Why this Texas Senate race is one to watch on Election Night
Texas Senate District 10 is a key race to watch on Election Night.
The battle between incumbent Republican state Sen. Konni Burton, R-Colleyville, and Democratic challenger Beverly Powell has become a costly race — drawing in more than $1.5 million in recent months.
The attacks are flying fast and furious in this race for a district that is neither solidly Republican nor Democratic, and has swung between the two parties for years.
“District 10 is the only swing district in the state Senate this year, so much is at stake,” said Jim Riddlesperger, a political science professor at TCU. “Of course, state House elections are also important in Fort Worth, but this is the highest profile contest in Tarrant County this year.
“The size of the Texas Senate, only 31 seats, means that the swing of a few seats can make a big difference in the partisan makeup of the body. Since only half of the Senate is up for election each two years, that means that whoever is elected in District 10 will serve beyond the 2020 election and into the 2021 legislative session.”
At stake in the race for this district — which includes Fort Worth, Arlington, Mansfield and Colleyville — is a four-year term that pays $7,200 annually.
Early voting for the Nov. 6 mid-term election begins Monday and runs through Nov. 2.
The Wendy Davis factor
Democrat Wendy Davis of Fort Worth represented the district from 2009 to 2015, after defeating incumbent Republican Kim Brimer, but Democrats lost the seat in 2014 to Burton. Davis did not seek re-election, instead making an unsuccessful bid for governor.
She endorsed Powell earlier this year and helped host a recent fundraiser for her in Austin.
Davis called Powell “a no-nonsense, commonsense leader with a passion for serving people rather than a political ideology — exactly what we need.”
“Birds of a feather ... well, they stick together,” Burton wrote in a recent campaign email. “Wendy Davis may have lost by over 20 points to Governor Abbott back in 2014, but she is back at it and meddling in our race to #KeepSD10Red.
“It wasn’t enough for Wendy to simply endorse my opponent right out of the gate. Now she’s courting liberal special interest groups to raise money to turn SD 10 back over to the Democrats. But we won’t let that happen,” she wrote. “Needless to say, with their records of increasing the size and scope of government at every level and refusing to protect even the most innocent among us, these two simply do not represent the hardworking taxpayers of SD 10.”
Riddlesperger said Davis has every right to get involved in this election.
“I guess I would have been surprised if she didn’t take part as a former holder of that seat who opposes the current incumbent,” he said. “Whatever impact she might have will likely be minimal, though obviously money is important in any election and if Davis is able to help Powell in that regard, it might be a significant boost to her chances.”
Republican Konni Burton
Burton, a former vice president of the NE Tarrant Tea Party who previously owned a wedding consulting business, won the battle for this post in 2014.
She said she’s seeking re-election because she wants to continue defending the principles of limited government, personal liberty and free markets.
A former grassroots activist who worked to help get Republican Ted Cruz elected to the U.S. Senate, Burton said she became politically involved because she was concerned “with the direction of our country and the size and scope of the federal government.”
“I made a decision to actually run for this office because, not only did Wendy Davis not reflect the values of SD 10, but I wanted to work to make sure our state does not head in the same direction as D.C.,” she said. “I vowed to defend the rights of all Texans and to be a voice for the taxpayers of SD 10 down in Austin and I am proud to say I have done just that and look forward to continuing to be that voice.”
In this race, Burton received more than $1 million, spent $572,283 and had $488,970 in cash on hand, according to 30-day out reports filed with the Texas Ethics Commission. She also has $240,000 in outstanding loans.
Among her donations: $250,000 in direct and in-kind donations from Empower Texans, a conservative group that has worked for years to move the Legislature to the right; $250,000 from Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, a part of Empower Texans; $300,000 in in-kind contributions from the Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC; and $10,000 from Dallas hotel magnate Monty Bennett.
Burton has attacked Powell for a past lawsuit for unpaid business property taxes. Her campaign has shared paperwork showing a tax judgment and liens involving several businesses, including a Burleson antique store co-owned by Powell.
Challenger Beverly Powell
Powell, a real estate agent who has served on public school and college boards for years, responded to Burton’s tax allegations on a website, stating: “The bottom line, the business taxes Burton questioned have been paid.”
“There’s a reason Konni Burton deflects and distracts when asked about her priorities — because they reflect the direction given to her by the Empower Texans special interest PAC and the West Texas billionaires who fund her campaign, and not the priorities of the voters of SD10,” Powell posted.
She said she’s running for office “because it is time for elected officials who care about our public schools, care about higher education and workforce ... and who believe that economic development in Tarrant County is essential to our region’s future,” she said.
“Instead of fighting against the communities, elected officials and community leaders in Tarrant County, I will fight to protect local control, local voters and local officials.”
In this race, Powell raised $439,755, spent $94,777 and had $447,014 in cash on hand, the latest state finance reports show. She also has $20,000 in outstanding loans.
Among her donations: $45,000 from Annie’s List, a group that works to elect progressive women in Texas; $25,000 from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in Washington DC; $10,000 from musician Don Henley and $2,500 from Jeff Davis, the ex-husband of Wendy Davis and an attorney and chairman with Republic Title of Texas, Inc.
“I will bring a common sense, collaborative approach to the State Senate,” she said. “For too long, our state has been governed with a narrow ideological approach at the request of a few West Texas donors instead of doing what is right for Tarrant County.”