Enlarge Michael Stravato

Ted Cruz on stage at his election night party on March 15, 2016, in Houston.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Friday made his first trip to Pennsylvania as a presidential candidate, offering an appeal to blue-collar workers in the state as he contrasted himself with his Democratic rivals.

"If Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders or some other socialist is elected president, you’re going to see tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians losing their jobs in the coal industry, tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians losing their jobs in the oil and gas industry," Cruz said during an afternoon speech in the Harrisburg area. "You’re going to see tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians out on the street because the federal government isn’t looking out for them."

"If I’m elected president, we’re going to get the federal government out of the way, and you’re going to see tens of thousands of more Pennsylvanians getting new jobs in coal and oil and gas and small business," Cruz added.

Cruz was addressing the Pennsylvania Leadership Conference, which bills itself as "America's largest state-based conservative conference." Pennsylvania holds it primary on April 26.

"The battle in Pennsylvania is going to matter," Cruz said, calling the state a "bellwether." "It's going to make a difference."

*****

Cruz on Monday finally said what his skeptics have been asking him to say.

"I have always been faithful to my wife," the Republican presidential candidate said here during a town hall, the Texas senator's firmest denial yet of a tabloid story suggesting he may have had five affairs.

As soon as the story broke last month, Cruz said it was made up of lies and alleged allies of Donald Trump were behind it. That did not satisfy some, though — especially Trump supporters, who wondered why Cruz did not respond by explicitly saying he has been faithful to his wife.

At the town hall, which was moderated by Fox News host Megyn Kelly, Cruz reiterated his belief that families should be off limits in the race for the White House. And at one point, he briefly turned the question of personal failings on Trump, who has gone through two divorces.

"I don't think it's a state secret that Donald's personal life hasn't been immaculate," Cruz said, declining to go further.

*****

After trouncing Trump in Wisconsin, Cruz took a victory lap Wednesday in New York.

Visiting a multi-ethnic restaurant in the Bronx, the Texas senator again billed his decisive defeat of Trump on Tuesday as a "turning point" in the Republican race for the White House. But reality quickly settled in as Cruz was reminded that he is badly trailing Trump in the billionaire's home state of New York, which holds its primary in two weeks.

"The interesting thing about polling is it can change and it can change quickly," said Cruz, whose campaign is hoping to at least perform well in some congressional districts in the Empire State.

Speaking with reporters at the restaurant, Cruz also brushed off the idea that his use of the term "New York values" against Trump will come back to haunt him. Cruz caused a bipartisan brouhaha when he used the phrase to criticize Trump earlier this year in Iowa.

"The people of New York know exactly what those values are," Cruz said Wednesday, tying them to Trump's donations to New York Democrats over the years. "If you want to know what liberal Democratic values are, follow Donald Trump's checkbook."

*****

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham's 180 flip on Ted Cruz is complete.

South Carolina's senior senator crowed about Cruz's virtues at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, a few weeks after he endorsed the Texan for the GOP nomination. But Graham delivered that endorsement with a wink and a nod, telegraphing that it was half-hearted.

But on Tuesday, Graham painted Cruz as the GOP's savior amid real estate magnate Donald Trump's dominance in the race. 

"I think if Cruz does well tonight, then maybe more people will realize that the disaster of Trump can only be stopped by Cruz," Graham said of Tuesday's Wisconsin primary.

"I'm not sugar coating our differences," he added. "I think he's a reliable Republican conservative."

He argued Cruz's policies are more digestible when compared to Trump.

"He would support conservative judges ... I think he would repeal and replace Obamacare. I don't think he would order our troops to commit war crimes. I think his foreign policy views are far closer to mine than Trump's."

It is a far cry from previous Graham commentary on Cruz. In December, he argued Cruz's conservative abortion stances would make him unviable in a general election.

More recently, Graham joked, that "If you killed Ted Cruz on the floor of the Senate, and the trial was in the Senate, nobody would convict you."

But on Tuesday, Graham was firm in his support for Cruz. He conceded that Gov. John Kasich would be the GOP's best general election candidate, but the Ohio Republican has not proved himself in the GOP nomination fight, in Graham's view. 

"Is he my first choice? No," Graham said of Cruz. Graham endorsed former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush after dropping his own presidential bid. "But I'll tell you this, he's run a hell of a campaign."

