- Greg Abbott's campaign has $106M as he seeks record fourth term and to turn Harris County 'deep red'.
Gov. Greg Abbott has more than $105.7 million in the bank as he seeks a record fourth term in office — 100 times the amount raised so far by state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, the frontrunner in the Democratic race to challenge him.The governor has vowed to spend “most of it” in Harris County, a Democratic stronghold Abbott has vowed to turn “dark red.”
The sum stands out, even for Abbott, who is known as a prolific fundraiser. The $106 million war chest is $40 million more than what the governor had at the same point in 2022, when he faced Democrat Beto O’Rourke, and three-quarters the total he had raised by the final weeks of that campaign.
- Eight Democrats vie for chance to face off against lone Republican candidate in district clerk race.
Eight Democrats will battle it out in the March primaries for a chance to succeed Harris County District Clerk Marilyn Burgess, who announced in September she would not be seeking reelection. Whoever gets a majority of the vote will face off against the lone Republican candidate and presumptive nominee in the November election.
The district clerk is an administrative position primarily tasked with record-keeping operations for the county's 67 district courts. Among the clerk's responsibilities are managing court filings and motions, collecting court fees and fines, and ensuring judicial transparency and public access to court proceedings.
- Some Texas counties run without a treasurer. Can Harris County operate without one?
The county treasurer position is considered obsolete by some officials, and has been abolished in 10 counties. Republican Commissioner Tom Ramsey, who added the item to the Jan. 8 agenda, said he was a longtime supporter of abolishing the county treasurer's office.
“For many years, I have supported eliminating the county treasurer’s Office and consolidating its functions within the county auditor’s office, given the overlap in responsibilities," Ramsey said in a statement. "Until any structural change occurs, it is the County’s responsibility to ensure the statutory duties of the Treasurer’s Office are being fully and appropriately carried out. That is why I requested the discussion on last week’s agenda.”
A flurry of legislation throughout the 1980s saw the office abolished in nine counties, the largest of which being Bexar County. More than 30 years later, Galveston County followed suite and abolished the position in 2023. Critics of the county treasurer, such as Republican Galveston County Judge Mark Henry, argue the office is an antiquated position that has long outlived its usefulness.
