. So, the state, spearheaded by educators, especially teachers and Democratic legislators, decided to invest political capital at the polls and prioritize education. You know what, it worked!

One of the things we did was make sure funding followed our low-income students. Money would be given to schools based on the number of low-income students in attendance.

We also invested in our teachers. We passed a statewide pay increase for teachers to ease the burden they face. Teacher’s shouldn’t worry about paying for their own school supplies out of pocket.

Texas is starting to move in the right direction, but there is still a lot more we can do.

And, it is crucial that education remains a funding priority to ensure the investment we made last year continues forward.

Women's Rights
A woman has the right to make decisions about her body — it is that simple.

Any issue involving a woman’s healthcare is between her and her doctor, and that’s where we need to leave it.

In 2013, State Senator Wendy Davis gave an iconic 10-hour filibuster in pink sneakers to fight for women’s reproductive freedom in Texas. I was honored to be standing beside her that day on the Senate floor in support of her filibuster.

That day, we won the battle, and I am dedicated to continuing this fight in Washington, where Roe vs. Wade is under attack, and the continued appointment of anti-choice Supreme Court Justices could result in a catastrophic blow to women’s reproductive freedom.

I will take this fight from the Texas State Senate floor to the United States Senate floor.

Gun Violence
Our country is facing a gun violence epidemic, and this evil continues to hit Texas.

Our loved ones are being killed. Students are scared to go to school. This isn’t a “should we” question anymore, this is an absolute undeniable must. This must be addressed.

My position on gun reform has been clear for over 30 years. In the 1990’s I authored bills on both universal background checks and an assault weapons ban.

Since the 90’s, I have remained consistent in my unwavering belief that we must regulate deadly weapons. I support universal background checks, banning weapons of war, red flag laws, and limiting magazine capacity.

We need brave legislators in Washington to take on the NRA, and my record proves that I’m the best candidate to do that.

Economy & Jobs
Our economy is no longer working for middle class Americans. Cost of living continues to sky-rocket while salaries and wages remain stagnant.

Hard working Texans deserve a living wage, and should not have to live paycheck to paycheck.

I fully support a $15 federal minimum wage and I have fought for legislation to raise the minimum wage in Texas. With the staggering increase in income inequality, a single parent has to work 2 or 3 jobs just to afford putting food on the table.

This country can afford to pay workers a dignified, living wage.

To combat income inequality, we also need to make banking available to low income families without making interest rates so high that they continue the cycle of poverty. We must end predatory lending practices and safeguard well-intentioned borrowers who are trying to make their lives better.

Together, we must elect leaders to Washington who will ensure we have an economy that works for all of us — not just big banks and corporations.

Immigration
Immigration is an issue that uniquely affects Texans, particularly our border communities.

Our immigration system is broken, and President Trump has used it as a divisive hot-button issue to play to racism and bigotry. This presidential administration has thrown our immigration policies into total chaos — to the point where we are violating international human rights laws.

Children do not belong in cages, families must stay together, and we must immediately address the humanitarian crisis going on at the border.

Our border needs more resources, like judges who can expedite hearings for asylum seekers.

But let’s remember that people seek asylum because they are fleeing violence and war. We must take a proactive approach and work with Mexico and Central America in order to stop citizens from fleeing their homes.

We must solve the humanitarian crisis at our border, while also investing in technology and infrastructure to keep them secure.

Climate Change
The window to address climate change is getting smaller and smaller. This is something that America must address now, and our first step is reengaging in the Paris Climate Accords.

Beyond that, we have to end our dependence on fossil fuels and utilize renewable energy. As a nation, we are not investing nearly enough in clean energy solutions.

We have the technology to invigorate the solar and wind industries, which would create thousands of jobs across the country and aid our environment.

When we make energy decisions going forward, we must think of how it will impact both the environment and economy.

Criminal Justice
Our nation’s criminal justice system is in peril. From the halls of our local police departments, to the court rooms, and overcrowded prisons, total reform is needed at all levels of the judiciary.