"He's impressed me, and I hope other people will keep an open mind about Cruz," he added. "If you want to stop Trump, Cruz is your best shot. If you want a competitive election, Cruz will make it competitive.”

Enlarge Laura Buckman

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul speaks to the press about his decision bring on Steve Munisteri, chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, as a senior advisor to his anticipated presidential campaign during the Dallas GOP "Reagan Day" event on Friday, January 30, 2015.

The Republican National Committee has hired Steve Munisteri, the former chairman of the Texas GOP, to help with the delegate process as its convention nears.

Munisteri, who had been a senior adviser to former Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul, is joining the RNC's Grassroots Assistance Project, a new effort to "welcome, educate, and engage delegates" ahead of the convention in July in Cleveland. Another GOP operative who had advised Paul, Chris LaCivita, is helping with the project, the RNC said Thursday. 

Their hires comes as the GOP field increasingly eyes a contested convention as a way of settling whom their nominee will be.

*****

Gov. Greg Abbott is brushing off the idea that his forthcoming book is a sign of interest in higher office.

"The purpose of this book is not to run for president," Abbott said in an interview Tuesday morning on San Antonio radio. "The purpose of this book is to get this country back on track and explain how we can do it."

It was announced Monday that Abbott plans to release a book next month centering on his life story and his push for a convention of states. Titled “Broken But Unbowed,” the book is scheduled to come out May 17.

Reminded by host Trey Ware that the last two governors who wrote books had presidential ambitions, Abbott tamped down the speculation.

"Think about the the timing of this book,” Abbott told Ware. "It’s not on the cusp of a potential new election. I’m not even up for re-election for a couple of years."

*****

In case you missed it: Texas Republicans still loathe President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration.

Two weeks before the United States Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments in United States v. Texas, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn filed separate amicus briefs urging the high court to keep the program on hold.

The plan, known as Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents, or DAPA, would shield more than 4 million undocumented immigrants in the country from deportation proceedings and allow them to apply for a three-year work permit.

It was announced in November 2014 and the next month Texas led the effort to stop it. The state has been successful as lower courts have already ruled to halt the policy three separate times.

A victory for Obama this year at the Supreme Court could make immigrants eligible to apply for the program as early as this summer. But Abbott and Cornyn are urging the eight justices to stop what they call "executive amnesty."

"The President was correct when he recognized that only Congress can lawfully effectuate DAPA. As he said in October 2010, ‘I am president, I am not king. I can’t do these things just by myself,’" Abbott wrote.

Added Cornyn:  “What is at stake in this matter is nothing less than an effort to supplant Congress’s constitutional power to ‘establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization.’  Such an action stands in stark contravention to federal law and to the constitutional principle of the separation of powers."

*****

Four tech juggernauts are backing President Obama’s Clean Power Plan, lining up against Texas and other states in their high-profile legal challenge of the regulations.

Attorneys for Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft — companies that each have a Texas footprint — backed the fight against climate change in a filing Friday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. 

The companies’ amicus brief argued that requiring states to speed their ongoing shift away from high-pollution coal and toward renewables would benefit the environment and public health, and would drastically increase electricity prices as opponents fear.

“Delaying action on climate change will be costly in economic and human terms, while accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy will produce multiple benefits with regard to sustainable economic growth, public health, resilience to natural disasters, and the health of the global environment,” the brief said. “It also reflects their firsthand experience that developing and using renewable electricity generation is affordable, reliable, and consistent with sound business practices.”

As operators of giant, energy-sucking manufacturing facilities and data centers, the companies are heavily invested in energy issues and would have much to lose if prices skyrocketed, the brief pointed out.

Each company has a presence in Texas, which has joined West Virginia in leading the 27 states suing over the rules.

Amazon, for instance, has multiple facilities in North Texas and a corporate office in Austin. Microsoft has two data centers in Bexar County and is building a third.  Google has a significant presence in Austin, which it is planning to grow. Apple also has a major Austin presence.  Each of the companies has tapped renewable sources — largely wind power — to lower or offset their carbon emissions.

The Clean Power Plan would require Texas to cut an average of 51 million tons of emissions each year, about 21 percent from 2012 levels. The rules are temporarily on hold as the litigation unfolds. The U.S. Supreme Court stayed the rule in February, but the subsequent death of conservative justice Antonin Scalia has cast doubt on how the justices will ultimately rule.

