The 2024 general election is still almost ten months from now, but we already have some winners.
Those are the candidates for the U.S. Congress and the Texas Legislature who will run unopposed in their party primary, and will not have a major party opponent in the general election. This means they won simply by filing the necessary paperwork.
One might argue that this is bad for democracy, but it can also allow a incumbents - who seem supported by their constituents - to focus on their jobs as representatives rather than get distracted with the politics surrounding elections.
Take your pick.
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Without a single vote cast, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro is all but assured of another two-year term in Congress.
Castro’s 20th Congressional District is heavily Democratic, but he’s only had a primary opponent once in his career and won that race with 92 percent of the vote. When he has been challenged by Republicans or minor party candidates, he’s never won less than 64 percent of the vote in cruising to victory.
But Castro said with or without challengers, he's not quite mailing it in. He said he plans to campaign to make sure people know what he's been working on and make sure he's listening to what voters have to say.
He’s not alone. Houston Democrat Al Green for the ninth time in ten elections has no primary challenger in the heavily Democratic 9th Congressional District. And while he has drawn token opposition in past general elections, he’s always won at least 72 percent of the vote in each race.
Other members of Congress with no Republican or Democratic opponents for 2024: U.S. Reps Nathan Moran, R-Tyler; August Pfluger, R-San Angelo; and Ronny Jackson, R-Amarillo.
I'll assemble a full list of unopposed candidates soon.