Felony convictions for nonviolent drug crimes, criminal profiling, and excessive force by law enforcement disproportionately affects the black and brown communities. It is time to look at redefining the use of deadly force to better protect the officer and citizen.

We must pass federal legislation to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences, end private for-profit prisons, promote rehabilitation centers, and put support systems in place for former inmates who are shut out of opportunities.

In Texas, we are on the heels of several tragic deaths of black Americans by the police force, which occurs all too frequently to families across our country. We must seek justice—there is no other option.

We must hold our police departments accountable for misconduct and excessive force; and bring in independent investigators to reexamine the use of deadly force and foster an environment that prioritizes de-escalation tactics.

I have a long record of fighting for criminal justice reform and putting measures in place to hold law enforcement accountable. In the Texas State Senate, I authored groundbreaking legislation for body cameras and dashboard cameras in police vehicles.

Fairness in the criminal justice system is not a new issue but continues to evade resolution. We must look for new approaches that will bring about trust and accountability, while maintaining community safety.

Protecting Democracy
America was built upon the ideal of one person, one vote. And over the past hundred years, people of color, women, and disenfranchised folks have been fighting to be equally included in that simple phrase—one person, one vote.

Lawmakers and government institutions, for decades, have been working to systematically undercut voter access for millions of Americans, disproportionately affecting minority communities.

Federally, we must take whatever steps necessary to ensure that every person has the opportunity and access to the voting booth.

Voter equity means strengthening automatic voter registration, making Election Day a national holiday, increasing the number of polling places, and reversing all of the discriminatory Voter ID laws.

Voting rights has been one of my top priorities in the Texas State Senate and I have worked for decades to ensure all Texans, regardless of background, are given their right to vote.

I am proud to be one of the leaders in the Senate loudly advocating for voter rights, and arguing against ploys for voter suppression—that is how we protect our democracy.

LGBTQ+ Rights
There is no room for discrimination—every person has the fundamental right to love who they want and personally identify as who they are.

The systems of oppression built against the LGTQ+ community must be dismantled, and that starts with repealing dangerous policies that attacks same-sex couples and transgender Americans.

First, as a nation, we must pass The Equality Act and unequivocally say that discrimination in housing, employment, healthcare, and access to public goods and services is illegal.

LGBTQ+ folks must have the freedom to live openly without fear of prejudice, so Congress needs to pass legislation to end the exclusion of sexual and gender identity as a protected class under Title VII and Title IX.

Furthermore, Congress must take action to immediately end the Trump Administration’s blatant transphobic policies. Our military service men and women are heroes and deserve our respect and gratitude—no matter how they identify.

As a society, we cannot exclude courageous and honorable individuals, and Trump’s transgender military ban does just that.[67][66]

”

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.

Mary Jennings Hegar

"We Are Texas" - Hegar campaign ad, released June 30, 2020
"Carpool" - Hegar campaign ad, released February 10, 2020
"Texas Tough" - Hegar campaign ad, released January 27, 2020


Satellite group ads

"Their Side" - John Cornyn (R) campaign ad, released July 21, 2019

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls




Campaign finance

This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election.[68] It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees.[69] The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Mary Jennings Hegar Democratic Party $29,597,570 $29,558,487 $86,565 As of December 31, 2020
Royce West Democratic Party $2,077,258 $2,074,162 $3,096 As of December 31, 2020

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."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.


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.[70][71][72]

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

June 29 debate

Hegar and West participated in a debate hosted by KVUE on June 29.

Official recording, June 29, 2020, debate - KVUE

Click the links below for roundups of the debate from:

June 6 debate

Hegar and West participated in a debate hosted by Nexstar Media Group at the KXAN studios in Austin on June 6.

Official recording, June 6, 2020, debate - KXAN

Click the links below for roundups of the debate from:

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)[73]

“ 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.'[66] ”

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.[74]

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."[75]

What's at stake in the general election?