Enlarge Bob Daemmrich

Bill Ratliff in the Senate 2003

Former Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff has announced his support of David Simpson in the SD-1 Republican runoff election.

Ratliff represented the Northeast Texas-based Senate district for 15 years, resigning in January 2004. He was succeeded by Kevin Eltife, who announced last year that he was not running for re-election.

Simpson qualified for the runoff by a scant 13 votes and squares off against current House colleague Bryan Hughes in the second round of voting. Hughes has already nabbed high-profile endorsements from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton and former Gov. Rick Perry.

The Ratliff name is not exactly cherished these days among the conservative voices that are especially strong in the region.

Ratliff and Simpson both seemed to anticipate criticism and work to defuse it in the endorsement announcement.

Here’s Ratliff: "While we don't agree on every issue, we agree that Northeast Texas needs a Senator who represents us and is not beholden to anyone or any special interests.”

And here’s Simpson: “I'm sure some will attempt to twist and diminish this endorsement against me, but that's okay. Senator Ratliff and I have stood on principle and what we believe is right, not what is popular. I will continue to stand on principle.”

*****

State lawmakers questioned the effectiveness and necessity of a bill passed during last year's session regulating vendor contracts with state agencies during a Tuesday hearing of the House Committee for Government Transparency and Operation.

"Are there enough teeth in the bill to go after some of these folks who, particularly internally, are not complying with the law?" state Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston, asked a panel of experts invited to testify at the hearing. "The reason for the bill was to prevent what was happening at (the Health and Human Services Commission). Does this bill, would it have prevented something like what happened at HHSC?"

The legislation was pursued after a contract between HHSC and the Austin-based software company 21st Century Technologies led to multiple investigations, forced resignations at the commission and a lawsuit.

One section of the law called on the Legislative Budget Board to develop a contract database to log contracts between state agencies and vendors — and to make the data accessible by the public.

Jacob Pugh, manager of the Legislative Budget Board, said the group is working to assist larger agencies — including HHSC — with entering contracts into the new database. He said since the commission is so large, "it's quite slow."

State Rep. Larry Gonzales, R-Round Rock, asked the panel if the state was "getting better" and if the legislation was too much of a "knee-jerk reaction" to the situation with HHSC.

Bobby Pounds, assistant director of the Texas Procurement and Support Services Division in the Comptroller's office, said the measures approved by the Legislature are significant improvements and appear to be far ahead of other states.

"In a lot of ways, we're being looked at as having set a bar," he said.

*****

Five areas of Texas home to military installations are recipients of the latest round of grant money awarded to support new or expanded missions.

The 84th Legislature appropriated $30 million for the next two years to help installations pay for new construction and renovate older facilities.

Officials also want to make the base's value clear enough that it won't be in danger the next time the U.S. Department of Defense chooses military bases to shutter. The program distributed its first $15 million in grants last September.

The following entities received funding during the second round of DEAAG disbursements:

•    City of Killeen, Fort Hood – $3.47 Million
•    Bexar County, Joint Base San Antonio - Randolph - $4.71 Million
•    Tom Green County, Goodfellow Air Force Base - $2.04 Million
•    City of El Paso, Fort Bliss - $2.00 Million
•    City of Del Rio, Laughlin Air Base  - $3.3 Million

Enlarge

For this week’s nonscientific survey of insiders in government and politics, we asked about that Greg Abbott book and what it might mean for his political future.

The week began with the announcement that the Texas governor, just 16 months into his first term, plans to release a book in mid-May. It's a combination of life story and a renewed push on his initiative to call a convention of the states to amend the U.S. Constitution in order to bolster the states' positions in relation to the federal government.

In many instances, books of this nature precede runs for higher office. In Abbott's case, the book comes before the conclusion of the current presidential race. While that would on its face seem to preclude linking the book to laying the groundwork for a presidential campaign, the immediate chatter surrounding the question was loud enough to force Abbott to address it directly in a Tuesday radio interview.

"The purpose of this book is not to run for president," he said. "The purpose of this book is to get this country back on track and explain how we can do it."

The insiders mostly agreed with Abbott on this, with roughly three in five said the appearance of a book by Abbott does not make a presidential run in 2020 a foregone conclusion. Another one in four said the book tells them that he will indeed run.

