2022 Voter Guide: What to know for the March 1 Texas Primary Election – Houston Chronicle

Gov. Greg Abbott is seeking a third term in office but will first need to overcome 7 primary opponents, while 5 Democrats battle in their primary race. A Democrat has not won a governor's race in Texas since 1990.

The Wichita Falls native and former Texas Attorney General is seeking a third 4-year term in office. If he wins, he'll tie the record for a Texas governor. Abbott has made border security and defending law enforcement his top priorities as he faces the most competitive Republican primary of his 30-year career in politics.

A retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, West served one term in Congress in Florida and was the chairman of the Republican Party of Texas last year. A strident critic of Gov. Abbott, West has taken a strong stance against COVID-19 restrictions and mandates.

The Dallas native runs a commercial real estate business and served one term in the Texas Senate. He has been calling for tougher border policies and the abolition of property taxes.

An attorney from Wise County who has never run for office before and has advocated loosening Texas restrictions on gambling to produce revenues that could lower property taxes.

The Humble High School graduate runs Harrison Landscape and Design in Plano and is pitching himself as an independent, anti-establishment candidate who will support legalized marijuana and expanding gambling in Texas.

The Morgans Point resident is a medical marijuana advocate who has never held elective office.

Not the former governor, but a computer engineer from near Fort Worth who had never run for office and does not appear to have a campaign website.

The New Jersey native is a comedian and entertainer who is campaigning as a political outsider.

The former Congressman and city council member from El Paso narrowly lost to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018. ORourke has focused his campaign on fixing the power grid, attracting jobs and improving education.

A retired Seguin resident who has never run for public office before.

The Beaumont pastor has previously run for lieutenant governor and U.S. Senate and is the president of the Beaumont branch of the NAACP. Hes said education and helping teachers will be his priority.

The former journalist with KUT radio in Austin is making her first run for public office. She was raised in Mexico where her parents were American missionaries.

Incumbent Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is facing a handful of opponents in the GOP primary for his seat, but hes widely considered the favorite with a commanding fundraising lead. Three Democrats, meanwhile, are facing off for the chance to oppose him.

The Texas radio host-turned-lawmaker is seeking a third term at lieutenant governor. Patrick has championed some of Texas most conservative legislation over the years and has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

Bullis hopes to bring a biblical worldview back to Texas through conservative legislative action, his website states.

Miller is the founder of the Texas Nationalist Movement, which has advocated for the secession of Texas from the United States since 2005. He has published two books on the subject, including 2018s TEXIT: Why and How Texas Will Leave the Union.

Bradford most recently served as president of the Texas Eagle Forum, a conservative grassroots organization that engages and trains activists across the state.

Sorrells is a small business owner whose campaign is centered on individual rights.

Vance is a retired Marine and Purple Heart recipient who most recently worked at an Austin cable news station.

Beckley, a pet shop owner from Carrollton, is a two-term member of the Texas House of Representatives. She is ranked among the most liberal members of the chamber.

Brailey, a longtime educator and social justice activist, is the vice chair of the Texas Democratic Party.

Collier, a Houston accountant, is vying for a rematch against Patrick after losing to the lieutenant governor by fewer than 5 percentage points in 2018.

Paxton is contending with serious challengers from his own party for the first time in his career, plus four Democrats. His foes cast Paxton's ongoing legal troubles as a liability and proof that he lacks integrity. Still, Paxton remains popular with primary voters.

Former Harris County criminal court-at-law judge who switched parties in late 2018 after he broke with members of his party to support poor defendants advocating for affordable or cash-free bond for low-level offenders.

Former ACLU attorney from Brownsville whose campaign is focused on health care, voting rights and reproductive rights.

The mediator and former Galveston mayor who wants to create a civil rights division in the office and use the office to lead a statewide effort to legalize recreational marijuana.

Nationally known civil rights attorney who has represented George Floyd's family and other victims of police violence says he wants to address the intersection of untreated mental health and police encounters.

Raynor is a Dallas attorney who wants to improve the office's process for collection of child support. He says he'd advocate to dismiss Paxton's criminal securities fraud case because it's "too distracting."

The two-term incumbent, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, is seeking a third term amid lingering legal troubles, including a more than six-year-old indictment on felony securities fraud charges and an ongoing FBI investigation into bribery and other corruption allegations by his former aides.

The sitting Texas Land Commissioner and son of former Florida governor Jeb Bush has highlighted a need to improve border security and human trafficking prosecution.

Outspoken Tea Party-aligned Congressman and former judge was one of 147 Republicans to vote to overturn the results of the 2020 US presidential election. He also sued former Vice President Mike Pence to try to force him to reject electoral votes cast for President Joe Biden.

Former justice on the Texas Supreme Court, the highest civil court in the state, Guzman made history in 2016 as the first Latina elected to statewide office with 5 million votes, the most in Texas in that year's election.