See also: United States Senate elections, 2020

U.S. Senate elections were held on November 3, 2020, and coincide with the 2020 presidential election. Thirty-three of the Senate's 100 seats were up for regular election in November. There were also two special elections in 2020. The results determined control of the U.S. Senate in the 117th Congress.

At the time of the election, the Republican Party had a 53-seat Senate majority, while Democrats had 45 seats. There were also two independents who caucus with the Democratic Party. Republicans faced greater partisan risk than Democrats in 2020 because they were defending 23 seats compared to 12 for the Democrats. Both parties had two incumbents representing states the opposite party's presidential nominee won in 2016.

In 2018, Democrats and Democratic-caucusing independents defended 26 of the 35 seats up for election, while Republicans defended the other nine. Republicans won 11 seats to the Democrats' 24, for a GOP net gain of two.

In the 24 previous Senate elections that coincided with a presidential election, the president's party had gained Senate seats in 16 elections and lost seats in nine. In years where the president's party gained seats, the average gain was three seats. In years where the president's party lost seats, the average loss was five seats. Click here for more information on presidential partisanship and down-ballot outcomes.


Incumbent John Cornyn (R) was first elected in 2002 and won re-election in 2008 and 2014. In the 2014 election, he defeated businessman David Alameel (D) by a 61.6-34.4 margin. At the time of the 2020 election, Democrats had last won a statewide election in Texas in 1994. In the preceding U.S. Senate election, incumbent Ted Cruz (R) defeated then-Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D) by a 50.9-48.3 margin.

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.[76]
  • 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.[77][78][79]

Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in Texas, 2020
Race trackerRace ratings
November 3, 2020October 27, 2020October 20, 2020October 13, 2020
The Cook Political ReportLean RepublicanLean RepublicanLean RepublicanLean Republican
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesLean RepublicanLean RepublicanLean RepublicanLean Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallLean RepublicanLikely RepublicanLikely RepublicanLikely Republican
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

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.[80][81]

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.


Election history

2018

See also: United States Senate election in Texas, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Texas

Incumbent Ted Cruz defeated Beto O'Rourke and Neal Dikeman in the general election for U.S. Senate Texas on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Ted Cruz
Ted Cruz (R)
 
50.9
 
4,260,553
Image of Beto O'Rourke
Beto O'Rourke (D)
 
48.3
 
4,045,632
Image of Neal Dikeman
Neal Dikeman (L)
 
0.8
 
65,470

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 8,371,655
Candidate Connection = 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.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Texas

Beto O'Rourke defeated Sema Hernandez and Edward Kimbrough in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Texas on March 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Beto O'Rourke
Beto O'Rourke
 
61.8
 
640,769
Image of Sema Hernandez
Sema Hernandez
 
23.7
 
245,847
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Edward Kimbrough
 
14.5
 
149,851

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,036,467
Candidate Connection = 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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Texas

Incumbent Ted Cruz defeated Mary Miller, Bruce Jacobson Jr., Stefano de Stefano, and Geraldine Sam in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Texas on March 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Ted Cruz
Ted Cruz
 
85.3
 
1,315,146
Image of Mary Miller
Mary Miller
 
6.1
 
94,274
Image of Bruce Jacobson Jr.
Bruce Jacobson Jr.
 
4.2
 
64,452
Image of Stefano de Stefano
Stefano de Stefano
 
2.9
 
44,251
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Geraldine Sam
 
1.5
 
22,767

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,540,890
Candidate Connection = 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.

2014

U.S. Senate, Texas General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Cornyn Incumbent 61.6% 2,861,531
     Democratic David Alameel 34.4% 1,597,387
     Libertarian Rebecca Paddock 2.9% 133,751
     Green Emily Marie Sanchez 1.2% 54,701
     Write-in Mohammed Tahiro 0% 988
Total Votes 4,648,358
Source: U.S. House Clerk "2014 Election Statistics"