With the next question, we asked about the insiders' take on Ted Cruz's future presidential aspirations should he fall short this time around. Nearly three-fourths of the insiders believed that Cruz runs again in 2020. Among those thinking that Cruz runs again, they split nearly evenly on whether Cruz for President 2.0 blocks a potential run by Abbott.

We then pivoted to what Abbott does should Cruz create a vacancy in the U.S. Senate by moving up or out. Nearly half the insiders tagged Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick as the most likely of three supplied options to be appointed to the seat. That was followed by Land Commissioner George P. Bush, who was named by 17 percent, and former Texas Supreme Court Justice Harriet O'Neill, cited by 4 percent.

Fully one-third of the insiders thought that Abbott would look to someone else to fill a vacancy.

With the final question, we asked to identify a Texas politico from of a list of three who could enter the presidential conversation in four years. Housing Secretary Julian Castro was named by 37 percent, followed by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (24 percent) and Bush (15 percent).

Another 25 percent named someone else as more likely to enter that conversation.

We collected comments along the way, and a full set of those is attached. Here’s a sampling:

Enlarge Emily Albracht

.

Now that Greg Abbott has published his “here’s how to fix America” book, is a presidential run in 2020 a foregone conclusion?

• "We have seen this cycle that the public demands candidates who can talk fast and think on their feet. Abbott is plenty smart, but his team keeps him isolated from the press (and real people) most of the time, which has dulled his communication skills."

• "Possible. He's posturing for such, for sure."

• "But a VP or cabinet position is not out of possibility in 2016."

• "By definition, any Governor of Texas is always a potential candidate."

• "What better way to keep a foothold on your job should a former candidate for POTUS fail at that capacity, possibly narrowly, and decide the Governor's office looks attractive? Have yourself in the discussion for that caliber of position as well can't hurt."

Enlarge Emily Albracht

.

Does Ted Cruz run again in 2020 if he falls short of the White House this year and, if so, does that block Abbott's path?

• "Abbott can be on the Texas ballot twice if he's running for president and governor."

• "If Ted is the nominee and he loses the Election, he is done. If Ted doesn't get the nomination, he'll sit in the Senate and blast Hillary Clinton's proposals every day — but with four years to think about it, Republicans will come up with a 2020 candidate who has a broader reach than Ted."

• "Two from Texas won't make it again. Abbott remains Governor and waits until the second term Dem is out of office."

• "Abbott isn't running, but if he were, Cruz's running wouldn't stop him."

• "Ted Cruz has one bite at the apple... and he is taking it now. Abbott won't run for President."

Enlarge Emily Albracht

.

Since we’re talking about musical political chairs, who is Abbott likely to appoint to the U.S. Senate if Cruz moves up or out?

• "Appoint Dan Patrick, and take care of the 2018 primary threat to the Governor's re-election."

• "If I were Abbott, I would appoint Wallace Jefferson."

• "Patrick and Bush want to be Governor. Another Hispanic would be smarter."

• "Resigns. And lets Patrick appoint him."

• "Oh my sweet Jesus, who under God's heaven could possibly satisfy the groups who would need to be satisfied???"

Enlarge Emily Albracht

.

Which Texas politico isn’t part of the presidential conversation now but could be in 2020?

• "I don't see 2020 as a year for a Texan."

• "Are you kidding? There's no bench in either party!"

• "Too soon even to speculate"

• "All of the above, and more."

• "There is not a Texas politico worthy of this mention."

• "None of the above. Julián may be a VP candidate."

Our thanks to this week's participants: Gene Acuna, Brandon Aghamalian, Jay Arnold, Charles Bailey, Andrew Biar, Allen Blakemore, Tom Blanton, Chris Britton, Raif Calvert, Lydia Camarillo, Kerry Cammack, Elna Christopher, Kevin Cooper, Randy Cubriel, Beth Cubriel, Denise Davis, Glenn Deshields, Tom Duffy, David Dunn, Jack Erskine, Gay Erwin, John Esparza, Jon Fisher, Dominic Giarratani, Bruce Gibson, Stephanie Gibson, Eric Glenn, Kinnan Golemon, Daniel Gonzalez, John Greytok, Clint Hackney, Wayne Hamilton, Bill Hammond, John Heasley, Jim Henson, Deborah Ingersoll, Mark Jones, Robert Kepple, Richard Khouri, Tom Kleinworth, Sandy Kress, Pete Laney, James LeBas, Luke Legate, Ruben Longoria, Matt Mackowiak, Steve Minick, Bee Moorhead, Mike Moses, Gardner Pate, Jerod Patterson, Robert Peeler, Jerry Philips, Tom Phillips, Wayne Pierce, Allen Place, Gary Polland, Jay Pritchard, Jay Propes, Ted Melina Raab, Patrick Reinhart, David Reynolds, Carl Richie, A.J. Rodriguez, Grant Ruckel, Jason Sabo, Andy Sansom, Jim Sartwelle, Barbara Schlief, Stan Schlueter, Robert Scott, Ben Sebree, Jason Skaggs, Ed Small, Martha Smiley, Larry Soward, Leonard Spearman, Dennis Speight, Colin Strother, Sherry Sylvester, Trey Trainor, Vicki Truitt, Corbin Van Arsdale, Ware Wendell, David White, Darren Whitehurst, Peck Young, Angelo Zottarelli.

