For our list of the most competitive races in Texas congressional and legislative elections, we lifted the color scheme from the inventors of the federal terror watch, ranking races by the threat to each incumbent, to the incumbent party, or just by the level of interest and heat generated.

Yellow means there's trouble on the sidewalk. Orange is trouble on the front porch. Red is trouble walking in the door.

Incumbents' names are bolded. This is certainly and intentionally subject to argument, and we'll revise and adjust as the March 1 primary approaches. Let us know what you think.

No changes to report this week to the list.

Enlarge Ross Ramsey

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Enlarge Rebecca F. Miller

Sen. Ted Cruz's campaign bus is parked in downtown Guthrie Center, Iowa on Monday, January 4, 2016.

Ted Cruz's presidential campaign is out with a new TV ad that promises Americans the U.S. senator from Texas will keep them safe in a dangerous world.

The 30-second spot, released Thursday afternoon, features a slew of ominous headlines about international developments, including the recent capture of U.S. sailors by the Iranian government.

"If I’m elected president, no serviceman or servicewoman will be forced to be on their knees, and any nation that captures our fighting men and women will feel the full force and fury of the United States of America," Cruz says in the commercial. "I will have your back."

*****

In other ad news, Cruz is taking his endorsement from "Duck Commander" Phil Robertson to the airwaves in Iowa.

Cruz's presidential campaign announced Tuesday afternoon it is launching a $700,000 ad buy in the first early voting state that touts Robertson's support for the U.S. senator from Texas. The reality TV star of "Duck Dynasty" fame endorsed Cruz on Wednesday, calling him "the man for the job."

The buy is running next week on both radio and TV, including during "Duck Dynasty" and the NFL playoffs, according to Cruz's campaign. Titled "Cruz Commander," the 60-second TV spot is similar to the endorsement video Cruz's team released last week.

The ad will start airing Friday across Iowa, according to the Cruz campaign.

*****

Cruz is hitting the campaign trail Saturday in Iowa with Dallas-based conservative radio host Glenn Beck.

Beck will appear at two rallies with the U.S. senator from Texas, one in Ankeny and the other in Waterloo, according to organizers. The pro-Cruz super PAC Keep the Promise PAC is putting on the events.

Beck has not endorsed Cruz but has spoken highly of him. In media appearances, Beck occasionally refers to Cruz as "my guy."

"Iowans, like the rest of country, are hungry for a president who will do what he says he will do," David Barton, chairman of Keep the Promise PAC, said in a statement announcing the rallies. "We are glad Sen. Cruz’s record is resonating with voters, including bold leaders like Glenn Beck."

*****

One of Cruz's top supporters in Iowa is warning that criticism by the state's governor of the U.S. senator from Texas could imperil the state's influence in the Republican presidential race.

U.S. Rep. Steve King, a national co-chair of Cruz's campaign, sounded the alarm Thursday morning while discussing Gov. Terry Branstad's recent comment that he hopes Cruz is defeated in the Feb. 1 caucuses due to his ethanol views.

"If a governor does that ... it puts Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucus status in great jeopardy," King said unprompted during a campaign event here with Cruz's wife, Heidi. "What candidate in a future race would come invest a year in campaigning in Iowa if he had to wonder if the governor was going to come out and take a direct shot at him 10 days or two weeks before the caucus?"

Branstad and his allies have increasingly targeted Cruz over his opposition to the Renewable Fuel Standard, which sets the minimum amount of ethanol that must be blended into the U.S. gasoline supply. While Branstad has promised not to endorse in the race for the White House, his rebuke of Cruz represented an "anti-endorsement" that reflects poorly on the state, King said.

"We have to recover from the damage that that statement has done, and I will tell you that if Ted Cruz comes out of Iowa with a resounding victory in this caucus, there couldn’t be a stronger message for Iowa’s maintaining our first-in-the-nation caucus status," King said. "If that doesn’t happen, it is going to be diminished."

*****

Campaign finance watchdog group Texans for Public Justice has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission asking the agency to look into Cruz’s failure to disclose during his 2012 Senate run a couple of loans from Goldman Sachs and Citibank.

