Some highlights from the eight days out reports, where the real money often gets spent, for Harris County races.
HD149: Greg Meyers gets a huge cash injection from a couple of Republican PACs as they try to knock off Rep. Hubert Vo. Meyers collected $276,844.67, including $13,946.21 from Empower Texans, $32,570.36 from the Republican Party of Texas (all in-kind for each), and a whopping $175,000 in cash and $6,063.10 in in-kind contributions from Texans for Lawsuit Reform. He reported spending $225,380.00, with $38,218.55 on hand.
Vo also got some big contributions. He collected $213,748.89, including $23,477.40 in cash and in-kind donations from his colleague Rep. Garnet Coleman, $60,000 from the HDCC, and had a loan of $95,459.46. All together, he spent $31,396.48 and reported $159,635.60 on hand.
HD133: Kristi Thibaut had another strong period, raising $171,643.78. She collected $30,000 from the Third Thursday PAC, $21,000 from Texans Together PAC, and $22,073.57 from Annie’s List. She spent $156,599.20 and had $33,807.82 on hand.
Thibout outraised her opponent, Rep. Jim Murphy, whose PAC reported $105,636.19 taken in, $141,623.88 spent, and $125,657.43 left in the bank. His benefactors included $25,000 from the Texas Association of Realtors PAC (TREPAC), and $5,000 from Bob Perry.
HD129: Sherrie Matula raised another $103,323.24, spent $217,564.02, and had $47,748.08 on hand. She received $35,000 from the Blue Texas PAC, and $9,276.16 from the Texas Parent PAC.
Rep. John Davis took in $169,794.29, spent $116,156.06, and maintained $106,850.09. His big donors were $40,000 from Bob Perry, $32,823 from Texans for Lawsuit Reform, and $31,000 from Tom Craddick’s Stars Over Texas PAC. Davis also has a TEC complaint out against him for using a nonexistent PAC in a mailer. You can see a copy of the TEC’s response letter here (PDF).
HD144: Lots of money in this open seat race. Joel Redmond raised $278,652.15, spent $31,387.64, and had $171,120.92 left to spend. He collected $30,000 from Blue Texas, $20,000 from the HDCC, $31,250 for cable TV ads from John Steven Mostyn PC, $65,865.89 in direct mail and consulting services from Texans for Insurance Reform, $26,896.44 from the Parent PAC, and $23,405.25 from the Texas State Teachers Association PAC.
Ken Legler finally put some points on the board, raking in $338,839.40, laying out $165,348.93, and keeping $98,191.41. He attracted $80,893.21 from Empower Texans for mail and TV, $25,000 and $18,000 from uber-sugar daddies James Leininger and Bob Perry, respectively, $45,000 from Stars Over Texas, and $90,060 from Texans for Lawsuit Reform. Better late than never, obviously.
HD134: I can’t resist dipping into this well one last time: Joe Agris collected $1600, spent $1300, and has $812.74 plus a $15,000 loan still outstanding. He did, however, get a donation from Shelley Sekula Gibbs, whose name shows up on quite a few of these reports. Tell me again why this guy was supposed to be a contender against Rep. Ellen Cohen?