2012

U.S. Senate, Texas General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngTed Cruz 56.5% 4,440,137
     Democratic Paul Sadler 40.6% 3,194,927
     Libertarian John Jay Myers 2.1% 162,354
     Green David B. Collins 0.9% 67,404
Total Votes 7,864,822
Source: Texas Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Twitter, "Royce West on July 3, 2020," accessed July 8, 2020
  2. ↑ Twitter, "Royce West on April 3, 2020," accessed April 27, 2020
  3. ↑ Twitter, "MJ Hegar on April 11, 2020," accessed April 27, 2020
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ The Austin Chronicle, "Chronicle Endorsements," June 26, 2020
  6. ↑ Dallas Morning News, "Here’s our recommendation in the Democratic primary runoff for U.S. Senate," June 28, 2020
  7. ↑ San Antonio Express-News, "Editorial: In Dem race for Senate, Hegar shines," June 25, 2020
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 KVUE, "Sen. Elizabeth Warren endorses MJ Hegar in Texas' Democratic U.S. Senate runoff," May 19, 2020
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Twitter, "Royce West on July 2, 2020," accessed July 2, 2020
  10. ↑ Twitter, "Royce West on July 8, 2020," accessed July 13, 2020
  11. ↑ Twitter, "MJ Hegar on May 5, 2020," accessed June 10, 2020
  12. ↑ Twitter, "Royce West on July 6, 2020," accessed July 8, 2020
  13. ↑ Twitter, "Royce West on June 11, 2020," accessed July 2, 2020
  14. ↑ Twitter, "Royce West on May 20, 2020," accessed June 10, 2020
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 North Dallas Gazette, "Royce West receives endorsement of Ambassador Moseley-Braun in Texas US Senate Race," April 20, 2020
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Austin American-Statesman, "Pete Buttigieg endorses MJ Hegar for Senate," May 4, 2020
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Focus Daily News, "Senator Royce West (D-Dallas) Gets Two Key Endorsements," March 12, 2020
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Twitter, "Royce West on March 12, 2020," accessed March 12, 2020
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 The Dallas Morning News, "UPDATED: Former Houston city council member Amanda Edwards backs Royce West for U.S. Senate," May 5, 2020
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Twitter, "Royce West on March 9, 2020," accessed March 12, 2020
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 The Dallas Morning News, "Gun control group endorses MJ Hegar for Texas senator, blasts both Cornyn, West," March 17, 2020
  22. ↑ Twitter, "Royce West on April 29, 2020
  23. ↑ EMILY's List, "EMILY's List Endorses MJ Hegar for U.S. Senate in Texas," March 5, 2020
  24. ↑ Twitter, "MJ Hegar on June 10, 2020," accessed June 10, 2020
  25. ↑ Twitter, "MJ Hegar on May 7, 2020," accessed June 10, 2020
  26. ↑ Planned Parenthood Action Fund, "Planned Parenthood Action Fund Endorses Health Care Champions for U.S. Senate," March 25, 2020
  27. ↑ Twitter, "MJ Hegar on April 27, 2020," accessed June 10, 2020
  28. ↑ Working Families Party, "Our 2020 Endorsements," accessed July 2, 2020
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Austin American-Statesman, "Endorsement: Hegar in Dem primary for U.S. Senate," February 14, 2020
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 The Austin Chronicle, "Chronicle Endorsements for the March 3 Primary Election," February 14, 2020
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Twitter, "Evan Smith on February 10, 2020," accessed February 10, 2020
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "We recommend this Texas Democrat as best bet to take on John Cornyn for Senate," February 16, 2020
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Houston Chronicle, "We recommend Royce West in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate," February 21, 2020
  34. ↑ Amanda Edwards' 2020 campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed February 19, 2020
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 Dallas Morning News, "Rep. Joaquin Castro backs Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez in Democratic Senate race against John Cornyn," February 18, 2020
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 The Texas Tribune, "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorses Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez in Democratic primary to challenge Cornyn," February 21, 2020
  37. ↑ Twitter, "Chris Bell on January 28, 2020," accessed February 10, 2020
  38. ↑ Youtube, "Dr. Elba Garcia Endorses Royce West," accessed July 27, 2019
  39. ↑ Youtube, "Pauline Medrano endorses Royce West," August 2, 2019