Those loans were disclosed on Cruz’s personal financial disclosure after joining the Senate. News reports on Cruz’s failure to disclose the loans earlier has become an issue in the 2016 presidential race.

Cruz has dismissed the issue as an inadvertent filing error.

*****

U.S. Housing Secretary Julián Castro is hitting the campaign trail for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Castro, who endorsed Clinton at a splashy rally last year in San Antonio, will stump for the former secretary of state Sunday in Iowa, her campaign announced Thursday morning. Castro, the former mayor of the Alamo City, is scheduled to headline four events for Clinton throughout the day across the eastern half of the state.

Castro will "discuss what’s at stake for Iowa families in this election and why Clinton is the fighter Democrats need to take on Republicans and protect the progress that's been made," Clinton's campaign said in a media advisory. "Castro will highlight Hillary Clinton’s commitment to ending the systemic inequality that continues to hold too many communities back."

Castro has long been seen as Clinton's potential running mate. She has said she plans to "really look hard at him for anything because that's how good he is."

Castro's twin brother, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio, has already made a number of trip to the early voting states to boost the Clinton campaign.

Enlarge Casey Chapman Ross

Texas House Speaker Joe Straus was interviewed by Texas Tribune CEO and Editor-in-Chief Evan Smith at The Texas Tribune Festival on Oct. 17, 2015.

With oil prices plummeting, House Speaker Joe Straus on Thursday acknowledged the effect that could have in crafting the next state budget.

"This next one may not be as easy as the last couple. For starters, our revenue outlook is tightening," Straus said during a keynote at the Texas Association of Business' annual conference in Austin. "This is still Texas, and a sharp decline in oil prices will affect our state’s revenue."

He added, "I see no reason to panic although it might have helped if Comptroller Hegar had won the Powerball the other night, but the oil market is worth watching."

*****

Following his tour of Israel, Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter Wednesday to Texas retirement agencies informing them that they are still prohibited from investing in Iran, despite President Barack Obama's announcement last week that the U.S. is lifting sanctions against the Middle Eastern country.

“These sanctions have and will continue to ensure that Texas does its part to prevent taxpayer dollars from aiding and abetting a country that is openly hostile to the United States and its allies abroad,” Abbott wrote.

*****

A special commission lawmakers created last year to recommend new approaches to student assessment and school accountability met for the first time Wednesday.

Staff from the Texas Education Agency briefed the Texas Commission on Next Generation Assessment and Accountability on the evolution of the state’s various testing and accountability regimes. The 15-member panel — made up of lawmakers, advocacy groups, academics, business people and officials from both traditional and charter schools — also took invited testimony from a Harvard University education professor.

Commission Chairman Andrew Kim, the superintendent of the Comal independent school district in New Braunfels, said the panel will meet five more times and likely take public testimony at its next meeting.

The commission must deliver recommendations to the governor and Legislature by Sept. 1.

*****

On Tuesday, Bexar County voters will choose between Republican John Lujan and Democrat Tomas Uresti to fill the HD-118 seat that has been vacant since the August resignation of Joe Farias.

The opportunity to fill via a special election what is normally a safely Democratic seat with a Republican has attracted the attention of the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC), a national organization dedicated to electing Republican state legislators.

The RSLC’s legislative campaign committee, by the way, is chaired by Straus, also a Bexar County state representative.

"With [Lujan's] background as a local firefighter and a small businessman, John is a great fit for the Texas House,” Straus in a statement released by the RSLC. “I'm grateful that he has stepped forward to serve, and I look forward to welcoming him to our local delegation in the Texas House."

Even if Lujan wins this month, his tenure could end up short-lived. He would still need to win his party primary and the general election contest where the normal demographic advantages enjoyed by the Democratic challenger would accrue.

*****

The Empower Texans PAC, the campaign arm of the conservative group that has a history of playing a role in Republican primaries, has for years received the majority of its funds from Midland oil man Tim Dunn.

The group, though, this time is reporting that most of its funding over the final half of 2015 is coming from a different West Texas oil man.

The group's latest report includes a Dec. 15 contribution of $500,000 from billionaire Farris Wilks, or 70 percent of the PAC's $714,426 haul.

