This Week in Texas: August 3rd, 2011

Posted August 3, 2011 in The Mignon Memo

Rep. Kelly Hancock (R-Ft. Worth) announced that he will seek the Republican nomination for Texas Senate District 10 in Tarrant County. Hancock has served in the Texas House since 2006. Senate District 10 is currently represented by Sen. Wendy Davis (D-Ft. Worth) but the district was redrawn during the redistricting process, giving an edge to Republican candidates. Rep. Mark Shelton (R-Ft. Worth) and Rep. Vicki Truitt (R-Southlake) may also run for the Senate seat.

Several Democrats, two of them former state representatives, announced their candidacies for the newly drawn state house seat focused on southeast Arlington and part of Grand Prairie. Former state representatives Chris Turner of Burleson and Paula Pierson of Arlington will run for the District 101 Texas House seat. Vickie Barnett, owner of a Mansfield construction company, also announced her intent to run for the seat.

Former Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams announced that he is forgoing a race for the newly created Congressional District 33 seat and instead running as a Republican in the newly configured Congressional District 25, currently represented by Congressman Lloyd Doggett of Austin. He joins other announced candidates, including Chad Wilbanks, businessman and former executive director for the Republican Party of Texas and Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio).

Sugar Land Mayor Pro Tem Jacquie Chaumette says she will challenge Rep. Charlie Howard (R-Sugar Land) in next year’s Republican primary for House District 26.