  40. ↑ 350 Action, "Endorsements," accessed February 10, 2020
  41. ↑ Twitter, "Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez on January 6, 2020," accessed February 10, 2020
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 Twitter, "Senate Democrats on December 16, 2019," accessed February 10, 2020
  43. ↑ Facebook, "End Citizens United on May 22, 2019," accessed February 10, 2020
  44. ↑ Twitter, "MJ Hegar on February 6, 2020," accessed February 10, 2020
  45. ↑ Twitter, "Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez on January 22, 2020," accessed February 10, 2020
  46. ↑ VoteVets, "VoteVets Endorses MJ Hegar for Congress," accessed February 10, 2020
  47. ↑ Twitter, "Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez on December 14, 2019," accessed February 10, 2020
  48. ↑ The Dallas Morning News, "Joe Biden builds 5-point lead over Donald Trump in red Texas as some voters sour on handling of virus," July 12, 2020
  49. ↑ KVUE, "KVUE hosts U.S. Senate Democratic Primary Runoff Debate," June 29, 2020
  50. ↑ KXAN, "Democrats MJ Hegar, Royce West debate touches on protests, marijuana legalization, healthcare," June 5, 2020
  51. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "MJ for Texas - April 2020 Quarterly Report," April 15, 2020
  52. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Royce West for U.S. Senate - April 2020 Quarterly Report," April 15, 2020
  53. ↑ KXAN, "More than a third of voters undecided on Texas Democratic US Senate race, poll shows," March 2, 2020
  54. ↑ Dallas Morning News, "With MJ Hegar rising, Democratic Senate contest against Republican John Cornyn a race for second," March 2, 2020
  55. ↑ NBC News, "NBC News polls: Sanders has the edge in Texas, is tied with Biden in North Carolina," March 1, 2020
  56. ↑ University of Houston, "Texas Democratic Primary Election Survey 2020," accessed February 25, 2020
  57. ↑ North Texas Daily, "UNT College Democrats host Texas Senator Forum," February 25, 2020
  58. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named LoneStarPAC
  59. ↑ KVUE, "Highlights from KVUE's U.S. Senate Democratic primary debate," February 18, 2020
  60. ↑ The Texas Tribune, "MJ Hegar leads the Democratic U.S. Senate candidates, UT/TT Poll finds," February 17, 2020
  61. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named VoteVets1
  62. ↑ Houston Chronicle, "Democrats tout labor-friendly bona fides in U.S. Senate debate," January 25, 2020
  63. ↑ The Texas Tribune, "After uncertain filing period, Democratic U.S. Senate candidates seek to "get down to business"," December 13, 2019
  64. ↑ CBS 19, "Six of seven Texas Democrats running for U.S. Senate meet in Frisco," September 5, 2019
  65. ↑ Mary Jennings Hegar's 2020 campaign website, "Where MJ Stands On the Issues," accessed February 10, 2020
  66. ↑ 66.0 66.1 66.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  67. ↑ Royce West's 2020 campaign website, "Issues," accessed February 10, 2020
  68. ↑ Fundraising by primary candidates can be found on the race's respective primary election page. Fundraising by general election candidates can be found on the race's general election page.
  69. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2022 Quarterly Reports," accessed March 2, 2022
  70. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
  71. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
  72. ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
  73. ↑ Texas Statutes, "Section 172.086," accessed October 7, 2024
  74. ↑ Texas Legislature, "Chapter 172. Primary Elections," accessed July 10, 2020
  75. ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Election Advisory No. 2020-05," February 11, 2020
  76. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
  77. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
  78. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
  79. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
  80. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  81. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017


Texas' current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
John Cornyn (R)
Ted Cruz (R)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
Al Green (D)
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18
Vacant
District 19
District 20
District 21
Chip Roy (R)
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
District 26
District 27
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38
Republican Party (27)
Democratic Party (12)
Vacancies (1)


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