The donation is the latest escalation of the Cisco-based Wilks family's political involvement. Last year, Farris Wilks, along with his brother Dan, and their wives gave $15 million to a super PAC backing Ted Cruz's bid for the White House.

The Wilks brothers made their fortune during the fracking boom of the last decade.

*****

Bedford pastor Scott Fisher has received help from a handful of current and former state lawmakers in his challenge to tea party firebrand Jonathan Stickland in the HD-92 primary contest in Tarrant County.

Among those giving money to Fisher in late 2015: Patricia Harless, R-Spring ($5,000), John Otto, R-Dayton ($2,000) as well as former lawmakers Rob Orr ($1,000), Vicki Truitt ($1,000) and John Carona ($2,500).

Harless and Otto announced earlier this year that they are not running for re-election.

*****

Billed as an opportunity “to see the Republican Party return to its conservative roots,” a collection of socially conservative organizations and their allies is teaming up on a series of training sessions aimed at making their influence felt at this summer’s state party convention.

All three training sessions are being held in Houston-area churches. The first took place Monday in Humble with subsequent events taking place yesterday in Pasadena and on Tuesday in Spring.

On a related note, former Harris County GOP Chairman Jared Woodfill has yet to say whether he’s running again for the top spot at the Republican Party of Texas. But according to Conservative Republicans of Texas Founder Steve Hotze, Woodfill’s already made up his mind.

In a note to his supporters promoting those “Take Back our Party” rallies, Hotze refers to Woodfill as a candidate for the job and adds that Cathie Adams, who served as interim party chair from 2009-10, is running for the position of vice chair.

*****

Abbott has set May 7 for the special election to fill the House seat recently vacated by Sylvester Turner.

Candidates looking to get on the special election ballot have until March 7 to do so. Early voting begins April 25.

Turner resigned his HD-139 seat in order to be sworn in as Houston mayor.

*****

State Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, announced late last week that he has agreed to pay a $500 fine to the Texas Ethics Commission arising from a complaint about his disclosure of gas reimbursements.

In a statement, Hinojosa wrote, "At no point were campaign funds ever used for personal use, and all reimbursements were made on a good faith estimate on mileage ... While I disagree with their conclusions, I respect the decision of the Ethics Commission and agree to pay the $500 fine to resolve this case without further proceedings, as well as to make modifications to my mileage record-keeping accordingly."

Enlarge

For this week’s nonscientific survey of insiders in government and politics, we asked about the immediate future of gambling in Texas.

Gambling keeps generating headlines whether it's the escalating fight over the legality of fantasy sports betting or the ongoing conflict between lawmakers and the Texas Racing Commission.

We first asked whether persistently low oil prices heighten the odds past 50-50 that lawmakers will look favorably on an expansion of gambling in order to capture more revenue without having to raise taxes. On this question, the insiders were nearly unanimous in saying lawmakers are not changing their minds anytime soon on the issue.

For the next question, we asked if lawmakers would give the Texas Lottery their blessing to offer fantasy sports betting. On this one, three in four of the insiders said lawmakers would not give such authorization. Another 18 percent thought that lawmakers would allow fantasy sports betting.

We then asked if the Racing Commission would avoid being shut down over its showdown with Republican lawmakers over the agency's introduction of betting on historical races on machines that often resemble slots. Just about half of the insiders thought the commission would survive with another third saying that the commission is on its last legs.

On the final question, we quizzed the insiders on whether the state's racetracks can survive without being able to offer new gaming options such as the aforementioned historical racing machines. On this one, more than three in five thought the tracks can't make it without being able to offer something new to their patrons. Just 15 percent thought the tracks could survive.

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

Enlarge Emily Albracht

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Does the impact of the low price of oil on state revenues make the odds greater than 50-50 that the Legislature expands the footprint of gambling in Texas?

• "Too many social conservatives in the Lege to go for gambling. But too many conservatives of all kinds (including Ds) to raise taxes, which is what needs to happen. Even though this is the perfect time to raise the gasoline tax — gas would still be cheap, voters are fed up with congestion."

• "The low price of oil hurts all of Texas, especially at the local governmental level such as far lower school tax revenues, but it will NOT change the politics on gambling."

