Texas Lobby Group Report for the Hotel and Lodging Association
The Texas Lobby Group has produced a report for the Texas hotel and Lodging Association. Highlights include:
Texas Redistricting News:
Redistricting, normally completed by the Texas Legislature every ten years, has been running its way through the court system since the Legislative Session that ended in June 2011. All eyes and ears at the capitol have been on this issue throughout the summer, fall, and winter. Finally, the districts are drawn, the candidates are filed, and campaign season is officially underway!
Texas Legislative Turnovers:
In the House, 30 members (one-fifth of the House) are retiring or running for another office. A lot of seniority and knowledge will leave the Lege when these members move on. Also of note, we will see ten House District rematches this time around. A total of 10 House Members who lost in 2010 have filed to return (Merritt, Herrero, Gonzalez-Toureilles, Jones, D., Olivo, Pierson, Chris Turner, Miklos, Kent, and Edwards). On the Senate side, Texas Tourism Caucus Chair and Champion Senator Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio) faces a tough primary race.
Texas Primary Election Date Analysis:
Additionally, the redistricting delay means this election cycle will be held later in the year than normally held.
Normally, Texas gets to vote on Super Tuesday, the Second Tuesday in March. That day has come and gone. The later primary date could affect those who travel and who plan to vote in the summer (i.e. early voting, runoffs, voting by mail).