Who's Got the Money for 2020, Beto O'Rourke's Slaveholding Ancestors, Republicans Condemn Trump's Remarks as Racist

Good morning! Here are the top political headlines from Austin, Washington, the campaign trail and Dallas.Points from the trail1. Who's got the money for 2020? Campaign finance reports are starting to trickle in, and here's what we know so far: Texas Sen. John Cornyn continues to stockpile millions of dollars for his re-election bid next year, announcing that he's raised more than $2.5 million in the second quarter of this year. In the presidential race, Julian Castro's touting a $2.8 million haul that more than doubled the donations he took in the early months of his bid for president. Forty percent of that came in the four days after the first Democratic primary debate, in which Castro attacked fellow Texan Beto O'Rourke for failing to do his homework on border policy. Gov. Greg Abbott raised $12.1 million in the last two weeks of June, his campaign said, and he's not even on the ballot next year. Abbott, a second-term Republican, won't face voters again until and if he runs in 2022. And to keep his money in-house, pun intended, House Speaker Dennis Bonnen announced the creation of a new political action committee focused on re-electing Republicans to the lower chamber of the Texas Legislature. Bonnen, an Angleton Republican who just wrapped up his first session as the House's leader, started the Texas Leads PAC with $3 million from his campaign account. 2. As for O'Rourke, he's added slaveholding ancestors to his contrition list, along with white male privilege. The Democratic presidential candidate has revealed that his ancestors owned slaves -- a startling disclosure amid an ongoing debate within the party over reparations. In an email to supporters and a post on Medium, the former El Paso congressman vowed to recommit himself to addressing the legacy of inequality, including support for reparations.O'Rourke has repeatedly acknowledged during his White House run that he has enjoyed advantages not available to many other Americans, as a white male from a politically connected and relatively affluent background.3. For decades, Texas voters have been able to select a straight-party slate -- Democratic, Republican or Libertarian -- and avoid the cumbersome task of picking candidates in races up and down a crammed ballot.But in 2020, straight-ticket voting, as it's commonly known, is no more. Political writer Gromer Jeffers Jr. explains why Texas lawmakers got rid of this voting tradition and how it's changing the way candidates have to campaign.Bob's breakdown If President Donald Trump's shattering of convention makes some Texas Republicans nervous about 2020, Gov. Greg Abbott seems to see his role as the Soother in Chief. The second-term governor keeps offering assurances to GOP loyalists that the Lone Star State will remain deep red on his watch. On Monday, Abbott was quoted in a fundraising update by his own campaign as saying that next year, he'll work assiduously - his adjective was "tirelessly" - "to expand our Republican majorities in the House and Senate" in Austin. With redistricting not far off, continued control of the Legislature is critical to the GOP's long-term prospects. While Abbott's voter-turnout operation in last year's midterms didn't produce all of the results he desired, he's raising money feverishly and should be able to offer some help to down-ballot Republican candidates next year. In 2017 and 2018, he spent more than $56 million to ensure his own reelection. With no sign of a 2022 foe on the horizon, don't be surprised if Abbott loosens his pursestrings in 2020.Points from Washington  Continue reading...