• "The economic argument for gambling has never held sway in the Capitol, where the opposition is moral, not material. Weak oil prices don't change that equation."

• "Not 50-50 but moves it closer and makes the chances of cutting a deal on it greater. Still too many strong voices in the Lege who are against gambling. However, this all becomes irrelevant if oil is back over $40 a barrel. A year in the life of oil prices is a long time, my friend. What happens with Iran's oil supply? How much pain can Saudi Arabia continue to sustain? That is one of the keys. Wow, Saudi Arabia's oil impacting chances of gambling in Texas? Perhaps."

• "That's a revenue-focused question; the reason for gambling will be a spending requirement."

Enlarge Emily Albracht

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Will the Legislature end up authorizing the Texas Lottery to offer fantasy sports betting?

• "Even Nevada calls it gambling."

• "The Republican controlled Legislature/executive will not increase the footprint of gambling no matter who the big money interests are from Texas."

• "You mean so the Lottery can provide all the money for education, like it is now?"

• "No. Remember it was only two sessions ago that the House voted to REPEAL the lottery entirely. They ain't votin' to expand nothin' where gambling is concerned."

• "Camel's nose under the tent for casino gambling."

Enlarge Emily Albracht

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Will the Racing Commission avoid being shut down over historical racing?

• "Can't avoid the shutdown. Quit being about historical racing and more about who could pee the furthest a long time ago."

• "But, they may be shut down because they picked a fight they couldn't win and pissed off the Chairwoman of Senate Finance."

• "Lots of talk and threats, scares and whatnots, but ultimately, things are likely to go on as before. yawn"

• "Please, a government agency closing down? What kind of hallucinogens are you taking?"

• "Abbott appointed new people. Game over."

Enlarge Emily Albracht

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Can the state's racetracks survive without additional gaming options like historical racing?

• "It's a dying industry across the country but especially in Texas. Without additional options to bring in revenue, it's only a matter of time before the tracks shut down."

• "No, but no one cares... they have never paid their own way. They opened based on a bet that they could get slots, but then got real greedy when they wanted to be grandfathered in for their locations being casinos... fought competitive bidding. 'Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.'"

• "If they can't survive without slot machines, then let them close. Why do we need racetracks anyway?"

• "It is a matter of time before they all close. This will have a detrimental impact on rural Texas, which has lost what little manufacturing that existed. There won't be a real demand to raise and train horses in Texas. Kentucky already has the market and we will give them the last vestiges of the racing industry."

• "Yes, if you call endless subsidies from the track owners 'surviving.' Tracks hang on year after year, losing money, only because of the distant hope that one day, the tracks will get expanded gambling. The owners will hang on at least a few more years because of this dream."

Our thanks to this week's participants: Gene Acuna, Cathie Adams, Brandon Aghamalian, Clyde Alexander, Jay Arnold, Dave Beckwith, Andrew Biar, Tom Blanton, Chris Britton, Jay Brown, Raif Calvert, Lydia Camarillo, Kerry Cammack, Elna Christopher, Randy Cubriel, Beth Cubriel, Curtis Culwell, Denise Davis, June Deadrick, Nora Del Bosque, Tom Duffy, David Dunn, Jack Erskine, Jon Fisher, Bruce Gibson, Kinnan Golemon, Daniel Gonzalez, Wayne Hamilton, Bill Hammond, Steve Holzheauser, Kathy Hutto, Deborah Ingersoll, Bill Jones, Mark Jones, Robert Kepple, Richard Khouri, Tom Kleinworth, Dale Laine, Pete Laney, Dick Lavine, James LeBas, Luke Legate, Myra Leo, Ruben Longoria, Matt Mackowiak, Jason McElvaney, Steve Minick, Mike Moses, Nelson Nease, Gardner Pate, Robert Peeler, Jerry Philips, Tom Phillips, Wayne Pierce, Allen Place, Gary Polland, Jay Pritchard, Ted Melina Raab, Patrick Reinhart, David Reynolds, Carl Richie, A.J. Rodriguez, Grant Ruckel, Tyler Ruud, Andy Sansom, Jim Sartwelle, Barbara Schlief, Stan Schlueter, Robert Scott, Bruce Scott, Ben Sebree, Christopher Shields, Nancy Sims, Ed Small, Martha Smiley, Larry Soward, Dennis Speight, Tom Spilman, Sherry Sylvester, Sara Tays, Trey Trainor, Corbin Van Arsdale, David White, Darren Whitehurst, Seth Winick, Peck Young, Angelo Zottarelli.

