Candidate Center

Our new candidate center is designed to help keep you up-to-date with the campaigns going on across the country. Click on your state of interest and you’ll find a list of candidates running for each federal office, a brief overview of the state, and specific information for campaigns of interest as it becomes available. In the near future, the candidate center will include polls that will be updated as new ones are released, and links to FEC data.

Texas

Presidential primary: Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Congressional filing deadline: January 2008
Congressional primary: March 2008

President (34 Electoral Votes)

Jimmy Carter won Texas in 1976 and Bill Clinton came close twice, but Texas is not a centerpiece of Democratic election strategy. Texas serves as the Republican counterbalance to California for the Democrats. After redistricting Texas could become increasingly influential as it could potentially receive more electoral votes.

U.S. Senate - John Cornyn (Rep)

Republican John Cornyn is up for reelection in 2008, and there are two Democrats currently vying for the nomination, State Representative Rick Noriega and public school teacher Ray McMurrey. Both candidates face an uphill climb to unseat Cornyn. Millionaire Mikal Watts, disappointed Democrats when he decided not to seek the nomination despite having spent more than $2 million on his bid for the nomination. The Texas Senate race remains a long shot at this point.

John Cornyn (Rep) - Incumbent
Larry Kilgore (Rep) - Christian Conservative Activist, Telecommunications Worker and frequent candidate
Ron Kirk (Dem) - Former Dallas Mayor and 2002 Nominee
Rick Noriega (Dem) - State Representative and National Guard Officer
Barbara Ann Radnofsky (Dem) - Attorney, Community Activist and 2006 Nominee
Emil Reichstadt (Dem) - Attorney and Army Veteran
John Sharp (Dem) - Former State Comptroller and 1998/2002 Lieutenant Governor Nominee
Kirk Watson (Dem) - State Senator
Mikal Watts (Dem) - Attorney
Mark White (Dem) - Former Governor, Former Attorney General and Former Secretary of State

1st District - Louie Gohmert (Rep)

Northeast/East Texas, Tyler

Louie Gohmert (Rep) - Incumbent

2nd District - Ted Poe (Rep)

Southeast Texas, Beaumont

Ted Poe (Rep) - Incumbent

3rd District - Sam Johnson (Rep)

North Dallas and suburbs

Sam Johnson (Rep) - Incumbent
Dan Dodd (Dem) - Sales Director, Vietnam War Veteran and 2006 Nominee

4th District - Ralph Hall (Rep)

Northeast, Texarkana, Sherman

Ralph Hall (Rep) - Incumbent
Gene Christensen (Rep) - Businessman, NASCAR Team Owner and Anti-Drug Activist
Kevin George (Rep) - Businessman
Kathy Seei (Rep) - Former Frisco Mayor and Business Consultant
Glenn Melancon (Dem) - College Professor, Community Activist and 2006 Nominee

5th District - Jeb Hensarling (Rep)

Parts of Dallas and eastern and southern suburbs

Jeb Hensarling (Rep) - Incumbent

6th District - Joe Barton (Rep)

Dallas suburbs, parts of Fort Worth and Arlington

Joe Barton (Rep) - Incumbent
David Harris (Dem) - College Professor, Army Reserve Officer, Iraq War Veteran and 2006 Nominee

7th District - John Culberson (Rep)

Western Houston and northwest suburbs

John Culberson (Rep) - Incumbent

8th District - Kevin Brady (Rep)

Southwest Texas - North of Houston

Kevin Brady (Rep) - Incumbent
James Wright (Dem) - Retiree and frequent candidate

9th District - Al Green (Dem)

Southern Harris county

Al Green (Dem) - Incumbent

10th District - Mike McCaul (Rep)

Central, Austin and Houston suburbs

Mike McCaul (Rep) - Incumbent
Larry Joe Doherty (Dem) - Attorney, TV Actor, Singer and Poet
Dan Grant (Dem) - Iraq Security Contractor and International Elections Consultant

11th District - Mike Conaway (Rep)

West, Midland

Mike Conaway (Rep) - Incumbent
Brad Vincent (Dem) - College Professor and Non-Profit Educational Group Founder

12th District - Kay Granger (Rep)

Northeast, part of Fort Worth

Kay Granger (Rep) - Incumbent

13th District - Mac Thornberry (Rep)

Eastern Panhandle, Amarillo, Wichita Falls

Mac Thornberry (Rep) - Incumbent
Roger Waun (Dem) - Businessman, Lay Preacher and 2006 Nominee

14th District - Ron Paul (Rep)

Southeast/Gulf Coast, Victoria

Ron Paul (Rep) - Incumbent
Eric Dondero (Rep) - Former Congressional Aide, Former Libertarian Party Activist and Navy Veteran
Bobby Eberle (Rep) - Former State Young Republicans Chair
Mark Henry (Rep) - Businessman, USAF Reserve Officer and 2004 Candidate in CD-2
Andy Mann (Rep) - NASA Computer Contractor and Former Congressional Aide
Chris Peden (Rep) - Friendswood City Councilman and Accountant

