In March, several primary races didn't have a candidate get more than 50% of the vote - so they went to a runoff election. Early voting is this Monday through Friday. Then, election day is May 28.
The small number of voters expected to turn out may give Gov. Greg Abbott enough votes to overhaul education policy in Texas; and Attorney General Ken Paxton may get revenge on a few more Texas House members who tried to remove him from office.
A huge amount of political turbulence has rolled through the Republican Party after several intense and controversial sessions in Austin last year.
In a public rebuke to the governor, the Texas House voted to reject his priority of allowing families to use public school tax dollars on private and home schools last fall. A group of mostly rural Republicans didn't think the policy was a conservative use of tax dollars and voted against it to defend their local public schools.
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Earlier that Fall the Texas Senate acquitted Paxton on bribery and abuse of power allegations in a historic impeachment trial. Two-thirds of Texas House Republicans voted for impeachment. He's been trying to get revenge on them ever since.
The two tectonic forces collide in a Tarrant County race between Rep. Stephanie Klick, R-Fort Worth, and David Lowe. Lowe is challenging Klick in a rematch. This time, however, Lowe has Paxton's endorsement. Klick is backed by Abbott because of her votes on school choice and his other priorities.
Abbott came to an event Monday in Haltom City, getting Klick supporters to early vote on the first day.
Lone Star Politics
Covering politics throughout the state of Texas.
“It’s so incredibly important you go cast your vote today. Lock it up. Get it locked in. Make sure we start tallying votes to re-elect Stephanie Klick, beginning today," said Abbott.
“The governor and his team bring a lot of credibility. We work together in the legislature and having his endorsement means the world," said Klick.
Abbott is also campaigning against four House incumbents who snubbed his education priority last session. If two go down, he said he has the 76 required votes to pass his education reforms in the lower chamber.
Lowe also supports the governor's school choice effort but is running against Klick because of the Paxton impeachment vote and the policy of House Republicans giving Democrats some power in Austin through committee chairs.
“I have a problem with us dragging our feet. Look we have the majority and we should act like it," said Lowe in an interview with Lone Star Politics when NBC 5 spoke to both candidates, "I think that the voters, since they vote for more Republicans and I think Republicans should have the control of all the committees.”
Voter turnout is expected to be abysmal but the small number of voters who show up will dictate major statewide policy next session.