Enlarge Todd Wiseman

Sunday, Jan. 24

• 16th Annual School Finance & Legislative Workshop with guest speaker state Sen. José Rodríguez, D-El Paso; 500 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin (11:30 a.m.-5 p.m.)
  

Monday, Jan. 25

• HD-49 candidate forum; 816 Congress Ave., Suite 700, Austin (11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.)
• SBOE District 9 candidate Keven Ellis fundraiser; 500 E. Fourth St., Austin (5-7 p.m.)
• SBOE Chairwoman Donna Bahorich fundraiser with special guest Gov. Greg Abbott; 500 E. Fourth St., Austin (5 p.m.)
• State Sen. Konni Burton, R-Colleyville, fundraiser; 110 E. Ninth St., Austin (5:30-7 p.m.)

Tuesday, Jan. 26

• 2016-17 Economic Forecast with economists Angelos Angelou and John E. Silvia; 701 W. Riverside Dr., Austin (7 a.m.)
  
• Texas Public Health Coalition "University of Health" infosession; 401 W. 15th St., Austin (11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m.)
• State Rep. Alma Allen, D-Houston, fundraiser; 701 Congress Ave., State Boardroom, Austin (4:30-6:30 p.m.)
• State Rep. Scott Sanford, R-McKinney, fundraiser; 2604 Country Club Dr., McKinney (7 p.m.)

Wednesday, Jan. 27

• SD-24 candidate forum; 2818 E. U.S. Highway 290, Fredericksburg (6:30-8:30 p.m.)

Thursday, Jan. 28

• SD-26 candidate Trey Martinez Fischer Veterans Town Hall with guest state Rep. César Blanco, D-El Paso; 3001 Guadalupe St., San Antonio (10-11:30 a.m.)
• State Rep. Dan Huberty, R-Houston, fundraiser; 221 W. Sixth St., 21st Floor, Read Room, Austin (4-5:30 p.m.)
• Texas Railroad Commission candidate Lon Burnam campaign kickoff; 1607 San Jacinto Blvd., Austin (5:30-7:30 p.m.)

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz argued Wednesday that the "Washington establishment" has dumped Florida Sen. Marco Rubio in favor of real estate mogul Donald Trump as he continues to dominate the GOP presidential race.

Cruz decided to take a risk on his time this week by visiting New Hampshire in hopes of lifting his chances in the early primary state. During his four-day tour of New Hampshire, the senator said that John F. Kennedy would be a Republican today and that the New England Patriots are good at football. Cruz, like his fellow GOP presidential hopefuls, trails billionaire Donald Trump.

Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign has hired its first paid Texas staff, and is launching a series of supporter meet-ups across the state to coalesce her support as the March 1 primary approaches.

Members of the Wilks family in Cisco, already heavily invested in Ted Cruz's presidential campaign, are also vying to play a larger role in several key Texas House races, according to the latest campaign finance data.

Braden Joplin, a Texas Tech student who was in Iowa volunteering for Ben Carson's presidential campaign, died Tuesday following a car accident.

As the battle between White House hopefuls Ted Cruz and Donald Trump grows increasingly bitter, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin stepped into the fray on Tuesday by endorsing Trump over Cruz, a former ally.

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad said he hopes U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz loses the state's caucuses. This is a departure from neutrality for Branstad, who can be influential in the race for the White House.

In a nonbinding opinion released on Tuesday, Attorney General Ken Paxton said that fantasy sports may involve an element of chance, which in Texas would equate it with illegal gambling.

The U.S. Supreme Court decided that it will consider the Obama administration's controversial immigration program, which has been on hold for nearly a year after being blocked by U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen of Brownsville.

A super PAC supporting Ted Cruz is reserving $2.5 million of airtime in Iowa and South Carolina with less than two weeks until the first nominating contests begin. 