Two-term comptroller and longtime state politician Glenn Hegar goes after a third term, hoping his record of fiscal conservancy will vault him over a field of mostly Democratic challengers.

Dudding is a public accountant who previously ran for a Texas House seat in 2020. She has called for diversifying the state's revenue stream by legalizing marijuana, which has brought in new tax dollars in other states.

Hegar is a former state representative and senator first elected as comptroller in 2014. He has been a leading abortion rights opponent and most recently pushed to roll back some transparency measures around the state's large corporate tax break program, Chapter 313.

Goloby owns a wireless remote monitoring business in the oil and gas industry. He has been critical of the 313 program and has also been critical of race-centered curriculum in public schools.

Mahoney is an attorney and writer in Austin who ran against Hegar in 2018. Mahoney has worked for the Texas Observer and served as an Austin Community College trustee.

Born in Puerto Rico, Vega is now a leadership coach in Katy and has volunteered with local voter and community outreach efforts. He originally entered the congressional race for District 22, but dropped out in December to run for comptroller instead.

Eight Republicans and four Democrats are running to succeed Land Commissioner George P. Bush as head of the Texas General Land Office, which administers disaster recovery after major storms, oversees the Alamo, manages Texas' state-run veterans homes and contributes oil and gas royalties to the state's $44 billion public school endowment.

Armenta is a Houston business consultant who says he would work to improve the quality of Texas veterans homes and "fight to ensure the true history of the Alamo is preserved for future Texans."

Avila is a former Immigation and Customs Enforcement agent who in 2020 published a book about his encounter with a Mexican drug cartel that left his partner dead. He has framed himself as an "outsider who is unafraid to take on the establishment."

Buckingham, an eye surgeon from Lakeway who has served in the Texas Senate since 2017, is backed by former president Donald Trump, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and dozens of her fellow GOP state lawmakers. On her website, she vows to "protect our proud Texas history and fight back against the Biden Administration's assault on our state's oil and natural gas industry."

Lopez is a San Antonio attorney who handles real estate, probate and personal injury cases.

Martinez is a conservative activist from San Antonio who has twice run unsuccessfully for the Texas Raildroad Commission. He previously served on the Texas Real Estate Commission and has been endorsed by Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller.

Minton, a Galveston attorney, previously served as a criminal district court judge in El Paso, a position he was twice appointed to by former Gov. Rick Perry.

Spiers is a Houston attorney and former heart surgeon who first ran for public office in 2018, when he failed to reach the runoff in the Republican primary for Texas' 2nd Congressional District.

Westley is a pastor and the historian for the Texas Republican Party. He has twice run for the 15th Congressional District, which stretches from the San Antonio area to the southern border.

Kleberg is a conservationist whose family owns the massive King Ranch property in south Texas. He ran as a Republican in 2010 for a state House seat in El Paso.

Lange is a Houston-area investment manager who previously served as a presidential delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2016.

Martinez describes herself as a "mental wellness policy advocate" who was born and raised in San Antonio, where she still resides. She is a member of the Bexar County Child Welfare Board.

Suh is an Austin attorney, policy advocate and the founder of Immunize Texas, which she describes as a "grassroots network dedicated to supporting pro-vaccine legislation."

Two Democrats and two Republicans are vying to unseat incumbent Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, who remains the favorite in public polling on the race despite the recent indictment of his longtime political aide on corruption charges.

Counsil is a professor and rancher challenging incumbent Sid Miller, spurred by what he calls Miller's unethical behavior throughout his political career.

White, a Texas House member, heated up the race with intense criticism of incumbent Miller for his history of ethical scrutiny from the Texas Rangers.

Miller is running for a third term as agriculture commisisoner. An early supporter and ally of Donald Trump, he runs a popular Facebook page where he shares conservative memes with over 800,000 Facebook followers. He has faced scrutiny from the Texas Rangers on several occasions for allegedly mixing his personal and political interests.

Hays is an attorney from rural West Texas who advised prospective Texas hemp producers after the law changed to allow the crop in 2019, and she is centering her campaign around anger at Sid Miller after his political aide was arrested in May 2021 for allegedly soliciting thousands in cash and campaign donations in exchange for hemp production licenses.

Ireson is a businessman whose family has been running cattle in Brazos County for 130 years. He says he's running to refocus the Department of Agriculture away from politics and back toward the nuts-and-bolts of supporting Texas farmers and families.

U.S. House District 1

Four Republicans and four Democrats are vying to represent this deep-red East Texas district long held by Rep. Louie Gohmert, who is retiring to run for attorney general.

Atholi is a former Gohmert staffer, who is billing himself as a "roughneck for Congress" as he runs a campaign with an emphasis on local control.

Kilgore businessman is running as an "outsider" who isn't part of the "Smith County political bubble."

Moran has served as Smith County judge since 2016 and is running with the backing of some big Texas GOP names, including state Sen. Bryan Hughes.

