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February 5, 2026 5:20 PM
Reporter James Russell breaks down the numbers on the PAC spending and the individual candidates we’re watching
The 30-day
campaign finance reports have now fully trickled into the Texas Ethics
Commission and, as Quorum Report readers were first made aware in
December, the campaign cycle seems lower stakes than the past two cycles and these latest reports are proving it.
If there’s
much real drama ahead, it’ll be reflected in the 8 day
reports and in our reporting from the campaign trail over the next month or so.
As always,
we want your feedback on which races interest you so that they’re included in
our coverage now and moving forward.
As we go through
the filings, let’s start with the PACs.
The rest of the story, subscribers only
By James Russell
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Copyright February 05, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved
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February 5, 2026 5:10 PM
From the
story today by reporter Bayliss Wagner at the San Antonio Express News
Several
LaHood mailers inaccurately said McArthur was sued for patent and copyright
infringement, apparently confusing him with the co-founder of the defunct
internet music service Audiogalaxy. After Hearst
Newspapers flagged the error, LaHood’s consultant Elliot Griffin blamed an
opposition research firm and said the claim would not be repeated.
LaHood’s
campaign also has claimed McArthur was sued twice for wrongful death, citing
lawsuits over hazing in a University of Texas men’s organization he once led.
One 1995 lawsuit named McArthur as a past president of the group, but the
other, filed against the UT Cowboys and its alumni association in 2020, does
not even mention him.
Since
being contacted by Hearst, LaHood’s campaign has stopped referencing its
outside opposition research about litigation regarding McArthur, Griffin said.
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Copyright February 05, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved
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February 5, 2026 1:56 PM
“It shows Ken Paxton is beatable, with his lead narrowing to one point, but a three-way tie could yet gift him the primary.”
The poll
was highlighted
in the New York Post. Depending on your browser you might have to right click the link and open in a new broswer.
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Copyright February 05, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved
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February 4, 2026 4:20 PM
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Copyright February 04, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved
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February 4, 2026 4:19 PM
It comes as Abbott pledges to spend up to $25 million to boost Republicans in Harris County; these unions say labor isn’t an R or D issue. “If you work with us we will work with you” is the message
The list
of those groups in attendance endorsing Abbott today is here.
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Copyright February 04, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved
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February 4, 2026 4:11 PM
The
polling memo is available to subscribers.
The rest of the story, subscribers only
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Copyright February 04, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved
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February 2, 2026 5:31 PM
Hittin’ rough water now in the Ag Commissioner’s race and the US Senate Democratic primary: Allred comes off the sidelines to slam Talarico for allegedly calling him a “mediocre black man,” Commissioner Miller set to debate GOP challenger Sheets, Texas opposition research leaks on ABC’s The View, and the Luke Warford phenomenon is explained
HOUSTON –
Reporting again from H-town, the site of this week’s scheduled debate between
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and his GOP challenger Nate
Sheets. It might be their only in-person exchange after Gov. Greg Abbott’s
campaign went so hard in the paint for Sheets in recent weeks, calling Miller
corrupt, among other things. But with only 15 days until the start of early
voting, the Republicans aren’t the only ones ripping each other apart.
Just two days
after Texas Democrats scored one of their biggest public relations victories in
decades with an upset win in Tarrant County, the US Senate race on their side is
starting to get about as nasty as I thought it would. One of the former candidates
in that race, Colin Allred, is now coming for Rep. James Talarico
after it was alleged that Talarico called Allred a “mediocre Black man” in a
comment meant as a compliment to Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Talarico answered
the allegation late in the day, arguing Allred is mischaracterizing what was
said in a private conversation.
Let’s
start with Miller vs Abbott, though.
The rest of the story, subscribers only
By Scott Braddock
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Copyright February 02, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved
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January 31, 2026 10:47 PM
Shockwaves emanating from the Metroplex: As Lt. Gov. Patrick argued last week, this is the first signal in 2026 that national Democrats could make a significant investment in Texas ahead of the November election; President Trump was trying to boost Wambsganss online while it sounds like the DNC was under the radar helping Rehmet
FORT WORTH
– “At least it could have been at a nicer restaurant,” grumbled a downtrodden
Republican activist on his way out of the election watch party held for Patriot
Mobile executive Leigh Wambsganss Saturday night as supporters of
her bid for Texas Senate began to trickle out just as the results
were coming in.
Just after
10:30pm, Wambsganss seemed to concede for now, telling the crowd “We’ll be back
in November.”
Though it
might prove to only be symbolic, a Democrat appears on his way to representing northeast
Tarrant County in the Legislature’s upper chamber for the first time
since the 1980s. And as top Republicans including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and
President Donald Trump himself had warned during early voting, the apparent
upset victory of Democrat Taylor Rehmet is the first signal to national Democrats
that this state could be in play if the minority party makes a significant financial
investment in the US Senate race here this fall.
Rehmet’s campaign wasn’t ready to declare victory
yet at his watch party, but just before 11:30 pm the Associated Press called the race for the Democrat.
It’s a
battle that played out in its final days on the icy streets of Fort Worth and had
some Republicans questioning why Gov. Greg Abbott didn’t call the runoff
in December, which wouldn’t have given Democrats as much time to organize and
get out the vote for their candidate.
Just last
week, some Republican candidates for other offices around the Metroplex were
talking more about this special election than their own races and describing the
campaign in Cowtown as an “all hands on deck” moment.
The rest of the story, subscribers only
By Scott Braddock
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Copyright January 31, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved
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January 31, 2026 10:08 PM
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Copyright January 31, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved
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January 31, 2026 7:30 PM
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Copyright January 31, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved
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January 30, 2026 3:02 PM
New lobby gigs, association news, advocacy, and a well-deserved recognition of a Texas icon
This is
about the time that grizzled veterans of Texas campaigns start to say things
like “well, this one’s basically over.”
Not quite
yet but it’s true the 30-day campaign finance reports are due to come out next week
– reporter James Russell will have complete coverage, of course – and candidates
in competitive or spirited-but-not-necessarily-competitive races are back on
the thawed out streets, knocking on doors, and talking with voters to shore up
support ahead of March 3.
Here in
Austin, some of the names and faces you know all too well announced new career
moves this week to tell you about. There’s also a well-deserved recognition
coming up stemming from the tragedy of the Hill Country flooding.
When you
have career news to share with the Texas Capitol community, it’s become common
knowledge that the Texas Capitol community hasn’t really been informed about it
until the scoop is in the pages of Quorum Report. But it only works when you
let me know what’s happening. Thanks so much for doing so week in and week out.
If there’s news to share – it doesn’t have to be yours – send it anytime to ksbraddock@gmail.com and use POTM in the
subject line for the fastest service.
Here’s the
latest edition of People on the Move.
The rest of the story, subscribers only
By Scott Braddock
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Copyright January 30, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved
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January 30, 2026 2:23 PM
Here’s the initial list.
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Copyright January 30, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved
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