Former state Sen. Wendy Davis is trying to assure New Hampshire voters that early losses in the state or Iowa won't doom Hillary Clinton's bid for the White House

Gov. Greg Abbott flew to Israel Sunday on a plane belonging to Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino owner and megadonor active in Republican national politics.

On Monday, Abbott met with Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to discuss the Texas-Israel relationship and reiterate Abbott's opposition to Iran.

The tension between Ted Cruz and Donald Trump was more palpable than ever in South Carolina Saturday as their once-symbiotic relationship takes center stage in the GOP presidential race.

With pretty much every major public Texas university looking to expand, some heavyweight turf battles are about to begin. This week, university officials explained their ambitious — and expensive — proposals before two key higher education policy boards.

UT System Chancellor Bill McRaven told the state's higher education oversight board Thursday that he should have consulted with them before buying 100 acres for a new southwest Houston campus.

At two separate public appearances this week, University of Texas Chancellor Bill McRaven said that Texas should consider scrapping its top 10 percent automatic admissions rule for universities, which he says hurts the prestige of UT-Austin.

A federal appeals court on Thursday denied a request from Texas and other states to block President Barack Obama's Clean Power Plan, leaving the climate change rules in place as a legal challenge winds through the courts.

Ten federal agencies are being sued by a coalition of attorneys and immigration rights groups over withholding documents related to how the Obama administration is dealing with deporting criminal immigrants.

Comptroller Glenn Hegar told state lawmakers on Wednesday that because of crashing oil prices Texas will send far less of its money in the coming years on transportation than it originally expected. The Republican had an overarching message: don't panic.

Despite a major victory in federal court last month, advocates for reforms to Texas' long-term foster care system are preparing themselves for a lengthy battle to force Texas officials to follow through on changes ordered by a federal judge.

Richard Masterson, who was convicted and sentenced to death for a 2001 strangulation and murder in Harris County, was executed Wednesday, becoming Texas' first execution of 2016.

Shelia Latting, who is black, filed a lawsuit in state district court in Travis County Tuesday, claiming she lost her job a year ago as deputy chief financial officer at the Agriculture Commission due to racial discrimination at the agency. 

In an interview with the Tribune, new Education Commissioner Mike Morath said he wants to better support teachers, develop a fair school accountability system and help struggling schools.

Long reluctant to directly criticize Donald Trump, Ted Cruz threw caution to the wind as he ripped his Republican presidential opponent as a fake conservative.

Texas Department of Public Safety director Steve McCraw said Tuesday that Trooper Brian Encinia acted unprofessional and violated protocol when he stopped Sandra Bland.

Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin is a corporate sponsor of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Friday four appointments to the board of the Department of Information Resources. Stuart Bernstein of Austin, John Scott of Fort Worth and Rigo Villarreal of Mission were named to terms to expire Feb. 1, 2021. The fourth appointee, Linda Shaunessy of Austin, was named to a term to expire Feb. 1, 2019. In addition, Scott was named the board’s presiding officer.

Abbott tapped Debra Dockery as the presiding officer of the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners for a term to expire at the pleasure of the governor. He additionally appointed Jennifer Walker, Bob Wetmore and reappointed Chase Bearden to the board. Their terms expire Jan. 31, 2021.

Craig Estes, the newly installed chairman of the Senate Natural Resources and Economic Development Committee, announced on Friday who he’s brought on board as staff.
•    John Bennett, committee director — served as Estes’ general counsel for the past three sessions.
•    Stacie Bennett, committee counsel — worked on the staff of state Sen. Paul Bettencourt as general counsel.

CD-7 challenger James Lloyd released on Thursday a list of endorsements from local elected officials as well as grassroots activists. Headlining the list are two Harris County commissioners — Jack Morman of Precinct 2 and Steve Radack of Precinct 3 — as well as former state Sen. Jon Lindsay. Lloyd and Maria Espinoza are both seeking to unseat John Culberson, R-Houston, in the GOP primary.

Former state Rep. Lon Burnam on Tuesday unveiled a list of endorsements for his bid for Texas railroad commissioner, including some high-profile names in his Democratic Party. Those supporters include: Wendy Davis, the former 2014 candidate for governor; former state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte; Jim Hightower, former Agriculture Commissioner; U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Austin; U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey of Fort Worth; former state Rep. Paul Sadler.