Enlarge Todd Wiseman

Friday, April 8

• Libertarian Party of Texas 2016 State Convention; Norris Conference Center, 618 NW Loop 410, #207, San Antonio (April 8-10)
  
• Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association 139th annual Cattle Raisers Convention; Fort Worth Convention Center, 1201 Houston St., Fort Worth (April 8-10)
• Republican Party of Bexar County Lincoln Day Celebration with guest speaker Karl Rove; Alzafar Shrine, 901 North Loop 1604 W, San Antonio (6 p.m.)

Saturday, April 9

• Presidential nominating contest: Wyoming (Democratic only)
• Cocktails on the Colorado Gala, hosted by the Colorado River Alliance; Hotel Van Zandt, 605 Davis St., Austin (6 p.m.)

Wednesday, April 13

• SBOE District 9 candidate Keven Ellis fundraiser, with special guests state Reps. Dan Flynn, R-Canton, and Trent Ashby, R-Lufkin; Austin Club, 110 E. Ninth St., Austin (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.)

Friday, April 15

• Texas Agricultural Land Trust event: Going, Going, Gone: Impacts of Loss of Rural Land on Water, Wildlife & Agriculture; Omni Corpus Christi Hotel, 900 N. Shoreline Blvd., Corpus Christi (9 a.m.-2 p.m.)
  

Tuesday, April 19

• Presidential nominating contest: New York
• State Sen. José Rodríguez, D-El Paso, fundraiser; Austin Club, 110 E. Ninth St., Austin (4:30-6 p.m.)

Thursday, April 21

• American Leadership Forum's annual Joseph Jaworski Leadership Award Dinner, honoring Melanie Gray and Mark Wawro with the Joseph Jaworski Leadership Award and Stephen Klineberg with the ALF Public Service Award; Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa, 111 N. Post Oak Ln., Houston (6:30 p.m.)
  

***We are taking a quick one-week hiatus for Spring Break. We will not publish April 15, but will be back the following Friday.***

After a decisive win over Donald Trump in Wisconsin Tuesday, U.S. Sen Ted Cruz is now staring down a string of GOP presidential primaries in northeastern states that tend to be more moderate and friendlier to his two Republican rivals, Trump and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

Technical issues last week that caused students to lose their answers on state standardized exams impacted about 14,220 computerized tests, Commissioner Mike Morath told the State Board of Education on Wednesday. Most were tests taken by special education students, and Morath said school districts get to decide if students will be tested again.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said Wednesday that he will continue to remain neutral in the GOP nomination fight and will not endorse his fellow Texan, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, for president.

The criminal case against former Gov. Rick Perry was officially dismissed on Wednesday, weeks after the Texas' highest criminal court ordered that it be dropped. The case had centered on a 2013 veto threat.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will publish his first book next month, 16 months into his first term. "Broken But Unbowed" will recount his life story and advance his push for a convention to amend the U.S. Constitution, his political team announced Monday.

In a unanimous decision released Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to uphold Texas' current system for drawing legislative districts so that they are roughly equal in population.

Ted Cruz's presidential campaign claimed a "resounding victory" in North Dakota on Sunday after the state's GOP finalized its list of delegates to send to the Republican National Convention, with many viewed as supportive of the U.S. senator from Texas.

A state plan to eradicate invasive Carrizo cane along the Rio Grande — cited by Gov. Greg Abbott as a border security priority — is finally getting some funding after sitting dormant for almost a year. But environmental groups are ramping up to protest use of herbicides and aerial spraying to wipe out the pesky plant.