A Dallas-based physician assistant, John Porro is running on a platform calling for a balanced federal budget and against critical race theory in schools. (

Dass is a Tyler native who argues that most voters in the district are politically independent and that without Gohmert on the ballot, there's a chance Democrats could pull off an upset.

Texarkana native Jefferson is an R&B singer running his third race for elected office after most recently coming up short in a 2020 bid to be mayor of Sacramento, Calif.

Running as a progressive Democrat, Kocen says he decided to run for Congress after the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.

Dunn is running as a "fiscally responsible" and "compassionately progressive" Democrat, whose website lists his top 3 issues as: "Covid 19, Covid 19, Covid 19."

U.S. House District 2

The redrawn 2nd Congressional District now stretches from Harris County into Montgomery County, picking up The Woodlands, New Caney and Splendora, which had been previously in the 8th Congressional District. By removing parts of Houston and adding more Montgomery, the district has become more Republican.

The self-employed small business owner from Conroe says hes running because the area lacks true Republican representation in Washington, D.C.

The retired Marine is a commercial airline pilot who is critical of what he calls a constitutional overreach throughout the federal government, including vaccine mandates and economic shutdowns.

The retired Navy SEAL who grew up in Katy is seeking his third term in Congress. With a growing national profile, he says in campaign materials he will continue to fight for individual liberty, limited government, and fiscal discipline.

The law school student originally from Uganda has made his Christian faith a core part of his campaign message, and vows to defend the U.S. against socialism and Marxism.

The past president of The Woodlands Democratic Club is campaigning against extremism and promoting pragmatic solutions. She is unopposed in the Democratic primary.

U.S. House District 7

Seven Republicans are vying to take on Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, once seen as one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the House whose West Houston district was redrawn to be much safer for the two-term congresswoman.

Fletcher is a former oil and gas attorney who has represented this West Houston district since she ousted longtime Republican Rep. John Culberson in 2018.

Atencio is making his second run for Congress, this time as a Republican after previously campaigining in Washington as a Whig, a Democrat, and eventually a self-proclaimed gay, liberal Republican. Atencio touts his immigrant father's story and says he is campaigning against "corrupt socialism."

A Houston native, Republican Tina Blum Cohen is campaigning on protecting borders, a powerful energy sector, efficient entitlement programs and more.

Gitau says Democrats are turning Houston into a "hotbed of terror" and has warned of growing national debt, while advocating for personal finance education in schools.

A longtime Republican activist, Rehman is calling for a balanced budget, investment in infrastructure and a stronger military.

Stewart is a Navy veteran who owns two Dickeys Barbecue Pit franchises. He is campaigning against abortion, cancel culture and over-taxation.

A former U.S. Army combat medic, Stroud is running against vaccine mandates and other policies he has deemed too "radical."

A pastor and rancher, Teague is making his second run for Congress after losing to Rep. Al Green in 2020.

U.S. House District 8

A crowded field of Republicans is vying to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, in the newly configured 8th Congressional District. State lawmakers dramatically reshaped the district last year, keeping it solidly red but adding a large chunk of west Harris County while removing part of south Montgomery County. The Republican nominee will face Democrat Laura Jones in the general election.

Jones is a former chair of the San Jacinto County Democratic Party who lists flood mitigation and expanding internet access in rural areas among her priority issues.

Bates is a surgical technician who says she wants to purge the Republican party of its failed leadership that simply can not make the tough choices to put America first.

Burrows, who describes herself as a mother and business woman, says she supports vouchers to offset the cost of private schools and has questioned the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Collins, a conservative activist who has focused on mobilizing young Republicans, previously served as Bradys campaign manager and adviser. He is backed by several conservatives in Congress, including Sen. Ted Cruz and U.S. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Madison Cawthorn.

Hullihan is a former military attorney who now works in commercial litigation at a Houston law firm. He lists border security as a top issue and says he wants to fight for the sovereignty of the United States.

Luttrell is a former Navy SEAL and special adviser at the Department of Energy under former Texas governor and energy secretary Rick Perry. He has drawn the support of Perry, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw.

McKaughan is a former Navy helicopter pilot who works as the vice president of a family construction business. He says America is being systematically dismantled from our classrooms to open borders by forces that hate America and the liberties she stands for.

Mitchell is a pipeliner who wants to resume the Keystone XL pipeline project and abolish the federal agency that regulates firearms.

Montgomery is a Porter resident who says he is self-employed, plans to fund his own campaign and supports term limits for members of Congress.

Philips, a retired telecommunication professional, says he wants to outlaw abortions and pass a constitutional amendment to bar deficit spending.

Wellington is a small business owner who previously served as district director for former congressman Ted Poe.

Whichard, a former drilling engineer, is the director of public works for the city of Willis. He says on his campaign website he is willing to lead the fight, to put America first, and socialists last.

U.S. House District 9

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2022 Voter Guide: What to know for the March 1 Texas Primary Election - Houston Chronicle