The first electoral races of 2016 ended before 2015 did. The candidate filing deadline has passed, and there is a list of candidates — Republicans and Democrats alike — who have all but been elected. It includes 61 members of the Texas House, nine state senators and five of the state’s 36-member congressional delegation.
. . . Given the state of the political maps in Texas, it’s usually more dangerous to face an opponent in the primary than in the general election. The state has only a few districts where either a Democrat or a Republican can win; in most cases, districts were drawn for the benefit of one party or the other. And because the Republicans were in charge the last time those maps were drawn, many more of the districts favor their candidates than favor Democrats.
- Analysis: Familiar Incumbents and Familiar Challengers.
Some names show up on the ballot again and again. And sometimes those perennial candidates win, so you have to pay attention to them. You have to keep an eye on rematches as well. A grudge is a terrible thing to waste, especially during election season. And voters in parts of the state will see the same names on the ballot that they saw two or four years ago.
