Democratic gubernatorial candidates fighting for spotlight
SMU Political Science Professor Cal Jillson talks about the Democratic Party race for the nomination for governor.
By Peggy Fikac
AUSTIN — Adrian Ocegueda doesn’t mind admitting that the race for the Democratic primary for governor has broken his heart a little.
It’s not the strain of the nine-way battle for the nomination to challenge Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, but the fact that most of the attention in the race is going to just two candidates.
Political experts, activists and the media largely have been focused on former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez and Houston businessman Andrew White, son of the late former Gov. Mark White. . . .
None of the nine candidates has raised a sackful of money to go up against Abbott’s $43 million-and-counting war chest. White at last tally had the most because he made a $1 million loan to his campaign.
“It’s not uncommon to have a number of candidates that you never heard of before they declared, and that you’re never going to hear from again. There are several of those on both sides of this race,” said Southern Methodist University political scientist.
Abbott has two primary challengers, SECEDE Kilgore of Irving and Barbara Krueger of Plano, whom he’s expected to easily beat for the GOP nomination.
“I do think the Democratic field this time around for governor is peculiarly unsettled,” Jillson said, particularly by comparison to the last two governor races.