15th District - Ruben Hinojosa (Dem)

Rural South

Ruben Hinojosa (Dem) - Incumbent

16th District - Silvestre Reyes (Dem)

Westernmost point, El Paso and suburbs

Silvestre Reyes (Dem) - Incumbent

17th District - Chet Edwards (Dem)

Central, Waco, College Station

Chet Edwards (Dem) - Incumbent

18th District - Sheila Jackson-Lee (Dem)

Downtown Houston

Sheila Jackson-Lee (Dem) - Incumbent

19th District - Randy Neugebauer (Rep)

West, Lubbock, Abilene

Randy Neugebauer (Rep) - Incumbent

20th District - Charlie Gonzalez (Dem)

Downtown San Antonio

Charlie Gonzalez (Dem) - Incumbent

21st District - Lamar Smith (Rep)

South central and west, Austin suburbs

Lamar Smith (Rep) - Incumbent
James Arthur Strohm (Libertarian) - Technical Writer and 2006 Nominee

22nd District - Nick Lampson (Dem)

Southeast Houston and suburbs

Tom DeLay's former district represents one of the Democrats most difficult defenses in the 2008 campaign. DeLay resigned in 2006 amid allegations of corruption, which propelled Democrat Nick Lampson to a 10 percent victory over write-in Republican candidate Shelly Sekulla-Gibbs. Gibbs has announced that she will run again in 2008, but the GOP, which is trying to recruit other candidates, does not consider her a top-tier candidate. The district is strongly conservative and in a presidential year the increased Republican turnout will make this defense even more difficult.

Nick Lampson (Dem) - Incumbent
Tom Campbell (Rep) - Former NOAA General Counsel, GOP Activist and 2006 Candidate
Dean Hrbacek (Rep) - Former Sugar Land Mayor and Attorney
John Manlove (Rep) - Pasadena Mayor
Peter Graham Olson (Rep)
Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (Rep) - Former Congresswoman, Former Houston City Councilwoman and Physician
Jim Squier (Rep)
Bob Talton (Rep) - State Representative
Bob Smither (Libertarian) - Businessman, Electrical Engineer and 2006 Nominee

23rd District - Ciro Rodriguez (Dem)

West and southwest coast, San Antonio suburbs

Democrat Ciro Rodriguez put the finishing touches on the 2006 election when he defeated Republican incumbent Henry Bonilla in a special election, called after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the political boundaries redrawn to include more Hispanics, just days after the general election. The district has a significant conservative slant as it voted for President Bush in 2004 by 30 percent. Republican candidate Francisco Canseco, a San Antonio lawyer, is seeking the nomination, but there are others interested as well. Given the enormity of President Bush's victory in this district in 2004 it is obvious that this seat will be a target, but Rodriguez has a moderate voting record and may prove to be a tough candidate to beat.

Ciro Rodriguez (Dem) - Incumbent
Quico Canseco (Rep) - Attorney and GOP Activist
Lyle Larson (Rep) - Bexar County Commissioner
Jim McGrody (Rep) - Marketing Executive, Former Teacher and GOP Activist

24th District - Kenny Marchant (Rep)

Central, Dallas suburbs, parts of Tarrant county

Kenny Marchant (Rep) - Incumbent

25th District - Lloyd Doggett (Dem)

South, parts of Austin south to Mexican border

Lloyd Doggett (Dem) - Incumbent
Grant Rostig (Rep) - Computer Programmer, Chiropractor and 2006 Nominee

26th District - Michael Burgess (Rep)

Dallas suburbs, parts of Denton

Michael Burgess (Rep) - Incumbent
Ken Leach (Dem) - Civil Servant

27th District - Solomon Ortiz (Dem)

South/Gulf Coast, Corpus Christi, Brownsville

Solomon Ortiz (Dem) - Incumbent

28th District - Henry Cuellar (Dem)

South, south San Antonio to the southern border, Laredo

Henry Cuellar (Dem) - Incumbent

29th District - Gene Green (Dem)

East Houston

Gene Green (Dem) - Incumbent
Eric Story (Rep) - Minister and 2006 Nominee

30th District - Eddie Bernice Johnson (Dem)

Downtown Dallas, part of Grand Prairie

Eddie Bernice Johnson (Dem) - Incumbent

31st District - John Carter (Rep)

Central, Willamson county

John Carter (Rep) - Incumbent
Brian Patrick Ruiz (Dem)

32nd District - Pete Sessions (Rep)

Northwestern Dallas, Irving, Addison

Pete Sessions (Rep) - Incumbent