Attorneys painted two vastly different pictures of former Carthage mortician Bernie Tiede Wednesday during opening statements in his second sentencing trial for Marjorie Nugent's 1996 murder. The killing inspired the 2011 dark comedy "Bernie," and Tiede is hoping a jury will reduce his original life sentence.

Pablo Lucio Vasquez, who admitted to slitting the throat of a 12-year-old boy and beating him to death before stealing a ring and necklace from the body 18 years ago, was executed by lethal injection Wednesday evening. It was the sixth in Texas and eleventh in the nation this year.

An El Paso-based immigrant rights group has been trying to convince city leaders to create a municipal ID card that would help undocumented residents get basic services and escape financial predators. But their hopes may be dashed because officials fear creating the ID would brand El Paso a "sanctuary city."

Five years after issuing a ruling cheered by property rights advocates, the Texas Supreme Court is set to rehear a case pitting two Texas brothers against Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas, which seized their land through eminent domain. The long-winding legal battle has re-emeged as state lawmakers have discussed overhauling eminent domain laws.

Gov. Greg Abbott has reappointed Deeia Beck as public counsel for the Office of Public Insurance Counsel. Her new term expires Feb. 1, 2017. She’s held the post since September 2008.

Abbott has reappointed Jessica Corna of Austin as Injured Employee Counsel. Her new term expires Feb. 1, 2017. She has held the post since October 2014.

Abbott has named Patty Maginnis of Conroe to the bench in Montgomery County’s 435th District Court. Maginnis, already a candidate for the seat, is assured of winning in the November general election after the incumbent resigned and withdrew from his re-election campaign.

Abbott has appointed Wes Tidwell of Paris to fill the vacancy on the 6th District Court, which has jurisdiction in Red River and Lamar counties. Judge Eric Clifford resigned last month, having previously withdrawn from the GOP primary election for the post. Tidwell has a Democratic opponent in November.

Abbott announced Tuesday that he’s reappointed Jim Jeffers of Nacogdoches and David Landis of Perryton to the Texas Municipal Retirement System Board of Trustees. Their terms expire Feb. 1, 2021.

Republican Party of Texas Chairman Tom Mechler announced on Friday that former Republican National Committeeman Ernie Angelo has endorsed his re-election campaign.

Wayne Christian, GOP candidate in the runoff election for the open seat on the Railroad Commission, announced on Wednesday endorsements from former Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams and state Sen. Van Taylor, R-Plano. He followed on Thursday with an endorsement from the political arm of the Texas Association of Business.

The Texas Home School Coalition Association released on Friday its slate of endorsements for the May 24 runoff elections. The list is highlighted by endorsements of Bryan Hughes for the open SD-1 seat as well as Kyle Biedermann and Briscoe Cain, who are challenging sitting incumbents in HD-73 (Doug Miller) and HD-128 (Wayne Smith), respectively. The THSC also chose to endorse Ray Wheless in the runoff for Place 2 on the Court of Criminal Appeals.

Dawn Buckingham announced Monday an endorsement from the advocacy arm of Texas Values in her bid to win the open SD-24 seat. On Tuesday, she received the backing of the political arm of the Texas Farm Bureau. And on Wednesday, she announced the support of the Texas Wildlife Association. She is in a runoff for the Republican nomination against state Rep. Susan King, R-Abilene.

Ernest Bailes, who is in the Republican runoff to succeed John Otto, R-Dayton, in representing HD-18, announced on Wednesday an endorsement from the political arm of Texas Alliance for Life.

The Texas Democratic Party announced this week that it has hired Tariq Thowfeek as the party’s new communications director. He most recently served as digital director for Texas-based consulting firm Y Strategy. He succeeds Javier Gamboa, who left to join the communications shop at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Carmen Ayala has been named the new executive director of the Dallas County Democratic Party. She’s been with the party for four years, having served most recently as the organization’s director of operations.

The Beer Alliance of Texas has hired J.P. Urrabazo as the organization’s vice president of industry affairs. He comes to the Alliance from Longbow Partners, where he represented the group during his four years there.

Disclosure: The Office of Public Insurance Counsel, the Texas Association of Business, the Texas Farm Bureau and the Beer Alliance of Texas are corporate sponsors of The Texas Tribune. The Texas Wildlife Association was a sponsor to the Tribune in 2014. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.