Weston Martinez — one of seven candidates on the Republican ballot for Texas Railroad Commissioner — announced support Tuesday from James Welder. The head of Welder Exploration and Production recently served as chairman of the Texas Producers and Royalty Owners Association.

Dawn Buckingham has earned the endorsement of J.C. Mathiews, Area V director of the Association of Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts, for her bid to win the GOP nomination in SD-24.

The trade associations’ political arms have had a busy week unveiling endorsements. Here are some:

Texas Association of Realtors: Incumbents — Gary VanDeaver (HD-1), Jodie Laubenberg (HD-89), Jonathan Stickland (HD-92) and Tony Tinderholt (HD-94). Challengers — Lance Gooden (HD-4), Hugh Shine (HD-55), Bennett Ratliff (HD-115). Open seats — Kevin Downing (HD-60), Kevin Roberts (HD-126)

Texas Association of Business: Incumbents — Doug Miller (HD-73). Challengers — Bennett Ratliff (HD-115). Open seats — Tom Oliverson (HD-130).

Texas Medical Association: Challengers — Andrew Piel (HD-94)

Texas American Federation of Teachers: Open seats — Martin Golando (HD-116)

CLEAT: Incumbents — Jason Villalba (HD-114), Dan Huberty (HD-127)

Other advocacy groups have had a similarly busy week with endorsements. Here are some:

Texans for Lawsuit Reform: Incumbents — David J. Schenck (Fifth Court of Appeals)

NRA/Texas State Rifle Association: Incumbents — Cindy Burkett (HD-113)

Texans for Life: Incumbents — Cindy Burkett (HD-113). Open seats — Kevin Roberts (HD-126)

Texas Alliance for Life: Incumbents — Cindy Burkett (HD-113).

Texas Right to Life: Challengers — Terry Wilson (HD-20).

Burkett additionally announced endorsements this week from Garland Mayor Douglas Athas and seven of the city’s council members: Billy Mack Williams, Jim Cahill, Anita Gobel, Tim Campbell, Stephen Stanley, Lori Barnett Dodson and Scott LeMay.

Tarrant County state Sen. Konni Burton, R-Colleyville, has endorsed Jess Fields, who is challenging three-term incumbent John Raney in the Brazos County-based HD-14. A former College Station city councilman, Fields more recently worked for the free market-oriented Texas Public Policy Foundation.

Angelique Bartholomew, one of two candidates challenging state Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, in the HD-27 Democratic primary, has picked up the endorsement of Annie’s List, an organization dedicated to electing Democratic women to the Legislature. Annie’s List also said it is making a $15,000 direct expenditure to help Bartholomew’s campaign.

Odessa businessman Dick Saulsbury announced Monday that he’s endorsing Joshua Crawford, who is challenging HD-81 state Rep. Brooks Landgraf in the Republican Party primary. Saulsbury until relatively recently supported Landgraf, having given the freshman lawmaker a total of $5,000 in 2014. He also was listed as Landgraf’s campaign treasurer as recently as the July 2015 semiannual campaign report.

HD-114 state Rep. Jason Villalba, R-Dallas, announced that he has the backing of several public safety groups, including the Dallas Police Association, Dallas Firefighters Association, Texas Department of Public Safety Officers Association and Texas Municipal Police Association.

Rudy Giuliani is leaving Bracewell & Giuliani's New York office, which he helped establish, for Greenberg Traurig where he will serve as global chair for the firm’s cybersecurity and crisis management practice. The former New York City mayor joined the Houston-based Bracewell & Patterson in 2005 as a named partner.

Deaths: Mark Kincaid, 56, president-elect of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association. He also served as head of the Office of Public Insurance Counsel from 1994-95, an appointee of Gov. Ann Richards. Services will be held at 2:30 p.m. today at St. David's Episcopal Church in downtown Austin. A reception will follow on the TTLA's rooftop patio.

Disclosure: The Texas Association of Realtors, the Texas Association of Business, the Texas Medical Association, Greenberg Traurig, Bracewell & Giuliani and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association are corporate sponsors of The Texas Tribune. Mark Kincaid is a donor to The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.